DESTINED TOGETHER

9. || The Tease ||

"Sir, the car won't start. It might be damaged from the ramming, and there could be an oil leak if we try to use it," his driver nervously informed Ananya, giving a small smile to her.

Dev glanced at her as she tried her best to avoid his gaze.

"Well, I'm also heading home... if you want. Can you come with me?" Ananya offered, trying to ease the tension.

"No thanks, Miss Pune Reject. I'll go by myself. If you want to know, then go," he replied, pulling out his phone to call another driver.

Ananya snatched his phone. "Stop acting like you're in a daily soap opera. And today, tell me where you take these drama classes?" She rolled her eyes at him.

"Look, Dabbu, I don't like too much drama. So just sit quietly in the car without saying a word," she purred in her sweet, slick voice.

"There's no extra crowd around them, like in Ekta Kapoor's shows. Everyone loves their own work and is busy with it, insisting on watching the drama going on there."

"Look, Anu... Ananya, you can't order me like this."

"Watch me."

Rolling his eyes, he went to her car and sat down with an irritated bang on the passenger seat. Rhea and Ananya looked at each other, bursting into giggles, and they headed back to their respective seats — Ananya in the driver's seat and Rhea in the back seat.

"I'll drive."

"Of course, you're sitting in the driver's seat."

"Because I'm driving."

"Of course, you're... just drop me home in one piece," Ananya joked.

She rolled her eyes, starting the car. "Debu, meet Rhea..."

"Rhea Sharma, right?"

"How do you know?" She tilted her head towards the passenger seat.

"Dad... I mean, uncle used to tell me about her and her brave acts," she replied sympathetically.

Rhea nodded. "By the way, Chief Justice sir, are you scared of your wife?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "who..who said it was just baatein unhe samjhaye jaati hai jo samjhe..."

"Aur tum tehre naasamaj isliye tumhe daant kar hi samjhana padega na" Ananya giggled, completing his sentence.

"Oh, please shut up. I'm not in the mood to listen to your chatter right now." Rhea and Ananya laughed out loud.

His lips twitched upwards seeing her laughing carefree, even if it was at his expense. Her laughter was precious.

That night -

After dinner, Debu retired to his room to check some official work while the ladies sat down, exchanging some hilarious moments of their lives.

Megha knocked on the table. "Okay, enough gossip for now. Listen to my important matter... Bhabhi, do you remember what tomorrow is?"

"November 28th... Dabbu... I mean, Debu's birthday. Damn, it's Debu's birthday tomorrow," she chimed.

"Yeah yeah sister-in-law, I was saying the same thing. Let's plan a birthday party for your dabbu," Megha's eyes gleamed.

"That just slipped out," Ananya scratched the back of her neck.

"Okay, so what's the plan?"

"What about a theme party?" Ananya suggested.

"Okay, the theme party is. But what theme should we have?"

"Avengers and fairy tales are too ordinary, let's go for something unique."

"How about a retro theme?"

"And anyway, Debu looks like a hero from the 90s," Rhea added.

"Ohh hello! Kuch bhi koi 90's ka hero nahi lagta dabbu. Aacha khasa dashing banda hai. Style dekha nahi hai tumne abhi tak uska" Ananya rolled her eyes.

Shit.

They're teasing her, right?

She facepalmed herself, while others awed at her.

"Okay okay fine... now retro theme it is. Megha, Payal, you handle guests and invitations, I'll take care of decorations, and..."

"And I'll manage the food," Karuna interrupted.

"And I'll handle the music and retro dress," Rhea side-hugged Payal.

"And yes, Debu won't be told anything about this."

Everyone nodded.

-----

Ananya entered the room to find Dev typing furiously on his laptop, his brow furrowed in concentration. She approached him with a playful smile.

"Debu, you're heading to the office tomorrow, right?" she asked casually.

"Of course," Dev replied, without looking up from his screen.

Ananya leaned against the desk, intrigued. "When are you planning to leave?"

Finally closing his laptop, Dev stretched lazily and covered himself with a blanket, reclining on the couch. "What exactly are you trying to figure out? Should I stand in the middle of the road with my car waiting for you to bump into me?" he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Ananya chuckled, shaking her head. "So funny," she retorted, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Didn't they teach you to speak straightforwardly in childhood?" Dev quipped, closing his eyes with a smirk.

Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, Ananya turned away, muttering under her breath, "He should be cast as the most serious uncle in a '90s drama."

Next morning -

Ananya woke up feeling refreshed, the morning light filtering through the curtains. Her eyes fell upon Dev, who looked unusually peaceful in sleep. She couldn't help but admire his features: his closed doe-like eyes, perfectly shaped brows, long pointed nose, high cheekbones, and those tempting lips... Quickly averting her gaze as he stirred, catching her staring, she pretended to be asleep.

After a while, the family gathered at the breakfast table. Dev quietly hoped for birthday wishes, but to his dismay, no one greeted him, not even his own mother.

"Megha and Payal must have forgotten, but even Mom didn't wish me. Strange," he remarked casually, serving himself his favorite cauliflower parantha.

"Don't you think you're forgetting something, Mom?" he prodded playfully, stirring his food with a smirk.

"Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I made chickpeas for you," Karuna Ji responded, heading to the kitchen to retrieve them, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

Facepalming himself with a sigh, Dev chuckled while the others stifled their laughter.

After finishing breakfast in silence, poor Dev left for the office, hoping at least his colleagues would remember to wish him.

To be continued...