Chapter 1: "An Important Day"

Nikita

@Nikita_99503

Chapter: 01

An Important Day

          The day dawned bright and peaceful... It was a special day for the Rathods as after a long time, they were free of all their worries... The Raktchandra Grahan Ratri had passed and with it had lifted the shadow of death which loomed over Ansh's head. Finally, everything was normal once again.

          Rishi Neha and Kajal were really excited... And why won't they be?? Two days later was their beloved Bhabhi's birthday and they wanted to give her a surprise. They were discussing their plan when they saw Ansh coming down...

          Ansh was descending the steps to the hall when at once he was conscious of three pairs of eyes staring intently at him, watching his every step. He walked upto them and asked:

Ansh: Kya hua? Aise kya dekh rahe ho?

Rishi: Bhai!! Ek sawal tha...

Ansh: Haan to poocho na... 

Neha (with a mischievous glint in her eyes): Bhai, do din baad kya hai??

Ansh (confused): Do din baad... Sunday hai.

          Suddenly Rishi shouted making them all jump...

Rishi: EK CRORE!!! (Clapping his hands) 

Ansh (staring at Rishi): Kya??

Rishi: Bahut badhiya jawab diya hai aapne... (Clapping) Aur iske saath hi aapne jeet liye hain poore ek crore rupaye... Bahut bahut badhai aapko... Taaliyan bajti rehni chahiye!! (Clapping his hands loudly)

Ansh: Oye Drama Queen!!! Kya ho gaya?? Kyon itna drama kar raha hai?

Neha (looking at him in disbelief): Bhai, are you serious? Aapko sach main nahi pata do din baad kya hai? Ya phir aap drama kar rahe ho?

Ansh: Main tum logon ki tarah dramebaaz nahi hoon... Mujhe sach main koi idea nahi hai.

          Meanwhile, hearing their conversation and Rishi's shouting, the senior Rathods had also come there and were staring curiously at them.

Kajal: Bhaiya, aap aisa kaise bol sakte hain? (Rushing to Vedashree) Maa, dekhiye na Bhaiya kya bol rahe hain...

Vedashree (coming towards Ansh): Ansh, tujhe sach main...

          Ansh completed the sentence on her behalf...

Ansh: Nahi pata ki do din baad kya hai... (Getting irritated) To? To kya karenge aap? Itni si baat ke liye jail bhej denge?

Chaitali: Pia ki jagah main hoti to aisa kuch zarur karti...

Ansh (utterly baffled): Pia...?? Ab is sab ke beech main Pia kahan se aa gayi??

Vedashree: Bilkul aa gayi... Usi ki to baat ho rahi hai.

Ansh: Matlab?

Rishi (shaking his head in disappointment): Bhai, tu na sach main husband ke naam par ek dhabba hai... Bahut bada dhabba.

Ansh: Matlab?

Neha: Bhai, aap bhool gaye kya? Do din baad Pia Bhabhi ka birthday hai...

          This realisation hit Ansh like a lightening bolt... Two days later was 30th of May, Pia's birthday!! He mentally slapped and cursed himself... He had forgotten Pia's birthday!! How could he ever do that??

          Meanwhile, Rishi was watching the change of expressions on Ansh's face... Clapping him on his back, he said:

Rishi (sweetly): Kya hua Bhai?? 880 volt ka jhatka laga kya??

Ansh (recovering himself): Umm... Par sab yahan par group bana kar kyon khade hain?

Kajal: Wo hum Bhabhi ke liye surprise party plan kar rahe hain...

Ansh: Okay... Aage?

Neha: Aage ye ki Bhabhi ki favourite cheezon ke baare main aap ke alawa aur kise pata hoga?

Ansh: Toh?

Kajal: To ye ki hum chahte hain ki aap humari help kare.

Ansh: Theek hai...

Rishi: Lekin ek problem hai... Hum nahi chahte ki Pia Bhabhi ko is plan ke baare main kuch pata chale. Isiliye agle do dino tak unhe thoda busy rakhna hoga...

Chaitali: Haan to theek hai na... Laga do Ansh ko is kaam par!!

Ansh: Main?

Rishi: No way absolutely!! Galti se bhi nahi... 

Chaitali: Kyon?

Neha: Kyonki Bhai sach chupa nahi sakte aur jhooth bolna inhe aata nahi... Bhabhi ek baar seriously poochengi aur ye sach bol denge. So, no way!! Too risky...

Vedashree: To phir?

Neha: Hume kisi aise ko involve karna hoga jispar Bhabhi ko koi shak na ho...

Kajal: Ek idea hai... Saavi!!

Neha: Haan ye theek rahega...

          So, it was decided... They called Saavi and asked her to come there...

          When she came there, they explained their plan to her and asked for her help. She agreed to help them.

          They were discussing their plan when suddenly they heard a commotion outside...

Vedashree: Ye bahar kya chal raha hai?

Ansh: Main dekhta hoon...

          He returned after a few minutes and informed them that the flat opposite to theirs, the 4002 has been let to some family and they were shifting...

          Ved asked Rishi, Neha, Kajal and Saavi to go and meet that family and invite them for the party as the responsibility of inviting the guests was also on them...

          The four of them were standing in front of Flat No. 4002. They read the name plate...

Neha: "Ahujas". Hmmm... So, humare neighbours ka surname Ahuja hai. Let's see family main kaun kaun hain.

          She extended her finger and pressed the bell switch. After a few moments, they heard footsteps approaching the door. The bolts were pushed back and the door opened to reveal a middle-aged lady looking at them curiously.

Neha: Namaste Aunty...

Lady: Namaste... Aap log kaun? Maine aap ko pehchaana nahi...

Rishi: Wo Aunty, hum aapke padosi hain... Flat No. 4001 main rehte hain. Mera naam Rishi hai aur ye (pointing towards Neha and Kajal) meri behenein Neha aur Kajal hain... (Pointing towards Saavi) aur ye...

          The lady interrupted him before he could complete his sentence...

Lady: Tumhari biwi hai?

          Rishi jumped back as if he had stepped on burning charcoal...

Rishi: Aunty, aap to mujhe jaanti bhi nahi hain to phir aapki mujh se kaun si dushmani hai?

Lady (confused): Dushmani?

Rishi: Aur nahi to kya... (Pointing towards Saavi) Ye sanki aur meri biwi?? No way!! Impossible!! Main itna innocent sa aur ye... Khair chodiye!!

          The lady burst out laughing while Saavi glared at him in anger...

Saavi: Main sanki?? Tumhe to main...

          Before she could complete her sentence, a young man of around their age came and joined the lady on the door...

Man: Ye log kaun hain Maa?

Lady: Ye log humare padosi hain... (Turning towards the four) Ye mera beta hai Rudra... Aur Rudra ye Rishi, Neha aur...

          But Rudra interrupted his mother before she could complete the introduction...

Rudra: Koi bhi ho, hume kya? Hume kisi se jaan pehchaan ki zarurat nahi hai... Thank you very much. Aap log jaa sakte hain...

          And saying this, he shut the door at their faces...

          Neha was really annoyed with his rude behaviour...

Neha: How rude!!! Aise koi kaise kisi ke muh par darwaza band karta hai?? This is not fair!! Koi manners naam ki cheez hai hi nahi isme...

Rishi: Shaant Gadadhaari Bheem, shaant. Ghar chale?? Ya yahin par dharna dekar baithne ka irada hai??

Neha: Chal...

          And they went back...

          As soon as they reached the house, they were confronted by Vedashree and others...

Vedashree: Tum log mile padosiyon se?

Neha: Haan mile...

Vedashree: Kaun kaun hain family main? Kya wo party main aa rahe hain? Kya kaha unhone?

Rishi: Arre arre Badi Maa, itne saare sawal ek saath?? 

Vedashree: Ab tum log kuch bataoge?

Neha: Well, abhi to humne sirf ek Maa-Bete ki jodi ko hi dekha hai... Aunty to theek se baat kar rahi thi par unka beta, ekdum rude aur ill-mannered. Usne humare muh par darwaza band kar diya.

Chaitali: Hain, muh par darwaza band kar diya? Aisa kaun karta hai? Ye to bahut galat baat hai...

Rishi: Haan, galat baat to hai par... Khair chodiye. Hum log filhal apne plan par concentrate karte hain...

          And so, they continued their earlier discussion about the surprise party... 

          Saavi decided to take Nishant's help and after conversing with him on call for a few minutes, it was decided that Saavi would come there the next day take Pia along with her for two days so that the others could plan the party without Pia's knowledge.

          After everything was finalized, Saavi left for her house...