Shivaay conspired with Dadi next morning on how to present Annika with his gift.
"Dadi, please, think of something nice so that Annika doesn't know what is waiting for her, and is taken completely by surprise" said Shivaay, for the fifth time.
"Yes, Billu, I got it, I have thought of something, now will you go to office on your own or I will have to ask Khanna to physically take you away from here?" asked Dadi.
Shivaay actually winked at his grandmother, and left for work, while Dadi wondered whether her idea was good enough, or she'll have to think of something else.
In the evening, Dadi asked everyone to assemble in the hall.
"I thought since Soumya is leaving for the States this weekend, let us all have some fun together before she leaves" suggested Dadi.
Everyone agreed.
"So, I thought, we can all divide into partners and play this game. I have the chits here. Prinku has gone to her friends' place for some college work, hmm thats sad. Now where are Tej, Jahnvi and Gauri? Never mind, you people start first" said Dadi, encouragingly.
"Not you Rudra, you and Soumya go last, since you are the youngest" scolded Dadi, as she saw Rudra getting up to pick the chits.
Shivaay and Om laughed at their brother, while Soumya rolled her eyes.
Since Tej and Jahnvi were not there, Shakti and Pinky went first.
Shakti had to bring a flower that resembled Pinky. A few minutes later, he came back with a cauliflower. Everyone tried to hard to control their giggle, while Pinky looked extremely offended, but he kept that cauliflower aside to actually reveal two azaleas he had brought for her. Pinky blushed at the actually sweet gesture by her husband, who usually seemed indifferent to her.
"Now its my turn" said Shivaay excited.
"Yes, yes, bhaiyaa, we know that you worked out this whole thing with Dadi" snorted Rudra, while Om gave his snarky smile.
"You both know? Dadi?" Shivaay looked at his grandmother, but she claimed she wasn't guilty.
"C'mon Shivaay, Dadi didn't rat you out, we are your brothers, we know how Billuji's mind works" said Omkara, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Shivaay scowled, but cheered up immediately.
Gauri entered the mansion at the moment, returning from work.
"Ah, Gauri bhaabhi, you've come at the right time, we are playing a game" said Rudra, and told Gauri all that had taken place till now.
"Yes, Gauri you've come at the right time. I've got a brilliant present for your Jiji" said Shivaay.
"Par Bade bhaiyaa pehle chit toh uthaalo" (But Bade bhaiyaa, first pick up a chit no?) asked Gauri innocently, while Om and Rudra sniggered at Shivaay.
"Arey, Chutki, this Bade bhaiyaa of yours is a chantomai (sly fox). He planned out the entire thing with Dadi to surprise me, didn't you Billuji?" said Annika, with a knowing look.
Shivaay accepted the charge, with a guilty smile.
"But we are still playing the game okay?" said Shivaay, while everyone else laughed.
"What have you got Billuji?" asked Annika eagerly.
"This" said Shivaay, handing Annika a scroll of paper, rolled up and tied in a red ribbon.
Annika unrolled the paper, and read the document slowly, in her broken English. She could read enough to understand the crux.
"Shivaay....these are....." Annika was surprised.
"Yes, Saahil's adoption papers. You are officially his guardian now, Annika. I got your 'Bandari' bua to sign this. I know how much you've wanted since years to be his guardian, now he is officially your responsibility in every way, and his aunt cannot interfere in your lives anymore" said Shivaay.
"Shivaay..." Annika gulped. This was the most precious gift she received in her life, after reuniting with her sister. And the latter was also due to Shivaay.
Annika unexpectedly started crying.
Shivaay was taken aback, and so was everyone else. Gauri got up to hug her sister.
"Arey, these are happy tears" said Gauri, her own eyes moist.
"Well, the Trivedi sisters have a weird tradition" remarked Rudra, while Soumya elbowed him and Omkara hit his head lightly.
Annika hugged Gauri, and then hugged Shivaay, thanking him for everything, in extremely incoherent sobs.
"I didn't catch that, but what do I get in return?" whispered Shivaay.
"You'll find out at night" Annika whispered back, making sure no one heard them.
After the happy tears subsided, Annika said cheerfully, "Omkara now its your turn after Shivaay. Chutki you partner him."
"But Jiji, how can I?" said Gauri, stumped at being cornered like this by her sister.
"Arey, c'mon, this is a partners game, everyone is going for it in twos, so you will team up with Om" said Annika, comfortably ignoring Gauri and Om's awkward looks.
"C'mon O, finish your turn fast, I and Soumya will go after you" said Rudra impatiently, and Omkara scowled at him.
Gauri got up and Omkara taking cue from her, got up as well. Gauri looked at Omkara as she hesitantly picked up the chit from the bowl.
"Find your partner blindfolded" Gauri read out the chit, and feeling slightly stupid, tried to put it back. "This is impossible, let me pick another chit."
"Arey no no, Gauri bhaabhi, that is cheating, you got that chit, now you will have to do it" said Rudra.
"Arey but this is...." Gauri looked up at Omkara, who looked unamused by all the stupidity around him.
"Of course, its possible" said Annika, who came with a blindfold, and ignoring all of Gauri's protests tied it around her eyes.
"Lets take Bade baal vaale bhaiyaa away from Gauri bhaabhi, and make it difficult for her to find him" said Soumya, excitedly, as she pulled Omkara to the opposite corner of the room.
Omkara rolled his eyes at the whole thing.
They grouped around Gauri and started turning her around, blocking or redirecting her, every time she came close to reaching Om. Omkara just threw up his hands at the entire thing.
Shankarji, let me find him, help me reach him, thought Gauri.
She didn't want to lose at this game, and embarrass herself and Omkaraji.
How could Shankarji let his chiraiyaa down? As if led by him, Gauri found her way through the group, and finally reached him. She knew it was him, but just to confirm, she felt his shoulders to make sure it was him.
Omkara couldn't help himself, he smiled, and held Gauri's hands.
Gauri took off her blindfold, and looked up at his face, relieved, and hopeful.
Annika and Shivaay actually clapped, they were so happy to see Om and Gauri working on their equation.
"Now its your turn Om" said Shivaay.
Om went up to the bowl and picked a chit. "Say some shayari for your partner" read out Om.
"Arey, this is cheating Dadi, how come O picked up a chit having the only thing he's good at, apart from painting? Clearly there is some match-fixing going on" said Rudra, looking at Dadi, suspiciously.
"Chup kar khotte de puttar!" (Shut up, foolish boy) said Dadi. "You think I will cheat at this age?"
Everyone laughed at Rudra.
Gauri said, once the laughter subsided, "Omkaraji, you....you don't have to do this task...."
But Om had already thought of something.
"Tere mere beech judaa tha ek rishta anjaana mein,
(An unforeseen relationship tied you and me together)
"jaane ek chota sa kissa kab badal gaya afsaane mein."
(who knows when this fable turned into an epic.)
"waqt ki gullak ki sab lamhe, tere naam pe kharch hue".
(all the moments in my piggy bank of time, I've spent on you.)
"aadhe tujhe sataane mein, aadhe tujhe manaane mein."
(half on troubling you, half on cajoling/persuading you.)
"ab dil ko tujhse kaam hai kya, is rishte ka naam hai kya,"
(now what does my heart want from you, what is the name of this relationship,)
"main aur dil, dono uljhe hai, is masle ko suljhaane mein."
(both I and my heart are tangled in trying to solve this dilemma.)
Gauri was so overwhelmed by the fact that Omkaraji actually took up the challenge, that she didn't ponder on the poem, before she muttered "Thank you", not even managing to look at him properly.
Everyone was similarly impressed.
"Finally, its my turn" said Rudra excitedly.
"No, its our turn first" said Tej, as he and Jahnvi entered.
"Tej, Jahnvi, you both are so late" complained Dadi.
"Sorry Maa, there was an important meeting. So, whats happening? A game without us? Fill us in" said Tej.
Dadi and Shivaay, between themselves, told Tej and Jahnvi what transpired.
"Well, since we came now, we will take a chit now" said Tej, and eagerly picked up one of the two chits lying in the bowl.
"Hmm....this is something" said Tej.
"What?" said Jahnvi, and she took the chit from Tej to read. "Oh, you have to sing a song, Tej."
"I'll sing, but don't know whether others would like my voice" Tej laughed.
Tej cleared his throat and started singing.
Everyone was stunned, but cheered him on.
As the song ended, Gauri saw Omkaraji looking at his father suspiciously. He didn't trust his father's actions and gestures at all.
"Wow, Jethji that was such a romantics song" said Pinky, amazed, as she and the others, barring Omkara, clapped.
"Now finally its my turn" said Rudra, and picked up the chit before anyone could stop him.
"Okay, so our task is easy, we have perform a dance, on a wedding song" said Rudra happily.
"Ah! Thats a nice one, anyways there is a long time for your actual wedding. So, you can have an advance sangeet now" laughed Dadi, and everyone laughed along with her.
Rudra and Soumya decided on a song for a while, and played the music. Rudra and Soumya started dancing and soon the entire family joined them.
P.S. I alway felt that Rudra was similar to Bittu (Ranveer's character) in this movie lol. Light hearted chapter today!