After breakfast the boys drove down to INS Shivaji, the Naval College of Engineering near Lonavala, taking Aman along with them. Randhir had been invited as a guest of a senior naval officer whom he knew through his business contacts, and they were meant to visit the facility as engineering enthusiasts. Aman was quite thrilled with the prospect of a boys' day out, to his relief Randhir noticed that his emotional phase had waned completely.

The girls were happy to be by themselves for a while; having boarded themselves in the room so Sanyukta could finally cast off her veil. She caught Vidushi staring at her with a twinkle in the eye and when she asked her what the matter was she was led to the mirror to see the reason herself. Sanyukta did as she was told and blushed to see angry marks on her skin from her early morning encounter with Randhir, she had not noticed them before as they were well hidden behind her veil.

Vidushi helped her apply an ice pack, trying to guess how much ground her brother had managed to cover with her best friend on this trip. Obviously Sanyukta did not reveal anything, though she did admit that Aman had almost witnessed a rather private moment, leaving her friend wondering about it as she quickly made up her mind to badger her brother when he got back. In any case Vidushi knew that Aman had gotten very close to both Sanyukta and Randhir and they doted on him. She prayed that somehow, by a quirk of fate, the three of them should come together in the future. The little boy deserved to be part of a complete, loving family while growing up.

The boys returned just in time for lunch, though not too hungry as they had been offered refreshments by their host. As soon as she found the opportunity Vidushi began probing her brother about his amorous adventures in a hushed tone, the heroine of which was distracted with feeding Aman. She whispered to Randhir that she had spotted the fertility symbols he had imprinted on his bed-mate's body and now wanted him to share the spicy details. In response he just winked and grinned at his sister, refusing to reveal anything or be ruffled by her prodding.

He knew what Vidushi wanted to know, and he would never oblige her. He could not let her have the satisfaction of knowing that his partner would never shed her inhibitions or her clothes while the lights were on, though she more than made up for it later, matching him move for move. He recalled his sister's words about her blooming only in the dark like the night jasmine, wondering for how long she was going to stay concealed from him. Though he found her rigidity frustrating he was apprehensive about pushing her, he did not want to invite her ire and be denied his bedroom privileges altogether. His heart would not let him seek the same intimacy elsewhere; this woman had cast a veritable spell on him!

After the meal at the cottage they checked out and proceeded to a nearby lake to enjoy sightseeing amidst tranquil surroundings. There were hardly any people when they got there. The place was an ornithologist's paradise. Parth, who was a birding enthusiast, requested them to maintain silence lest they alarm the birds and pointed out a variety such as cattle egrets, kingfishers, sandpipers, teal and even a Desert Wheatear perched on a rock at the water's edge.

They then set off to a view point where one can enjoy the sight of the three tiered Kune waterfall at some distance. The place offered a breathtaking vista from its height, especially during the monsoons when the world around is clad in a pristine green livery. They would have loved to stay there until sunset but decided to head towards the Expressway instead, giving themselves a head-start. Parth took the wheel on the return journey; they made good time stopping by just once for a short dinner break. Aman was fast asleep by the time they reached home, and was put straight to bed. They gave his grandmother packs of fudge, fruit candies and chikki thanking her for valuable advice which had helped make their trip both convenient and memorable.

By the time they were washed and changed it was time to sleep, both couples hit the sack fondly hoping that this holiday was just a first among many more to come.