The next couple of days were very busy for both Nikhil and Shivangi. Nikhil was busy in multiple surgeries at hospital performing 16 hours shifts. Shivangi on the other was busy helping Disha preparing for a party about which she didn't know a thing.
It was Sunday and Nikhil woke up to noise from commotion downstairs. He quickly finished his morning routine before climbing down the stairs to the living room only to see his grandma, the queen of Jaipur Janaki Devi along with her whole family chatting happily with his family.
It will be an understatement to say Nikhil was shocked, he stood rooted to his spot when Janaki Devi saw him.
"Oh Nikhil, finally you are up. Good Morning Beta, come sit with us." Janaki Devi said.
"Good Morning Grandma, Happy Birthday. You all are here, I mean how? What about your birthday party in Jaipur?" Nikhil asked.
"Oh come on, did you really think I will entertain all those fake-skinned politicians or businessmen rathen than celebrating my birthday with my whole family? Since you could not come to Jaipur, we thought why not we come here this year." Janaki Devi said with a smile and Nikhil smiled at her thoughtfulness.
"Wow, Thank you so much Grandma. I love you." Nikhil said and Janaki Devi frowned.
"Thank you is for strangers beta, I am your Grandma. I was not there to see you and Disha grow no matter how much I wanted so I now don't want to celebrate any important event of my or your life separately." Janaki Devi said with little moist eyes which made both Nikhil and Disha hug her.
"Oh come-on Grandma that's not fair, I feel left out." 17 years old Ayush said making everyone laugh and joining the group hug.
Just then Mrs. Mehra entered the living room with Shivangi following her carrying trays filled with eatables and tea for everyone.
"Oho Mrs. Mehra please sit with us and stop these formalities. Who is this beautiful girl? Is she who I think she is?" Janaki Devi asked as Shivangi came into her sight.
"Yes Grandma, She is who you think she is." Disha replied with glint of mischief in her eyes.
"Oh my my. Come here beta." Janaki Devi called Shivangi close to her.
"Hello Auntie." Shivangi said and went close to her.
"Hello Beta, finally I met you after hearing so many things about you for so many years." Janaki Devi said.
"Umm I don't know what you have heard, but I just hope all that you have heard is good." Shivangi replied with a smile and a tinge of blush on her face.
"Oh yes its all good, don't worry. You are very pretty and I must say very brave." Janaki Devi said and Shivangi looked at her with confusion.
"Don't look at me like that, we will talk about your braveness later, for now I need a cup of tea." Janaki Devi said winking at her and taking a teacup from the tray on the table.
Soon they were busy chatting about various things, shivangi didn't know anyone from Janaki Devi's family and didn't know what to talk to whom, so she just kept sitting there lost in her own thoughts.
"Ahem Ahem, Hi I am Ayush, Nikhil Bhai's cousin from Jaipur." Ayush introduced himself.
"Hello, I am Shivangi, his old friend." Shivangi introduced herself awkwardly.
"Oh yes, I know you.. I mean I have heard about you from Bhaiya and Grandma. I always asked Nikhil Bhaiya to have us meet you but then you were not around here." Ayush said and Shivangi felt odd and embarrassed.
'I wonder what Nik has been telling them about me' thought Shivangi.
"Well.. yeah.. I got a job far away. By the way nice meeting you." Shivangi said trying to get out of the awkward conversation because she had no idea what to talk about. She felt cheated because she didn't know any of these new people and here they all claimed they have heard about her a lot. She narrowed her eyes on the traitor who was happily talking to his Aunt and Grandma.
After almost fifteen minutes of awkwardly looking at everyonr talking to each other, Shivangi thought to excuse herself and was about to get up when a hand held her wrist, she turned to find Ayush holding her hand, she looked at him confused.
"I.. I am Sorry, actually I wanted to ask you something." Ayush said hesitantly as he left her hand.
"Sure, ask me." She said.
"What do you think of my brother?" He asked in the most straight forward way and she raised her brows in confusion.
"Ummm.. Nik is.. Nik is my best friend since college and a wonderful human being. The girl he will marry will be the luckiest girl on the planet, because he might be the only guy in our generation without any bad habits and any interest in the opposite gender. So many girls tried to propose to him but he never paid any heed to them. A lot of my batch-mates asked me to help them getting his attention, I even tried once but he got so angry that he didn't talk to me that whole day." Shivangi chuckled remembering those days back in college.
"So you mean to say your batch mates wanted him but you didn't?" Ayush asked curiously making Shivangi uncomfortable.
"Umm no, that time initially he was only my brother's friend and later he became my best friend and besided I had a crush on someone else but it didn't work out." Shivangi said shifting uncomfortably in her seat remembering her stupid past.
"Okaayy.. and what about now?" Ayush asked.
"Ahem ahem.. Am I interrupting something?" Nikhil's voice came from behind them and Shivangi took a breath of relief since she didn't want to answer Ayush's question since she didn't know his intentions for asking such questions.
" Umm.. no nothing brother.. I was just trying to get to know Ms. Shivangi." Ayush said and Nikhil looked at him suspiciously.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Oh God... Sorry I forgot.. No I wasn't hitting on her alright. I know my limits and besides I love myself and too young to die." Ayush said making everyone else laugh including Nikhil whereas Shivangi felt embarrassed.
"Don't worry Beta, Ayush is a little outspoken but he never has a bad intention. He was just testing a theory." Nisha, Ayush's Mom said looking at Shivangi who was looking down at the floor in embassment.
"Wh.. What theory?" Shivangi dared to ask hesitantly.
"Umm.. that you will get to know soon." Ayush said winking at him and nudging Nikhil's shoulder.
"You know what little brother, I guess you need a lesson." Nikhil said and before he could catch, Ayush started running around the room with Nikhil on his toes. Everyone in the room laughed looking at the brothers including Shivangi.