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Aditi and Shubman stood outside the airport early in the morning, as Aditi had a flight to catch. "Ghar pohonte hi messege kar dena aur raat mai call karna." He instructed her while taking her luggage out of the car's trunk.

Aditi's flight to Vadodara was fast approaching, and they knew they had to say their goodbyes. Shubman took Aditi's hands in his, his eyes filled with affection. "I'm going to miss you so much, Pookie."

Aditi laughed softly, her heart warmed by his words. "Kyu itna senti ho raha hai. We'll meet after a while."

"38 days! Its more than a month!" They shared a tender embrace, their arms wrapped tightly around each other as if trying to hold on to the moment forever.

"You've lived 24 years without me, Man." Shubman leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Aditi's lips. "I love you." She pecked him again.

As they pulled apart, their fingers intertwined, Aditi couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of being separated from Shubman even for a short while. "I love you! Bye."

"Bye." She made her way to the departure gate. Shubman stayed for a whike longer waiting for her to disappear before driving back to the hotel.

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As Aditi stepped into her home, she was enveloped in a warm embrace by her family. It had been far too long since she last saw her mother, and the familiar sights and sounds of home filled her with a sense of comfort and belonging.

"Tu kitli patli thayi gayi che. Tari tabyet ni dhyan nathi rakhti su?" Her mother puled on her cheeks. [Look how thin you got. Don't you take care of your health?]

Her brothers, Krunal and Hardik, greeted her with beaming smiles, their excitement palpable. " Oh finally! Mujhe to laga tha Aditi abhi se sasural chali gayi." Hardik joked.

After a long day, the family settled into the cozy living room, each clutching a bowl of ice cream as they caught up on lost time.

Aditi regaled them with tales of her adventures since they last saw her, sharing anecdotes and laughter as they savored the sweet treat. "Last week we finalized our outfits for the wedding. Tame badha na bhi leva padse."

" Send the dress codes and we'll plan accordingly." Natasa interjected. Aditi nodded and immediately sent her the pdf.

Soon everyone began to bombard Aditi with questions about the proposal. Aditi laughed, her heart swelling with happiness. "It was so romantic. I went to rajkot to surprize him, as planned. The team git to know that we are together. Then we went out for dinner, and then he held my hand and popped the question. It was perfect."

Krunal, however, seemed less than thrilled. "Puri duniya ko pata chalne ke baad batane wali thi kya mujhe?" He scoffed.

Aditi's smile faltered slightly as she explained, "Bhaiya. Well, Shubman was scared to confront you. So I thought to give him some time." She went to hug him and give him puppy eyes. It works all the time.

Krunal's expression softened, his initial anger giving way to understanding. "Ha ha theek hai. Lekin fir bhi pitega vo."

As the evening drew to a close, Aditi made a decision. "Hey, tomorrow let's take the Agu and Kav shopping. I've missed spending time with them." Her nephews' eyes lit up with excitement, their eager nods signaling their approval.

"Adi, chal have. Champi kar du tari. Baal bhu keva rukha-sukha thayi gaya che. Kerat ji nu bolyu padse mane ki tara dhyan rakhe, nhani choki jeva." Her mother scolded and took her to their room. [ Come Aditi. I'll massage your head. Look how dry and frizzy your hair have gotten. I'll have to tell Kerat to look after you like a small child.]

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Aditi sat cross-legged on the floor of the bedroom, her mother sitting behind her with a bottle of hair oil in hand. The room was bathed in the soft glow of a lamp, casting a warm, cozy atmosphere as mother and daughter settled.

"Aur bata, Taro sasara keva che?" [ Tell me about your in laws.]

As her mother began to massage the oil into her hair, Aditi sighed contentedly, feeling the tension melt away with each gentle stroke. "Badha sara che. They are very kind and enthusiastic. Hu Shubman ni mom ne mummy keva lagvi." [They are nice. I even call Shubman's mom, mummy.]

Her mother's eyes sparkled with interest as she listened attentively. "Oh? Saras. They are going to come for the match right?" [Good]

Aditi grinned, the warmth of her mother's presence making it easy to open up. "Ha. Tu Bhaiya na match ma nathi jayis?" [You aren't going to Krunal's match?]

Her mother shook her head, "Krunal na bija match ma jayis. Gaye varshe, ana pehlo match ma gayi thi hu." Aditi nodded. [I'll go to his second match. Last year, I went to see his first one.]

"Tu Shubman na bare ma batad." His name alone made her face glow up with a smile.

"Well, Shubman is amazing. He's kind, funny, and incredibly talented. He looks after all the little things." Aditi described him. Though Nalini has met Shubman lot of times, she wanted to hear it from her daughter.

She nodded approvingly, her hands deftly working the oil through Aditi's hair. "And what about Shubman's sister, Shahneel? You've mentioned her before."

"Oh, she's fantastic! She's getting married soon, and the whole family is buzzing with excitement." As she spoke, Aditi couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for Shubman. They had spent so much time together recently, and she missed his presence more than she could express.

But being here with her mother, sharing these intimate moments, eased the ache in her heart.Her mother smiled knowingly, her fingers working their magic through Aditi's hair. "I'm happy for you, mera baccha."

Aditi leaned back against her mother, feeling the warmth of her love enveloping her like a comforting embrace. "Thanks, Ma. Shubman means the world to me."

Her mother smiled, pressing a kiss to Aditi's forehead. "Now, let's get you ready for bed."