Author's POV:
Avi and Maya were sleeping, cuddling each other, and forgetting the world. Their beauty sleep was disturbed by the continuous buzzing of their mobile phones.
"Avi, your phone is ringing. Either lift it, cut the call, or throw it away," Maya said groggily, snuggling more into him.
"Even your mobile is ringing, and the same applies to you too," Avi said, nuzzling his face in her neck.
"I'm sleepy, so answer my call too." Saying that, she covered her head with the blanket.
Avi sighed, listening to her, and answered the call.
"Hello! Who is this?" He spoke lazily.
"Hello, my dear son! How are you?" Vani asked from the other side.
He pulled Maya close to him and said, "I'm fine, Amma; did you call me to ask this?"
"No, I have called you to inform you that you both have to be in front of me tomorrow by 8 a.m.," Vani said sternly. "By the way, where is Ammu, and why did you answer her phone?"
"She is sleeping, Amma. And won't you answer your husband's phone? Now, please let me sleep. If you want, you can go and sleep hugging my Nanna. I'm very tired," Avi said while yawning.
"Every day, I sleep by hugging your father only, but tell me this first: what made my son that tired?" Vani asked, smirking.
"Ask your daughter-in-law, Amma. She..." He was about to speak further when Maya pinched his arm, making him wince loudly.
"Ouch! You woman, stop being wild," Avi said, glaring at Maya.
Vani giggled, listening to him. Maya glared at him, snatched the phone from him, and cut the call.
"Why did you cut the call? I'm speaking with Amma, right?" asked Avi.
"May I know what you are saying?" Maya asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I'm telling her..." He stopped in the middle, realising what he was about to say to his mother, and smiled sheepishly at her.
She shook her head at him and snuggled more into the comforter when his mobile buzzed again. She glared at him while he gave her a pleading look.
He was about to get up from the bed when she shouted, "Wear something, you idiot".
"What's there to hide, Bunny? You have seen everything and touched it with your hands too, haven't you?" Avi said, winking at her and smirking internally.
Maya looked at him wide-eyed as she listened to him.
She threw a pillow at him and said, "Shameless."
He chuckled at her, wore his boxers, and went to the balcony to attend the call.
She sighed and sat on the bed. Her stomach started to growl. She looked around for her clothes, picked up his shirt, and wore it. She got off the bed, picked up their clothes, and dropped them in the hamper. Her cheeks turned red as she looked at the blood spots on the bed sheet. She removed the dirty ones and replaced them with new ones. She went to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her neck was covered with many hickeys, and her face was glowing like a moon. She caressed them with love, and a small smile was playing on her lips. She came out in a bathrobe after a long shower. She changed into her nightwear and sat before the vanity, drying her hair and thinking about their lovemaking.
He came inside after ending the call and saw her smiling to herself. He went near her and engulfed her in a hug from the back, keeping his head on her shoulder, and bringing her out of her thoughts.
"May I know what made my wife smile so that the smile was not leaving her face?" Avi asked, looking at her smiling face in the mirror.
"Nothing!" Maya said, getting up only to be pulled back.
He pulled her back, holding her hand. She banged on his hard chest and quivered as his hands slowly made their way inside her t-shirt and drew patterns on her stomach.
"Bunny!" Avi whispered huskily in her ears.
"Hmm!" Maya mumbled lost in his touch.
"I love you," Avi said, turning her around and looking into her eyes.
"I love you too," Maya said, brushing her lips with his and hugging him.
Their moment was broken as their stomachs growled, making them chuckle. Avi left to take a shower while Maya moved to the kitchen. She looked at the food that was untouched. She heated the food and set the table for them. Soon, Avi came down after freshening up. She served them and sat beside him. After having their dinner, both of them moved to the terrace.
They took a mattress and a blanket along with them and set up their bed on the terrace. They were lying in each other's arms and talking while looking at the stars in the sky.
Avi turned his face towards her and got busy admiring her. Her eyes are twinkling like the bright stars in the dark sky, her face is glowing like a moon, and a bright smile is playing on her lips. A smile crept onto his face as he looked at her.
"Bunny?"
"Hmm!"
"Whose house is this? I know that's a stupid question, but I'm still asking you, okay?" asked Avi.
"This house is my both Nanamma's (dadi/grandma) gift to their husbands. This house is close to both of their hearts, as Nanamma and Jaya Nanamma designed it specially for them according to their likes. Once, Thathayya (grandpa) brought me here when he saw that I was slipping into depression after that incident. After that, he used to bring me here frequently. Sometimes, Shiva Thatha used to join us. They used to pamper me to no extent. We used to play, do gardening, and even cook together. I came here last, along with Shiva Thatha, before his death. After that, I never came here." She took a deep breath and continued, "I miss them, Avi. I really miss them a lot. The moments I spent with them were the most memorable of my life. While going away from me, Nanamma also took away the warmth of a mother from me." Her voice cracked at the end, but soon she composed herself and told him, "Don't tell about this place to anyone. Both my Thathas took a promise from me that I shouldn't tell about this place to anyone except my husband."
"Okay! But why didn't they want the others to know?" He asked her curiously.
"How would I know that? I neither questioned them nor did they give me an explanation. I respected their privacy," said Maya.
Avi nodded his head and pulled her closer to him, covering them with a blanket.
"Whatever the reason is, here no one can disturb my romance, especially that brother of yours," Avi said, kissing her nape.
Maya rolled her eyes and said, "You and your one-track mind. Anyway, from tomorrow, wedding festivities are going to start. Attayya texted me to be there before 8 o'clock. They are going to start the Godhuma Rai function after 9:30 a.m. And after that, we have to leave for the Murty Mansion, and then we have to leave for shopping. We have to select wedding cards."
"Why don't you design them?" Avi asked her.
"Huh!" Maya said, confused.
"Why don't you design their wedding cards? You used to give suggestions to Adi Mama, right?" said Avi.
"But that is different, and I have never designed them before," said Maya.
"Come on, Bunny. Why don't you try it once? If they didn't like your designs, then they would choose the other one," said Avi.
"But."
"No ifs and buts. Just give it a try," said Avi.
"I may try it in the future, but now I just don't know, Avi," said Maya.
"Okay! Your wish," said Avi.
"Stubborn girl. I know to whom you will listen," he thought in his mind.
"Acha! Do you remember how you were so excited to go to school on the first day? You made everyone run behind you," said Avi.
"Yeah! And instead of me, it was Amma, who cried as she would miss me when I would go to school, and Nanna had a tough time convincing her," Maya said with a sweet smile playing on her lips.
"Hey! Do you remember how Arjun punched a guy just because he pulled your hair to tease you?" asked Avi.
"Yes! That boy was hospitalised for a week. And Babai grounded Anna for a month," Maya said, chuckling.
"Remember how Sravya and Arpita used to challenge you to watch horror movies? After watching that movie, you either slept in my room or Arjun's. And that whole night you didn't use to let us sleep," Avi said, chuckling.
"Yeah!" Maya hugged him, embarrassed.
He chuckled at her, pulled her close, and dropped a kiss on her head.
"Shall we watch a horror movie now?" Avi asked, giving her a teasing smile.
"What? No!" Maya said, giving him a horror look.
He laughed loudly while looking at her face while she pouted at him.
"Okay! Stop teasing me; that's enough. Everyone has their fears. You are teasing me as if you are the bravest person in the world. Even you are afraid of lizards. Did you forget how you didn't bathe for four days when you saw a lizard in the bathroom in our house? You are afraid to go to the other one also, saying, "What if there is another one there also?" Maya said, smiling mischievously.
"They look disgusting and scary," Avi said, making a bad face.
She giggled looking at his face, while he whined looking at her.
They both lay there talking and reminiscing about their childhood memories. They teased each other, laughed, cried, and romanced, and finally slept in each other's arms with a smile playing on their lips and a serene look on their faces.
**********************
The next morning, both of them quickly freshened up and returned to their home. Both of them entered the living room and saw everyone busy with their work. They greeted them and moved to their room after having breakfast.
Maya went to the closet to change her dress while Avi sat on the bed checking his mail. Just then, Arjun and Yash barged into the room and sat on the couch. He looked at them and raised his eyebrows at them.
"Where did you both disappear all of a sudden?" asked Yash.
"Arey, understand Bava (brother-in-law), they went on a mini honeymoon," Arjun said, smirking.
"Think whatever you want," he said, looking at his phone.
"Come on, man. Don't try to escape. Do you think that we didn't notice the glow on your faces? My wife and your sister even noticed the hickeys on your wife's neck," he said, smirking at him.
Avi sighed and said, "Okay! I give up. We did it; is it okay? Or shall I give you full details?"
"We don't need. I don't want to hear about the romantic life of my sister. By the way, will I become Mama soon? Or do I have to wait?" Arjun asked mischievously.
Listening to him, Avi threw a pillow at his face, which Arjun dodged correctly.
Meanwhile, in the closet, Maya chose a saree with a high-neck blouse. She left her hair open and applied concealer to hide the love bites.
"Argh! Stupid, monkey, idiot Avi, he bit me like a rabbit, leaving many hickeys on my neck. Now, I'm dying here to hide them," Maya thought while applying the concealer.
"Someone was admiring herself in the mirror by caressing those hickeys in the morning and last night," her mind mocked her.
Maya pouted, listening to it, and said, "So what; I have to bear all those teasings, not him. For sure, girls will not leave me. Especially Akka, I've teased her a lot."
Heart: <giggled>
Soon she got ready and came out of the closet, listening to the sounds. She shook her head, looking at the three of them. They were happily playing the PlayStation, pulling each other's legs.
She went near them and stood in front of them and asked them, "Hello, sirs, don't you have any work? You are happily sitting here and playing."
"Arey, bunny, move aside; I'm going to win against your brother," Avi said, pushing her aside.
She got irritated with them and removed the connection of the console to the TV and ran away from there.
"Rakshasi (Devil). Nuvvu iypoyav ippudu naa chethilo. (You will be finished in my hands now)," shouted Arjun.
"For that, you have to catch me in the first place," she said, showing her tongue to him.
Avi and Yash hit their foreheads and again started playing the game while Arjun was running behind Maya. She ran down and hid behind Jai, who had just come inside.
"Babai, see how he's running behind me," Maya said, holding Jai's hand.
"Nanna, you move aside. This devil removed the connection of the playstation when we were playing," Arjun said, glaring at Maya.
"Don't you have any work other than playing? Go and get ready for the puja, idiot," Jai said, glaring at his son.
Maya grinned, listening to him, while Arjun went away, stomping his feet.
Maya kissed Jai's cheeks and said, "Thank you, Babai," and went from there. Jai chuckled at her antics, and he also moved from there.
Maya went and sat beside Arpita, who was tying garlands for God.
"Hello, sista!" said Arpita.
"Umm, hi!" Maya said, taking the flowers from her to make a garland.
"Are you fine?" Arpita asked, touching Maya's forehead.
"Yeah! What happened to me?" Maya asked, frowning.
"You see, you are wearing a high-neck blouse, right? And you usually don't prefer them; that's why I've asked you," Arpita said, blinking her eyes innocently.
(Maya's attire)
"Ah, Umm!" She stammered, listening to her question.
"Why are you stammering, Maya? Answer her," Sravya said, joining them.
She composed herself and said, "I just want to give it a try. Nothing else."
She was about to get up when they pulled her back, making her land on the couch.
Maya glared at them and thought, "cha, ila irukkunna enti. Ina nenu vachi vachi ikkade kurchovala. Ippudu veellu nannu vadalare."
(Shit, now I'm stuck with them. Should I come and sit here only? Now, these people won't leave me.)
"Is it?" Arpita and Sravya asked, looking at her while narrowing their eyes.
She prayed in her mind for God to send someone to save her from their teasing. Just then, Anjali called her, making her grin. She ran away from there, making Arpita and Sravya burst into laughter.
"Come, we have lots of work." Arpita said, looking at Sravya.
With that, both of them got busy with their work.
Soon, the puja got completed, and all the ladies gathered to make the turmeric powder by crushing the dried turmeric roots.
The powder is used to apply to the bride and groom during their "pellikodu/pellikuturu" ceremonies.
After the ceremony, everyone left for the Murty Mansion to attend the Godhuama Rai function at the Murty Mansion and also discuss the weddings.
Precap: Leap.
Keep smiling and take care.