|| Carefree For The Moment. ||

|| Part One. ||

Mishti made her way out of the kitchen with the glass of water & saw her Bade Papa sat down on the sofa, deep in thought. "Bade Papa..." She said, carefully & he looked up at her.

"When were you going to tell us?" Vishamber asked her, taking the glass from her & she sighed.
"Bade Papa" She began as he took a sip of the water. "I wanted to tell you... but-"
"But you thought Kuhu should be the one?" He cut her off & spoke her mind. She nodded.
"Exactly."
"You're right" He sighed, before finishing the glass in one go.
"Bade Papa, I promise, Abeer & I will fix things."
"Why?" He asked putting the glass down on the table. & she looked at him in confusion. "Why are you & Abeer responsible for fixing their relationship?"
"We're not, but-"
"No buts Mishti" He said & took her wrist to sit her down beside him. "Listen to me beta. I know you feel responsible for everything." He began & she sighed, looking down at her hands. "Mishti" He said softly & she looked up at her father. "I didn't teach my daughters to hang their head in shame for making any decisions in their life, especially when they make the right one. & you refusing Kunal's rishta & choosing Abeer as your life partner are the best decisions you could have made. Understood?" He asked & the smile on her face lasted all of 5 seconds before she continued.

"But Bade Papa, Kuhu's life has been ruined!" She exclaimed, & her father sighed.
"I know. But that's not your fault. They are the ones who got married. They are the ones who promised to fulfil the vows of their marriage. Not you" He said & this time, she sighed. "Right now you should be focusing on Abeer."
"But-"
"Mishti" he said sternly & Mishti sighed, nodding with a smile as her father reciprocated it.
"You can't take the burden of the world on your shoulders. You're about to get married. You should be standing side by side with your husband, not worrying about everyone else. You're not responsible for everyone else. You're responsible for yourself & Abeer's happiness"
"Bade Papa." She began. "He still wants to move out, how do I go about convincing him that it's not the right idea?"
"You're worried that Meenakshi Ji's words will come back to haunt you?"
"Why do you & Badi Maa know me so well!?" She complained like a child & Vishamber couldn't help but laugh.
"Because we're your parents" He said, & she looked up at him, smiling. "If we don't know what's going on in your head, will Jasmeet?" He teased & Mishti's eyes widened when she looked around to make sure she wasn't around to hear it before shaking her head at her father, who chuckled.
"Bade Papa!"

"Tell me, have you spoken to Abeer?" He asked & she shook her head, sighing.
"Not since Kunal's outburst"
"Maybe you should call him. He probably needs someone to talk to."
"Mm" She nodded.
"Go, I'll go to your Badi Maa. She's gone to try & convince Kuhu to come down for dinner"
"Okay. I'll go outside" She said & he nodded before she began to make her way outside, dialling Abeer's number.

"Hey" He sighed when he answered after a few rings.
"How are things over there?" She asked him, beginning to pace the front garden.
"Kunal's screaming blue murder, Maa's screaming." He sang. "So basically; the usual"
"You sure you shouldn't be talking to one of them right now?" She suggested & he scoffed.
"No, no way. Let them deal with the mess they've created."
"Abeer" She began.
"No, Mishti. I'm always cleaning up their mess. It's not my responsibility. He divorced Kuhu. Not me. She used Kunal & Kuhu, not me"
"Yeah, true. Maybe you're right" She said & took a seat on the sofa outside, sighing.

"Are you feeling okay, Angry Chorni?" He asked & she raised her eyebrows.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, you agreed with me so easily" He teased "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"So now I can't agree with you, Ajeeb Rajvansh?" She quipped. "Is that what you're saying"
"I'm just saying" he sang. "You usually never give up without a fight. You must not be yourself"
"I'm perfectly fine, thank you Mr. Ajeeb Rajvansh." She rolled her eyes. "I was just talking to Bade Papa" she said, playing with the leaves of the plant beside her.
"Yeah? & what did he say?" He asked & Mishti sighed deeply.
"The same thing you always tell me. That I should let Kuhu & Kunal sort it out"
"Ahh. See. I always knew he was a wise man" He teased & Mishto rolled her eyes again.
"Alright! No need to get too happy. It's just this once I'm agreeing with you. Don't get used to it." She told him & he chuckled.

"How is Kuhu?" He asked & she sighed.
"In a right state. Everyone's with her right now."
"Yeah, I can't believe he came there & blurted it out like that"
"I guess he thought it would cause problems between us"
"I wasn't going to let that happen. Not after the pre-nup thing"
"Mm" Mishti mused.
"You know" He suddenly lowered his voice & Mishti raised an eyebrow. "If you want, I can come over & keep you company whilst everyone is with Kuhu?" He said & a smile appeared on her face.
"That's not necessary, but thank you for the offer. I think you're needed over there, don't you?" She teased & he let out an almighty sigh.
"What I need is an excuse to get out of here!" He exclaimed.
"What happened to not running anywhere, Banjaara?" She teased
"Oh hello, if you lived in this house, you'd want to run too!"
"No, I wouldn't-"
"Don't give me that." He rolled his eyes. "& before you say it, I'm not changing my mind!"
"Abeer" She complained in a child-like manner. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
"Because I promised your Bade Papa that I would teach you how to be stubborn" He reminded her "I'm hardly going to let go of that trait myself, am I Angry Chorni?" He asked & she sighed. It was time to change the subject.

"How's your Baba?"
"He's okay. He's resting in his room."
"Good. This was probably a lot for him to take in too"
"Yeah. He was telling me that Kunal came to him & asked him how to keep me from leaving"
"He did?"
"Yeah"
"& what did your Baba say?"
"What could he say? He just told him not to keep fighting with me. & we both agreed, that us moving out is the right thing to do"
"But Abeer..."
"Now what?" He sighed.
"Do you really think it's right of us to leave like that?"
"What do you suggest? We stay here & live the drama every single day?"
"I'm just thinking how long will all this go on."
"I know none of this is ideal." He took a deep breath. "But you should have thought about all that when you fell in love with me, Angry Chorni" He teased her & she shook her head.
"Er, hello. You're the one who should've thought. I told you, drama isn't far from my life. What was the need to involve yourself in mine? Mm."
"Angry Chorniii" he said sternly
"What? It's not a lie when it's a fact" She pointed out & he sighed. "& anyway, you should just leave it anyway, the amount of times I've had to step in because of your family drama. That's not any less."
"Okay. Point"
"Exactly!"

"Mishti, beta?" She heard Rajshri call.
"Coming Badi Maa!" She called back. "Okay, I need to go"
"Just like that?" He asked, offended as she got up from the sofa.
"Yes! Badi Maa's calling me" She told him "She needs me. I'll talk to you later"
"& what about me? I need you" He said & she smiled.
"Well tough, Badi Maa comes first, you know that" She teased
"Bu-" He began to complain
"Abeer" she said sternly. "I'll message you later"
"Fine. At least tell me you love me" He sighed. "Can't believe I have to remind you to do that now!" He said & she chuckled.
"Fine. I love you, you overgrown, spoilt Ajeeb Rajvansh. Happy? Can I go now?"
"No" He said simply & she sighed.
"Abeer, I don't care. I'm putting the phone down."
"Mishtii?" Badi Maa called
"One second Badi Maa!"
"I'm not letting you put the phone down until I get a kiss"
"What!?" She exclaimed
"What; What?" He exclaimed. "I'm asking my fiancee for a kiss. What's the need to be so shocked?"
"Ajeeb Rajvansh, your antics are getting worse & worse by the day, I swear!"
"Either you give me what I want or else don't expect me to answer any more of your calls"
"Ajeeb Rajvansh!" She sighed
"Take it or leave it. Your choice" He said simply & she peered her head around the door to make sure no one was eavesdropping on her conversation.

She saw everyone getting ready to sit down at the dinner table. They had even managed to convince Kuhu to come down. "I'm waiting Angry Chorni" He teased & Mishti closed her eyes & smiled to herself before kissing the phone's mic.
"I'm putting the phone down now. Bye!" She said & ended the call before he could say anything. She shook her head, feeling herself reddening before she touched her cheeks.
"There you are." A voice called & Mishti looked up as she walked into the home. "Come!" Rajshri told her, setting the dinner table so Mishti smiled before joining her family.