Barbiee_Dollll, this one's for you! I really hope that you will enjoy reading it. Happy birthday, Neha! Cheers to you for another trip around the sun! My wish for you is that you get all of your birthday wishes this year. Sending your way a bouquet of happiness and smiles for every moment of your special day. Enjoy your special day and have the best birthday ever!

*****

It's early morning. The faint streaks of the sun could be seen through the tree branches; soon the golden rays smitten the whole environment. Fresh windy cool and crispy air started whistling like a romantic lover. The red and green in colour birds with chilli like beak started twitting their morning melody. The enormous garden stood like a royal palace and the thick dried strong brown big branches danced welcoming the morning. The green brown beautiful countless leaves whispered to each other about their morning plans. The big buzzing bumble bees swarmed up in the air in glad searching for sweet honey. The huge trees swung in the wind greeting good morning. The small colourful cute butterflies danced all around the environment looking for sweet nectar. The flowers' fragrance filled the whole environment making the morning pleasant. Three ladies in their late twenties were sipping tea with a middle-aged lady in the garden. They had just returned home from a morning walk. They were talking and laughing while admiring the beautiful morning.

"Kya baat hai Purvi?...Hum teeno yahan kuchh bol rahe hain aur tu hai ki baar baar apne phone ki taraf dekh rahi hai!"...One of them complained, looking at Purvi.

"Aa...Kuchh nahin Tarika...Main to bas time dekh rahi thi."...Purvi uttered with a small smile.

"Time dekh rahi thi ya kisi ke message ka intezaar kar rahi thi?"...Shreya asked teasingly.

"Aa...Aisa...Aisa kuchh nahin hai Shreya!"...Purvi fumbled, locking her cell phone.

"Come on yaar!...Don't fool us!...Hum jaante hain ki aaj teri aur Kavin sir ki first marriage anniversary hai...Aur kyunki wo abhi Pune mein hain, isliye tu unke anniversary wish ka intezaar kar rahi hai."...Shreya asserted, putting her right arm around her shoulders.

"Are haan!...Tabhi main kahoon aaj Purvi ke chehre pe itni chamak aur aankhon mein itni khushi kyun hai!"...Tarika remarked in a teasing tone.

Purvi smiled shyly as she heard them. The middle-aged lady chuckled looking at her.

"To kya plan hai aaj ka?...Hmm?"...Shreya effused.

"Pata nahin...Kavin ne abhi kuchh bataya nahin hai...Shayad wo koi surprise plan kar rahe ho...Ya shayad hum celebrate na karein kyunki wo aaj raat der se lautenge."...Purvi told her smiling lightly.

"Kaisi baatein kar rahi ho beta!...Anniversary to anniversary ke din hi celebrate karna chahiye...Is din pati-patni apni zindagi ke khoobsurat palon ko ek baar phir jeete hain - ek saath waqt bitakar."...The middle-aged lady stated softly.

"Exactly!...Aunty bilkul sahi keh rahi hain Purvi!"...Tarika remarked with a smile.

"Aap sahi hain maa...Lekin aap to jaanti hain na kitna kaam rehta hai unhe...Kitna stressful job hai unka...Unhe to shayad hamari anniversary yaad bhi na ho."...Purvi affirmed, looking at Kavin's mother.

"Purvi!...Ek baat bata!...Tujhe stress nahin hai kya?...Tu bhi to job karti hai...Mumbai ke top college ki professor hai tu!...Aaye din chheh se saat classes ko padhana, students ko guide aur counsel karna, aur saath hi saath ek examination board member hona, aasan baat hai kya?...Aur to aur tu to ghar aakar bhi kaam mein lag jaati hai...Grocery shopping, khaana, bartan, kapde, saare bills...Ye sab to tu hi karti hai na?...Phir kya tu apni anniversary bhooli?...Nahin na!...Phir Kavin ko bhi yaad hona chahiye ki aaj tum dono ki anniversary hai...Wo bhi first...Right?"...Tarika quipped sitting beside her.

Purvi looked at her and inclined her head in agreement.

"Bilkul!...Purvi beta, jo insan aapse pyaar karta hai na, use aapse judi chhoti se chhoti baat yaad rehti hai."...Kavin's mother orated, caressing her hairs.

Purvi smiled softly as she heard her words.

"Well said aunty!"...Shreya remarked with a pleasant smile.

Kavin's mother smiled cheerfully as she heard her. Tarika and Shreya talked to her and Purvi some more and after sometime they left for their respective homes.

Purvi was sitting in her room and was busy setting question paper for her students on her laptop. She took a short break for sometime and called Kavin who was in Pune for a short mission.

"Haan Purvi?...Sab theek hai na?...Kaise call kiya?"...Kavin asked after picking up her call.

"Kyun Kavin?...Kya main aapko call nahin kar sakti?"...Purvi uttered moodily.

"Dekho Purvi mere paas jyada waqt nahin hai, mujhe aur Daya sir ko interrogation ke liye jaana hai...To tumhe jo bolna hai jaldi bolo!"...Kavin interjected.

"Aap aaj aa rahe hain na?"...Purvi asked desperately.

"Purvi!...Kya baat hai haan?...Pichhle do hafton se tum bas yahi puchh rahi ho ki main 30 August ko, yaani ki aaj, aa raha hoon ya nahin?"...Kavin questioned exasperatedly.

"Jee haan wo...Aap mujhe...Aap bataiye na...Aap aaj hi aa rahe hain na?"...Purvi asked eagerly.

"Haan Purvi!...Main aaj hi aa raha hoon!...Ab kya main phone rakhoon?...Mujhe jaana hai!"...Kavin groused all frustrated with her continuous questioning.

"Kavin!...Aapko...Kya aapko yaad hai ki aaj kya hai?"...Purvi asked softly.

Her face fell when she heard the beep sound of her cell phone which indicated that Kavin had cut the call. In the meantime, Kavin's mother came inside the room.

"Purvi!...Baat hui Kavin se?"...She asked, sitting beside her.

"Jee maa."...Purvi replied, keeping her cell phone aside.

"Usne tumhe wish kiya?"...Kavin's mother asked with a smile.

"Nahin maa."...Purvi replied moodily.

"To phir kya keh raha tha wo?...Kavin's mother questioned.

"Jyada baat nahin ho paayi maa...Kyunki unhone call cut kar diya tha."...Purvi answered sadly.

"Achchha...Ho sakta hai tumhare liye koi surprise plan kiya ho usne, aur abhi tumhe batana nahin chahta ho."...Kavin's mother speculated, smiling at her.

Purvi nodded and got secretly excited thinking about what her beloved husband would have planned for their special day.

"Achchha maa!...Kyunki wo raat tak ghar aayenge to main soch rahi thi ki ghar par hi khaana banaun...Unki pasand ki sabhi dishes...Aap kya kehti hain?"...She asked Kavin's mother.

"Ye to bahut achchha idea hai!"...Kavin's mother praised with a smile.

Purvi smiled too.

It's late evening. Purvi was in the kitchen and was busy cooking Kavin's favourite dishes for dinner. In the meantime, she received a call.

"Haan Disha (Purvi's younger sister)?...How was your exam?"...She asked as she picked up the call.

"Well, who knows? Maybe the lightning will strike my answer sheet and burn it up. The wind might blow it away."...Disha replied dramatically.

"Disha!"...Purvi shrieked with a frown on her face.

"Just kidding di!...It was great and I did my best!"...Disha exclaimed with a chortle.

"Good!...Chemistry ki preparation kaisi chal rahi hai?"...Purvi asked, chopping vegetables.

"Di!...You know na!...Chemistry is not my cup of tea!"...Disha interjected, making a face.

"Disha!"...Purvi squealed with a frown on her face.

"Okay, okay, I'll try to do my best in Chemistry also!...Happy di?"...Disha assured, lying on her bed.

"Hmm."...Purvi hummed, stirring the dish she was cooking.

"By the way, main kabse jiju ka phone try kar rahi hoon taki unhe wish kar sakoon par unka to phone hi switch off aa raha hai!"...Disha complained sulkily.

"Achchha!...Shayad wo headquarters mein honge, aur kyunki wahan cell phone on rakhna allowed nahin hai isliye unhone switch off kar diya hoga."...Purvi supposed, washing the chopped vegetables.

"Oh!...Achchha di aaj raat ka kya plan hai?...Aur aap kya gift kar rahi hain unhe?"...Disha asked out of curiosity.

"Disha main to soch rahi hoon ki ghar par hi celebrate karenge isliye unki pasand ka khaana bana rahi hoon...Aur maine unke liye ek bahut achchhi wrist watch li hai, tu to jaanti hi hai unhe wrist watches ka kitna shauk hai."...Purvi told her with a smile, thinking about Kavin.

"That's good di!...Shayad jiju bhi aapke liye koi surprise plan kar rahe honge!"...Disha said jovially.

"Hmm!...Achchha sun main tujhse baad mein baat karti hoon, abhi mujhe bahut kaam hai...Okay?"...Purvi mouthed as she put the chopped vegetables in a deep frying pan.

"Haan haan!...Waise aapne kal college se chhutti li hai ya nahin?"...Disha guessed.

"Chhutti?...Nahin to!...Maine koi chhutti nahin li hai...Kyun?"...Purvi asked confusedly.

"Are first anniversary ki party raat bhar chalegi to subah kahan aankh khulne wali hai!"...Disha quipped in a teasing tone.

"Disha!...Besharam!"...Purvi uttered all shy. Her cheeks had turned deep red and her heartbeats had started racing with her comment.

Disha laughed and hung up. Purvi kept her cell phone aside when she realised that she had cut the call. She composed herself and continued cooking.

Purvi spent the entire evening cooking Kavin's favourite dishes. After cooking she cleaned the whole house and freshened up. Then she awaited for Kavin's arrival reminiscing their love and marriage.

It's almost 9 PM. Kavin had not reached home yet. Purvi glanced at the wall clock and then at her cell phone. She picked up her cell phone and tried his number - it's still switched off. She got worried, now. She called in the CID bureau for any information.

"Inspector Kavin speaking!"...A silvery voice came from the other side.

"Kavin!...Aap?...Bureau mein?"...Purvi mumbled in surprise.

"Purvi!...Haan!...Wo ek urgent update tha jo mujhe DCP sir ko dena tha isliye main airport se seedha bureau aa gaya."...Kavin informed, checking some files.

"Achchha!...Phir aapka kaam ho gaya?...Aap aa rahe hain na ab?"...Purvi asked intently.

"Nahin!...Thoda time aur lagega."...Kavin notified and hung up.

Purvi sighed and kept her cell phone aside. She took a magazine and flipped its pages glancing at the wall clock again and again.

It's almost 11 PM, now. Purvi kept aside the magazine and got up from the sofa. She heated the food and again set the dining table.

"11 baj gaye...Aur Kavin ab tak nahin aaye."...She mumbled to herself, sitting again on the sofa.

She didn't realise when she dozed off there on the sofa looking at the wall clock.

Ding-dong. The doorbell rang. Purvi woke up with a start and looked here and there. She realised that the doorbell had rung.

"Kavin aa gaye!"...She mumbled happily, smoothing her hairs and adjusting her golden cream coloured saree properly.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong. The doorbell rang again and now it sounded angry. Purvi realised the same and rushed to open the door.

"Hi!...Hi Kavin!"...She uttered with a sweet smile as she saw Kavin who was looking all tired and sleepy at the doorstep.

"Kya Purvi!...Kitni der lagati ho darwaaza kholne mein!"...Kavin muttered annoyedly, moving inside the house.

Purvi closed the door behind them and took his bag from him. She kept his bag aside and glanced at the wall clock - it's 1 AM. It's the 31st of August, now. Their first anniversary had just got over or it hadn't started at all. Purvi sighed sadly and looked at Kavin.

"Oh god!...Bahut thak gaya hoon main!"...Kavin mumbled closing his eyes, sitting on the sofa.

"Paani?"...Purvi uttered lowly, forwarding a glass of water towards him.

Kavin opened his eyes and took the glass of water from her.

"Thanks!"...He voiced before drinking water.

Purvi looked at him gloomily.

"Waise tumne ye saree kyun pehni hai?...Aaj kuchh khaas tha college mein?"...Kavin asked when he noticed her in that golden cream coloured saree.

"Nahin...Bas yunhi..."...Purvi trailed off, looking down glumly.

"Achchha!...Maa so gayi kya?"...Kavin asked, glancing at the wall clock.

"Maa to Madhu aunty ke saath mandir gayi hain Janmashtami ki puja ke liye."...Purvi replied, looking down.

"Oh haan!...Main to bhool hi gaya tha ki aaj Janmashtami thi."...Kavin mouthed, tapping his forehead.

Purvi looked up at him dejectedly.

"Achchha to isliye tumne ye saree pehni hai."...Kavin mumbled, looking at her.

Purvi looked down again as her eyes brimmed up with tears.

"Waise tum mandir kyun nahin gayi?...Tum to har saal Janmashtami ke din fast rakhti ho aur mandir bhi jaati ho."...Kavin asked confusedly.

"Main...Main khaana lagati hoon...Aap jaaiye...Haath mooh dho lijiye."...Purvi trailed off, diverting his question.

"Purvi...Main khaana khakar aaya hoon...Actually aaj Nikhil ka birthday tha, to usne hum sabko dinner treat di...Mera kaam to 10 baje hi khatm ho gaya tha par sabke saath khaana khaate, baatein karte, waqt ka pata hi nahin chala...Sorry...Main tumhe batana bhool gaya."...Kavin specified before walking inside the bedroom to change his clothes.

"Aap bahut kuchh bhool gaye hain Kavin!"...Purvi thought to herself with tear brimmed eyes.

She sighed and went into the dining room. She sat on a chair and looked at all the dishes she had cooked. With a heavy heart she stuffed them all in the fridge.

"It's okay Purvi!...Kaam ki wajah se unhe yaad nahin hoga ki aaj hamari first marriage anniversary thi...Aur unhe ye bhi thodi na pata tha ki tum dinner pe unka intezaar kar rahi ho...Chalo chalo mood mat kharab karo...Tumhi yaad dila do unhe hamari belated first marriage anniversary."...Purvi mumbled to herself smiling softly.

She opened the fridge and took out a red velvet heart cake that she had baked for the special occasion. She put a beautiful candle on the cake and lit it happily. She walked outside the dining room and went inside the bedroom with a pretty smile. Her smile faded when she saw her husband sprawling out and snoring away on the bed. She went back downcastly into the dining room and kept the cake inside the fridge after blowing the candle and removing it from the cake.

Eventually, she went inside the bedroom and laid next to Kavin after changing her clothes. She turned towards him and moved close to him while he was sleeping peacefully with his face away from her.

"Belated first marriage anniversary Kavin!"...She whispered softly, kissing his forehead.

Then she turned to the other side to control her tears.

"Purvi!"...Kavin mumbled sleepily.

Purvi's heart lifted with his voice and she immediately turned to his side with the hope that maybe now he would wish her.

"Hmm?"...She hummed softly, wiping away the traces of tears from the corner of her eyes.

"Kal mujhe der tak sone dena...Maine chhutti li hai."...Kavin mumbled sleepily.

"Hmm."...Purvi hummed dejectedly, turning to the other side with tear brimmed eyes.

She closed her eyes and let her tears flow out.

*****

Author's Note: Hey dear readers! Here's a new short story on Kavin and Purvi. I genuinely hope that you all will like it and will shower upon your sincere remarks.