Can we make it last?

five

"Bhaai..aap ye pehnne wale ho apni haldi ke liye?" Neil supplied a befuddled look to Abhimanyu as he glanced at his brother who was adorning himself standing in front of a large mirror.

"Haa..acha nahi lag raha kya?" He replied back at an instant.

"Nahi..kuch zyada hi acha aur...mehenga lag raha hai.." Saying, Neil plopped himself on his bed while Abhimanyu grinned at his comment.

"Akshu ne diya hai.." He smilingly said.

"Toh to mera yahi suggestion hai aap na hi pehno yeh agar aapko itna pyaara hai to."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means...yeh iss kurte ka pehla aur aakhiri din hoga agar aap aise bahar gaye toh."

"Kya hai Neil? Saaf saaf bata na kya kehna chahta hai?"

"Yahi Abhi ke tumhare ye dono bhai tumhare saath haldi ki Holi khelne wale hai. Toh usme kapde fatna toh laazmi hai." Shefali, his bhabhi entered the room along with Parth, their elder cousin.

"What! No!! You guys kidding right." Horrified, Abhimanyu asked while the the trio mischievously grinned back at him.

"Hmhm" Neil patted Abhimanyu's back giving him false hope and shared a hi-fi with Parth.

"You wouldn't dare Neil."

"Is it so? Try me."

"Bhabhi aap toh samjhao inn dono ko. Kaise tedhi nazar se dekh rahe dekho mujhe." Abhimanyu wailed dramatically.

"Nahi devar ji. Mai to inhi ke group me hu."

"Chalo toh Abhu...tu ready hokar aa ja jaldi. Haldi..karni hai na?"

"Ha ha bhaiya .. ofcourse karni hai. Haina bhai?" Neil teased making Abhi give him a cold stare.

"Tujhe to mai dekh lunga beta Neil. Jaldi tera number bhi aayega."

"Ha ha ha. Mujhe toh aisa kuch dur duuur tak nazar nahi aa raha. So filhal toh aapka number hai. Come on bro!! Fast!"
....

Neil, Parth, Shefali and Nishta sat with unsettled upset faces in a line on a couch across the hall as they were scolded for being so carefree and jolly in the function by the elders of their house. They were being unnecessarily noisy and hence were shut down for being childish and were given a long lecture on how to act like their ages.

The elder Birla's were all about work and work. The whole festivites, celebrations seemed much dramatic to them and that is why they kept themselves away from them and they had included the younger ones of the house too in their circle. They couldn't really have fun even when they wanted.

On the other hand, Goenka's were complete opposite to them. They were White to their Black. They ought to celebrate smallest of their wins to largest of their achievements. Music, dance was in their blood and a part of every smallest of their celebration or any function or festivals.

That was one of the reason why elder Birla's and Goenka's did not go together. They have tiffs between them no matter how much they try to hide those. But Black and White goes together very well lastly, no?
....

"Neil." Manjiri called with a completely wrapped bowl in her hands.

"Ji maa."

"Ab bahut masti ho gayi. Ye haldi le aur Akshara ke ghar tak sahi salamat pahunchani hai ye. Theek hai.".

"Masti hone kaha di." Neil whispered to himself before continuing. "Bas itni si baat. Lao do."

"Neil sahi se..."

"Maa..aaj tak aapka kaha koi kaam galat kiya hai maine? Aap tension kyu lete rehte ho itni?"

"Tension nahi bas fikr hai bacha..apne bacho ki. Bahut pyaar jo hai tum sabse." Manjiri out her plan on his cheek, caressing a little, while Neil just smiled at her.