"Blue or white Bhaujai?" Gauri asked the newly wed bride who was getting ready for a small house party.

The wedding proceedings had been tiring to the entire family as they started late and had to get things done in a short time span.

Unlike the first time, Shivaay and Anika's wedding took place in a small cosy ceremony amongst close family members and relatives. The guests for the wedding reception on the other hand were business partners and the director board of the Oberois empire, who have been faithful to the team since its inception.

Three weeks flew by unnoticed and the family decided to spend some time together after all the work to relax and groove.

It was evening time and the girl gang dressed together, chit chatting on lesser dramatic issues. Movies and celebrity crushes being the favourite topic of the three.

Anika chose a sky-blue netted saree while Bhavya choose a maroon Anarkali for the day. Gauri on the other hand was still in double mind as to which garment to wear.

Her options were a white lacy saree with a classy cream blouse adored with floral embroidery and a blue georgette saree with a contrasting block printed red blouse.

"White," both Anika and Bhavya screamed in unison.

"Ummm.. isn't the blouse too revealing?" Gauri muttered fingering the cloth unsurely when the other two rolled their eyes.

"We aren't even going out bhabhi. Sab humare apne hai. Shivaay bhiayya will be occupied in admiring his wife and Rudra will flirt with me. Omkara bhaiyya will be the only one who will have eyes reserved for you," said Bhavya and Anika shrugged.

"She is right Gauri and for your information. It isn't that revealing. It just gives a good view of your back. You can cover it up if you keep your hair open," suggested Anika.

"Hmmm, I am more worried about maa. She will not like me wearing a sleeveless," Gauri said.

"Sharada maa ko mein mana lungi. Don't worry for that," her sister-in-law assured.

Gauri grinned thanking her, before she picked up her costume.

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

"Both my bhaiyyas have become parayaa dhan," Rudra screamed in outrage making the rest of the family giggle at the tantrum.

"What is wrong with you Rudy," Omkara rebuked his brother.

"Since the past fifteen minutes I have been rambling non-stop about my favourite musical show. You both haven't listened to a thing and have been staring at the stairs to get a look of your wives," he accused.

"Shut up Rudy," his brothers rubbished him.

"They will come in a bit, don't act like desperate men. Maintain some family etiquette here. Will you?"

"When did we not listen to you? We were listening," Shivaay lied to avoid being teased by his family.

Omkara on the other hand kept mum though he nodded his head to agree with his brother.

"Acha, then tell me who is the singer I have been talking about?" Rudra tested.

Shivaay and Omkara exchanged looks before they replied with a confidant smile, "Lucky Ali. "

"Is that correct Rudy?" Jhanvi asked with a smile.

"Yes mom but that was easy. They know my favourite singer."

"How can you say that? Will you talk only of him and no one else? You also like other pop singers," Shivaay said.

"Exactly, you were talking about Ed Sheeran coming to a Mumbai tour just yesterday. We did not take his name," Omkara said.

Rudra frowned at his brothers and asked his second question.

"Where did I say I want us to go for his show?"

"Bangalore" "Delhi" the brothers uttered and bit their tongues.

Rudra grinned and turned to the elders.

"See, they weren't listening. I wanted them to come to Goa," he said and the family laughed.

"No problem Rudy, they are just married. Let them enjoy the honeymoon phase for a while," Kalyani quipped.

"Right, you can only stay happy for the initial days of your marriage. Later, uhh... you won't be that lucky," Shakti said looking at Pinky who nudged him.

"I agree" Tej said looking at Jhanvi who ignored him and smiled at Sharada sitting beside her.

"I have no problem with them being good husbands to my sweet bhabhis but they cannot ignore me," Rudra complained walking towards his grandmother.

"Koi mera kadar nahi karta," he said with a pout settling in the seat beside her, making his brothers roll their eyes.

"Aww, then you get married. You will get someone who has eyes and ears only for you," the elder one said.

Rudra gasped dramatically and said, "I cannot lose my freedom for it daadi. Life is cool now with girls and parties. Who will settle for one, when? ...."

He stopped midway looking at Bhavya descending the stairs with Gauri and Anika on either side.

"Hai rabba, kitne sundar lag rahe hai," Kalyani gushed, admiring the three women dressed to elegance.

Sharada, who noted her daughter's posh outfit worriedly looked at Jhanvi and Omkara.

Only when she saw Jhanvi walk up to her daughter with a proud smile while her son in law stood with an awestruck look on his face did she breathe in relief.

"Hi," Bhavya walked to stand beside Rudra who openly ogled at her.

Not getting a reply, she knitted her eyebrows and snapped her fingers close to his face.

"Hello?"

"Uhh..hi. You look..uhh... nice."

She smiled politely and thanked him.

"You look nice too."

"Thanks."

"Khanna told me that Karan came to the mansion earlier," she asked and got a nod in response.

"Will you elaborate Rudra?"

"I cannot understand where he gets the guts from. After putting the family through hell, he acts so casual, comes to the house to talk to Gauri bhabhi. What does he think if himself?" he said.

"What?"

"That's what he said to me. He wanted to talk to chulbul bhabhi and no one else."

Bhavya furrowed her eyebrows and thought about the issue.

"What could be so important?"

"I asked him to get lost and not to show his face again."

"What did he say?"

"He shook his head and walked away."

"Just like that?"

"That's what surprised me. He was actually caught by Khanna while trying to get inside the house tampering the security. I thought if I asked him to go, he would apologize and confide the truth to me. But..."

"What were you doing at that time?"

"Nothing particular, I was checking the video arrangements. I told you about the Oberoi family album, right?"

"Yeah," Bhavya mumbled her thoughts still on Karan.

Rudra sighed and glanced across the room. An instant smile rose on his face.

"So, the girls decided to dress up for the occasion, cool. My brothers were lovesick till now, thanks for giving then an eye treat today," Rudra said chuckling.

Bhavya grinned and looked at the other two pairs. Shivaay was whispering something to Anika who blushed red while Omkara was yet to open his mouth, his wife eagerly waiting for him to compliment.

The last two weeks have been taxing to the long-haired, confused Oberoi when he watched his pretty wife dressed so regally in all of his brother's wedding functions. He had to put in every effort not to pounce and claim her like a caveman when she slept hugging him at night.

As he couldn't avoid her contact nor could he sleep without kissing her a sweet good night, cold showers at odd hours were his only therapy.

Tonight, seeing her dressed in that sexy white lace saree was something he did not need at all.

Okay, calm down. No matter how tempting she looks, you cannot have her yet... Omkara's mind started the advice session.

His heart however had to oppose.. Why does she want to make things more difficult, maybe just once you should ask if she is okay with taking the next step, if she...

No...no ...don't go there... just ..shut it....

"Won't you say anything?" she whispered, looking at him with her big, beautiful eyes.

"Umm, what should I say?" he asked in a steady tone, forcing himself to look away from her to see the rest of the family watching them with teasing smiles.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, an action to restrict his limbs which wished to pull her to himself for a complimenting kiss at the first chance they get.

Gauri made a face at him before she turned her head away irritated. She knew he liked what he saw from that intense look he gave her but she had no idea why he wouldn't say that to her.

His heated looks in the past few days, the hungry kisses which he abruptly stopped, leaving her high and wanting more, everything suggested his desire for her.

Why wouldn't he act on it?

Once the problems got solved, she wanted him to talk about his past as well but he avoided her citing work as excuse.

Such a tough nut to crack.

Jatadhaari, nandi bail... she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that," Omkara said with a smile.

"Good, I wanted you to hear it," she said, refusing to look at him.

Damn!! Why is he finding her cuter when she is clearly miffed at him?

The fact that he was attracted to her with anything and everything she does, scared him but it was also strangely fulfilling. He felt less lonely and his life seemed to have a meaning to it.

He blamed his starved body and awoken hormones for wanting her so badly but somewhere his heart knew it was more than just physical comfort that he longed.

When she was about to walk away from him to greet her mother, his hands impulsively pulled out of his pockets and tugged her back.

"You know you look good Gauri," he said in a husky whisper.

Gauri felt the familiar sting of current at the brush of his lips on her ears but she tried not to show it.

Sparing him a glance, she tartly said, "Well, you could say that nicely. A small compliment perhaps."

He was about to mumble a sorry when Rudra loudly called their names.

"If my brothers are done with the romance, can we start?" said the youngest Oberoi brother.

"Shut up Rudy," came the response from the other two making the rest of the family chuckle.

"Whatever!" he waved them off and Bhavya laughed from beside him.

"What did you plan for the day?" Kalyani asked eagerly.

"Couple games," Rudra said cheerfully and clapped for himself..

Kalyani looked at her elder daughter in law who turned grim at the information.

How she wished that her son didn't destroy her bahu's life.

"Why only couples khotiya? Baaki sab kya karenge?" she asked her grandson.

"Actually, it is just for the newlyweds. The rest all can sit back and enjoy."

"What?"

"Why?"

Shivaay and Omkara asked together.

"We worked for your wedding while you enjoyed the royal treatment. Now it us our time."

"Excuse me? In that case, I also helped with the preparations. It is only Shivaay who got married a few days back," Omkara pointed out.

"Now I can't show any partiality here. Shivaay bhaiyya would feel alone O. Stop being a grumpy man and entertain us," asked Rudra getting a thumbs up from the rest.

There was some more bickering before the brothers finally nodded their heads and got ready to be the scape goats.

"Fine, what should we do?" Omkara asked unhappily.

"For starters, you can stop being grumpy," he said cheekily and Gauri laughed.

His brother scowled at him making him roll his eyes.

"Bhabhis, go and hide in the guest room for some time," he ordered and his sister in laws nodded their heads ready to go.

"Why do they have to go?" Shivaay asked curiously.

"I will tell you. Sit down and relax," he said and the rest looked on waiting in eager silence.

Once the O-bahus left the room, Rudra handed his brothers a paper each.

One look at the printed questions, Shivaay groaned out aloud.

What colour lipstick was she wearing?

Colour of her earrings?

Colour of sandals?

Colour of nail polish?

Is she wearing armlets?

...........

"Come on Rudra. You expect us to fill this?"

"Yes, for each wrong answer, you ought to forgo a day with your wife," he calmly said.

"Kyaa?" Shivaay said raising an eyebrow.

"They will sleep in the guest room I mean."

"What the hell?" Omkara growled.

"Rudy, stop it," Jhanvi chided her younger son.

"Relax will you, I was kidding. You just need to pay me some money," he smirked, rubbing his hands in greed.

"Stop wasting time and get on with it, boys," Kalyani urged.

"Yeah, you only have two minutes," Rudra declared and they took the pens to do the task.

Two minutes later, the papers were snatched from them.

Jhanvi joined her son in looking at the answers and smiled seeing that both her sons answered all the questions right.

"This is unfair mom, I should get some money," Rudra whispered earning a smack from his mother.

"Well?" Shivaay asked them.

"You made me proud boys," said Jhanvi and they grinned happily.

"Not so great, we have more games to play," Rudra said not accepting defeat so soon.

"We are in," said the other two and the family clapped for them.

As the brothers continued to have fun, Pinky was getting impatient. The love filled look and the cosy environment of the night didn't settle well with her. Especially, when she saw Gauri blush time and again at the way Omkara clutched on to her as Rudra tried to create some distance between the two with one of his illogical games.

"What happened Pinky, you seem preoccupied," Shakti asked his wife.

"Nothing, I am just feeling sleepy."

"Oh, you go to the room then. I will tell the rest."

"No Shakti ji. I will stay, it is good to see my son so happy."

Also, she wouldn't miss the look of devastation on her enemy's face for the world... she thought.

Shakti nodded his head and turned away.

If he knew anything about his wife, he would have sensed the impending doom but since he barely gave her any thought, too busy in siding his son, he remained blissfully unaware just like the rest of the family.

The dinner was made painfully uncomfortable for the newly wed couples with Rudra's constant teasing supported by the rest.

At one point, Gauri widened her eyes when her husband lunged forward to smack his brother on his head for being so crass.

"I am okay Gauri, go and sit with Damaad ji," Sharada said when her daughter served her food.

"He can do without me for some time maa," her daughter replied.

"It didn't appear that he liked it though," she quipped making Gauri widen her eyes.

"Maa, tum bhi?"

Her mother laughed happily caressing her cheek.

"You told me that you felt dizzy in the afternoon. Omkara ji said that he will call the doctor home early tomorrow. You should drink more water and eat well. We will..."

"Offoo, why did you tell him? I am completely alright now. Bewajah unko pareshaan karti rehti ho," Sharada scolded her.

"If I don't tell him, he will scold me. Eat," she ordered gesturing towards the plate and her mother complied with a sigh.

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

"After so much hard work, I complied some family pictures and videos of the present and past," Gauri heard her brother-in-law say as they finished the meal and settled down in the plush sofas of the living room.

Pinky heaved a sigh of relief when she heard her nephew announce, "Here is presenting you guys a video for cherishing some fond memories."

"Sounds nice," Tej and Shakti said as the video began to play.

It started from the formal wedding pictures of the brothers with their respective wives and later turned to the past, to show some childhood pictures of them.

The family smiled at the clips of the little brothers running around the house with their parents chasing them. Anika and Gauri watched in amusement as they saw their husbands calmly raise from their places beside them and near their brother who was too involved in the video.

As Shivaay placed an arm around his younger brother's neck, Omkara playfully hit him on the head. Rudra pouted at his brothers who smiled and hugged him tight, adding to the classic Obro moments.

"Is that damaad ji playing with colours?" Sharada asked and Jhanvi nodded with a fond smile.

Sharda's phone rang just then, gaining her attention.

"Is that Dandi?" Jhanvi asked looking at the caller id.

"Yeah, don't know why he called me. I forgot to charge it and the battery is about to die," Sharada replied.

Jhanvi got up from her place and asked her to follow.

"Come out, you will not be able to hear him with all the sound."

Sharada nodded and walked with her to cross the main hall.

"Hello Dandi?" she said answering the call.

"Maa ji, where is Gauri? I wanted to talk to her once but she isn't answering her calls."

"Gauri must have left it in her room. Her in laws arranged a small party tonight," she informed.

"Can you ask her to call me once maa ji?"

"Sure, beta but is it anything important?"

"Sort off maa ji."

"Okay, I will tell her then."

"Thank you maa ji," Dandi said and ended the call.

"What is it?" Jhanvi curiously asked.

"He wanted to talk to Gauri. Seemed worried."

"Oh, let us go inside then," she said and the other one agreed.

The change of atmosphere back in the room was palpable the moment they returned. Jhanvi's gaze locked onto the screen which played the picture of her son forcing himself on Svetlana.

She heard a soft gasp from beside her and she knew Gauri's mother too had got the ugly picture in sight. The people inside who were watching the video from sometime before them, were stoned at their respective places too shocked to move.

Worried, she was just about to take a step inside when her shoulders felt the weight of the woman beside her.

She turned to her side and saw Sharada leaning onto her, clutching her head.

"Sharada ji!" she screamed trying to hold her in place.

Her scream must have alerted the others who turned to her. When she looked up again, Jhanvi saw Shivaay running towards them with Gauri just behind him, worriedly calling for her mother. Her eyes however searched among the others and landed on her son who stood frozen at the far end of the room, not even attempting to walk towards them.

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

Shivika's wedding happened too many times so I didn't focus on the rituals. But I didn't understand why my brain drew a blank while I was thinking of various couple games.

I didn't want to drag the drama further so I just wrote some rubbish, even then it stretched this long.🙄

Vote and comment please💛

Until the next update, signing off... yours Soujanya.