47. Happy Anniversary

FEW MONTHS LATER

Maitri had established her accounting firm well and the couple was enjoying the bliss of their married life. They couple would fly to home on important occasions and functions or the family would to them to meet.

"Mayu" Aryaman said standing up to go outside. She looked at him questioningly.

"I've some work so I'll return in an hour, okay?" He asked her before leaving. She nodded her head knowing that sometimes he had impromptu meetings and all.

"Dinner?" She asked checking whether she should wait for him or he'll have dinner outside.

"At home" Aryaman hurriedly picked the car keys and his wallet, kissing her lips. She smiled bidding him farewell. Within 15 minutes he texted her to make dinner for 4 as a few guests would be joining. She looked around in the kitchen to find what she could make and sent him a thumbs up emoji.

"Diiiii" Aryaman had taken another pair of keys with him and unlocked the door with that. Maitri who was setting the table shrieked in fear.

"Oh my goodness" Maitri picked up the butterknife and a fork in her hands to attack whoever intruded her home. She turned around and stepped back to create space but upon seeing Divya stand there with her arms wide open, Maitri threw away the cutlery and pulled her younger sister in a tight hug.

"I missed you so much" Maitri said getting emotional.

"Me too" Divya replied hugging Maitri tightly until Maitri's neck pained.

"What are you doing here?" Maitri asked pulling Divya with her on to the sofas.

"Surprise Surprise" Divya said throwing her purse on the table and plopping on to the sofas.

"Divi" Maitri forgot about the remaining people completely after seeing her sister.

"I swear" Divya said with utmost sincerity.

"Okay, how was your flight?" Maitri asked excitedly.

"Aryaman's wife and my girlfriend's di, hum bhi hai" Manav said looking away from her with an angry pout. Maitri turned around and saw Manav and bit her tongue realising she forgot about him. Aryaman ignored them and went and sat beside Divya.

"Hayee how is that possible that we forget you? The life of the group?" Maitri tried to sweet talk him but Manav still pretended to be angry.

"You are angry?" Maitri asked standing beside him. He nodded his head.

"Will Methi Mattar Malai make you less angry?" Maitri asked by whispering it as if it was a secret.

"Depends if you've made it spicy or sweet?" Mana turned to her side and looked at the dining table behind her curiously.

"Its spicy" Maitri moved away slightly to give him space to reach the dining table.

"You are forgiven" Manav said walking to the dining table. Aryaman asked Divya for dinner and they also stood up for dinner.

The 2 couples spent their dinner laughing and teasing each other as Aryaman and Divya pulled legs of Manav and Maitri. Aryaman and Maitri showed them the rooms before retiring for the day.

AT 11:50

"Mayu" Aryaman poked Maitri's arm who was sleeping peacefully. Maitri woke up with a shock and looked at him questioningly.

"What happened? Are you fine?" She asked checking the room and him.

"Come with me" He held her hand and got her up and they walked down.

"What is going on?" She held on to his shoulder worried.

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY" The lights switched on and she saw the whole Ranawat family and her mother alongside with her sister standing there in front of a decorated wall which said Happy Anniversary. She looked at Aryaman with a teary gaze and hugged him.

"Happy anniversary" She whispered in his ears and he did the same to her.

"Let's go cut the cake" He pulled her with him and they stood in front of the cake as everyone took their pictures with huge smiles. They fed each other cake and hugged each other tightly.

"KISS KISS KISS" All the youngsters shouted while the elders looked around with shyness. Maitri and Aryaman looked at each other with confusion on whether they should do it or not.

"Fine just do it we will not look" Rishav said turning Kaira around with him. Juhi turned around smiling. As soon as they turned around, Maitri pulled Aryaman to herself and kissed him deeply as everyone around looked at them dreamily.

"WOAHHH" They looked at the couple with teasing looks and laughed as Maitri hid herself in his chest. Aryaman pulled out his middle finger and flashed it to them.

"Are we done?" Juhi asked teasingly holding her hands on her eyes.

"Mummaaa" Maitri looked at her mum shyly.

"Fine fine" She turned around and one by one everyone came and fed the couple the cake and teased them.

Maitri cut the cake into pieces while Nidhi helped her place them in plates and distributed it to everyone.

"Nidhz" Maitri stopped her.

"Hmm?" She looked at her questioningly.

"You need to tell them" Maitri whispered looking around to check if anyone was listening to them.

"I don't know if its a good idea" Nidhi replied in low tones.

"If they get to know it from people they'll be more hurt about it" Maitri held Nidhi's hand if a soft grip showing her she had her support.

"I'll think about it" Nidhi said as both of them walked out holding their bowls of cake.

"Maitri" Kaira called Maitri and made space for her to sit. Maitri sat beside Kaira smiling.

"You have set your house extremely beautifully. It looks very pretty" Kaira said holding Maitri's hands.

"It isn't just my house ma, you all have equal rights on this house" Maitri said hugging Kaira. Nidhi sat beside Aviraj, holding his hands felt suddenly sad.

"Aunty" Nidhi called Kaira who looked at her curiously.

"I...Me...We..." Nidhi stood infront of Rishav and Kaira stuttering. Aviraj understood the reason behind her stutter and tried to pull her but she looked at him pleadingly.

"What's with the stutter kid?" Rishav asked laughing.

"Uncle woh... Avi" She tugged at Aviraj's hand asking him to say something.

"Dad, mum don't get angry at us and just listen to us peacefully" Aviraj said holding Nidhi's hand tightly. Maitri and Aryaman stood infront of the couple knowing what they were going to say.

"Okayy now you guys are scaring me" Kaira said looking at them worriedly.

"It is okay ma, you...you both... please listen to them peacefully and think about it calmly" Aryaman said holding Aviraj's hand.

"What have you both done?" Rishav asked calmly.

"Wegotmarriedinlasvegas" Aviraj said fastly as Maitri and Nidhi looked at him with disappointment.

"I heard Las Vegas" Kaira said throwing up her hands in air.

"I heard We" Rishav said looking at Kaira.

"I am not sure but I think I heard something about marriage" Juhi said as the older couple looked at her.

"Some help here?" Rishav looked at Aviraj for help.

"Avi and I got married in Las Vegas a few months after Arya and Maitri moved here" Nidhi said with her head down in fear.

"What the fudging fudge!!!" Everyone in the room looked at them shocked.

"And you two knew about it?" Kaira looked at Aryaman and Maitri who nodded their heads and looked down as well.

"Great...fucking great. Why bother spilling the beans now though?" Rishav looked at all 4 of them angrily.

"Uncle..." Nidhi tried to reason with him but his glare shut her up.

"Not uncle anymore beta, if you are married to my son then I am your father-in-law" Rishav said with anger as Nidhi started crying. He stood up to leave.

"Why didn't you all say something?" Kaira asked holding Rishav.

"Aunty... it is my fault. I forced Aviraj into getting married in Vegas" Nidhi said trying to protect Aviraj who pulled her behind him.

"I did it with my consent. We didn't want a grand wedding" Aviraj looked at Kaira hoping she'd listen to him.

"Well it wasn't like we would have ignored your wishes and made it a grand wedding" Rishav scoffed.

"Papa atleast let them say their side, please" Aryaman looked at Rishav pleadingly.

"Fine speak not like we have an option here. Clearly you all no longer need us but okay fine" Rishav sat down on the sofa.

"TALK!" Rishav looked at Aviraj and Nidhi and shouted. Nidhi flinched slightly and held onto Aviraj's t-shirt tightly.

"We married on impulse and were scared to tell you about it. I didn't want to marry in the traditional way, it...it..it brings back alot of memories of mum and dad and those dreams us three had seen about my marriage. I couldn't face them and asked Avi to marry me in Vegas" Nidhi said stuttering in between, trying not to cry seeing Kaira and Rishav's angry faces. Maitri held Nidhi's t-shirt showing that she was there for them.

"Ohh so today was a good day to reveal that you are married?" Kaira asked sarcastically.

"Ma please, she's shivering" Aviraj looked at Kaira with hope that she'd stop seeing the girl tremble in fear.

"You both have done a mistake and we can't scold you, fucking great! You know what kids, do as you wish" Rishav stood up and left for the balcony followed by Kaira who looked at them with disappointment. Maitri hugged Nidhi as she broke into fits of tears while Aryaman hugged Aviraj telling him he'd figure out a way.

"Well that was a true surprise" Manav said trying to lighten the atmosphere. Everyone glared at him and he instantly shut up.

"You could have atleast told be bhaiyu. We were a team" Aarchi looked at Aviraj sadly.

"Sorryy" Aviraj looked at her with a pained expression.

"Its okay but when exactly is your anniversary?" Aarchi forgave them seeing how well the couple was together.

"In two months" Nidhi said looking at everyone with tears.

"Do you realise you guys made a huge mistake by hiding your marriage?" Juhi asked wiping Nidhi's tears. The couple nodded their heads.

"Go talk to them" Juhi asked the couple to go alone and talk to Rishav and Kaira.

Hours went by as both the parents shouted and scolded the younger couple but slowly everything subsided, and they came in. Maitri and Aryaman looked at them trying to figure out what happened.

"Welcome to the family I guess" Kaira said opening her arms to Nidhi who immediately hugged her and broke down into tears.

"I didn't want to hide I swear but we were scared and didn't know how to undo this" Nidhi hugged Kaira tightly feeling the mother's warmth in her hug. Kaira patted Nidhi's head asking her to calm down.

"You two" Rishav looked at Aryaman and Maitri who stood up and gulped knowing it was their turn to be scolded.

"Sorry" Maitri said with a smile hoping Rishav would melt but seeing the stoic look she looked down.

"Pull such a stunt again and I'll show you who the father is here" Rishav said looking at them who nodded their heads and apologized.

"Are we good papa?" Maitri asked hiding behind Aryaman who himself was trying to hide behind her.

"Come here" Rishav said sitting on the sofa.

"Its okay, I understood we are still not okay. See you tomorrow morning papa. Good night" Maitri started taking steps backwards fleeing to her room.

"MAITRI!" He called her sternly.

"Go go, go on and ask that again...Are we good papa?" Aryaman looked at her angrily. She glared at him and walked in front of Rishav.

"Why didn't you both tell us?" He asked them.

"I asked them not to tell you" Aviraj came to their rescue. Rishav breathed out and looked at the 4 kids.

"I am not going to let this slide but since its your anniversary, we can forget that you both played a part in this for a while" Rishav said pinching his nose trying to calm himself. All three of them showed him their thumbs and quickly scattered around hiding from him.

"Uncle" Nidhi went and sat infront of him.

"Its not their fault. Its mine. I didn't have the courage to face those memories and asked them to stay silent" She said looking at her hands.

"I wouldn't have said it today too if not for them, they motivated me to tell you both. After spending so many years without mum and dad I'd forgotten how it feels to be home. Seeing you love Maitri so much made me realise that I want that too no matter how much I show to the world that I have my shit together. I don't have it together even after all these years. I still feel mum and dad's absence in my life and to top it there's my brother's defiance to me because he thinks I am the reason mum and dad are no more. It is my fault" Nidhi tried to keep her tone sane but everyone could feel it quiver as she talked about her parents.

"We wouldn't have eaten you two if you would have told us" Rishav softened and asked her.

"I know but I was scared that you both will disown us"

"We can still do that now" Rishav said asking her to look at him.

"I know but please don't do that. I've found a family in you all after a long time uncle. Please" She wiped the tear that left her eye and made its way through her cheek.

"Am angry that none of you felt that you needed to tell us such an important event of your life to us. I get it we are getting old but a little respect would have been nice" He made her stand up and explained her.

"We always respect you uncle. I was scared you won't accept this marriage since its not done in the traditional way" She tried to stop crying but couldn't stop.

"You all are fools to make conclusions on your own without seeing the other side" He hugged Nidhi in a fatherly hug and opened his other arm to Aviraj who ran to hug him.

"Now no more uncle aunty, you are like Maitri to us, we can start adapting to you calling us mum and dad" He said wiping her tears and hugging the couple. Nidhi nodded her head with a smile and pulled Kaira in the hug. Aryaman hugged Maitri smiling at the couple.

"Happy?" Maitri asked him looking at him with stars in her eyes.

"I am" He replied with his eyes stuck on Aviraj who looked like he conquered the whole world. They broke the hug and Nidhi and Aviraj sat down to have cake.

"Maitri" Rishav called her. Maitri who was smiling suddenly stopped smiling and pushed Aryaman infront of her.

"Maitri!" Rishav called for her again and she peeked from behind Aryaman.

"I get it papa we are still not good. No problems. I'll make you a good coffee tomorrow morning and then we can be good. I get it right now isn't a good time. Allz fine, am chilled" Maitri started blabbering like she does when she is nervous.

"Are you going to come here or I need to kick your husband away and then you'll come?" Rishav asked sternly. She pulled Aryaman with her who wanted to be away from that point but due to her grip on his t-shirt he got pulled with her.

"We are good" Rishav said laughing seeing her look at him with fear.

"Sure?" She wasn't convinced and asked.

"You want to get more scoldings to confirm it?" Rishav asked with a smile. She refused him immediately. He opened his arms to them as the couple hugged him.

"Yeah yeah forget that there's even a mother who exists. Afterall what have I done?" Kaira said looking away.

"Stay away from Manav ma please. The drama he does is contagious" Aryaman said pulling Kaira into the hug and kissing her cheek tightly earning Rishav's glare. He pulled Kaira away from Aryaman and pushed Maitri to him.

"That's yours. She's mine" Rishav said pointing at Kaira telling him that she was off-limits for him.

"She's my mum and I will kiss her as much as I want" Aryaman pulled Kaira away from him.

"Maitri tell your husband to leave my wife or else he will end up with broken limbs and distorted face" Rishav glared at Aryaman who looked at him teasingly.

"That's your problem to solve. Don't involve me" Maitri turned her back and went and sat on the bean bag to continue eating her half eaten cake.

"You..You.. you've turned her into you. My sweet DIL has become your replica" Rishav pulled Kaira away from him and hid her behind him and complained to Aryaman about losing his DIL. Aryaman smirked at sat on the floor near Maitri and asked her to feed him who fed him lovingly.

"Umm guys" Juhi said after a few minutes seeing everyone was happy. Rishav and Kaira looked at her questioningly.

"Since we all are sharing news, I have one too" Juhi said scared about everyone's reactions.

"We know it ma, chill. None of us mind it" Maitri and Divya said with huge smiles on their faces.

"You know?" Juhi asked shocked.

"Of course ma. No one's phone rings with notifications the whole day and no one sticks to their phone for other reasons" Divya said laughing.

"You both don't mind?" Juhi asked gulping down her saliva knowing that if her daughters had a problem then she would immediately stop.

"Why would we have a problem? Mum... you deserve to be loved too. Yeah the only problem that is is that we can't call him dad but we can accept him as your husband and as a family member. I hope that should be fine?" Maitri said holding Juhi's hands and with a big smile on her face. Juhi had given life another chance and love too. She had officially divorced Akshit and was currently dating a man working in her office. Rishav and Kaira had seen it when they saw the small exchanges between the two and were happy for Juhi. Rishav had run a background check on the man and then called Aryaman and Maitri to let them know about it. On the other hand Divya had started picking up the hints when she saw her mother smiling to the phone, taking time to dress herself and was happier than usual. Earlier the girls were slightly uncomfortable but then realised that their mother never had a chance at love and most importantly WHAT HAS LOVE GOT TO DO WITH AGE?

"Does he make you happy? Do you feel happy with him?" Divya asked to which Juhi nodded with tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Then we don't have a problem mumma. But yes, we can't call him our dad but we will love him as a family member, is that okay?" Divya asked to which Juhi nodded her head and hugged both the girls thanking god for giving her understanding daughters.

"When I come home, call him over for lunch or dinner so we can meet your long-time lover formally" Maitri said winking at Juhi. While running a background check, they got to know that Devang...Juhi who was currently dating him, liked Juhi since their college days and hadn't married anyone because he was so in love with her.

"Definitely" She hugged the girls tightly. Neither Divya nor Maitri bothered to contact Akshit who tried a lot to contact them, but the girls completely cut him off from their lives knowing he was that toxic plant that ruined everything around.

"We are very happy for you ma" Aryaman and Manav joined the hug making Juhi feel at ease.

Everyone talked for a while before they retired for the day. Aryaman and Maitri showed everyone their rooms in the huge penthouse and then went to their room and laid on the bed silently.

"Maan" "Maitri" Both of them said together and looked at each other.

"Go first" Maitri said encouragingly.

"Together?" He turned to her side completely and asked. She nodded her head and counted till 3.

"I forgot our anniversary" "I forgot our anniversary" Both of them said together and looked at each other with wide eyes before bursting out laughing.

"I didn't realize how the year went by with you" Maitri sat upright and said with a smile.

"Same. Waqt pata nahi kaha guzaar gaya tumhare saath. I don't think this lifetime will be enough for me to have enough of you" He said sitting upright and running his fingers on her cheek. She leaned into his touch with a smile.

"To thousand more anniversaries?" She moved closer to him and pecked his lips.

"To thousand and more anniversaries" He pulled her into a kiss.

The couple spent the night of their anniversary in each other's embrace, kissing and making love to each other, dwelling into each other's scents and becoming one.