5| Nayaab

⚜️ Maangu na koi aasman, do sitaaron ka jahan,

Banja tu mera humsafar, na mujhe chahiye koi makan ⚜️

"What is this?" Rudransh's mom said as she got up from the couch, seeing her elder son and daughter-in-law enter the house, completely drenched.

"Rudransh! Mahira! Ye kya harkat hai?" She said as she tossed her magazine aside and walked towards them.

What is this behaviour?

"Towel lao. Jaldi." She ordered one of the house-helps who nodded his head and hurriedly went away to get the towels.

Fetch a towel. Fast.

"Apni bahu se puchiye." Rudransh said as he rolled his eyes.

Ask your daughter-in-law.

"Galti tumhari hi hogi." Avantika, his mother said and received a look of disbelief from him.

It must've been your mistake.

"Ye kaise conclude kiya?" Rudransh asked as he glared at Mahira who chuckled on her mother-in-law's statement.

How did you conclude that?

"Mai janti nahi kya apne bete ko." Avantika said with a sarcastic smile.

I know my son well.

"Waah bhai. Pehli saas dekhi hai jo bahu ko zyada favour karti hai." Rudransh commented as he folded his hands against his chest.

Amazing. You must be the first mother-in-law ever to favour your daughter-in-law more than your son.

"I love you maa." Mahira said and blew her an air kiss. Avantika gave her a wink and smiled at her.

"Ha ha ussise pyaar karlo bas. Saga nahi hu kya aapka?!" Rudransh complained.

Yeah yeah, she's the only one you love. Am I not your own son?!

"Nahi. Museum se uthake laayi thi tujhe." Avantika said and heard her daughter-in-law chuckle.

No. I got you from a museum.

"Acchaa? Konse?" Rudransh sarcastically asked.

Oh really? Which one?

"Ussi se jahan se maine apni pocket watch li thi." Mahira commented and raised her hand to pat her husband's shoulder but he grumbled and moved away.

The same one from where I bought my pocket watch.

"Baat mat karna mujhse aap dono." He said and without hearing anything from them, started walking towards his room.

Don't you two talk to me.

"Are bhai, ye kya haal banaya hai?" Ayaan asked as he entered the living room.

Oh brother, what's all this?

"Isi ki kami thi bas." Rudransh complained.

He was the only one missing.

"Lagta hai hamare bhai ko kisi ne bata nahi ki swimming pool mei kapde pehen kar nahi jate." Aishwarya joked as she looked at her eldest brother.

It seems no one informed our brother not to get into a swimming pool with clothes on.

"Bahot zubaan chal rahi hai na. Teri girls' trip cancel ab." Rudransh said as he pulled his sister's hair.

You're talking a lot, huh. Your girls' trip is canceled now.

"Ouch! Maa dekhein na." Aishwarya complained. Avantika was about to give him a reply when Mahira beat her to it.

Ouch! Mom see what he's doing.

"Tu ja aaram se jaa trip pe. Mai dekhti hu tujhe kon rokta hai." Aishwarya heard her sister-in-law say.

You go for your trip. I'll see who stops you.

"Yay! Love you, bhabhi." She said as she walked away from where Rudransh was standing and took a seat at the couch.

"Bhabhi ki chamchi, wo tujhe nahi dikhi swimming pool wala comment karne ke liye?" Rudransh grumbled.

Sister-in-law's dear one, you didn't comment anything on her?

"Aree ha yaar. Bhabhi aap gir gaye kya swimming pool mei? Chot to nahi lagi." Aishwarya asked with utmost care in her voice.

Oh yes man. Sister-in-law did you fall into a swimming pool? Hope you're not hurt.

"Fucking hate all of you!" Rudransh said and turned away, once again walking towards his room.

"Language, Rudransh!" Avantika and Mahira scolded him at the same time but he completely ignored them and continued walking.

"Hmm, ab batao hua kya?" Avantika asked as the house-help handed Mahira a towel.

Now tell me what happened?

"Sorry maa. Gussa aa gaya uspe to dhakka de diya fountain mei." Mahira confessed feeling a bit guilty.

I got angry on him and pushed him in the fountain.

"Aur tum?" Avantika questioned.

And what about you?

"Usine kheech liya." Mahira said and heard her siblings-in-law laugh at their antiques.

He pulled me in.

"I'm just glad ki tum dono ko zyada lagi nahi. Aayeinda aisa kuch mat karna." Avantika said in her parent voice and Mahira nodded like an obedient child.

I'm just glad you both didn't get hurt. Don't do anything like this in the future.

"I promise. I'm sorry." Mahira said.

"It's fine. Aab jao change karlo." Avantika said and she nodded.

Now go and get changed.

Mahira walked to their room and entering the bathroom, she saw the shower running.

She was about to walk out when she felt a hand wrap around her neck from behind and before she realised it, Rudransh pulled her into the shower.

"You're gonna pay for that little stunt you pulled earlier, Mahi." He said as he took off her clothes.

"Gladly, Ansh." Mahira said as she tugged on his hair and roughly pulled him in for a kiss.

.

.

.

"Bless you." Ayaan said as he heard his sister-in-law sneeze for the nth time in the last hour.

"Thanks." Mahira said as she grabbed a tissue.

Mahira and Ayaan were sitting in the family room with both of them working on their laptops.

"Aapko aaram ki zarurat hai bhabhi. Please thodi der aaram kar lijeye." Ayaan requested.

You need rest. Please take some time off.

"Mei kar leti aaram but ye presentation kal shaam ko client ko dikhana hai. Aaj raat tak mei isse approve karna hoga." Mahira said and ended up sneezing again.

I would've but this presentation is to be given to the client tomorrow and I need to approve it by tonight.

"Bless you!" Came Avantika's voice from the door.

"Ye soup laayi hu. Abhi pi lo." She handed her daughter-in-law the bowl of hot soup.

Here's some soup. Have it.

"Thank you so much maa." She received the bowl and sneezed again.

"Kal shaam se yehi haal hai. Dawai le lo abhi." Avantika said with folded hands.

You've been sick since yesterday evening. Have some medicine now.

Ever since yesterday, Mahira has been sneezing non stop. She even had fever last night and this morning, and so she had to take a leave from office because of that. She took medicines and was now feeling well so she was working a bit.

"10 minute ka kaam hai bas. Uske baad room mei jaa kar so jaungi." Mahira said as she took a sip of the soup.

I have work for 10 minutes. After that I'll go and sleep.

"Soup bahot tasty hai. Thank.." Mahira stopped mid sentence as she sneezed.

Soup is very tasty.

"Excuse me. Thank you." She completed.

"Bless you. Kitni bimaar ho gayi ho. Mere 3 bacche kam the kya, jo ab 4 ho gaye." Avantika said as she huffed.

You've fallen so sick. I used to think I had 3 kids but now I have 4.

"Sudhar jao tum sab." Avantika said and hit Ayaan on the shoulder.

Mend ways, all of you.

"Maine to kuch kiya bhi nahi." Ayaan grumbled as he rubbed the skin where his mother just hit him.

I didn't even do anything.

"Itna seedha to nahi hai tu. Kuch aaj kal mei kiya hoga jiske liye ye hai." Avantika shrugged her shoulders.

You're not so innocent. You must've done something these days.

"Wo kal jo mere saamne pura bowl bharke ice cream khaya tumne, ye uske liye hai." Mahira said as she chuckled at her brother-in-law.

You had a whole bowl of ice cream in front of me yesterday, this is for that.

"Kya yaar bhabhi." Ayaan said and pouted.

Uhh man,

"Chalo ab jaldi se ye soup khatam karlo." Avantika said as she patted Mahira's head and exited the family room.

Now drink this soup quickly.

"Kya yaar, tumhare bhai ko saza dene ke chakkar mei khud bimar ho gayi mai." Mahira complained.

What man, I wanted to punish your brother but ended up being sick myself.

"Saza to uss Parth Mehta ko mili hai aaj. Bada maza aaya." Ayaan mumbled to himself.

Punishment is what Parth Mehta received today. I had a lot of fun.

"Kon Parth Mehta?" Mahira said as she turned towards Ayaan.

Who?

"Shit sun liya." Ayaan mumbled to himself and immediately closed the flap of his laptop.

Shit, she heard me.

"Aree kuch nahi bhabhi. You relax." He said as he got up from the couch and kept his laptop aside.

Oh nothing,

"Kahin usi Parth Mehta ki baat nahi kar rahe jiske saath kal hamari meeting thi?" Mahira questioned as she kept her laptop and bowl of soup away and got up from her seat as well.

Are you taking about the Parth Mehta who we had a meeting with yesterday?

"Aree nahi. Forget I said anything." Ayaan said and sprinted towards the door of the room.

Oh no.

"Ruk ja. Sach bol." Mahira said as she turned him around and pushed him to the wall with a her forearm at his neck.

Stop. Tell me the truth.

"Bhai mar denge mujhe." Ayaan said as he looked at his sister-in-law.

Brother will kill me.

"Aur tumhe lagta hai mai chor dungi?" Mahira said with an evil smile.

And you think I'll spare you?

"Bilkul bhai jese ho gaye ho aap." He commented and huffed.

You've become just like him.

"Okay fine. Batata hu." He said and pointed at her arm. She freed him and stepped back.

I'll talk.

"Parth Mehta is the one who eyed you dirtily yesterday. Bhai ne usse aaj itna mara hai ke," He stopped to see her reaction but she had a poker face.

Brother tortured him so much today that,

"Ke?"

That?

"Let's just say ke wo ab koi bhi business karne ke layak nahi raha." Ayaan completed. Mahira didn't react but just nodded her head taking in the information. She wasn't surprised as she knew her husband was more than capable of doing such a thing.

He is no longer fit enough to run his business.

"Ye kab hua?" Mahira questioned.

When did this happen?

"Aaj subha. Aapko kya lagta hai bhai aapko bimar chor kar office isiliye gaye kyunki unko aapki parwah nahi? Wo kal puri raat soye nahi kyunki aapko bukhar tha." Ayaan said and Mahira smiled internally. She did feel hurt this morning when she woke up and didn't find her husband there but didn't say anything to anyone.

This morning. You think brother left you when you were sick and went to the office cause he doesn't care for you? He didn't sleep at all last night cause you had fever.

"Please bhaiya ko mat batana ki maine aapko bol diya hai." Ayaan requested.

Please don't tell him I said anything to you.

"Kyu nahi?" Mahira asked.

Why not?

"Jo aapko apni feelings 2 saal se nahi bol rahe, aapko lagta hai woh aapko ye saari baatein bolenge?" Ayaan spoke without thinking. As soon as the words left his mouth, he covered it with his hands with widened eyes.

Who hasn't confessed his feelings for you since last 2 years, you think he'll ever tell you any of these things?

"Shit! Fuck!" He said and practically ran out of the room.

Rudransh has feelings for me? That too for two years? He never behaved such way before. How can he hide such a big thing from me? She thought to herself.

The door opened and a panicked Ayaan peeped inside.

"Please bhaiya ko ye bhi mat batana. I love you, thanks bhabhi." He said as he touched Mahira's feet and once again ran out of the room.

Please don't tell him about this either.

Mahira chuckled at her brother-in-law's behaviour and shook her head sideways.

She made a mental note of having a talk with her husband once he's back from the office tonight.

~ x ~

I guess Rudransh's secret is out now.