Popcorn

26. Celebrating small things

The moon under siege by stars lighting the dark sky, the pleasant aroma of daffodils silently roaming in the air, the jazz ever slowly playing in the background and the clinking of glasses called for celebration as the younger generation of the Verma house gathered up in the open terrace to celebrate  the occasion in hands.

After confessing their love for each other, Harshan and Rachna shared the wonderful news to their family the following night, making their grandparents elated while Rakshan and Ayushi's joy knew no bounds. Aditi, well, she was still tongue-tied. When did this happen?

" Di, it should always be the boys who should propose first." Ayushi cried trying to make her cousin understand her point.

"Ayu, with your sister everything is opposite." Harshan grinned earning a hit from his lady love.

"What do you mean?" Rachna glared at him as he rubbed his shoulders.

"I mean I like this boldness in you, the way you followed your heart and proposed me." Harshan appreciated looking into her eyes affectionately, holding her in his gaze. Ayushi coughed to bring back the lovebirds to the earth.

Aditi felt she was having mini-attacks one after the other. First, when the entire family knew the love brewing between her cousin and her friend, she couldn't even notice the spark between them. Second, her strict Rachu Di was blushing beetroot red.

A little later after some more chattering, Rakshan excused himself as he left to his room to complete his impending work. Aditi noticed the tiredness lurking in his face, she had seen him locked in his room for most part of the day. Dismissing her thoughts, Aditi too followed the same suit. Her body needed rest to get ready for the hectic preparation she had to do for the anniversary party which was four days away. Ayushi to departed with her sister letting the lovebirds have their own time.

"Rachu, are you okay with the engagement date? If it is too early, I can talk to our parents." Harshan asked her in concern. When they professed their love to their family, their grandparents had gone over board and fixed their engagement a week next to Amitosh and Malini's anniversary.

Rachna scooted closer to him and replied, "Harsh, I want this. If I had any apprehensions, you know I would have raised it out but I'm crystal clear. I'm waiting for the day for the world to know you are mine." Rachna completed and smirked at the end.

"Harsh, are you okay with the engagement?" Rachna raised her doubt tracing his face for any signs of discomfort. She feared if everything was too fast for him to adapt. Smiling at her, Harshan began playing with her fingers and replied, " Rachu, I have always wanted love in my life, a sweet little family and a peaceful home. Now, I have got the love of my life, I'm waiting for the day I can kidnap her as mine and make my dreams come true."

Rachna chuckled and questioned, "What am I a small girl to be kidnapped?"

"Hmmm....You're aren't a small girl. You are a giant. Hitting people and scaring them with-" Harshan was interrupted by the hard blow he received on his chest.

"See I told you right you're a giant." Harshan quipped holding her fist. Sulking Rachna moved away from him and stood near the railing. Shaking his head playfully, Harshan back hugged her and placed a soft kiss on her earlobe. She shrugged from him but he held her firmly with his hands. Bringing their hands to her front, Harshan rested his head in the crook of her neck, looking at the twinkling sky.

Few minutes later, Rachna whispered with her eyes closed breathing the night breeze, "Harsh, lets stay like this all our life. Its beautiful. Just you and me.".

"Just you and me." Harshan repeated softly.

******

Aditi on her way back to her room went to the kitchen to fetch water. She was shocked to see two figures sneaking into the dark kitchen. Taking a vase from the nearby table, she silently entered the kitchen and switched on the lights. The two figures turned towards her horrified but seeing it was Aditi, they let out their held breaths.

"Adi, you scared us." Dheeraj gasped making Aditi laugh.

"Dadu, Dadaji you forgot to call me in this adventure." Aditi cried placing the vase on the counter. Amitosh smiled sheepishly at his granddaughter.

"Adi, I thought you were still upstairs with others." Amitosh reasoned and began searching his treasure in the fridge.

"Its okay. Dadu, Do you expect Dadi to keep those yummy rasgoolas in the fridge?" Aditi questioned searching in the shelves and her grandfather nodded her head in a no. Soon, the trio searched each corner of the kitchen but they could not spot the delicate white balls.

"My stomach is growling. I need something sweet."Amitosh complained standing beside Aditi.

"Sugar container is beside you, Amit." Dheeraj's instant reply made Amitosh scowl at his friend.

"You both are behaving like seven year old kids not like seventy year old men. " Aditi chuckled pulling her grandfather's cheek. She was happy to see her grandfather happy. He had been the closest to her. She had seen him as a responsible man toiling hard most of his life but seeing him in this vacation as a carefree man brought a comfort to her heart. She wished he remained the same hale and healthy as she stood admiring Amitosh and Dheeraj's friendship. In this vacation, she had got to know a lot of secrets of her grandparent's from Dheeraj who treated her like his own granddaughter. Her silent morning jogging had turned into a fun-filled walk, listening to their endless stories, drinking sugarcane juice at dawn and sometimes hiding behind their backs when Oscar came into sight. She loved the time she spent with them. Sometimes she wondered whether she was twenty four or they were.

"Age is just a number Adi. All are kids at heart. We just switch our personalities according to the character required at that particular age." Dheeraj stated placing his hand on her head. She smiled at him.

"We have horlicks and chocolate with us. It will take us nearly fifteen minutes to make cookies. So-" Aditi was abruptly stopped by the antics of the grandfathers. Amitosh rushed to take the horlicks bottle from the top shelf while Dheeraj picked up the chocolate bars.

Aditi had two wonderful assistants who spilled the flour on the floor, messed often with her chocolate batter and were currently playing sword fight with the spatula. Though Aditi should have been angry with the mess they created, she found them cute and kept laughing throughout the baking time.

As the oven pinged indicating that the cookies were ready to satiate their appetite, the three heads rushed to the oven but were stopped by the clearing of a throat. Aghast the three turned to look at their prosecutor and saw Hitler Malini glaring at them who soon burst into fits of laughter. Relieved to see his wife laughing, Amitosh gathered his courage and asked her, "Malini, weren't you sleeping?"

"I was but my stomach began to growl and thought of eating rasagoolas."

"Rasagoolas?" The three shouted in unison.

"I know you all very well that's why I placed the rasagoolas in the freezer at fridge temperature." Malini revealed making the trio groan. Foolish of them to not check the freezer.

A table for four was set with hot crispy cookies and spongy rasagoolas but the table was soon crashed by the whole family except Rakshan which didn't go unnoticed to Aditi's eyes.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Happieee New Year, folks!!

Cheers! To new beginnings! To a new decade!

Lets keep spreading positivity and smiles.

: )