The Moon to my night✔️

5

"If it's verified by you, there is nothing for me to inspect myself." I wiped my hands with the napkins and took the file folder from the table, signing at the required places.

"You should have read it at least once." Bhai took the folder and turned the pages to check my signatures.

"We have to leave for Udaipur, Bhai, and you have checked it already. I don't need to do it again." I closed the folder and packed it in his laptop bag.

"Okay, let's get going then." We finished lunch and got ready for the long drive of 7 hours to Udaipur. Jaipur is the best place to have a wedding in, but since Shravan Bhai met Ridhima bhabhi in Udaipur, they both wanted to have the wedding there. Apparently, bhabhi was on a trip with her college friends when she met Bhai there. It was love at first sight for both of them. It was better that RR had a heritage palace there, perfect for a wedding.

Settling behind the wheel of his Land Rover Defender, Bhai called out to me from the porch. I ran with the packed snacks for the journey and hopped into the passenger seat beside him. It used to be our custom as kids to go on long drives every weekend. Yagya and Yug Bhai used to fight with each other whenever Bhai offered them the chance to drive. I had been the passenger princess for as long as I could remember, although on these road trips, I learned driving just by sitting beside them. Actually, I learned almost everything from my brothers, whether it was driving, cooking, or even self-defence. I remember Chote Papa enrolling all of us together, and Aridhaan Bhai once punched the trainer because he hit me during training.

The chiming of my phone brought me back to reality. I pressed it against my ear, answering my father's call.

"Yes, Papa, we just left the house."

"Yes, I have everything essential with me."

"Yes, Bhai is driving, and we will inform you when we enter Udaipur."

"Okay, we will have our dinner on time."

Answering all his queries, I finally ended the call to see Bhai smiling at me. This was our father's usual behaviour; he would call me whenever I was about to leave for somewhere and would meticulously calculate the time I would be reaching so he could call to confirm. He does the same with all four of us, and sometimes we wonder if he is a magician, as he knows our timings almost every time.

"What are you thinking about, Aru?" I turned my head to see Bhai talking to me with his eyes fixed on the road. "I am thinking about the time we all spent together and the time I was away from you all. You know, back in New York, when Papa was there for the first three years of my graduation, he used to drive me and Aahana to the campus, and no matter how much I asked him to let me drive, he wouldn't let me at all." Bhai heaved a sigh, listening to me.

"How did you manage it all?" His question took me aback, and I knew this was something I had been expecting for a long time. "It was tough, especially when Aarna aunty was not there, and both Papa and Abhijeet Uncle were going through a tough time. Some days, Aahana and I had to cheer them up while Abhimanyu Bhai was struggling with Khurrana Industries. But I am glad that I was successful in persuading Papa and he got back here." His forehead creased when I told him about the time there.

"Do you want to drive?" Aridhaan Bhai changed the topic, and I knew how well he is at this, so I quietly went with the flow. "Are you sure? It's your favourite car." He chuckled at my words, parking the car at the side.

"Well, I want to be the passenger princess today." I giggled at his words and unclasped the seat belt, exchanging our seats.

"You would be a passenger prince, Bhai, not princess." He laughed, shaking his head, and I wished these smiles would find a permanent residence on his face.