chapter 21

Pragya delicately threaded marigolds onto the string, her nimble fingers weaving a tapestry of vibrant hues. Ishan stood beside her, his gaze fixed on her graceful movements, his heart swelling with admiration.

Ishan leaned in and whispered, "You make every corner of our home glow brighter than any Diwali fireworks."

Pragya chuckled softly, replying, "And you, my love, are the spark that lights up my life every day."

Pragya's laughter tinkled like wind chimes as she deftly tied the garland, her eyes shimmering with excitement. "I can't believe it's our first Diwali together," she exclaimed, her voice filled with anticipation.

Ishan grinned, his heart swelling with joy at the thought of sharing this special occasion with her. "Me too, and I can't wait for the Diwali poojan tonight," he replied, his gaze lingering on her delicate form.

As Pragya leaned to reach a tricky corner, her footing slipped, but Ishan's reflexes were lightning-fast. With a swift movement, he caught her, his arms wrapping around her protectively. "Careful, love," he murmured, his concern evident in his warm gaze.

She smiled gratefully, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of embarrassment and affection. "Thank you," she whispered, her fingers gently caressing his cheek.

Ishan gently sets her down, his eyes scanning her for any signs of injury. Finding none, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let me take over," he offered, his voice soft yet determined. "You guide me, and I'll hang the garlands."

Pragya's smile widened, her admiration for him evident in her sparkling eyes.

"Cool," she replied, her voice filled with appreciation as she directed him where to place each flower.

Once the garlands were in place, Pragya's attention turned to the next task at hand.

"Now, fairy lights all over the house," she declared, her excitement palpable.

Ishan's eyes widened in mock horror. "Nooo," he protested, a playful grin tugging at his lips.

Pragya feigned indignation, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"What? Do you want our house to look like we don't care about Diwali?" she exclaimed dramatically.

"People will say, 'Look at them, they have so much money but can't even decorate their house properly.'"

Ishan chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

"Alright, alright," he relented, his tone teasing. "I'll call someone to handle the lights, and you can supervise and make sure our house is the prettiest in all of Mumbai."

Pragya's face lit up with delight. "Great idea, call them" she agreed eagerly, her excitement bubbling over as Ishan dialled the number

As Ishan dialled the number, Pragya couldn't help but chuckle at his mock horror. "You know, Ishan, sometimes you are too cute for your own good," she teased, playfully nudging him with her elbow.

He flashed her a sheepish grin. "Well, I aim to please," he replied, his eyes twinkling with affection.

The call connected, and Ishan wasted no time in arranging for the fairy lights to be installed. "They'll be here in no time," he assured Pragya, his voice laced with reassurance.

Pragya beamed with satisfaction, her eyes alight with excitement. "I can already imagine how magical our home will look," she exclaimed, her voice filled with anticipation.

Ishan leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. "With you by my side, Pragya, our home will always be the most beautiful place in the world," he whispered.

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Anika sat cross-legged on the floor, her delicate fingers tracing intricate patterns in vibrant hues, creating a masterpiece of colors and shapes. Advik approached her, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he noticed the abundance of red packets beside her.

"I accept red is my favourite colour, but that doesn't mean you have to make the whole rangoli in just one shade," he teased gently.

Anika glanced up, a playful glint in her eyes. "I was searching for colours in the store, but all the reds turned out to be holi colours, not rangoli ones," she explained with a smile.

Advik raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what's the difference?" he inquired, leaning in closer.

"Rangoli colours come off the floor easily, but holi colours tend to stick and take much longer to remove," Anika clarified, her voice soft yet informative.

Understanding dawned on Advik's face as he nodded in comprehension. "Ah, I see," he murmured, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

"Let me help you," Advik offered, reaching for a handful of gulaal powder. Anika nodded, allowing him to join in the creative process.

"Okay, but be careful to stay within the outlines," she instructed, still engrossed in her task.

Advik nodded, his gaze lingering on Anika's focused expression. With a playful glint in his eye, he leaned closer, causing Anika to raise an eyebrow in amusement.

"Advik, have some shame," she chided teasingly, a hint of laughter in her voice.

Suddenly, she felt his hand on her waist, a rush of warmth spreading through her as she lost herself in the moment. Before she could react, he pulled away, leaving her breathless and smiling.

As she glanced down at her waist, her eyes widened in surprise, noticing the faint imprint of his hand on her skin. Quickly regaining her composure, she began to clean herself, though the color stubbornly refused to fade.

"Advikkk," she whispered, her voice a mixture of amusement and exasperation, her cheeks tinged with a delicate blush. Hastily adjusting her saree to conceal the mark, she shot him a playful glare.

Advik chuckled softly, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"Just adding a touch of colour to your masterpiece" he quipped, his playful demeanour melting Anika's heart even further.

The commotion drew everyone's attention as Anaya's voice pierced through the air with urgency.

"Siddddharthhhh!" her voice echoed, laced with frustration.

"Sorry baby, sorry," Siddharth's apologetic voice followed, tinged with guilt.

Advik, ever the curious one, made his way inside the house, with Anika trailing behind him.

Ishan and Pragya were already in the hall, holding lights in their hands, exchanging puzzled glances at the scene unfolding before them.

Siddharth dashed into the room, with Anaya hot on his heels, her expression a mixture of annoyance and exasperation.

"Wait, what happened?" Advik interjected, stepping in between the two, shielding Siddharth.

"Bhaiya, save me," Siddharth pleaded, seeking refuge behind his older brother.

"We were making sweets," Anaya explained, her tone tinged with frustration.

"Okay," Advik replied, confusion evident in his voice, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Since three hours," Anaya added, her irritation mounting.

"And this man, your brother," she continued, glaring at Siddharth, "he put salt instead of sugar. My whole hard work went in vain."

"He did what?" Advik exclaimed, stepping aside, his expression a mix of disbelief and annoyance.

"He's all yours, do whatever you want with him," Advik declared, resigning himself to the situation.

"But i am also human, mistakes happen," Siddharth defended himself, inching away from Anaya's accusing gaze.

"But seriously, sugar and salt?" Anika chimed in, her disbelief mirroring Anaya's frustration.

"Exactly, Anika! That's my whole point. Even a kindergartener can distinguish sugar from salt," Anaya exclaimed, her tone bordering on exasperation.

"It's okay, let us help you," Anika offered, leading Anaya and Pragya into the kitchen.

Siddharth let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders sagging as he took a deep breath. "Thank god," he muttered under his breath, grateful for the temporary reprieve from Anaya's wrath.