Ayushi' phone rings and she without receiving it knows who must be calling her this late.

"Agar talaq talaq ka raag gaya to sali block mar dungi!"

''talaq to tab hoga na jab main zinda rahungi! bhai. ye karan mujhe apni office party me le ja raha he. ab poore sansar ko meri dhokhe se huyi shadi ka pata chalega. yaar. sab defence walo ke beech me main ek IT wali kya karungi. upar se wo sab 6 6 feet ke mushtande honge. i dont wanna go.''

''aankhe sek liyo.''

''karan mujhe gandhari bana dega!''

''tu darti he us se?''

''meri jooti bhi na dare us nagphani se. sala.  shishir ko mumbai phenk diya us kauwe ne. ye government kaisi si he!  koi bhi kuch bhi kar sakta he! aur ye karan ka kaun sa jeeja baitha he mere department me jo shishir ka transfer huya! yaar. maine nahi jana. tu koi idea de na''

''mujhe sone de.''

''kutti. Zalim aurat! Bewafa!!''

''do karan. sex karne se relax hogi to naye naye ideas aayenge. Now let me sleep.''

''tu mar ja chullu bhar pani me doob kar.'' mona disconnects the call and ayushi switches off her phone and sleeps. no matter how much she loved her friend her sleep was important. (dhokhebaaz log)

next morning she faces a very chirpy aaditya who is humming something. seeing him so happy for a first time ayushi feels happy herself. happiness surely is contagious.

''you woke up? get ready fast. we are going out.''

''kaha? kaha ja rahe he hum?" she asks with a smile lingering on her lips. 

''no. thats a surprise. babe. i wont tell you about it.'' and he winks. her heart does a summersault. and that babe....it keeps on ringing in her ears. a goofy aaditya surely is treat to her eyes. she keeps on looking at that smile of his. 

''ab ghoorti hi rahogi ya taiyar bhi hogi! you know we are getting late.'' she blushes hearing his remark and rushes in. something is changing between both of them and both can feel it. the uneasiness which was earlier between both of them has surely dissipated. not only this aaditya' sweet gesture many times just throws her askew. her heart starts racing and she has no idea how to deal with all this. the sweet torture he gives her is really pleasing. everything is fine and everything is changed between them.

she comes out after getting ready. a peach coloured kurti and leggings she is looking very cute(but less than me). aaditya cant stop but stare at her. 

"you are looking really beautiful !" and she blushes more. "ab blush hi karti rahogi ya chalogi bhi?" 

she runs ahead after making a face. aaditya breaks into laughter. they get in the car and aadi passes her blindfold.

"kya he ye?''

''dinosaur!

come on. blindfold he. i dont want you to know where we are going.''

"tumhare iraade kuch theek nahi lag rahe mujhe. kaha lekar jaa rahe ho.batao na please.''

''have patience darling. bola na its surprise. now be a good girl and dont ruin it. please tie it.''

she ties that piece of cloth on her eyes. soon car starts and she gets little bit scared. not of aaditya but her excitement. (kinky aurat) now she understands what mona was refering to. karan' believe in marraige and his unstoppable pace in the marriage....she is feeling herself in karan' shoes. suddenly and god knows when she has started to feel very much home in this marraige. things are just going on and she has no issue with them. aaditya' smile today brightened her day. what is happening. she can not understand.

"you can open your eyes.'' hearing aadi she at once removes the blindfold. and what she sees makes her go bonkers. 

the long spread greenery and trees....she is literally speechless.

"my law firm has gotten a case in manali. i had to go and meet the client. to maine socha kyu nahi make the most of it.''

she turns to look at him. aaditya diwan...her classmate who used to fight with her in school days....who would have thought will grow up to this. this side of him which was hidden until they got married. she got to know how different aaditya was underneath that stalwart. being with him gave her new surprise and she started to enjoy his presence. the start, the fiasco suddenly has become meaningless. 

''did I scare you?" looking at his bewildered expression aaditya gets worried.

''no...its just that....i..i...

this is beautiful and I am speechless.''

''there is more to it. there is this particular dhaba a few kilometeres ahead. uska paneer and naan is unbeatable. tum khud ko bhool jaogi...that stuff is so tasty.''

she smiles. a roadtrip to manali..with aaditya. alone. this was not even a dream just few months back. now this is happening in real. either life has decided to be unpredictable or it always was. but whatever it was and it is life surely has become bit more bearable. she shuts her eyes with a smile spread on her lips. the annulment, the shares, malvika' presence or absence everything has stopped mattering. her present has surely become a present to her and she wants to keep her eyes open to enjoy this. 

''ek baat puchu?'' she can not stop herself. aaaditya nods.

"what about your family matter? all property fiasco and your step mom's shenanigans. has she let go of money now?"

he is surprised. he turns and looks at her. 

"i am least bothered about her right now. we four hold more than half of shares of company. even if she plans something she needs time and money. moreover board of directors are not going to change for some time so basically she has very small chances to do something. moreover i want to relax and focus on myself for time being.''

she nods and starts looking outside. malvika is actually no one's concern right now. aaditya and aayushi is busy with each other and karan and mona is busy with everyone except each other. actually its mona who runs away from karan as if he is plague. 

"wanna hear some music?" aaditya asks and she nods. he plays some random songs and she keeps on looking at scenery outside. a beautiful roadtrip this is gonna be. 

kumar sanu' voice echoes in car and she finds herself at ease. for time to time they stop at aadtiya as well who seems enjoying driving with a smile. when she finds him happy her happiness is satiated. she gets relaxed and waits for manali to arrive....

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

"uhhhuuu..."mona starts crying.

"tumhara tape recorder phir shuru huya!" irritated karan remarks.

"tum apna speaker band karo pahlo. maine bola tha mujhe nahi jana. ab main kya pahan kar jaau? i cant wear a dress because i have no idea how to do my eye makeup. lawyer sali gulcharre uda rahi he and i am stuck here. aur upar se tum mere sar par khade hokar chilla rahe ho. what can i do except crying.''

'wear a saree.''

''bandhega kaun? tumhari girfriend? i dont know how to wear a saree.''

''kuch aata he ladhne ke alawa.''

''mera dimag mat ghumao warna ye palette de marungi. tumko kya issue he. tum kyu meri hasti khelti zindagi ko ujadna chahte ho!''

karan stares at her for a second.

''ye dialogue accha tha. you'd try for script writing. ekta ke serial wale le lenge tumhe.''

''karan diwan. agar zindagi se mohbbat he to shant ho jaao.''

''kyu bhadak rahi ho? see...party is around seven. we can go bit late as well. you can try dress. eye make up ke liye we can watch you tube tutorial.'' 

''captain ban ne se pahle beauty parlor me kaam karte the kya?"

"main aise hi kapdo me le jaaunga tumko agar aise hi bakwas karti rahi to..''

''ziddi aadmi. ullu.'' she keeps on cursing him and pulls the make up essentials out. karan meanwhile searches for eye make up tutorial while munching an apple.

''dekho...this looks easy. jyada kuch he bhi nahi. i'll help you.'' karan shows her some videoes.

''mujhe bhari jawani me andha nahi hona.''

"mujhe bhi andhi biwi nahi chahiye. start with kajal. i'll help you.''

''tumhara screw dheela he kya? aurato ke kaam me kuch jyada interest nahi he tumko?''

''pajame me chalna he??"  hearing karan mona throws brush at him and picks up kajal. 

"look. dono aankho me equal he?'' she shows karan who nods. ''i cant do eye liner. ye mismatch hoga.''

''dont worry. we have time. try it slowly.'' she nods and does her right eye.

''left me nahi hoga. i know it.''

''karo na yar.'' 

she has no other option but do it. after two or three tries her left eye is also done. 

''both are equal?'' karan nods. "what color will go with this dress?"

"kaun si dress?''

''ooops! wait. main lekar aati hu.'' she soon runs in and comes back with a floor length dress with a thigh high slit. seeing that slit karan' eyes go big.

''change it.''

''kya issue he isme?''

''kisi ki biwi ban kar jaa rahi ho..pati dhoodhne nahi jana he tumhe jo ye dress pahan kar jaaogi.''

''kisne kaha mujhe pati nahi dhoodhna he. i want other husband.''

''sorry darling. tumne itne acche kaam nahi kiye jo ek hi life me do do pati mile. abhi i am your one and only option. ''

''kaun si manhoos ghadhi thi jab maine us nalle lawyer ke documents par sign kiye the..''

''tameez se bat karo. he is your brother in law.''

''i am talking about my vakeel babu!''

''she is your sister in law. dont disrespect her.''

"waah waah! kya bat boli he. Devar prem jagrit ho gya tumhara to. Main to pagal hu jaise. I never shared any relation with her. Tumhare pawan pravesh se mere jeevan me bahar aayi he na.

aisa he...tum niklo. i'll inform you when i get ready. main tumse sar nahi maar sakti. now a days i am low on energy.'' hearing her karan laughs but looking at her expression he behaves himself.

''okay. i am serious. change the dress. this looks bit open for a office party. wear something good.' she lazily goes back to her room and brings out three dresses. karan chooses halter neck dress with knee length. 

''iske sath i dont need that much make up.''

''okay. you wear this. i''ll change meanwhile.'' mona nods and shuts the door of bathroom while karan goes out. she is ready after ten minutes. by then karan has also arrived in his tuxedo looking....bearable. 

''aaj pahli baar insan lag rahe ho.'' mona exclaims.

''lagta he eye make up ne aankhe khol di. well..you are looking good too.''

''i am beautiful always. i dont need your words to confirm it. by the way..help me with these heels. their strap isnt going in.''karan comes and starts helping her.

''waise..mona do you know...puarne time me women used to touch their husband' feet. pati ko devta manti thi mahilaye.''

''baal vivah ka ek ye bhi dushparinaam he. bacche ko kuch bhi sikha do..she will believe it. ab asliyat me devta kitna danav he this only comes later.''

''but still....''

''kya chahte ho? main tumhare pair chhuyu? you want me to worship you? Touch your feet?"

"nahi..but you can start with touching my face..my hands and whole of me.'' hearing this mona is taken aback.

''kaisa leechad aadmi he. kisi ki biwi se flirt karte huye sharam nahi aati?"

"biwi meri he kisi aur ki nahi. chalo.its time for rocking the party." karan excitedly tells her.

"kyu? ex aa rahi he kya? itni excitement kyu he tumhe?"

"tum nahi samjhogi senorita...ye zindagi na milegi dobara..

chalo janeman..ho jaaye nau do gyarah.'' Hearing karan' nonsense her brain is begging to run away.

''tumne kuch phoonka he kya? kya bakwas kiye jaa rahe ho. lagta he...wapas aate time tumhe dr. lulla ko dikhana hi padega. mansik santulan bigad gya he tumhara.''

''shut up babe." and he puts his arm on her shoulder while dragging her out.

''hulk ka baap mat bano. tameez se lekar chalo mujhe. I am wearing heels. Dont forget. if i fall i'll break your neck. aur zara chipko kam. door raho mujhse.''

''chipakne ka legal right he mere pas.''

''mujhe nahi jana. i cant deal with this nonsense.'' she stops in midway.

''arree chalo na yaar. this party is gonna be a hell lot of fun.''

''strippers he kya udhar?"

"shut up mona. follow me!" and he marches holding her hand towrds their car. mona is scared seeing this much excited karan. she wonders what he has in his mind. there must be something fishy. god forbid! if he pulls some stunt...or corners her tonight..or..or leaves her or...

"hey bhagwan!please save me. meri izzat aur jaan aaj aapke hatho me hai. lutwana mat please..'' she prays in her mind while karan happily drives both of them to the venue.