s i x
back to pavilion

A new dawn.

The page of everyone's books had turned over. A new chapter had begun, if you must.

Yet, Shubman and Sara remained frozen in time.

"Haa, baat toh hai sahi hai, bhaiyya. But kya kare, mummy wants to organise the party," (Yeah, you're right, bhaiyya. But what can we do, Mummy wants to organise the party) Shubman told Rohit Sharma- the senior Indian cricketer- the captain of the ship.

"Yeah, she wanted to invite many people for Ganapati also, but thankfully, we were able to convince her to lessen the number of guests," Sara added.

"Wow, aunty ji really does want to flaunt her daughter-in-law, doesn't she?" Ritika remarked, a twinkle in her eyes and Sara shyly smiled.

"I guess she does," Sara replied and Shubman grinned.

"I can't complain about Mumma wanting to show Sara off," he remarked cheekily, making Rohit and Ritika laugh. Sara shook her head, an effortless smile playing on her lips. Just then, the doorbell rang and Ritika instantly got up.

"Arey bhabhi, I'll go open the door. Must be Sammy returning home, right?" Ritika nodded, sitting down again.

"Aaram se baitho na, bhabhi," (Sit comfortably, sister-in-law) Shubman said.

"Haa na Ritika, tumhe kyun continuously uthna baithna hai, hum sab karenge," (Yeah Ritika, why do you want to continuously do work, we'll do everything) Rohit said. "Take it easy, yaar," he clicked his tongue.

Just as Sara predicted, a worn out Samaira Sharma, after a long day of school was standing at the doorstep, her backpack hanging off her shoulder, hair coming out of her braids.

"HI SAMMY!" Sara greeted the girl with excitement who gasped, her eyes lighting up at the familiar face.

"Chachi!" She said, hugging Sara, wrapping her arms around her waist. Sara was quick to take the heavy bag off Samaira's shoulder, putting it in hers instead and saw the child's shoulder relax.

"Hi chachu!" Samaira showed off a toothy grin to Shubman.

"Hi Sammy, did you have an amazing day today?" He asked.

"I had a zing-zing, amazing day today!" She announced and Shubman chuckled, as the two high-fived.

"Good to see that you still remember this,"

"Of course chachu, I have the greatest memory in the world,"

"Sammy, I always wonder where you get this unnecessary pride from," Ritika shook her head in disapproval.

"This is because she hangs out with her Cheeku chachu a lot," Rohit grumbled making Sara and Shubman laugh. Samaira scrunched up her nose, hugging her mom and her baby sibling who her mother was carrying in her womb.

"Hi baby, I can't wait to meet you," she whispered, not wanting anybody else to hear her and her sibling's 'private chat'.

"Waise woh aa raha hai kya?" (Is he coming though?) Rohit asked and Sara nodded, understanding that he was referring to Virat Kohli.

"Yup, they'll all be here for the anniversary party," Sara informed.

"Acha hai" (Good, good)

Ritika yawned and Rohit glanced at her, concerned.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Rohit whispered.

"Bhabhi, I'll take you," Sara volunteered and Rohit raised his eyebrow, looking at her.

"Come on bhai, even we need to gossip a little," she mischievously answered, gently holding Ritika's hand.

"I can walk by myself," Ritika complained and it was Shubman who chimed in this time.

"Bhabs, it's you who's taking care of all of us, all the goddamn time. Let us at least return that now," Ritika rolled her eyes, annoyed at how everyone had become too overprotective for her.

"Bhabhi, come on," Sara urged her, helping her walk to her room.

🪷

"Sammy, what are you watching?" Sara asked as she sat beside the girl who was immersed in the happenings of the tv screen.

"Alexa and Katie," she answered without even sparing Sara a glance.

"Oh, what is it about?"

"She's Alexa," Samaira pointed at one character. "She had cancer,"

"Oh," Sara's brows furrowed, as she uncomfortably shifted in the sofa.

"But now she's cancer free! And that's her best friend Katie, who supports her all the time," she continued informing. Sara nodded, putting on a smile.

"That's nice,"

"It is," Samaira excitedly nodded. "You know, Katie even shaved off all her hair so that Alexa doesn't feel alone,"

"Good for Alexa to have such an amazing friend,"

"And it's so funny," Samaira continued, giggling at a joke from the show. Sara hummed as Samaira leaned back, throwing her arms around Sara. She held Sammy close, wrapping her arms around her protectively.

🪷

"Aagaye tum dono?" (You guys are here?) Sunita's voice warmly welcomed the duo.

"Hello Mumma," Shubman smiled at her, removing his shoes.

"Kaisa hai Rohit? Aur Ritika? Aur Samaira?" (How's everyone?) she asked, bringing the two a glass of water.

"Everyone's doing good,"

"Ritika's pregnant, isn't she? How is she?"

"She's doing well. Doctor said that the baby and her, both are healthy," Sara said.

"Touchwood," Shubman instantly said, placing a hand on the top of his head. Sara nodded, smiling at him.

🪷

Sara put some lotion on her palm, rubbing her hands together as she applied it to her limbs. Shubman was busy scrolling on his phone when accidentally, he turned on the volume on his reel.

"DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THIRTY MINUTES," a female voice loudly came from the phone and Shubman flinched at the loud volume, his phone slightly skipping away from his hand. Though, before something else happened, in seconds, he had caught the phone.

Sara rolled her eyes, inhaling sharply.

"I would have been hearing so much if I had done this," she commented and he sighed.

"Do you have to?" He asked. "I'm sorry but even you saw that this happened by mistake, like even I was shocked," he immediately explained, annoyed.

"Whatever," she mumbled as she rubbed her facial cheeks in circles. "I'm doing skincare, I don't have time for these shenanigans,"

"Do you always have to chime in with your unsolicited opinions?" he asked and she nodded.

"As long as you're in a one-kilometre radius, yes, "

"Could I buy your silence?" he asked, massaging his forehead and Sara playfully smirked at him.

"Of course, husband, " there was a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Buy me Louboutins and we'll have a deal, "

"That's it?" he asked, excitement building up in him.

"So if I buy this for you, you will stop annoying me? You'll get a new hobby? What did you say...what did you want to buy?" He asked and Sara rolled her eyes.

"Louboutins," she muttered, flashing a smile. He opened his phone, quickly looking up the product Sara mentioned.

"Oh, these are quite the expensive shoes," he said and Sara nodded victoriously.

"Yup, you aren't buying my sil-

"There you go," he mumbled, quite literally shoving his phone in her face. "These ones are in a decent budget, choose one of them and we have a deal," Shubman's voice held a sense of relief and Sara widened her eyes, slapping his arm away.

"Pagal hai kya?" (Are you crazy?) her eyes wide with horror. "Sojao, Shubman," (Go to sleep, Shubman) she urged him, plopping her head on the pillow.

"But-

"Shut up!" She shrieked out. What is this guy?

Shubman peeked over her, bringing his face closer to hers.

"Last chance Sara, let's buy your dream boots," he whispered. "It'll be your anniversary gift,"

"Shut. Up." She gritted her teeth and he pouted, rolling over to the other side.

A/N: and we're back to where we were. lmao. do keep on commenting, it's super motivating🩷