Twisting the key into the keyhole, he opened the door of his house, his right shoulder supporting the weight of his black leather laptop bag as he made his way to the living room where he found his wife settled in the sofa, watching her daily soaps while her fingers played with her favorite baby blue cushion.

Letting the strap slip off his shoulder, he kept the bag leaned at the sofa arm, and took two steps to reach her, raising his hand to pinch her nose playfully, "Say hi to me, Mimi!"

His wife looked up at him giggling while he walked away, going upstairs to his room to freshen up and change his office clothes.

When he completely disappeared from her view, she turned back to look at the TV screen, with a smile spread across her lips.

Flashback

Six months ago.

Arnav sighed tiredly, having a sort of a college lecture with his Nani, the topic being her favorite Marriage so it was obvious she did her best to present him all the advantages of getting married while he as the opponent, did everything to prove her wrong through the Skype video call.

"Nani if you don't mind, can we talk about something interesting? Like what you did today? How's the weather in Lucknow? Here in Mumbai, it's too hot.. you know," Arnav changed the topic willingly sounding sarcastic to let his grandmother know how tired he was of her lecture.

"Sure. Let's change the topic. So Chote, do you have any girlfriend there in Mumbai that you're hiding from me?" Nani asked teasingly adjusting Akash's laptop in the dining table to get a better view of her grandson's reaction to this particular question.

"Nani not again!" Arnav rolled his eyes in disbelief, "I don't have any girlfriend."

"You're lying to me. The other day I called you, I heard a voice of a sweet girl," Nani continued to squeeze the bitter lemon (Arnav) to extract some juice (truth) from him.

But as they say.. the truth is always bitter..

Arnav shrugged frowning slightly as he tried to recollect the day his Nani was talking about, "Must be someone in office."

"Oh, so she's your employee! Typical love story of rude and arrogant boss and sweet and innocent PA, hain na?" Nani giggled in excitement.

Her imagination started taking a route of exaggeration to Arnav, who cleared his throat to get her back on earth, "Just for your information, Aman is my PA. So there's no way I could be in a relationship with my PA, because he's not a girl, he was never sweet and nowadays innocence maintains a certain distance from him!"

"Okay enough! Keep mocking your Nani who prays everyday for you to get married soon," Nani said in a tone of disappointment as she looked away upset with him.

"Nani please," Arnav sighed tiredly, "Now what will I do if I don't find a girl that makes me happy? Just get married to any girl for the sake of it?"

Nani glanced back at him, a candle of hope lightening in her heart again, "So if I find a girl who makes you happy, you'll get married to her?"

"Yeah!" Arnav nodded.

"Okay then.. Be ready to get married!" Nani smiled brightly.

Arnav shook his head, not believing much in her words.

************************************

One day later.

"Woah.. Itni jaldi? (So fast?)" Arnav asked to his grandmother astonished that she found the girl she claimed would keep him happy at super sonic speed.

Nani nodded smiling proudly, staring at her grandson through the laptop screen, settled in the chair of the dining table as usual, "Her name is Khushi (Happiness)."

"I can't believe this," Arnav leaned on his office chair, face-palming, "Nani you went behind a girl whose name means happiness to keep me happy, like really?"

He ended with a mocking chuckle, shaking his head at his Nani's childishness.

"You won't understand anything. I liked Khushi bitiya for you even before our conversation, but Anjali and Payal bitiya thought she's not the right match for you. So we kept her aside when we shortlisted those four girls which I sent you their pictures last time and you didn't like them all, remember?"

"No, but continue your story."

Nani grimaced before continuing, "When you said you wanted a girl that keeps you happy, Khushi's bitiya face came flashing in my mind."

"Because her name means happiness?" Arnav asked mockingly.

"Yes. Not only her name, her presence in the house is making everyone happy here," Nani smiled peeking to see Khushi and her parents chatting with the family members in the living room.

"Oh really!" Arnav raised his eyebrows, doubting veracity in his Nani's words.

"Yes really. And I can prove it to you. She's here with us. Talk to her for few minutes, if you smile which is as tough as breaking a stone, then you'll have to if not accept, at least think about this rishta.... okay?" Nani asked hopefully, trying to convince her grandson.

"Okay!" Arnav sighed.

Nani almost jumped on her chair in excitement as she called Khushi to the dining room smiling brightly.

Khushi obediently stood up from the sofa and walked to the dining room when Laxmi came in her way, stopping her and calling her back to play. Khushi smiled lifting the cutest goat in her arms as she headed to the dining room, "Nani you called me?"

"Yes yes!" Nani stood up from the chair making space for Khushi as she motioned her hand, "Sit here. Arnav bitwa wants to talk with you."

Arnav raised his brows with Oh-really look, earning a glare from the other side of his Nani, silently asking him to behave well with the girl.

Khushi nodded shyly as Nani hurriedly left from there smiling teasingly. She sat on the chair hugging Laxmi in her arms like a baby.

And that's when Arnav could see her face properly.

Beautiful? Yes. But what about the inner beauty?

Traditional? It would lead to compatibility issues later!

But leaving all these practical thoughts aside. She looked so mesmerizing in that long yellow and orange anarkali suit.

He just remembered he didn't spoke nor he blinked his eyes since the time she sat on the chair to talk with him.

"Hi," he cleared his throat, sitting straight.

"Hi," she replied with a shy smile, then raised Laxmi's feet to the laptop screen, "Say hi to him Laxmi!"

Arnav's cheeks hurt as he tried his best to suppress the smile forming in his lips after that, but end up accepting defeat to his Nani, by giving his best wide smile to the cute girl waving a non-hinglish-speaker goat's feet to greet him.

Throwing all the doubts he had of leading a happy married life with a girl like Khushi in the dustbin, he gave his nod to the proposal making his Nani offer all the sweets existent in the planet to the nearby temple.

Flashback ends.

************************************

Arnav descended the stairs after freshening up and changing to his comfy blue tee-shirt and black track pants. He directly went to the dining room knowing his wife would be waiting for him to have dinner.

He took his seat, glancing at her, "What happened to Omkar and Mayura? Last time you said they got killed."

"It's a track of reincarnation now. Mayura is rich, modern and spoilt brat whereas Omkar is a middle class, happy go lucky guy," Khushi explained excitedly.

"Achcha! (Really).. Shaurya and Anokhi got married, right?" he asked, serving the delicious chicken korma that his wife made for him on his plate.

Khushi nodded her head, explaining to him the details of the marriage sequence of their favorite serial.

Now ASR watching Indian daily soaps was akin to a man promising to get the moon and stars on earth to his beloved, until he married Khushi and two weeks later, she called him to sit with her and watch TV. She asked him what was his favorite TV serial and he had no answer. He explained to her that he never had time to actually watch entertainment stuff due to his hectic schedule and he would only watch web series when he took a break from work to visit his family in Lucknow.

His explanation made her blink eyes at him and open her mouth slightly wondering how people survived without watching daily soaps.

However, after composing herself by the 440 volt current she got from her husband, she explained to him how in her neighborhood everyone from the elders to the little kids love to watch together daily soaps at night and discuss about it with each other during their daily works in morning and afternoon time.

And he understood the level of addiction of his wife to the TV serials when he noticed she used to call her neighbor friends to discuss excitedly for long hours what happened in a less than thirty minutes episode of a daily soap.

He also realized that because of his zero knowledge in this matter, they spoke less because she knew he wasn't much interested in her serials. But he needed her time. He wanted her to talk with him with the same enthusiasm he catchs her talking with her friends. Hence he started catching up with the latest episodes of her favorite serials whenever he had time to break this communication barrier between them.

Being an understanding wife, Khushi took the second step, by asking him what was the web series he talked about when they had the conversation regarding daily soaps. She showed interest to watch his favorite web series and also let him know that she learned English while watching daily soaps and Bollywood movies with translation.

Once they were done with dinner, they moved to the kitchen. While Arnav washed the dirty plates and glasses, Khushi served the dessert she specially made for him.

Living alone for five years in Mumbai taught Arnav to be independent when it comes to household chores. He has his loyal less servant and more like a brother HP, who was sent to Mumbai by his over protective Di, to take care of him like a baby. But he never felt good to depend on HP to make his bed, his own coffee, wash his plates, pick up his things, clean his study room table. He always felt he was grown up enough to do that, hence he wouldn't call HP, who had the handle the whole mansion, for small things that he could do for himself.

But seemed like his sister, his wife too was taught to treat men as babies. The first time she caught him washing his own plate, she felt embarrassed as if she was ill treating her husband by letting him wash a simple plate, she begged him to leave from the kitchen saying it doesn't look good if he does it when she or HP are there.

But he explained to her that he needed to learn basic things in the domestic department as some or other day he would need this little knowledge to survive. When his explanation didn't seem to convince her, he asked her to imagine a person leading all his life without knowing how to make his own bed, how to fold his own clothes or how to make a simple tea or omelette?

She hmm-ed. And he knew he managed to make her think from a new perspective, a different reality to what she's used to see at home or in her neighborhood.

"Mimi Kheer is delicious," he whispered once they were comfortably settled in the sofa of their spacious and elegant living room.

Khushi looked at him, smiling every so brightly that her hazel eyes shone like a sunshine.

His wife loved hearing compliments from him. Everytime he would compliment her, she would smile heartily, the corners of her mouth would nudge her chubby cheeks teasingly, leaving a deep shade of crimson red on her cheeks that he loved the most.

"Thank you," she said in her baby chirpy tone, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You know me and HP added this sugar free kheer recipe in his YouTube channel. We thought we should teach our viewers how to cook for them or their loved ones who have diabetes or any other reason that prevent them from adding sugar in their diet plans," Khushi said.

"It's good!" he raised his hand to pat her cheek gently.

"Now please please please tell Aman ji to edit our video fast. I can't wait to post it and read the comments," she looked up to him, pleading excitedly.

"Okay, I will tell him," Arnav said with a light smile playing on his lips, as his eyes turned to look at the TV screen again.

Since the time they've returned from their two weeks honeymoon, Khushi and HP have been ruling the kitchen with Lucknow cuisine. They instantly turned friends and recognizing his friend's talent in the kitchen, HP invited Khushi to be a part of his YouTube cooking videos. And Khushi was more than happy to be a part of a platform where she would teach people about the Lucknow cuisine she was so proud of and in return, her dear friend HP would be rewarded with awards and extra money apart from monthly salary.

She yawned on his shoulder, resembling a little cute kitten, which is why he had nicknamed her Mimi.

"Let's go sleep. It's getting late," he whispered extending his hand to take the remote from the near table as he switched off the TV.

Khushi nodded, withdrawing her head from his shoulder, she stood up yawning again while covering her mouth with her palm.

"Whoever gets last in the room will make the bed tomorrow," Arnav loudly announced their favorite game challenge as he put his energy to run as fast as he could to reach their room before Khushi. He could never underestimate his wife running capacity as she was a hardcore cricket player in her neighborhood in Lucknow.

Khushi giggled as she put her feet to work, climbing three stairs at a time, overtaking Arnav, then running through the corridor to reach their room.

Arnav came behind her, panting and whining over his loss, "Khushi you cheated.. You can't jump three stairs!"

Khushi opened the door of their room, turning back to him sticking out her tongue, "You'll make the bed tomorrow Arnav ji!"

"Fine.. But you cheated!" Arnav sighed as he walked inside the room with her, closing the door behind.

"It's my strategy to reach first. You can't call that cheating," Khushi pouted, taking her side of the bed.

"Then next time don't complain about my strategy," he smirked getting into the bed, covering themselves with the blanket as he laid down beside her, resting his head on her pillow, nuzzling her soft and silky hair and enjoying the sweet fragrance of jasmine and vanilla reaching his nostrils. As an habit, he wrapped his arm around her waist and dropped a soft moist kiss on her nape.

Khushi felt goosebumps all over her body when he kissed her sensitive spot, she clutched the bedsheet shyly.

One kiss led to another and soon they found themselves stripped of their clothes under the blanket and lost in their world of love.

Arnav had always loved how intimacy was built naturally between them. On her first night, she confessed how nervous she was about taking their relationship to another level, as she had never had any prior relationships. And he asked her to get comfortable with him as things were new for him too.

Their first night was all about a conversation about themselves. Arnav kept her in his arms, sharing to her that he had liked her in their first Skype video meeting and how she looked cute to him while waving Laxmi's feet to greet him. And Khushi told him that she accepted to get married to him because of two reasons, first being the fact that he is handsome like Bollywood heroes and second, his Nani had showered praises on his person. He mentally thanked his Nani millions times for helping him get this wonderful woman in his life. His Happiness.

And so in his two weeks of honeymoon on the beautiful island of Maldives, Arnav never missed a chance to show his wife affection, holding hands like a teenager, hugging, kissing, playing on the beach like babies, snuggling into bed, sharing food... they did everything. Khushi reciprocated his advances, showing him that she was as much determined to make their relationship work as he was.

Four months ago, thanks to the same yellow and orange anarkali suit that left him mesmerized by her in their first meeting, they took the next step in their relationship, consummating their marriage.

God bless the Yellow and Orange Anarkali Suit!

************************************

The next morning, Khushi opened her eyes lazily welcoming the new day in her life. She turned to her husband's side, resting her head in the crook of his neck and wrapping her arm around his waist, she closed her eyes again deciding to welcome the new day in her life after quick five minutes.

But the sun decided to curse her sleep as she found herself opening her eyes again unable to go back to sleeping mood. She looked up at her husband sleeping peacefully and a mischievous idea came up in her mind.

She took few strands of her hair and brushed it against his nose, to which Arnav woke up startled feeling ticklish, he rubbed his nose frowning and stare at her laughing at him, "Mimi what is this? What were you doing?"

"Good morning," Khushi giggled, getting up from the bed, she searched for his tee shirt.

"Is this way to wake someone up?" Arnav asked shaking his head in disbelief, watching her wear his tee shirt, he sat straight on the bed, covering his lower body with the blanket.

"I was just teasing you. Why are you getting angry with me early in the morning?" Khushi pouted.

Trust his wife to come up with crazy ideas to tease him then play innocent to not get scolded by him.

"Okay fine," he sighed in defeat like always, "Go and freshen up now," he said grabbing his phone at the side table to check on new messages.

"You didn't reply to my Good morning," she insisted, demanding his attention. He spent most of time in office during the week, so when he was home she wanted his attention, love and care only for her.

Understanding the subtle meaning of her words, Arnav kept the phone back on the table and left from the bed, following her to the bathroom.

"I didn't ask you to join me in the bathroom.. Just to reply to my Good morning," she said looking away shyly to stare at him devoid of any clothes.

"Yeah yeah.. I know," he smirked grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist.

************************************

Friday is the happiest day of Khushi's life. Why wouldn't it be? Her husband would come soon from office and he would spend the weekend only with her.

She was just as excited today as the other Fridays, which is why she woke up in such a good mood and indirectly asked him to join her in the bathroom. Her husband bathing and pampering her is what meant a Good morning to her.

The way she sees her husband is very different from the way everyone else does. Rude, arrogant, heartless and robot are words she often hear people describe him as, but only she and the four walls of their room know how sweet, loving, caring and naughty he can be. Out of their private space, he only shows his caring side not only to her but people close to him in a subtle way.

Like HP shared with her, how in his birthday, Arnav gifted him a new phone and LED ring lights, indirectly letting HP know that he watched his YouTube videos and helping him to make videos of better quality.

HP was the one who advised her to be alert to Arnav's discreet acts of showing love and care.

He feared like everyone else, Khushi would misunderstand his Arnav bhaiya. That's why as soon as Arnav left to office, HP would tell her everything he knew about his bhaiya except the girlfriend part as he felt his Khushi didi should hear this from Arnav bhaiya only.

And.. He also let her know how Anjali didi forced him to cook only vegetables for Arnav. But Arnav was not vegetarian and he didn't like to be forced by his Di to be one, hence he cooked his own non-vegetarian meals as HP couldn't break his promise to only cook vegetarian food for Arnav that he made to Anjali.

Khushi being non-vegetarian could understand Arnav's feelings. And since the time she got to know about this from HP, she used to make special non-veg dishes for Arnav as well.

But... non-vegetable dishes would have to disappear from their lives for a few days... because... Arnav's family would arrive tonight for his birthday on Sunday.

"See HP ji today I will need you the most in kitchen," Khushi turned to her friend after sharing the long list of dishes they had to cook for Arnav's family. She stood confused when he signaled her to keep quiet with a crying a face.

"Arey.. Why don't you ever believe me? Mamta I'm not with any other woman.. I'm with Arnav bhaiya's wife!" Khushi heard his speak over the phone with his wife. Oh, so his wife heard her voice and start suspecting on him.

"I'm not lying.. Trust me Mamta!" he cried over the phone when his wife continued to scold him.

"Khushi I've made the bed," Arnav walked in the kitchen only to find HP rushing to him and handing his phone to him, crying desperately, "Bhaiya please save my marriage!"

"What?" he frowned.

"His wife thought he's betraying her because she heard my voice. Help him Arnav ji.. his wife is very angry, she's not even listening to him," Khushi came forward to explain, biting her nails nervously.

Arnav took the phone from HP's hand and raised to his ear, "Hello Mamta! HP is at home. Yeah, it's my wife only. Don't worry, if I find out he's betraying you, then I'll be the first one to inform you about it. Okay.. Bye!"

"Done. Marriage saved!" Arnav handed the phone back to HP, who thanked his bhaiya millions time for saving him this time.

Khushi sighed in relief, "Thanks to DM! This problem is solved now."

Arnav raised his eyebrows, "Thanks to DM?"

Khushi chuckled, she side hugged him happily, "Thanks to you too.. but first to DM who sent you here at the right time."

"Yes, Didi is right," HP smiled agreeing with Khushi. Arnav shook his head, muttering to himself, "Unbelievable."

"Let's go and have breakfast quickly. Me and HP have a lot of work today in the kitchen," Khushi said.

"Why? What's so special today?" Arnav asked. Did he forgot any special date?

"Fri-day.. Yes, today is Friday and you're coming back early home.. that's why," Khushi faked a smile. She hated to lie to Arnav but her sister-in- law, Anjali asked her to maintain silence on their arrival to Mumbai as they planned to surprise Arnav.

Arnav nodded his head, leaving the kitchen. Khushi and HP looked at each other sighing in relief.

**********************************

Wait for Part 2! The last shot to welcome Arnav's family 😉.