"The sound of your heart beats is my favourite music"
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19. Favourite Place
SHREYA AND AARAV were standing in front of their apartment. Shreya had asked Sujata and Arpit's family to hide in a corner since she wanted to surprise Shweta and Manish as tomorrow was their 35th anniversary but she had decided to give them the gift before their anniversary.
Shreya was expecting someone from the Shah family to open the door but was surprised when Saloni opened the door.
"Di?", Saloni asked surprised.
"Of course, its me!", Shreya said rolling her eyes and Saloni quickly engulfed her in a bone crushing hug.
"Saloni! Who is at the door?", Rishabh asked as he entered the living room.
"Bhabhi?", Rishabh said but it came out as a question.
"Hey! Even I'm here! I'm not invisible!", Aarav complained.
Shreya pulled away from Saloni and rolled her eyes at her husband.
Finally she was coming in terms with their relation. He was slowly creeping in her heart but yet she wasn't ready to reveal her past to him. It was a huge part of her life hidden from everyone. A dark secret which was suppose to be hidden in the chambers of her heart but she couldn't keep it hidden from Aarav.
Will he understand my pain? Will his love remain the same? Will he still heal me? So many questions but no answers.
Because time was the answer to her questions. Time and his love was going to heal her.
"Shreya"
"Shreya!"
"SHREYA!!!", Aarav's voice broke her trance of thoughts.
"Sorry spaced out", Shreya said apologetically.
"Well, where is Mom and Dad?", Aarav inquired.
"Everyone is visiting the temple", Rishabh said.
"Leaving you both alone?", Shreya asked raising her eyebrows.
"Ummm... that..."
Saloni tried to explain but Shreya interrupted.
"We will talk about this later", Shreya said looking at Rishabh and Saloni.
They both nodded.
"We have guests here", Shreya said as she asked Sujata and Arpit's family to come inside.
Rishabh was surprised to see everyone but anyways smiled at the family.
"Please make yourself comfortable till then I will prepare tea for everyone", Shreya said smiling.
"Shreya, I don't drink tea. Can you please prepare coffee for me?", Tanay, Arpit's son said.
"Sure thing. Saloni, can you please help me", Shreya said as she made her way inside the kitchen.
Saloni nodded and glanced at Rishabh who gave her an assuring smile. Aarav was observing both of them and knew something was fishy.
Saloni followed Shreya like a lost puppy. Once they were in the kitchen Shreya looked at Saloni.
"Does Dad know you're here?", Shreya asked as she added tea powder in the water.
Saloni widened a little as she wasn't expecting her sister to ask that question.
"No", she said meekly.
"Shaurya or Mom?", Shreya asked facing Saloni.
"Bhai knows", Saloni said playing with the end of her dupatta.
"What exactly did you tell him?", Shreya asked arching her perfect eyebrow.
"That...umm.. I was going to meet your family", Saloni said avoiding eye contact.
"When in reality you were here to meet Rishabh not to forget alone", Shreya said emphasing the word 'alone'.
"Di! No! Its not what you think it is... please trust me Di!", Saloni pleaded as her eyes filled with tears.
"I trust you Niyu that's why I'm having a talk with you", Shreya said.
"When I came here the door was locked and I was about to leave when Rishi arrived so he asked to wait. I just came here ten minutes before your arrival", Saloni said crying.
"Okay now tell me do you like Rishi? Don't lie Saloni because I trust you", Shreya said staring into Saloni's eyes.
Saloni was in denial but she wasn't going to lie to Shreya. She was her Di, her role model, her second mother and she couldn't break her trust so she decided to tell her the truth.
"I like him, Di", Saloni confessed staring in Shreya's brown orbs.
"Are you both dating?", Shreya asked.
"No Di!"
"Okay now go"
"Go? You won't yell at me?", Saloni asked surprised.
"No honey! Why would I yell at you? Liking someone isn't a sin and you don't decide who to like and whom to not. It just happens unknowingly. You can't control your feelings, baby", Shreya explained.
"Di, you're the best! I love you so much!!!", Saloni said as she hugged Shreya.
"I love you more, baby!", Shreya said "but I want you to achieve your career Saloni before you get in any relationship. Once you're settled I will talk to Mom and Dad myself but till then only concentrate on your studies"
"As you say Di", Saloni said before leaving the kitchen.
After fifteen minutes, Shreya walked out of the kitchen with a tray in her hand. She served everyone tea and Tanmay coffee.
"Chachi, I want milk", Pihu, Tanmay's four years old daughter said pulling the end of Shreya's kurti.
"Okay wait, I will bring milk for you", Shreya said and disappeared in the kitchen.
After five minutes, she came out with a glass of milk in her hand.
"Avni, I have added horlicks in the milk, will it be okay?", Shreya inquired.
"Yeah, its perfectly fine", Avni said smiling.
"The milk is hot. Let it warm up then drink", Shreya said placing the glass on the table.
"Who are they?", Pihu asked curiously as she pointed at Saloni.
"She's my sister, Saloni", Shreya said as she helped Pihu sit on her lap.
"What should I call her?", Pihu asked confused.
"You can call me Saloni Di", Saloni said sitting besides Shreya.
"Saloni Di", Pihu repeated.
"Shreya, where is everyone?", Sujata inquired.
"They have gone to the temple ", Shreya said pecking Pihu's cheek.
"How long will it take them to return?", Arpit asked.
"No idea", Aarav said.
"Rishi, call Dad and ask them when they are coming back", Shreya said.
Rishabh nodded and was about to call Manish when the door bell rang.
"I think its them", Rishabh said.
"I will open the door", Aarav said.
Shreya nodded. She was excited to see Shweta and Manish. She wanted to see how they would react when they would see the rest of the family.
Aarav opened the door and everyone stood on their spot stunned. They weren't expecting Aarav to be back in Mumbai. Shweta hugged her son and Aarav took her blessings.
"C'mon everyone, come inside except for Mom and Dad", Aarav said.
"What? Why should we stand outside?", Manish asked confused.
"Exactly! And I want to meet Shreya so move out of my way, son", Shweta said sternly.
"Nope! If you want to come inside then you will have to allow me to blindfold you", Aarav said grinning.
"What? Blindfold? Whyy??", Manish and Shweta said in unison.
"Because I have a surprise for you!", Aarav announced.
"Surprise?", Everyone asked confused.
"Yes so can I blindfold you?", Aarav asked.
Manish and Shweta nodded reluctantly. He quickly blindfolded the couple and welcomed everyone in the house. As soon as everyone entered the house, Aarav signalled them to stay quiet as he removed the blindfold.
"SURPRISEE!!!", Everyone shouted in unison.
Shweta felt like she was hallucinating. Right in front of her, was her mother and her brother's family with a huge smile on their faces.
"Please tell me its not a dream", Shweta choked out.
Shreya stood up from the couch and walked towards the couple.
"No Maa, this isn't a dream", she said smiling "they all are really here"
As the words left Shreya's mouth, Shweta rushed towards her mother and engulfed in her hug.
"I missed you so much, Maa!", Shweta cried in Sujata's motherly embrace.
"I missed you too, baby", Sujata said caressing her daughter's hair.
Next Shweta hugged Arpit and cried in his arms telling him how much she loved him and wanted his forgiveness.
"You did this?", Manish asked Shreya who was still standing on his place as he observed the reunion of his wife with her family with teary eyes.
"Yeah", Shreya said smiling.
"Thankyou so much! You don't know how much grateful I'm to you. Today, you have done something which I couldn't do all these years. It was hard to see her in pain especially knowing that I was the cause", Manish said wiping his tears.
"What? Papaz you didn't cause it so please don't blame yourself. Maa loves you alot and trust me if she gets to know that you blame yourself for all this then she won't be happy", Shreya said.
"I'm so happy that you're married to my son, Shreya"
"Feelings are mutual, Dad", Shreya said cheekily.
"Thankyou Shreya", Shweta said as she held Pihu in her arms.
"Mom, please don't thank me", Shreya said smiling.
"I'm so happy today. This was the best gift we could get on our anniversary. Right, Manish?"
Manish nodded.
Shreya couldn't help but feel happy at the reunion of the family. She was truly blessed to be a part of such a family.
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SHREYA WAS BUSY cooking in the kitchen when Aarav sneeked inside so he could spend a little time with her.
"So what did you exactly talk with Saloni?", Aarav asked startling Shreya.
"What the hell, Aarav! I am cooking, can't you see? You should atleast give me a little warning rather than scaring me off like that!", Shreya yelled at him.
Great! Now talking is also prohibited, Aarav thought.
"Chill tigress! I was just asking you no need to pounce on me like that", Aarav said.
"Idiot! I was chopping vegetables! What if I would cut my finger?", Shreya asked glaring at him.
"Then I would take your finger and suck the blood from your cut", Aarav said trying to sound romantic.
"Yeah yeah! After all you're a vampire, right?", Shreya said rolling her eyes.
"Here I'm trying to be romantic and you're thinking about Twilight?", Aarav said frowning.
"If you're trying to be romantic then atleast be a little creative, my dear hubby", Shreya teased pinching his cheeks.
"Hey, not my cheeks!", Aarav groaned pushing her hands away, "and tease me as much as you want afterall that's what everyone does here", Aarav said pouting.
"Aww, is my baby angry?", Shreya asked pinching his cheeks.
"Shreya!", Aarav whined.
"Okay sorry sorry! Won't pull them again", Shreya giggled.
"Good and no, I am not angry. How can I be angry with my cutiepie?", Aarav asked pecking her nose.
"Good because even if you were angry I wouldn't have convinced you", Shreya said poking her tongue out at him and Aarav chuckled.
"So now will you tell me what did you talk to Saloni?", Aarav asked seriously.
"How would you know I had a talk with her?", Shreya asked raising her eyebrow.
"Because when she went inside she was scared and nervous. When she came out she was relaxed and happy", Aarav stated.
"You're observant and yes I had a talk with her", Shreya stated.
"It was about Rish, right?", Aarav asked.
Shreya nodded.
"But how did you know?", Shreya asked.
"Because that's something which is going on in my mind from a long time"
"Did you talk to Rishi?"
"No"
"Good because we both will talk to him", Shreya said.
"As you wish"
"So what is tomorrow's plan?", Shreya asked.
"We all are going to Karjat"
"Karjat?"
"Yeah, we have our farmhouse there", Aarav said.
"Tomorrow is going to be a great day!", Shreya said cheerfully.
"Will I get time to spend with you?", Aarav asked pouting.
"We will make time for each other", Shreya said as she rested her head on his chest, where is heart was.
Afterall it had become her favourite place now.
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So how was the chapter? Let me know! Excuse me for grammatical errors. Vote and comment. Keep loving Aarya :) Happy reading!
Love ya
Hugs and Kisses
See you soon
-Rhea