Hide your love from everyone but not from the one whom you love

(Affu)

Hiding your love from the one whom you love wouldn't give anything positive because he/she does know to read your eyes, and eyes can't lie.

Our Nest

Nandini stared at the room's door for a second before pushing it inside and walked in to see her sons on the bed lying over their stomachs here and there. Their eyes were closed but she knew they weren't asleep.

She settled beside them and caressed each of their's hairs.

Boys: Mamma!

They got up in a jerk making her to sigh.

Nandini: Relax! Why are you behaving like your father, every time?!

She bit her tongue on realizing what she said and looked up at them to see them smiling.

Manvik: Is it a coincidence or on purpose that you're speaking a lot about him today.

Nandini looked away and they scooted closer to her. Manvik and Karthik kept their heads on her lap and Prathik snuggled to her chest.

Typical Mamma's boys!

Manvik: Mamma, don't be mad at us. We thought, you..

Nandini: That I wanted a family..but without you?

Karthik: We never wanted it but for your happiness..

Nandini: My happiness lies in you and..your father.

She mumbled to herself at the end but to her bad luck, they did hear it to which, they just looked at each other.

Prathik: What should we do to gain your forgiveness, Mamma?

Nandini (sighed): Anything?

They nodded at her making her grin.

Nandini: No pranks on anyone for an entire week.

They pouted sadly at her.

Karthik: Such a bad punishment, it is.

She pinched his nose and kissed all their heads making them to smile.

Boys: We love you, Mamma!

Nandini: I love you too, my cute babies!!

And then followed, her usual song to make them sleep, at least for an hour, so that their brains could get rid of today's drama.

At night

Dining Table

Cabir stared at Nandini, who wasn't even looking at him. She was busy in playing with the spoon in her plate. She didn't look happy, not that she ever looked happy in the past 10 years but today, she wasn't even smiling for the sake of her sons or her brother.

Alishka: Mamma, Big Naanu kaha hain?

This broke the silence.

Navya: He has some work, Ashu.

Manvik (frowned): But, he never missed any of our dinners.

Nandini (sighed): Manu!

Manik and Nyonika stared at Nandini in surprise. 'Manu' was the nickname given by Nyonika for Manik during his childhood.

Manvik: Haa Mamma?

And now, they know Nandini used the same name for Manvik.

Nandini: Khana khaane ke waqt baath nahi karna chahiye. Naanu won't be coming for dinner but he'll come back after having dinner from his friend's place.

The kids pouted sadly. Adyant is very close to them, surprisingly, even Naila has grown attached to him.

Manik (thought): What's so bad if we talk while eating?! She's never gonna let go off her that habit.

Soon, they were done with their dinner.

Navya: Why isn't Naanu back home yet?

She spoke to Nandini who was trying Adyant's number in worry.

Nandini: I don't know, Bhabi. He isn't picking up his calls too. Mathlab, hadd hain. Why is he always into making us worried?

Navya (tensed): Bas ek call kiya tha that he's gonna have dinner with his friend par ab tho lautna chahiye na.

Cabir: Maybe, he's busy.

Cabir, who was sitting in the living room spoke out after seeing their tensed faces. But, unlike everyday, Nandini didn't bother to reply which was noticed by Malhotras too, who were sitting a little far from Cabir but in the living room itself.

"Bachoo..." hearing that voice, Nandini and Navya breathed a sigh of relief while others too got relaxed.

Alishka and Naila ran towards Adyant who smiled before hugging them.

Adyant: I didn't know I was so handsome that you both missed me to this extent.

Nandini: Naanu!!

She stood in front of him huffing anger making Adyant grin sheepishly.

Adyant: Hi Nandu.

Hearing him, Manik and Abhimanyu chuckled lightly and they heard Cabir too chuckling but unlike them, he was loud enough to earn a glare from Adyant.

Navya: Ye kaisa bachpana hai, Naanu? Do you even know how worried we were for you?!

Nandini: Of course, not. Tabhi tho ithna coolly bath kar raha hai, kyu Mr. Murthy?

She spoke with sarcasm dripping in her voice and Adyant pouted and nodded in No.

Prathik: Why do you even try to pout when you look so bad with it?!

Manvik: I know right! You look like you just lost all your tooth!

Adyant glared both of them who were still making bad faces at his pout.

"Wo tho sahi kaha. He looks ugly, after all!" and there they heard another voice which was enough to bring the entire Mansion towards joy.

Kids: DJ!!!

The boys along with Alishka ran to that person in joy and surprise.

Nandini (shocked): Daadi?!!

Manik looked at the person with a lot of emotions filled eyes.

Karthik: You're here?!

He spoke once they broke the hug from the lady.

Lady: Kyu? Nahi aa sakthe?

Manvik: Of course, you can, but how come you're here?

Alishka: Exactly. You never told us.

Lady: Oh come on, I come without invitation and notice.

They chuckled hearing her.

Prathik: Whatever! We missed you, beautiful DJ!

Lady: Awe! And, I missed my hot kiddos!

Adyant fake a cough to bring them out of their world.

Lady: What? Why are you coughing? Need any syrup?

Adyant (glared): Sabse mil tu, aise floor pe hi poore dhin guzar sakthe kya?

Lady: Haa, kar sakthi hun, kyun, aapko koi dikhath?

Adyant (annoyed): Anjaliiii!!

The lady or to be called, Anjali, rose to her feet and gave him a bored look and then moved towards Navya and Nandini, who were standing in shock on seeing her suddenly in Paris.

Anjali: How many times should I take your name?

She hissed in irritation while shaking both Navya and Nandini's shoulders.

Navya: Daadi?!! Aap yaha kya kar rahe hain?

Anjali: Mathlab hadd hai. You're not even happy on seeing me here.

Navya immediately nodded in No and hugged her.

Navya: I'm so sorry, Daadi. I was just shocked to see you back.

They broke the hug and Anjali pulled her cheeks.

Anjali: Its okay, waise bhi, I'm so polite, chutki.

She flipped her hair backwards making everyone chuckle. She moved towards Nandini and held her hand making her to hide in her arms.

Nandini: I missed you!

She mumbled in Anjali's neck and shed some tears as she knew, none will notice it.

Anjali: Hayee meri Katrina, kya hua?

She spoke while caressing Nandini's hairs who nodded in No and chuckled, and looked up before cleaning her tear-stained face.

Nandini: Kuch nahi!

Anjali knew something is wrong with her but she kept quiet.

Anjali: Arey wo sab tho tee..

Suddenly, she turned around only to meet Malhotras making her shocked. She stood still for a second on meeting the same people who used to be a part of her family, after a long time, after 10 long years.

While for Malhotras, they pretended to not know her. They didn't want Adyant to know about anything that happened in their past. Let it be a past which shouldn't bother the present!

While, Anjali's face has finally lit up in joy!

Anjali (excitedly): So, your Raj and my Raj is same?!!!

She spoke to Adyant like a kid making him confused but got shocked when he saw Anjali moving or precisely, running towards Raj and hugged him.

Anjali: Golu..tu kaisa hain?

Raj, couldn't even hug her back due to shock, his family's case was no different from him. They stood gaping at Anjali in bewilderment.

Anjali: Haye, tu tho budha bann gaya, golu!

She spoke on breaking the hug and caressed Raj's white hairs. Though, she was being all cool, Raj could see tear drops in her eyes.

Anjali: Acha hua ki tum abhi bhi hot lagthi ho, Nyoni!

Nandini palmed her face on seeing Adyant's shocked face.

Navya (whispered): Daadi tho full on-mode mein hain! Oh god, Naanu ko heart attack na aajaye.

Nandini could only nod at her.

Anjali: Munni!!

Anjali squealed before taking Mukti for a hug who bit her lips to control her sobs. She tried hard not to hug her back but ended up in hugging her tight.

Mukti (mumbled): You just left me!

Anjali patted Mukti's hair while kissing them. They broke the hug and Anjali was back again to herself.

Anjali: Aye, rothi nahi. Munni, your face will look so red that people might think, you're blushing, jo hona mushkil hain.

Mukti managed to giggle in between her cries.

Adyant was back from his shock and he was about to shout for getting some answers when Anjali squealed again making the Dhawan ladies to palm their faces.

Anjali: Guddu!!

And she flung into Manik's arms who chuckled hearing her while the boys were gaping at them in horror.

Boys: That was supposed to be our nickname. Isn't it?!

They looked at each other in displease and glared at Manik for taking their nickname.

Anjali: Guddu, tu tho abhi bhi hero hi hain!

She planted a kiss on his head and Nandini shed a lone tear. How much she adored them!

Manik: Par aap tho aaj bhi bindass lagthi hain!

Anjali: Haa haan, patha hain. Kya karun, mein hu hi ithni hot!

She boasted herself and then her gaze fell on Abhimanyu, who didn't bother to hide his grin unlike Malhotras.

Anjali: Oye, tu yaha kya kar raha hain?

Abhimanyu (dramatically): Bas aapse milna chahtha tha ye maasoom dil jo aapkeliye dadakthe hain.

Anjali: Acha, tho mein iss maasoom dil ko kaatun, wo kya hain na, mujhe chaalaki zyada pasand hain.

Abhimanyu: Ithni badi na insafi.

Anjali: Chal badmash.

She hugged him who hugged her like his life was dependent on it. Being an orphan, it was Mukti and Abhimanyu who were more than pampered by Anjali.

Anjali: Mera raja zyada hi sona bann gaya.

She planted a kiss on his head too making him grin.

Abhimanyu: See, only you find me the most handsome.

He spoke while eyeing Manik with a bad face making him roll his eyes.

Adyant: Excuse..

Anjali: Oye rotlu, waha kya kar raha hai tu, huh?!

Adyant made a puppy face in getting ignored making Alishka and Naila to giggle while Anjali has walked towards Cabir and twisted his ears.

Cabir: Ouch Daadi!

Anjali: Kya! Daadi ko call hi nahi kiya tumne ek hafthe se. Bhool gayi kya ki tere ithni hot daadi hain?! Idiot rotlu!

She hugged him too who hugged her back but the jovial Cabir was missing which is noticed by others. Its been 10 years, Anjali has started to miss her grandson who always used to have some or the other thing to answer back at her jokes.

Anjali: Mein ek nayi chehre ko dekh rahi hoon.

She spoke while looking at Naila, who clung to Abhimanyu. He picked her up in his arms and walked closer towards Anjali.

Abhimanyu: Aur ye nayi chehra aapke raja ki beti hain!

Anjali grinned on hearing him and kissed Naila's cheeks excitedly.

Anjali: Bilkul tujhpe..

Abhimanyu: Gayi..hai na?

Anjali: Bilkul..tujhpe nahi gayi, munni pe gayi hai. Tabhi tho ithni cute hain.

Abhimanyu pouted sadly at her while Naila was giggling.

Naila: You've got names for everyone.

Anjali: Don't tell me you find it bad like your good-for-nothing grand father.

She pointed a finger at Raj making him sulk.

Naila (giggled): Of course, not. I find it cool and cute.

Anjali (chuckled): Tum tho bilkul meri chiku pe gayi.

Alishka grinned hearing it.

Naila: Chiku..?

Anjali: Arey, Alishka Dhawan ki bath kar rahi thi.

Naila too grinned at her.

Adyant (frustrated): What the heck is wrong with you! Why don't you understand that there's someone out here who's ready to blast!

Anjali (frowned): What's wrong with you?

Adyant: What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? How the hell do you know Raj and his family? Sab tumse ithna close kaise hain?

Anjali (mischievously): Jealous, huh?

Adyant (scowled): You can't expect a man to be sane after seeing his sister being so cool with the family whom he thought to be his friend's.

"Sister?" the Malhotras and Thakkars echoed.

Adyant: Looks like that's the only information you didn't know about her.

Anjali (grinned): Yup, they didn't. So, let me introduce myself. Hi, I'm Anjali Ankur Dhawan, Mr. Adyant Murthy's one and only sister.

They looked at her in astonishment. Nandini and Cabir's Daadi and Naanu were siblings?!

Abhimanyu: What?? How can it happen, Daadi?

Anjali knew what they're talking about.

Anjali: Its not a crime to marry mom's brother's daughter, so I let my son to marry Bhai's daughter when he said he's in love with her. No big deal! Kyu bhai?

Adyant just nodded. Bringing up his daughter's topic isn't so pleasant for him.

Nandini: Daadi, why don't you get freshen up?

She swiftly changed the topic making Anjali to grin.

Anjali: Yup, I badly need a hot shower. My body needs proper care, now. I don't want to lose it's beauty.

Nandini palmed her face and took Anjali with her to upstairs.

Navya: Um, let's all gather once she gets freshen up. Jaldhi sona mathlab, its something Daadi doesn't like.

The rest nodded in understanding.

Adyant: Arey par mere sawal ka koi jawab hi nahi mila.

Navya: Offo, mein bathathi hun aapko.

She dragged Adyant with her and Cabir too moved upstairs on not wanting to have a conversation with anyone at that moment.

Malhotras too movedtowards their rooms but this time, they had happiness on seeing Anjali back

(A scene of Mukti having a flashback of her life with Anjali and her friends, is missing from this book.)