PINK ROSE

~3.

||AAKRITI'S POV||

This bhabhi word sounded too foreign to me, but now I think I should get used to it, I nodded looking at her, and made my way towards her, she patted the sofa telling me to sit beside her, as I took a seat, she leaned towards me, her arms wrapped around my shoulder, and she rested her head on my left shoulder, and this reminded me of something I used to do with di, I smiled looking at her and caressed her hair softly, she seems that baby little one of the family
Just like me for Di and Maa, she is only 18 right now and, of course, a baby.

"I am still feeling sleepy," she said, and I chuckled.

"Aakriti, did you have a good sleep? The change in place might be difficult for you," Aarav asked in the middle of the conversation, turning both heads towards him.

"Yes, I was so tired that I do not even remember when I fell asleep," I replied nonchalantly, as Ruhani snapped at me, composed her posture, and looked at me with a strange expression.

"What happened?," I inquired.

"Nothing," she responded, getting up and going to her room before telling me she was going to freshen up. I was still staring at her disappearing figure when my trance broke when I heard Aarav.

"Choro use,dimaag se thodi paidal hai woh!" I laughed.

"Where is Bhai?" he inquired, before taking the coffee cup from the table.

"I do not know...I think he is doing some work," I told him. He was asking me about my college, and I told him my leave would end in two weeks, and he nodded. He called me again, saying "Aakriti-," but was cut off when he received a smack on the head from Ravi Uncle, and the coffee cup jerked out of his hand, spilling over the floor.

"Papa yaar," Aarav whined, looking at his father with an annoyed expression. Before Uncle could say anything else, Supriya Aunty rushed out of the kitchen.

"Aarav kya hai yeh?" and glared at Aarav.

"Yeh inki wajah se hua hai, he smacked me, and as a result, the cup fell from my hand, maa, apne pati ko samjhaiyein," he complained, pointing to his father.

"Acchaa...First, ask me why I smacked your head," Uncle said sternly, keeping his hand on his waist.

"Why",

"Because you should call her Bhabhi, not Aakriti! Tu, tumne nahi chalega, call her with respect", Uncle continued while glaring at him, I was perplexed literally, I don't have any problem with Aarav calling me by my name.

"She's younger than me", Aarav said looking at both of them.

"So what? Still, you don't have the right to call her by her name", uncle declared.

Aarav opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Shobha Aunty,

"Enough he's right, you'll not call her by her name, now clean this mess, and Aakriti you come with me", Aunty ordered both of them and called out to me softly and I followed her towards the kitchen.

______

Right now I'm preparing for a kheer. I know how to make it but I need a supervisor who can tell me how much would be enough for the family members.
Both the Aunties were busy preparing lunch while, I was crushing the dry fruits, finally with some courage I tried to call them for help,

"Au...aunty?", Why am I stammering? Their both head directed towards my direction,

"What happened beta", Shobha Aunty asked softly.

"Ac... I know ..how to make kheer but can you supervise me...means can you tell me how much milk or sugar will be enough for us", I stuttered but I explained it to them.

Both the aunties looked at me with raw expressions and nodded, then Supriya Aunty guided me with the kheer while Maa indulged herself while preparing for lunch.

Within half an hour lunch was ready, and all the family members were in the dining area, Aarav and Ruhani also got freshened up and now they were seated in their places, everyone was there except him and Rajesh Uncle. The lunch was also kept on the dining table because house helpers were not available there, so both ladies placed it perfectly.

Aarav tried to peek inside the containers but Shobha Aunty hit his hand and scolded him telling him to call him and his Uncle,

Aarav looked at them with a sneered expression, and he said which made me shock,

"I'll call bade papa, but Aakriti- sorry tell bhabhi to call bhai", he said with a mischievous smile.

"Han Han, Maa hum jayenge toh bhai will scold us for disturbing him...go bhabhi call him," Ruhani said with a smile on her face, while I stood there, stunned.

"Aakriti," Supriya Aunty addressed me, Aunty? Behen tu ek baar decide karle aunty bulana hai ya Maa! My subconscious mind mocked me. Before Aunty could say anything, I heard Ravi Uncle's voice saying,

"Aakriti, go call your husband." Husband? My husband??? Oh yeah! Yeah! He is my husband.

"Me?"I asked, feeling perplexed.

"Han aap hi k pati haina woh," Ruhani said, grinning.

"Go, go bhabhi call him he will be", Aarav said, they all are doing it intentionally 😭, what if he yelled at me for disturbing me? Pehle PT teacher jaise behave karte hai,

"Konsa teacher?"Aarav asked in a mocking tone while standing near me, was this audible?

"Yes, you were", he replied. I looked at him with pleading eyes but the only thing he did was smile shamelessly at me.

"Why are you stressing so much bhabhi, bhai is too nice to you", Ruhani again grinned.

"Bas karo kitna pareshan karoge meri bachi ko", Maa scolded everyone and turned towards and said,

"Go beta call him", I blinked my eyes and unknowingly nodded at her.

"Now go", Ruhani again grinned and pushed me towards the stairs. I nervously passed a smile looking at them and hesitantly went upstairs.

As I went near the door I slightly peaked inside the room, but I didn't find him, I raked my eyes everywhere and leaned more inside, I almost bent and tiptoed to find him when,

"Yeh kya kar rahi ho tum?", I heard his cold voice and I lost my balance, I was about to fall when he held my arm and pulled me towards him, My heartbeat fastened, My breath hitched, my palms were on his shoulder to maintain balance, his one hand gripping my arm and his eyes darted over mine, I gulped looking at his intense dark brown eyes.

My body stiffened and I kept looking into his eyes until he averted his,
I lowered my eyes and took one step back, we both were in awkward silence when asked me,

"What were you doing?", he squinted his brows.

"I...I...was..what was I doing ?", questioned him confusingly.

"I think I'm asking the same", he replied coldly. What was I doing here? Oh man, yaad aaya,

"Suniye", I called him.

"Hmm",

"Lunch is ready, Everyone is waiting for you", I informed.

"Okay, coming", he replied and I nodded, he walked inside the room and came out after keeping his book on the shelf.

We both went downstairs together.

______________

Comment, vote, and share🌷

Dedicated to @priyanka337