[ON HOLD] (AFOL #2) - Love at First Flight

Chapter 3 - New Place, New Day, Same Us

Note: Second half is very 18+. Read at your own risk. Unless you read my other stories then you already what it entails.

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"Come Akshara, beta. You must be tired too. Being up all night." Manjiri waved Akshara over as Reem and Nishtha walked back into the main hall together.

Akshara took a seat beside Manjiri just as Abhimanyu took a seat opposite her, amongst his siblings. He munched on the wedding sweets, as Manjiri discussed about the remainder of the post wedding events.

"So we have a muh-dikhai rasam planned for Shefali tomorrow for the neighbourhood ladies. The men are free to do what they like but you girls," She looked pointedly towards Reem, Akshara and Nishtha, "Better not have any plans. And if you do, cancel them."

"And after that?" Harshvardhan asked.

"Shefali has going to go back to Udaipur for a day and we as in Parth has to bring her back, completing the pagphera rasam."

Abhimanyu's ears perked up at the thought of going back to Udaipur. But wait, did that mean — "Does everyone have to go for that rasam? Or just Parth bhai?"

What was the point of Akshara being here for 15 days if half of those days were going to be spent completing wedding rituals! He felt like laying on the floor and throwing a toddler tantrum for the state of his romantic life. Whereas he had thought they'd be having a lot of alone time —turns out they'd be having even less alone time than they did in the resort in Udaipur. Abhimanyu felt like suffocating himself with the couch pillows.

"I mean you don't have to, if you don't want to, Abhimanyu, but I'm sure the rest of us would love to go. And if that's the case then by that time, we may as well decide a date for your and Akshara's Tilak too." Manjiri responded, eying the shift in her son's mood. "Kyun, Akshara beta, does that work for you?"

Akshara's cheeks turned crimson as she nodded her head in agreement. "Yes."

"Maa! I think you misunderstood what I meant." Abhimanyu backpedaled on his words.

"Oh, did I?" Manjiri chucked, raising her brows.

"I never said I didn't want to go. I was just making a general inquiry. You know, general knowledge. Of course I want to go!" Abhimanyu corrected himself, earning a knowing laugh from Manjiri and the rest of the Birlas.

"Okay than, Manjiri, I'm off to bed. I'm tired." Mahima announced, getting up from the couch. "Unless you have my other work for me."

"No Didi, I think we're good. Just going to get the kids settled."

"I'll take my leave too." Anand mentioned moving alongside Mahima, leaving behind Harshvardhan, Manjiri and the younger Birlas along with Akshara.

"Akshara beta, the guest room is currently being used as storage for the wedding favours and decor, and is overall just a mess. So if you're okay with it, why don't you share a room with Nishtha? Is that okay with you?"

Akshara's heart sank as she passed a quick, worried glance in Abhimanyu's direction who himself seemed to be reeling from the shock of Manjiri's words.

This was never supposed to be the plan! Abhimanyu fumed. The plan was always for Akshara to have her own separate bedroom! Where did Nishtha come from? He really needed to have a word with his parents and his Tayaji Tayiji for giving birth to more children than necessary!

"Yes. Of course. That's totally fine with me." Akshara answered Manjiri's question.

"Yay! It'll be so fun —