"no work till u recover. (to mom and di) aunty, u have to keep an eye on her. Or better tie her or else this stubborn-head will elope to her love." Inaya said while chuckling but got confused look from di and cabir and me... " love... her work" she cleared the confusion. All chuckled while nandu was glaring her.

"what! It won't work on me." Said Inaya getting least affected by her deadly glare. Nandu frown.

" Inaya beta, come join us for dinner" said mom with a smile.

" some other day aunty, I have a dinner plan today" she politely denied mom. "nandu, I'll tell Rahul to take care of ur cases and keep u updated and u inform sir about ur absence leave, okay" nandu nodded saying...

"I'll come to take my car and books soon"

" ya, please take those as fast as possible ... ...u know, I and books don't go along well."

"I know, I know.... bye then have fun." Said nandu with a wink.

"That's my birthright baby, bye" replied Inaya with a wink and moved out.

"What was that?... ...  What fun r u talking about?" Alya asked curiously.

"Fun ...... (smile) ..... she used to go clubbing, partying out night all carefree, free from the world n problems. Always used to come home late, disturbing my sleeping hours.."

"Don't u go with her?" asked Mukti.

"Well... not always.... but sometimes for girls outing and friends' party."

All had their dinner and slept.

Next day

Evening time, all girls and mom are chit-chatting merrily, creating bonding, knowing each other better.

"nandu, we don't even get to know u nor ur friends before marriage, so who all ur friends?" Alya asked all of a sudden whilst normal chit-chat.

"yay... Inaya seems to be ur closest friend. Since when do u guys know each other?" Navya added to it.

"well... well ...well... I don't have many friends; some colleagues, few hey-bye friends, and a very few long-time close friends."

"I and Inaya know each other from medical college but we were not friends that time, we used to rivals then"

"rivals... it does not look like" Mukti said or should I say exclaimed.. ...

"yes... in university, she was in group 'hot chilies', group of 4 hottest and sexiest girls of our batch. They were never seen studying but used to perform well in exams."

"hot chilies; it seems like indicating some food name" Navya said thinking about spicy food.

"Right, ... ... it was named by boys over the collage who used to follow them like bees all around."

"why rivals?" asked Alya not able to bear any more suspense.

"Same as always, ... ... ... boyfriend, ... relationship, ... betrayal, ... revenge..."

"oh... so she snatches ur boyfriend then" Alya concluded...

"no (scream) ........ no... I don't had any boyfriend, she ... actually not she ... her friend... my friend's boyfriend cheated on her with her friend. The boy was at fault, but those two stupid lover girls plotted against each other and we as friends had to support them."

"then..." Alya said with 'do-not-be-as-slow-as-Hindi-serials' look........

"Then what!! ...  We don't get along well there but after that, we started working at the same hospital, so faced each other often. ... ... Then we became roommates. ... ....  ....... Initially, we faced a lot of differences but she is good at heart even though she shows it all different. She was always there in all these years with me in all conditions and really helped me out every time. (Smile)"

"hmm.. she is indeed good." Mukti said with a smile to which all smile.

"but she isn't my closest friend. Aryaman is my closest friend, in fact, a childhood friend from the same school. He knows me very well. ... He's in Canada now."

Listening to this Mukti opened her mouth to say something but nandu stops her.

"now, about you guys and this house. I mean who all live in this big mansion. I haven't seen it properly (making a sad face)"

"my husband also stays here with me, and I don't have my in-laws. (sadly) ... ... He is out of station for a conference, will be back tomorrow. ( with an excitement)" Mukti answered first...

"hmm... Cabir n Navya also stay here only as Cabir's parents are abroad and this mansion is too empty without all my children. ... ... Also, Dhruv stays here with her mom, my friend." Mom said completing Mukti.

Seeing nandu confused. ... Navya clearly stated... ...  "Dhruv- our friend in fab5... he is out for his auditions, will be back soon and her mom is visiting her maternal home and on India tour. She is such a sweet lady. Since uncle died, dad insisted them to stay with us only."

"ohhh.... what about dad?" Nandini asked as she had not seen him around seen her wedding.

"he is no more." With a sad face and tears in her eyes mom said. Everyone became sad.

"I'm sorry i didn't know..." she said feeling guilty for making them sad.

"it's ok..." Mukti said with a fake smile.

To lighten the environment ... Nandu diverted them...

"what about ur marriages? I mean arrange marriage or love?"

"I and Abhi came to know each other through arrange marriage but we started to love each other before marriage" Mukti said with a genuine smile.

"and I n cabir get to each other through fab5. ...  we used to hate each other and tease each other a lot. ... ... Soon we realised that we are in love." Navya said with a blush.

"Ohh.. someone is blushing .. hmm.." nandu teases n all chuckled except Navya who is red with blush...  "and Alya, ... any boyfriend?"

"I do had some, but now ... ...  am waiting for My Mr. Right. ... To come n steal my heart without my knowledge and make me his..." Alya says dreamily. All chuckle.

"so cheesy....." nandu said.

At that time Manik and cabir enter into the house and sat in the nearby empty sofa side to side. While Nyonika got a call a excused her.

"nandu, what's ur opinion?" asked Alya.

"about what??"

"about love and marriage"