Aarti was busy instructing the servants to pack the gifts and load them into the car quickly. Her tone was firm, yet her usual warmth still showed through as she ensured everything was in place for their trip to Delhi.

"Hurry up, we need to leave soon!" she called out, her eyes scanning the preparations with a sharp, practiced gaze.

Abhi walked into the room, still on the phone, speaking to his manager. "Yes, make sure the designs for the winter collection are approved by the client by Monday. And don't forget to follow up on the international shipment-it's crucial for our timeline."

As he finished the call, he slipped his phone into his pocket and turned toward his mother, who gave him an exasperated look.

"Abhi, it's just a matter of a week. You can afford to take a break and stay at your Nani's place in Delhi. After all, this trip is important-we need to see the bride," Aarti reminded him.

Abhi shook his head, smiling slightly but with a hint of frustration. "Mom, it's not that simple. I've got this project going on, and it's not just any project. It's Dad's dream-turning AR from a local clothing store into a leading fashion brand, and now we're expanding into new territories. AR is hosting fashion shows, collaborating with international designers, and our clothing line is making waves in the industry. This upcoming project could elevate us even further, and I want to see it through."

Aarti's face softened as she listened to her son, pride filling her eyes. "Abhi, I'm so proud of you. Your father would be too. You've done so much more than anyone could've imagined. AR is now a name people respect, all because of your dedication and hard work."

Abhi smiled at his mother's words, but his mind quickly shifted to another concern. "By the way, Mom, did you talk to Garima Aunty?"

Aarti's expression changed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. "I'm still angry with Garima. I can't believe they've decided to shift to Mumbai like that, without even consulting us first."

Abhi sighed, trying to calm his mother down. "Mom, I'm sure Shashi Uncle must have some important work that'll keep him in Mumbai for a while. You know how Uncle is-he can't stay away from family for too long. But I've asked Arnav to talk to him about it. I don't want them to move either."

Just then, Arnav strolled into the living room, yawning lazily. "I talked with Uncle," he said, rubbing his eyes. "They aren't moving to Mumbai yet."

Abhi frowned, confused. "What do you mean by 'yet'?"

Arnav plopped down onto the couch and stretched. "Uncle said he really has some important work in Mumbai, and his boss trusts him with it. It might take longer than expected, but I've requested him not to move permanently. He said he'd come back after the work is done. After all, Uncle has spent his whole life in Lucknow; moving wouldn't be easy for him."

Abhi nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're right. Uncle's heart is here in Lucknow, I'm sure he won't be able to move for good. He'll be back. Mom, now will you leave your anger behind and talk to Aunty? She's been calling since morning."

Aarti huffed, clearly still not pleased with the situation, but she relented. "Alright, alright. I'll talk to her. But not through phone. I'll go and meet her."

Arnav walked over to his mother and hugged her from behind. "Don't worry, Mom. They know how much we need them. They can't leave us."

Aarti's expression softened, and she hugged Arnav back tightly. "You boys mean the world to me," she said, her voice thick with emotion.

Abhi smiled warmly and joined the hug, his arms wrapping around both his mother and brother. Aarti was holding her sons in a warm embrace, a tender moment shared between mother and her two beloved boys. The family bond was strong, and though they often bickered or had their differences, moments like this reminded them all of how much they truly meant to each other.

As they stood there, wrapped in the warmth of their hug, Ramu Kaka, the family’s servant, appeared at the entrance. His voice broke the gentle silence, "Arnav baba, someone has come to meet you."

Arnav pulled away slightly and looked toward Ramu Kaka, raising an eyebrow. "Who is it, Kaka?"

Before Ramu Kaka could respond, a familiar voice called out, "Namaste, Aunty. Hi, Abhi. Hi, Arnav."

The trio turned toward the door, where Sonia stood, her smile radiant and confident as she greeted them. Abhi merely nodded his head politely. "Hello, Sonia," he said in a neutral tone.

Aarti, ever the gracious host, greeted her warmly. "Namaste, beta. Aren't you Sonia? The girl who was with Arnav at the Diwali party?"

Sonia's smile widened, and she nodded. Before she could respond, Arnav jumped in, clearly eager to steer the conversation. "Maa, she's my friend from college. We’re working on a combined project. Come, Sonia, let’s talk in my room."

Aarti smiled politely, "Of course, Sonia. Make yourself at home." Then she turned toward Arnav. "But make it quick. Until then I'll speak with Garima and check on Aru and Khushi, before we leave for Delhi."

At the mention of Khushi’s name, Sonia’s smile faltered ever so slightly, her eyes flickering with discomfort. She quickly masked her reaction and, in an attempt to keep the conversation flowing, asked, "Delhi, Aunty? Why are you going to Delhi? Won't you be staying for the performance tomorrow?"

The mention of a performance seemed to surprise both Aarti and Abhi. Arnav's eyes widened as he shot a glance at Sonia, clearly shocked that she had let the information slip.

"Performance?" Aarti asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Abhi, now equally intrigued, asked, "What performance?"

Before Sonia could add more fuel to the fire, Arnav scrambled to explain. "Uh… Bhai, I’m… I’m…"

Aarti’s motherly instincts kicked in. "What happened, Arnav? Why are you hesitating?" she pressed gently.

Sonia, picking up on Arnav’s unease, interjected with a teasing grin. "Exactly, why are you stammering? Arnav and I have joined an inter-college competition. We’re participating in a dance competition, and tomorrow is the performance. Didn’t Arnav tell you about it?"

Both Aarti and Abhi were caught off guard. Abhi chuckled in disbelief. "Arnav and dance? I can’t believe it."

Aarti, her expression softening with surprise, looked at her son. "Why didn’t you tell us earlier, Arnav? We could have postponed our Delhi plans. You didn’t mention anything about participating in such a competition."

Arnav, clearly feeling cornered, quickly tried to cover his tracks. "I wanted it to be a surprise… for both of you. I wanted to win and then share the good news."

Sonia, realizing she had unintentionally ruined his surprise, quickly apologized. "Oh, I’m sorry, Arnav. I didn’t realize it was supposed to be a secret. But with your family leaving for Delhi, how did you plan to surprise them?"

Arnav gulped, searching for an explanation. "Well, I’m not a kid, Sonia. I didn’t expect them to come and watch. I just wanted to do my best and surprise them with my victory later."

Abhi laughed, ruffling his younger brother’s hair affectionately. "I’m already proud of you, Arnav. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose."

Aarti smiled warmly, touched by her sons’ bond. "All the very best, my son. But I am a little upset that you didn’t tell us sooner, especially since it means you won’t be joining us in Delhi. First Garima and Shashi, now you… It seems like only Abhi and I will be going to see the bride."

Arnav quickly jumped in to apologize. "I’m really sorry, Maa. I was going to tell you that I have an important project at college and couldn’t join you, but Sonia accidentally revealed the dance competition. But don’t worry, you and Bhai won’t be alone. Nani, Mama, Mami, and Akash will be there with you."

Aarti sighed, half-heartedly accepting his explanation. "Fine. But I wish you could’ve come with us."

Abhi, always the voice of reason, chimed in. "Maa, let Arnav do what he likes. Seems like, He’s worked hard for this."

Arnav smiled, grateful for his brother’s support. "Thanks, Bhai. But I promise, once your marriage is fixed, I’ll come running to join you all."

Abhi chuckled. "Take your time. I’ll keep you posted on how things go in Delhi. Now go and prepare for your performance."

Arnav nodded, turning to Sonia. "Come on, Sonia. Let’s go."

Sonia nodded, still looking a little uneasy, and followed Arnav to the room.

As soon as they left, Aarti turned to Abhi, a curious glint in her eyes. "Abhi, do you think she’s his girlfriend? I mean, the way they were together during Diwali… I’ve wanted to ask him, but it feels too soon. That was the first time I saw her."

Abhi was momentarily caught off guard. He had noticed the same thing at the Diwali party and had even asked Khushi to stay close to Arnav, feeling uneasy about Sonia’s presence. Now that his mother was expressing similar concerns, he knew he had to clear things up.

"No, Maa," Abhi said, shaking his head. "They’re just friends. You know how Arnav is.. he tells me everything. I know my brother too well. He wouldn’t hide anything from me."

Aarti sighed, clearly relieved. "Okay, I believe you. Who knows him better than you, after all?"

Abhi smiled. "Exactly. Now, let’s go meet the Guptas. I want to talk to them before we leave for Delhi."

Aarti nodded, and together, they walked out, their minds already moving to the next step in their journey as they prepared for the trip ahead.

________________________

Aarti and Garima's friendship had always been strong, forged through the bond of their husbands, who were childhood best friends. Their relationship was one of understanding and mutual respect, and over the years, they had shared every happiness and sorrow, supporting each other through thick and thin. But now, things had taken a bitter turn. Ever since Garima had told Aarti at the Diwali party that they were moving to Mumbai, the once-warm friendship had become strained. Aarti had barely spoken to her since last night, and it hurt Garima deeply. It felt as if the foundation of their friendship was shaking.

Garima sat in the living room, still upset over Aarti’s cold behavior. "How can I eat when my heart is heavy?" she said, pushing away the food Khushi had brought for her. "Aarti has never been like this with me, and now, it feels like she’s pulling away.."

Shashi, her ever-supportive husband, sat beside her, trying to console her. "Garima, I know you’re upset, but remember, now our desicion is changed, all this is temporary. As soon as Aryan’s treatment is done, we’ll come back to Lucknow, and everything will be normal again..."

Khushi, standing nearby with Aryan, tried to lighten the mood. "Mumma, please eat something. You haven’t had anything since morning! How will you manage if you keep this up?"

Aryan, following his sister’s lead, tried his best to lighten the mood and bring a smile to his mother’s face. he walked up to Garima and said in his sweet, innocent voice, "Mumma, look, I ate everything and took all the medicines di gave me, even though I was angry with both of you." He pouted slightly, recalling the disappointment. "You and di didn’t take me to the Diwali party, but I didn’t let that stop me. You should also eat, Mumma, and not show your mood to the food .. just like di said."

His words were filled with sincerity, a mixture of both a child's hurt and the desire to comfort his mother. Aryan's attempt to be the peacemaker, despite feeling left out, brought a small smile to Garima's face, and even Shashi and Khushi couldn't help but smile at his sweet, earnest nature. His innocent reasoning had touched them.

Khushi ruffled his hair affectionately. "We are so proud of you, Aru," she said, her voice soft with affection. "You’ve been so brave, and we all know that you’ll get through this like a champion. You’re stronger than you think."

Despite Aryan’s heartfelt plea and Khushi’s encouragement, Garima still didn’t budge, her heart too weighed down by the situation with Aarti to think about food. The sweetness of Aryan’s words might have brought a flicker of warmth, but the underlying sadness still lingered in her eyes. 

"No, I can’t eat. Not until things are sorted out with Aarti.."

Just then, a voice broke through the tense atmosphere. "Won’t you eat even if I ask you to?" Everyone turned toward the door to see Aarti standing there, with Abhi by her side. Her eyes softened as she looked at her old friend, and Garima’s expression immediately shifted from surprise to relief.

"Aarti..." Garima whispered, her voice choking on the word.

Aarti stepped forward, guilt evident on her face. "I’m sorry, Garima. I’ve been avoiding you, and that was wrong. I was upset about you moving to Mumbai, but I shouldn’t have ignored you. I should have talked to you instead."

Garima shook her head, wiping away her tears. "No, I should be the one apologizing, Aarti. I should have told you about it, before deciding. You had every right to be upset. It’s just that... everything happened so fast."

Abhi, trying to break the tension, interjected with a grin, "If you two keep apologizing in turns, it’ll be evening by the time you’re done!" His lighthearted comment earned a few chuckles, breaking the emotional intensity in the room "but uncle, I'm also not happy with whatever you all decided" Abhi added.

Shashi joined in, looking at Abhi. "Abhi beta, I understand why you’re upset. This decision to move was hasty, but Arnav really opened my eyes. He told me something that stuck: If you search hard enough, you can always find solutions. And he was right."

Shashi turned to Aarti with a warm smile. "Aarti bhabhi, don’t worry. We’re not going anywhere permanently. You and your sons won’t let us leave."

Aarti couldn’t help but laugh. "That’s right, . We won’t let you leave, even if you tried!" The room erupted into lighthearted laughter, the weight of the earlier tension finally lifting. It felt like the air had cleared, and the bond between the two families remained strong, despite the recent strain.

Khushi, who had been silently praying for peace between the two families, let out a sigh of relief. She hoped that Aru’s treatment would go smoothly and that once they returned, there would be no more secrets or misunderstandings between them.

After the laughter died down, Garima, now in a better mood, asked, "So, Aarti, how are the preparations for your trip to Delhi going?"

Aarti sighed, "Only Abhi and I are going, Garima. Even Arnav isn’t coming with us because he has some performance tomorrow in college."

The Guptas, already knew about Arnav’s performance through him. Garima’s eyebrows lifted in mock surprise. "Wait, Arnav isn’t going with Abhi because of the performance?" She was guilty thinking about Arnav isn't going because of them.

Abhi quickly shook his head, smiling. "I don’t mind at all, aunty. Actually, the fewer people, the better. More comfortable for me. I’m just going to meet a girl, no big deal. If anything happens, I’ll update you all." His easygoing nature made everyone laugh, and Garima nodded with a smile.

"By God’s grace, it will finalize," Garima said, genuinely hoping for the best for Abhi.

Khushi and Aryan took the opportunity to start teasing Abhi, giggling and nudging him. "Oho, Bhaiya, meeting a girl, huh? What if she doesn’t like your business style and suit?" Aryan teased and Khushi chimed in.. "Don’t worry, Bhaiya, wear casuals and make sure you’re looking your best!"

Abhi rolled his eyes, laughing. "Come on, guys! I haven’t even seen the girl yet, and you both already started with the teasing!" The playful banter continued for a while, with everyone joining in the fun.

As the conversation flowed easily between the families, Abhi leaned closer to Khushi and whispered, "khushi, you should definitely go meet Arnav. He’s alone with Sonia. He could use your help with the performance. Go on."

Khushi glanced at him, her heart skipping a beat at the mention of Arnav and Sonia, but she nodded, understanding. With the tension between the families resolved and the mood light and joyful, Khushi made a quick excuse and left the room, her mind now focused on Arnav.

___________________________

Hope you all like the update!

Do Vote and share your views through comments.

Love, 💕
Uzma.