As Abir expected, the day passed with very few issues. He spent almost the entire day at the NGO, working. Diwali was just around the corner and there was a lot to be done. The NGO collaborated with various indigenous sellers across the city for an exhibition to sell their products. This exhibition was the main source of funds for the NGO, and Abir took it very seriously. It was a known fact that he didn't like to be disturbed while working on plans for the project, so, thankfully, nobody bothered him the entire day, except the one welcome distraction in his life.
The constant stream of messages from Mishti brightened his day. She'd text at the most random times, with equally random messages, letting him know how her day was going, worrying about prep for the evening, and being mad at him for banning her from work for the day among other things. He couldn't help but laugh at his cute Angry Chorni, and just how adorable she was being.
Despite all this, the day seemed to drag. Abir looked at the clock every five minutes, and the second it struck six, he was out the door, surprising everyone.
Once home, he dressed in his best sherwani, probably looking like a groom ready to get married, but couldn't bring himself to care. He was just so excited to see his Angry Chorni. Every second felt a little too much at that point.
"Abir! Beta... Aaj teri aur Mishti ki shaadi nahi hai," Nanu teased him when he came downstairs, dressed to the nines.
"Pata hai mujhe," he sulked.
"Arreeee, Gadheda! Agar tujhe pata hai... Toh aise dulhe ki tarah tayyar hoke kyu aaya hai? Jaa... Pehle jaake kapde badal," Nanu replied.
"Lekin, Nanu..." Abir started.
"Kya?" Nanu asked.
"Main itna achcha toh lag raha hu. Itni mushkil se ek kapda dhang ka mila hai... isse badalke ab kuch achcha hai nahi. Toh main yehi pehenoonga," Abir replied.
"BaapuJi... aap kyu Abir ko pareshaan kar rahe hain? Rehne dijiye.Aur chaliye aap bhi jaake tayyar ho jaiye. Humein late ho raha hai," Meenu intervened.
Abir threw his mother a thankful glance that she returned with a smile. One by one, all the Raajvanshes gathered in the living room, ready to leave for the Maheshwari House. By the time they reached, it was close to 8, and Abir was getting extremely antsy. He'd worked the entire day on an empty stomach, which made him tired, but his excitement to see Mishti was taking a front seat at the moment. He wrangled everyone and quickly made his way inside, making them laugh at his eagerness.
Inside, they were greeted by Badi Maa. Abir gave her his hugest smile and touched her feet to seek blessings.
"Hamesha khush raho," she told him, and then pulled him in for a hug as was becoming a customary greeting between the two of them. She was his mother in every way that counted already. Though Abir was happy that Meenakshi had accepted Mishti, or was at least trying to, and that had improved their relationship a lot, there was still a lot of bad blood between the two of them owing to Meenakshi's actions in the past. Badi Maa had filled the gap of a mother in Abir's life when he had wanted one so badly and the bond he had withher now was not something he would ever have with Meenakshi no matter how muchthings improved between them. His Badi Maa would always be his number one, just like she was Mishti's.
As more greetings were exchanged between the two families with happy smiles and warm hugs, all Abir could do was look for his Mishti, who was nowhere to be seen in the midst of this helter skelter.
"Kya baat hai, Bhai? Kisse dhoond rahe ho?" Atul asked, siddling up to him? "Bhabhi ko?"
"Of course! Ab Abir Bhai ki nazrein toh sirf Mishti Bhabhi ko hi dhoondengi na?" Ketki added as she stood on Abir's other side, looping her arm through Abir's.
