The bed was scattered with piles of clothes as ishita was busy rummaging through her closet, finding one pair in a hanger only to throw it away on the bed after examining for a while. Dushyant entered with his eyes fixed on his phone, only to find his glance caught up with the mess on the bed when he tried to find a place to sit. 

"tumhe nahi lagta saare kapde phenk dene ke liye bada galat time chuna hai tumne?" remarked dushyant, as ishita only glared at him, her hand resting on her hip. 

"seriously, do ghante mein nikalna hai humein..." warned dushyant, as ishita only sighed in disbelief. 

"pata hai...par...matlab main kya hi peheno aise mauke ke liye...kapde lete hue kabhi yeh thodi socha tha ki kabhi apni beti ke boyfriend ki parivaar se lunch pe milne ke liye kabhi jaana hoga..." grumbled ishita, weirded out by the situation, as dushyant couldn't help but nod. 

"pata nahi yaar....naa toh koi aisi baat hai ki rishta karna ya engagement fix kar rahe hai...ab aise hi kaun milta hai kisise...woh bhi pehli baar...abhi toh ladke ki bhi shakal nahi dekhi..." noted dushyant, as ishita just rolled her eyes. 

"i guess uski maa ko lunch pe bolana bahaut pasand hai logon ko..." joked ishita as she shared a slight chuckle with dushyant at the absurdity of the situation. 

"dekho, hum isse ek simple lunch ki tarah hi treat karte hai...unhe milenge, thoda jaan lenge, humein bhi tasalli hojayegi thodi...baaki abhi toh disha second year mein hi hai...kaafi time hai kuch actual commitment karne se pehle..." stated dushyant assuringly, as ishita couldn't help but nod in agreement. 

"kuch le jaayein? i mean, pehli baar kisike ghar jaa rahe hai..." pointed out ishita, as dushyant nodded in agreement. 

"haan ek bouquet manga diya...ghar toh dekha nahi inka...inki pasand pata nahi isiliye maine socha koi showpiece wagera rehne hi do...pehle fruit basket ka bhi socha but...zyada ajeeb nahi lagega?" asked dushyant, as ishita just shook her head. 

"main nahane jaa rahi hoon, ab joh hoga dekha jayega..." stated ishita as she left with a towel she grabbed from a nearby closet. 

"aur yeh kehte hai bache bade hojate hai bada araam rehta...kaheka araam! acha khasa football match dekhne waala tha...par kahan ek chutti bhi shaanti se baithne dete hai...aur yeh phoolwala pata nahi kaha marr gaya hai!" exclaimed dushyant annoyed, as he dialed a number on his phone. 

                                                              ***

Purvi was setting up the lunch table with containers of various dishes prepared by her including shahi paneer, chickpeas, puris, parathas and palao. Kavin set up the expensive crockery on the table next to each seat. 

"haan yeh waali nikalke theek kiya...nayi haina, acha impression jayega.." stated purvi happily, as kavin just shook his head in disbelief. 

"ab apni namuni aulad pesh karni hai toh saath mein kuch toh acha ho dekhne ke liye unn becharon ke paas..." remarked kavin, as purvi just chuckled. 

"arre aaj toh naha bhi liya subha-subha...kambaal kardiya iss ladki ne, maine toh kabhi nahi socha tha yeh din bhi kabhi aayega..." stated purvi, as kavin scoffed. 

Purav rushed out of his room, immediately grabbing hold of kavin. 

"papa yaar jaldi se apna deo dedo!" exclaimed purav, as kavin raised his brow. 

"beta..deo mein nahane ki zaroorat nahi hoti jab sach mein naha leta hai insaan..." retorted kavin, as purav just looked at him with sheer disbelief, only for the bell to ring. 

"oh lagta hai aa gaye, kavin hum dono receive karte hai, purav tum fatafat juice ke glass le aao maine kitchen mein ready rakhe hai..." ordered purvi, as purav rushed to the kitchen and kavin opened the door as they both stood together. 

Kavin and purvi had cordial smiles readily plastered on their faces, only for kavin to find his smile vanish away in a second, when his glance fell upon ishita. Ishita herself, was left completely shell shocked when her glance met with his. 

"namaste aunty! namaste uncle!" disha was quick to greet, a giddy smile on her face, as purvi was quick to receive. 

"hello bache, aao na andar...aur aap log bhi...welcome..." stated purvi, bringing kavin back to reality, as ishita quickly brought a forced smile upon her face. 

Disha was the first to get inside, followed by ishita and dushyant. Kavin and Ishita seemed to be engaging in stolen, awkward glances, barely able to keep eye contact despite of looking up numerous times. Meanwhile dushyant handed over the bouquet to purvi, which she graciously accepted with a thank you. 

"toh aane mein koi dikkat toh nahi hui? maine purav ko pehle hi kaha tha location bhejne ko.." stated purvi, as dushyant shook his head. 

"arre nahi-nahi, actually main aa rakha hoon pehle aapki society mein...bahaut saalon pehle lekin! mera ek friend rehta tha dusre block mein..." replied dushyant, as purvi's mouth formed an 'oh'. 

"phir toh acha hogaya...tabhi main socho aap toh jaldi pahaunch gaye...chaliye khair aaiye, baithiye..." offered purvi, pointing to the sofa as the three of them walked to it in the living room. 

Dushyant, ishita and disha sat next to each other on the central and bigger couch, while kavin and purvi joined them on the couch placed beside. 

"purav bas juice laa raha hai aap logon ke liye...badi pyaas lagi hogi...garmi hai..." remarked purvi, as dushyant nodded. 

"arre kya batayein...itna ajeeb mausam hai...kuch din baarish ke baad thand rehti hai...dhoop nikalti hi nahi...phir itni tez dhoop padti hai lagatar..." replied dushyant, as purvi shared a chuckle with him. Kavin and Ishita though could only side eye each other only to look away at the slight chance of their eyes meeting. 

"aur shaam ko bhi itna humid...uff..ek time nahi hai dhang ka sahi mein pure din mein..." added purvi, as disha smiled with tight lips and looked around for purav, who finally arrived. 

"sorry woh thoda time lag gaya, disha ke liye apple juice dhoond raha tha usse mango nahi pasand na..." informed purav, as he placed the tray of juice glasses for everyone. 

"arre mujhe pehle batana tha na! i'm so sorry.." repented purvi, as disha shrugged it off. 

"arre achi baat hai ki yeh hi khayal kar leta hai..warna yeh, iska toh hamesha hi dhyaan bhatka rehta hai..galti se mango peeleti phir shor machana tha ki yeh kyun diya...mujhe sarr mein dard hojata hai peekar.." remarked dushyant, as purvi chuckled, while kavin and ishita smiled awkwardly. 

"papa!" exclaimed disha in annoyance, as even purav chuckled while sitting. 

"koi nahi beta, acha bata diya, ab hum bhi dhyaan rakha karenge..." assured purvi with a smile. 

"waise maine dekha hai aapke husband ko zyada nahi baat karni padti, aap bhi unke hisse ki kardeti hai...bade chup hai..." joked dushyant, as kavin was left fumbled, while purvi scoffed awkwardly. 

"nahi-nahi uncle aisa kuch nahi hai, woh bas..." attempted purav to explain but kavin interrupted. 

"actually thoda office ka tension hai aaj kal uhhm, usmein thoda uljha hua tha bas..." replied kavin, as dushyant nodded. 

"waise toh aapki wife bhi kaafi uhmm...kam bolti hai..." commented purvi, changing the topic, as dushyant chuckled. 

"ji inka toh aisa hi hai, waise bolengi nahi, phir bolne pe aayengi toh bhagwaan bhi nahi rok sakta inhe..." remarked dushyant, as everyone shared a chuckle, while ishita let out another forced smile. 

"chalein...abhi toh lunch karte hai...hopefully phir inse kuch acha sunne ko milega..." stated purvi, as ishita only nodded, while everyone got up to reach the dinning table. 

                                                                 ***

Everyone had seated themselves around the dinning table, engrossed with the food on their plate, making little chit-chat in between. 

"aunty aap toh bahaut acha khaana banati hai!" exclaimed disha, as purvi chuckled.

"thank you bache..i'm glad aapko acha laga..." replied purvi, as she continued to eat. 

"aapko pata nahi hai kitni badi achievement hai isse pasand aa gaya...bahaut picky hai khaane mein...bahar se bhi zyada manga nahi paate the isliye...hamesha wahi baat...mummy ka zyada acha hai...mujhe nahi khaana..." stated dushyant, as ishita couldn't help but chuckle. 

"toh phir khaana aap bhi bahaut acha banati hogi?" asked kavin, facing ishita, as their eyes finally met. 

"seekh liya tha...shaadi ke baad...pehle mujhe bhi dhang se nahi aata tha..." stated ishita, only for her to avert her eyes from him to purvi. 

"acha, love marriage thi kya?" posed kavin another question, glancing her right in the eye, dushyant and purvi only observed quietly. 

"keh sakte hai...shuruat mein arranged thi, baad mein, hogaya, pyaar..." stated ishita, as she glared at him, only to turn her eyes to dushyant and smile politely, making him reciprocate with a light smile, while he observed kavin's expressions. 

Kavin put out a forced smile, as he then started playing with the food on his plate, while purvi only looked on. 

"aap logo ki bhi, uhh, arranged thi?" asked dushyant to purvi, as she nodded in agreement. 

"haanji woh actually meri saans aur meri maa purane dost the..." informed purvi, as dushyant nodded and kavin and ishita exchanged another quick glance. 

"acha, humara bhi issi tarah hua tha actually, meri badi behen ishita ke mahaule mein kisiko jaanti thi, unse hi pata chala tha ki rishta dhoondh rahe hai...toh phir wahi gayi, ishita ko dekh kar pasand bhi kar aayi...aur phir mujhe bas keh diya ghar aake, ki isse hi shaadi karaungi ab tumhari..." narrated dushyant the story with a smile, as purvi was amazed. 

"oh, toh aap mile bhi nahi the shaadi se pehle?" asked purvi inquisitively, as dushyant shook his head in no. 

"how romantic! aapki life mein bas, yahi aaye..." remarked kavin while scoffing, as ishita glared at him. 

"par naani toh kehti hai aapke peeche koi padha tha isliye unhone aapki shaadi karadi thi..." stated disha, as ishita looked at her in disbelief, making dushyant grow puzzled as well. 

"tha beta...par tumhare papa usse bahaut zyada ache hai, isliye maine kabhi socha nahi dobara, uske baarein mein..." stated ishita, glaring at kavin, who just forced a tight lipped smile, and dushyant and purvi just looked on at the both of them. 

"chalo, acha hai, bhagwaan aapke liye acha socha hua tha..." replied purvi politely, as ishita smiled at her while nodding. 

"kya hi farak padta hai aunty aapke peeche honge bhatere aap toh hain bhi sundar..." joked purav, making ishita scoff. 

"bhai aunty se toh mat flirt karo apni...aur waise bhi, apni mummy ko dekho...aap bhi kaafi pretty hai..." remarked dushyant, as purvi chuckled. 

"actually, mere parents strict the se mujhe girls school aur girls college hi bheja tha...shayad isliye mere saath toh kabhi nahi aisa hua.." informed purvi. 

"nahi pata hai aapki kismat achi hai, mujhe yaad hai mere college ke paas mein joh girls college tha na, wahan mere college ke 4 lafandar aksar milte the.." commented dushyant, as everyone chuckled slightly. 

"papa ne toh mummy ko coed school mein bhi nahi padhane diya...girls school hi padhati hai..." stated purav. 

"arre achi baat hai, ladkon ka waise hi padhne mein mann nahi lagta phir..." interjected dushyant, as purvi couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. 

"aisa bhi kuch nahi hai, par phir bhi, aapki tareef ke liye thank you." replied purvi, as everyone started to eat again after a slight giggle. 

But there remained two people at the table, who were barely able to let the food slip through their throats, every bite seemed torturous, only less than taking words out of their mouth.