Kuch Baatein Ankaheen...

Confrontations

Thud

A sleepy Manik shot awake at the breakfast table when he heard heard a plate bang against it. His beloved sister who was serving him breakfast was a bit on the violent side this morning. He was sure it had some thing to do with her husband. She was throwing looks at him which were too lethal to handle. His brother in law on the other hand was reading the morning newspaper blissfully unaware of his impending demise from her sheer looks.

"Politicians have become more like hooligans these days." He says frowning over the news.

"Not as much as the men who call themselves husbands" Maya said through gritted  teeth.

Aditya finally looked up at her odd comment only to see her glaring daggers at him. Befor a cold war could ensue over the breakfast table they were interrupted by rest of the gang.
" Happy aniversary Di and jiju"

Aditya realised his grave mistake and painfuly swallowed giving her a guilty look. Maya yet again graced him with a scathing glare before trying her best to smile at the rest of them. Manik's eyes found Nandini's and they shared a look. After their huge fight both of them had reached a silent understanding. Nandini gave him a small smile trying to sooth the troubled waters. Manik on the other hand gave her an intense look which made all the dormant butterflies in her stomach run haywire.
"Mamma,  what is an aniverssary? " Shivani asked curious as ever.
"It's a day which reminds you that you are stuck with someone for the rest of your life" she said still huffing.
"Really Maya?" Adithya asked with an amused expression.
"Uffo! there is plenty of time to fight later. Now is the time to celebrate.  Let's partyyy!!!"
"Here she goes again. " Dhruv mumbles rolling his eyes.
"Maya di,  anger doesn't suit you at all.  Soo.. I have the perfect solution to cheer u up" Arohi said closing Maya's eyes with her hand and leading her to another room. When Maya opened her eyes she saw a huge pile of gifts in front of her.
" Oh my God.  Thank u so much !!!" She proceeded to plough through them with the excitement of a five year old.

An hour later

Maya was siting snuggled up against her husband in the couch admiring one his gifts.
"See it works every time." Adithya whispered to Manik with a smug look. The rest of them were under Aliya's clutches running amok with the preparations for the party. Manik and Nandini were 'surprisingly' left alone.
Manik's gaze found Nandini. She was sitting on the floor leaning against his legs unconsciously.
" If only things where that simple..." 

"Hey Nandini It's your gift!" Maya said beaming at her.
" It's just something I found. I think it belongs to you"  She said. It was the old box she had found in the storeroom a few months back. Now that she knew about their past she had gone back to get it for her.

"Oh!." Maya's hands shook as she gently touched them. "This ...how did you find this? ...this was my old treasure box.. " She looked at her with tears in her eyes. " Thank u... thank u so much " Nandini just hugged her.  She knew they were not just old memories but the pieces of her childhood she had lost. Maya found a tape recorder to play the old cassete she had found inside. Her hands trembled while trying to put the cassete on the tape recorder. Adithya gently took if from her with a reassuring smile and put it in himself. Slowly voices of the past started floating around them.

"... par main nahin gaa sakhthi...Aree...recorder kyoun on kiya. Abhay!"

"Shhhh. Bas kar yaar Meera aur jaldi gao. Dekho tumhari beti bhi yahi chahthi hain. Maya tum hi bolo apni maa se"

"Mamma.. Mamma gao na please. Hum baby ko bhi sunayenge. Haina papa? "

" Bilkul"

"Baap aur beti milke hamesha mere peeche pad jathe ho. I swear you will be the death of me"