chapter 19

Anika woke up and descended the stairs, where she spotted Pragya sipping her morning chai. Anika's face lit up as she spotted her sister, and she hurried over to her, a smile spreading across her lips

"Hey sista, missed you so much," Anika exclaimed, enveloping Pragya in a warm hug, their bond evident in the tight embrace."Me too," Pragya replied softly, returning the hug with equal affection.Curiosity twinkled in Pragya's eyes as she set her cup down on the table. "How was the party?" she asked, eager to hear about the previous night's events.

A shadow crossed Anika's face as she recounted the events of the party. "Advik got hurt, so we left early," she explained, her voice tinged with concern.

"And he's been behaving quite differently lately, you know." She furrowed her brows, troubled by his  recent behaviour, hoping Pragya might have some insight to share.

"Ooo," was the only thing Pragya could say, her mind processing the news about Advik.

Before they could delve deeper into their conversation, Ranya,interrupted them with a sense of urgency.

"Get ready, we're heading to our hometown to visit our kuldevi. You both should seek her blessings," Ranya announced, her tone decisive. Both Anika and Pragya nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of the pilgrimage.

Anika retreated to her room to prepare for the journey, only to find Advik rummaging through his belongings.

"What are you searching for?" Anika inquired, stepping closer to him.

"My kurta," Advik replied, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Don't worry, I'll find it," Anika reassured him with a gentle smile, prompting a nod of gratitude from her brother.

With a sense of determination, Anika located Advik's kurta and pressed it before handing it over to him.

After some time, they all emerged from their rooms, ready for the day's excursion. However, as Anika glanced at Advik, she noticed that his kurta had been changed, raising questions in her mind about his peculiar behavior.

"Wait, did I press the wrong kurta?" Anika asked, a hint of confusion in her voice as she turned to Advik.

"I changed my mind after that," Advik replied casually, though there was a subtle glint in his eyes. Anika nodded in understanding, accepting his explanation at face value, but deep down, she sensed there was more to his decision.

Unbeknownst to Anika, the truth was that Advik had secretly wanted to twin with her, a silent gesture of camaraderie that he chose not to vocalise.

They embarked on the journey to their husbands' hometown, a four-hour drive filled with the animated chatter of Ranya and her daughters-in-law exchanging village gossip. As they finally arrived, the majestic temple perched atop a hill greeted them, its grandeur commanding respect.

"Anika and Pragya, you both should go and seek the blessings of our kuldevi," Ranya instructed with a gentle yet firm tone, her reverence evident in her words. Anika and Pragya nodded in agreement, understanding the significance of the ritual.

"Advik, Ishan, accompany them," Ranya added, her voice carrying authority. Ishan's eyes widened at the sudden responsibility entrusted to him.

"How many stairs do we have to climb?" Ishan questioned, his gaze scanning the daunting staircase leading to the temple.

"Almost around 50-80," Ranya responded nonchalantly, underestimating the arduous task ahead.

"Only 50-80?" Ishan retorted sarcastically, his disbelief evident. Ranya shot him a stern glare, her expression warning him not to undermine.

What, 50-80 stairs? i am going to die," Ishan exclaimed once more, his denial evident in his tone.

"Shut up and go," Prakash interjected, his glare silencing Ishan's protests.

"80? I can climb 1000 more “  Ishan declared defiantly to Prakash, determined to prove his stamina.

With a mixture of determination and reluctance, they began their ascent up the stairs, each step a testament to their perseverance.

"Seriously, bro, how can you all be so at ease?" Ishan questioned the others, his breaths coming in short bursts as they climbed higher and higher.

"I go to the gym, and these two work the whole day at home, so we're not lazy like you, okay?" Advik retorted confidently, defending their active lifestyles.

"Ouch, bro, you hurt me," Ishan responded dramatically, feigning injury at Advik's remark.

"Pragya, you don't have any problem if something happens to his face?" Advik teased Pragya, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Not at all," Pragya replied casually, her trust in Ishan evident.

"What, Pragya? i am climbing stairs for you," Ishan protested, his tone playful yet genuine.

"I left my home for you," Pragya countered, leaving Ishan momentarily speechless.

"Well, Have you seen Chennai Express?" Anika Asked Advik For which he shook his head.

"Exactly, di, I was thinking the same. It feels like the scene from the movie," Pragya chimed in, sharing Anika's sentiment.

"I saw that movie! Shahrukh Khan climbed the temple, picked up Deepika in his arms, and then filled her partition," Ishan remarked enthusiastically, recalling the iconic scene.

"Rahul and Meenamma," Pragya corrected with a chuckle, ensuring the accuracy of the character names from the beloved Bollywood film.

"Well then," Advik declared with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Suddenly, he swept Anika off her feet, lifting her up in a bridal style. Anika's eyes widened in shock as she tried to comprehend what was happening to Advik suddenly  With Anika securely in his arms, Advik began to walk, his confident strides drawing cheers and hoots of encouragement from Pragya.

"My lady," Ishan chimed in, flashing a charming smile as he mirrored Advik's actions, lifting Pragya in his arms with ease.

"You sure?" Pragya asked Ishan, a mixture of excitement and disbelief dancing in her eyes. He nodded confidently, ready to take on the challenge.

"Well, let's see who wins," Pragya challenged both brothers, her competitive spirit ignited.

"Fine then," Advik replied with a grin, increasing his speed as they embarked on their playful race up the stairs of the temple.

Advik reached the top first, gently setting Anika down on her feet. She stood there, her cheeks flushed crimson, still recovering from the whirlwind journey.

"How was it, Mrs. Malhotra?" Advik teased her, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Well, the temple is beautiful," Anika replied, her voice slightly breathless as she admired the architectural splendour surrounding them.

"Your husband is even more interesting," Advik remarked teasingly, his tone laced with flirtation, causing Anika to playfully roll her eyes at his antics.

Ishan approached them, gently setting Pragya down on the ground beside them.

"Jiju, take him to the gym with you," Pragya suggested to Advik, prompting a nod of agreement from him.

"Let's start parikrama," Anika suggested, and they all began to walk around the temple in a clockwise direction, performing the sacred ritual. After completing the parikrama, they approached the priest to seek blessings from their kuldevi.

The priest offered them prasad from a plate, and Advik noticed vermilion among the offerings.

"Can I take it and apply it to my wife?" Advik requested, glancing at Anika with a tender expression. Instantly, Anika's eyes met his, a silent understanding passing between them.

"Sure," the priest replied with a gentle smile. Advik took the vermilion in his fingers and filled Anika's partition, causing her to close her eyes in reverence as the ritual took place.

"God always bless you," the priest blessed them both, their union sanctified by the sacred act.

Ishan too took vermilion and filled Pragya's partition, symbolizing their bond and commitment.

"Let's take pheras too," Ishan joked, prompting a playful response from Pragya.

"Well, we can count parikrama as pheras," Pragya teased back with a playful smile, their laughter filling the air as they continued their spiritual journey together.

"Let's go back down, you guys go with mom. Ishan and I are going to meet our childhood friends," Advik suggested, and Anika nodded in agreement, understanding their plans.

As they returned downstairs, Ranya and Prakash escorted the daughters-in-law back home, leaving Ishan and Advik free to catch up with their old friends.

It was 7:00 pm, and they had already enjoyed an early dinner, following the village's dining customs.

Anika and Pragya relaxed in front of the television, enjoying a peaceful evening together. Suddenly, Pragya's phone rang, prompting her to step into another room to take the call. When she returned, a gleam of excitement lit up her eyes.

"Di, let's go. Ishan and jiju are calling us for ice cream," Pragya exclaimed, her enthusiasm contagious as Anika quickly rose to her feet, eager to join in the nighttime fun.

Pragya led Anika to an unfamiliar place, where there was no sign of Ishan or Advik, nor any ice cream vendor in sight. Not even a single bird chirped in the silence, adding to Anika's confusion.

"What?" Anika asked, her brow furrowing in bewilderment as she tried to make sense of the situation, suspecting it might be a prank.

"Jiju asked me to bring you here. Now, go climb those 4-5 stairs and you'll see the garden. He's waiting for you there," Pragya explained, her tone mysterious yet reassuring.

"Wait, what's happening?" Anika questioned, still perplexed by the unexpected turn of events.

"Go and ask jiju," Pragya urged, nudging Anika gently towards the garden, leaving her with more questions than answers as she cautiously made her way towards the stairs, her curiosity piqued.

Anika finally reached the top of the stairs and was greeted by a serene sight. There, standing before her, was Advik, his presence surprising her.

"What are you doing here?" Anika inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"Nothing much, just thought to spend some time in nature. This place is so peaceful," Advik replied casually, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Oh," Anika replied softly, understanding his desire for solitude, and she joined him, settling down beside him.

"Look, the sky is full of stars," Advik pointed out, his gaze fixed on the glittering expanse above.

"Yes, in the city, we hardly ever see stars like this. Here, it's truly breathtaking," Anika remarked, her eyes tracing the constellations twinkling above, feeling a sense of wonder and tranquillity wash over her.

"Do you believe in that theory that when we see a shooting star, we should make a wish and it will come true?" Anika asked Advik, her voice filled with curiosity. "Do you?" Advik countered, turning the question back to her.

"Um, it's kinda childish, but I do," Anika admitted with a chuckle, feeling a bit sheepish about her belief.

"Whatever you believe in, I also believe in. Whatever you wish for, I will wish for too," Advik declared earnestly, his words filled with sincerity. Anika gazed at him, touched by his unwavering support and smiled warmly, feeling grateful for the forming bond.