Prem Vivah

• Aaj Ki Raat •

It was a bright Saturday afternoon for everyone and the sky looked miraculously clear and azure. Sameer was leaving for Pune on Monday, and he had only two days to spend with his family and friends. He already spent quality time with his aai and tai, and hence now his pals were taking him to Anshuman's villa to give him a beautiful farewell party. At first, he was reluctant to go but how could he win against Naina's unbeatable stubbornness? She told him to make an excuse at home and she would do the same as it was only a one-day trip and as expected he surrendered his ego. Finally, after agreements and disagreements, Sameer packed his bag and joined everyone in the car. He and Satvik were still not talking like before, there was still a little bit of bitterness left inside him which always kept him aloof from his best friend's presence.

Everyone was there except Anjali, she had some urgent work to do and hence she couldn't join this road trip.

Naina secretly typed a message to Anshuman which stated - "Oye tumne mera kaam kiya na ache se?"

Today Satvik was driving as he loved using this latest model of car and Anshuman was savoring the breezy climate. His phone beeped noisily and he impatiently checked who had texted him in the daytime because most of his cousins are studying abroad so they woke up when he sleeps. His eyebrows wiggled at Naina's excitement to know if he had made the arrangements she asked him to, and slowly replied to her while guffawing - "Sorry bhabhi woh toh main bhool gaya."

Naina gasped, gaping at him in sheer fury for ruining her surprise for Sameer, and Anshuman feigned innocence, his lips set for a thin line.

Sameer knitted his brows at his girlfriend for glaring at Anshuman like if it would have been possible she would have swallowed him right now. He fearfully tapped on her shoulder, and asked her with a sheepish smile - "Kya hua? Yeh kaali maata ka avatar kyu liya huwa hai tumne?"

"Kuch Nahi," Naina said tersely, resuming her typing on the keypad.

"Main tumhe gaadi se bahar fek dungi Anshuman...kuch bhi kar ke jaisa maine kaha hai waisa please decoration karwao." She wasn't able to understand whether she was threatening him or beseeching him to not destroy her plan. She could see a hint of a smile on his face as he read her message, stifling his budding laughter.

Oh, so he was just teasing her. Naina deduced and pouted in annoyance.

"I was joking Parjai Ji, aapne jo kaha tha sab kuch ho chuka hai already," Anshuman replied to his future sister-in-law with a cheeky smile on his face, and Sameer and Radhika could perceive something was cooking between these humans.

Naina gently laughed at her brother-in-law's mischievousness and typed - "Good Boy, god bless you devar ji."

Anshuman giggled after reading her cute message, and shoved his phone into Jean's pocket, enjoying the calming weather surrounding the roads and alleys.

"Yeh bacha dekh kitna cute haina?" Naina showed one of the toddler reels to Radhika, and she gushed over the adorable infant who was cuddling his beloved mother.

"Yaar bache itne cute hote haina, mann karta hai unhe gale laga kar rahe," Radhika said dreamily.

"Maine toh soch liya hai main apne bete ki shadi teri beti se hi karaugi," Naina spoke with a wide smile, and Sonali turned to look at the silly women in utter euphoria.

"Agar mujhe beta hua toh main teri beti se karaugi." Radhika beamed.

"Theek hai chalega." Naina agreed.

"Phir toh main saas banke sab hukum chalaugi teri beti pe hayee." Radhika's buffoonish vision made the boys chuckle.

"Itne khwab mat dekh chudail agar teri beti mere ghar ki Bahu ban gayi na toh phir main bhi kuch kam nahi hoon, sofe pe baithe baithe use kahugi. Bahu zara chai lao." Naina said with a dramatic expression, and soon the girls cracked into peals of uncontrollable laughter, tears rolling down their soft cheeks.