27. UNO Reverse

"What kind of wedding invitation card do you want Maitri?" Kaira asked her and looked at Aryaman for their inputs.

"I have an idea, if you all like then we can go for that if not then we can pick from the ones given" She said looking at Aryaman and everyone.

"What is the idea?" Rishav asked taking the cup of his coffee from the table.

"I want a traditional royal themed invitation card. I had the outline of it since childhood. You know like in olden times we used to have invites written on a cloth and then rolled up. I want something like that. A deep, blood red cloth, with words written in golden. The borders would be of thin leaf veils drawn in golden. In the center top there'll be an outline of Ganeshji. Each letter for every function. All these letters would be placed in a red velvet box. We could add small bags of dry fruits and chocolates too" She said smiling dreamily. The elders could see her imagination and knew exactly how to make the invitation cards.

"Seems like our bhabhi already knew from the beginning that she'd marry a king" Aviraj said elbowing her. She pushed him away shyly. Aryaman and the rest laughed at their bonding.

"The invites would be made the way you want" Rishav said in a no-nonsense tone.

"Thank you" She said to him.

"Wedding invites are done, next we have is food" Aarchi said ticking off one item from the menu of work she had written down.

"Gol Gappa stalls, pav bhaji stalls, kulfi stalls, there should be mawa kachori too, hayee" Aarchi said quickly before anyone else could say.

"Mujhe dal batti churma aur ker sangari bhi chahiye" Aviraj and Divya added.

"We will see about it" Rishav and Kaira said asking them to shut up in a very polite way.

"The menus will be decided by us elders. Next what is on the list" Kaira said.

"Wedding theme"

"Since the card is traditional, let the theme also be traditional" Jiya said. Aryaman and Maitri were least interested in the talks and were busy whispering random things in each other's ears.

"Okay, then the rest of the things are to be done by you all. Who to invite and everything" Aarchi passed the list to Kaira and went and sat beside Rishav who held her close.

"When are we going for buying wedding dresses?" Divya asked excited.

"When these elders let us go. Them and their restrictions" Aviraj said taking the snacks from the table and eating.

"Kids go away. We want to talk" Kaira asked them to shoo away as they were making alot of noise. Aviraj and Aarchi looked at Kaira with a hurt look and started wobbling their lower lip showing that they were very hurt with her behaviour.

"You want to get beaten?" She looked at them challengingly.

"How will you beat me? You are smaller than me" Aviraj started flaunting his height. Kaira smiled fakely and removed her shoe and aimed at him.

"But my aim is pretty good, now?" She showed him her shoe and Aviraj pulled Aarchi with him, taking slow small steps backwards.

"Don't mind them. They understand only one language, the shoe language" Kaira said looking at Akshit and Jiya who laughed heartedly knowing that their 2 daughters were exact same.

All the youngsters went out in the lawn and sat down in the garden. Aarchi and Divya got busy in showing each other the wedding lehengas they planned to get custom-made for the wedding. Meanwhile, Aryaman and Maitri surrounded Aviraj.

"So jeth ji slash devar ji, howz life?" Maitri asked tapping his shoulder and sitting beside him. Aviraj realised that both of them were in the mood to have fun on her expense.

"I think someone is calling me" Aviraj tried to stand up removing his phone but Aryaman stopped him and made him sit.

"Kyun le rahe ho meri? (Why are you teasing me?)" Aviraj asked huffing.

"Because betaji you've been acting out of your character" Maitri said placing her elbow on his shoulder.

"You guys are reading too much into the situation" Aviraj stammered and avoided looking at them.

"How is it going with Nidhi?" Aryaman asked.

"How will I know? She's your friend too, you should know" Aviraj stood up looking everywhere but at them. Aryaman and Maitri looked at him questioningly.

"Mashuka toh tumhari hai (But she's your lover)" Maitri said standing up and walking beside him.

"Ma..Mash...Mashuka. There's nothing such between us" Aviraj cursed his fate for bringing him in such situation.

"Haan bhai mashuka. I've been seeing alot of texting-shexting, call-valls going on" Aryaman too stood up and placed a hand over Aviraj's shoulder.

"Its nothing like that" Aviraj pushed Aryaman's hand away from him.

"Sure?" Maitri stood beside him and asked.

"Yeah Sure, 100% sure. Definitely there's nothing such between us" Aviraj said trying to keep his composure rigid and believable.

"Okay then. By the way Maan, before boarding the flight, didn't we see Nidhi going to a fancy restaurant with her colleague dressed really hot? Was it her or I saw someone else?" Maitri asked behaving innocent but hitting the right chord.

"It was her Mayu. She was dressed in a black dress and had her arm wrung in the man's arm. They looked so pretty together" Aryaman and Maitri started walking ahead of Aviraj, knowing that he was listening to everything.

"Have we invited her to our wedding?" Maitri asked holding Aryaman's arm.

"I think we shouldn't invite her. You've seen Nidhi, she looks so pretty and beautiful and also single. In our wedding all my cousins will hit on her. Forget my cousins, the first one to hit on her would be Saaransh bhai himself" Aryaman deliberately said things to get a reaction out of Aviraj.

"What about our Avi? He would also make a good pair with her" She asked Aryaman, looking at Aviraj skeptically. Aviraj fisted his hands hearing Aryaman say other man's names with Nidhi.

"Avi would be good but didn't he just say no that there's nothing between them. Even Nidhi is getting older, how long will she stay single? Once mum sees her, she'll start setting her up with one of my cousins. Wait.. do you have male cousins?" Aryaman and Maitri walked a bit faster showing Aviraj that he was no longer a part of the conversation. Aviraj followed them silently hearing them talk.

"Of course I have. I have friends too who am sure would be interested in her. You should invite her Maan. How long will she live her life alone? Everyone needs a person to rely on, a partner. Invite her right now" Maitri stood infront of Aryaman and asked him to invite Nidhi.

"Are you sure? Will Aviraj not feel bad when someone else flirts with her and wins her heart?" Aryaman said with fake concern for his brother.

"Hayee, why will he feel bad? You say Avi, will you feel bad?" Maitri placed one hand on her waist and looked at Aviraj for an answer.

"Ofcourse not. Didn't you hear him say that there's nothing such between them. You are being unreasonable, call her an invite her right now" Maitri pulled out Aryaman's phone and asked him to call Nidhi. She didn't give Aviraj a chance to speak and instead replied on his behalf.

"Guys, I like her" Aviraj pulled away Aryaman's phone and looked at them defeatedly.

"But didn't you say that there was nothing such" Maitri tried holding her smile and asked him.

"You guys are incorrigible. Don't you dare set her up with anyone else except me" He held out his finger and warned both of them.

"Aye, she's free to fall in love with anyone she wants to" Aryaman continued teasing him.

"What do you want to hear from me so you stop your shit?" Aviraj looked at them huffing.

"We want the story behind the new closeness between you and her" Maitri pulled Aviraj to a bench and sat on it with her legs crossed. She motioned him to start talking. Aviraj explained to them how Nidhi and him started talking and where they are at the current moment.

"You guys need a catalyst in your love story" Maitri said with a thinking face.

"And what will the catalyst do?" Aryaman and Aviraj looked at her questioningly.

"Duh, dil ki baat zubaan pe la degi (Make the words in heart be said from the mouth)" She stood up thinking on how to catalyse her brother-in law's story.

"Idea!" She turned around suddenly surprising both the brothers.

"What?" Aviraj looked at her happily. She explained to them her idea animatedly and Aryaman gave her a thumbs up but Aviraj went into panic mode.

"She will empty all 6 bullets in my head when she gets to know of this. Upar se uska nishana bhi acha hai. (Plus she's got a good eyesight on target too). Your to-be husband doesn't have seemed to given you the background information on her. She was one of the best shooters during our university times" Aviraj walked back and forth scared of what will happen when Nidhi gets to know of the plan.

"Who will tell her? You, me or Maan? None of us. You chill and follow my plan. Only a girl knows how another girl thinks. Trust me brother-in law, if you want your life to also be settled then follow me" She made him sit on the bench. Aviraj looked at Aryaman for confirmation and he nodded his head.

"Fine, do what you have to do" Aviraj walked away stomping his feet. Aryaman and Maitri sat beside each other and waited for Aviraj go far enough for him to not hear them. Once he was far enough, both of them broke into fits of laughter.

"Bechare ke saath UNO reverse hogaya (Poor him, he got UNO reversed)" Maitri said feeling sad for Aviraj.

"He's no bechara. He was teasing us alot na, good for him. And either way, his story needed a push to move forward, we did that so what's the harm?" Aryaman said holding her close to him.

"Hope he gets his share of love too" She relaxed in his touch.

"Both of them will. Just pray that this time it is the right time for them" Aryaman prayed in his heart for Aviraj's happiness, Maitri looked at him questioningly. He shook his head telling her that he'll explain later.

"Oye hoyee love birds, akele akele kya kar rahe ho? Shaadi abhi baki hai mere do pyaar ke kabootaron. (What are you two doing alone? There's still time in marriage my birs of love)" Aryaman hit his head on Maitri's shoulder huffing in annoyance.

"Go away Saaransh bhai" Aryaman didn't bother looking up at him. Maitri tried to stand up but Aryaman's tight hold on her prevented. Saaransh looked at her teasingly and she lowered her eyes in shyness of being caught in this position.

"Atleast leave me son alone. Let him romance peacefully. Seriously who gives you permission to enter my house?" Rishav came looking at Saaransh with disgust. Maitri pushed Aryaman away harshly and stood up, adjusting her clothes. Aryaman looked at her complaining. She eyed him to look at Rishav and he made a 'so-what?' face.

"My beautiful masi allows me here. My Kaira masi allows me to enter her house. Who's even interested to come to your house? I am only related to Kaira masi who unfortunately married you. If she would have waited for a few more years, she would have gotten me. You must have done some black magic on her. My poor masi" Saaransh started bickering with Rishav as always. Maitri watched both of them throw insults at each other as if they were friends. She was beyond shocked the way Rishav fought with Saaransh.

"Iss saale ne toh meri zindagi mein bhi kabab mein haddi bana phirta hai (This idiot keeps being a problem in my life too)" Rudraansh came and stood beside Rishav, supporting him.

"Aap toh rehne hi do Fufaji. My bua deserves way better than you. Meri masi aur bua ko apne chalawe mein phasa diya hai aap dono ne (You leave it uncle. My masi and bua came into the web of lies of your words and that's how you trapped them)" Saaransh didn't back down. Maitri stared at them with open mouth and pushed away Aryaman who was trying to romance with her.

"Where's your father? We need to talk to him, itni manhoos bacha kaise paida kardiya. Thoda toh zamaane ka sochte before creating you(How could he create such a child without worrying for the world?)" Rishav said looking behind him for Ruhaansh.

"Poor Saumya. Itni gandi aulaad ki ma ban gayi tere baap ki wajah se(She became a mother to such a bad child)" Rudraansh said.

"Sahi hai Rudraansh. He changed his sides on one gulab jamun plate. Meri toh zindagi kharab hogayi (My life got ruined)" Saumya came and stood beside the men and hugged them.

"Time to use my bramhastra. Buaa!" Saaransh screamed for Ruhanika who came to the garden holding a plate of samosa.

"Ki hoya mere pyaare munde nu?(What happened to my lovely boy?)" She asked in a punjabi tone eating her samosa.

"Do you know what your husband and your friend's husband said to me? Itna bura bhala kaha, kya hi bataon mein bua. Mere toh dil ke tukde kardiye in sab ne milke.Itna bhi nahi socha mere dil pe kya guzregi inki kadwi bateein sunke.Log kehte hai maa toh bhagwan ka roop hoti hai, aur yeh dekho meri maa, zara bhi pyaar nahi karti mujhe. ( They've said so much mean things to me. They broke my heart into pieces. They didn't even think what will happen to my heart after listening to their bitter words. People say moms are like gods and then see my mom. She has 0 care for me)" Saaransh looked at Ruhanika with a puppy face, making her feel sad for him immediately.

"Haaye mera bacha" She placed her plate away and hugged him. Saumya, Rishav and Rudraansh rolled their eyes at Saaransh's over-acting.

"Hanji, what stuff are you telling my kid?" Ruhanika pushed Saaransh behind her and looked at the 3 angrily. Soon everyone argued on the most bizarre topic which was no where near to why they started arguing initially. Maitri was enjoying each rebuttal thrown at each other. Divya, Aarchi and Aviraj joined in to look at the new drama. Aarchi silently pulled away Ruhanika's plate of samosas and gave it to all of them as they watched the fight.

"Get used to this bhabhi. These big boss fights are very common at our house" Aarchi said dipping her samosa in the chutney.

"Does no one feel bad about each others words?" She asked because sometimes some things they said to each other seemed like a low blow.

"Nope. They all have gotten too used to their pasts and all that they make jokes on it. Right now you see dad and chacha fighting with Saaransh but try telling him anything infront of them, they'll eat you raw. They express their love to him in this way. Same way Saaransh cares a lot about them too. From taking care of their working out schedules to small small things, he knows every small detail of them." Aryaman explained to her the equation of love Saaransh shared with his family.

"It is fun to argue when no one takes the words to heart" She hugged him sideways and held the empty plate of samosas at him.

"A few more, please?" She looked at him with a puppy face.

"Go get it yourself" He looked at her with duh.

"Haww, am the to-be daughter-in law of the house. If I go get 5-6 samosas from the kitchen, wouldn't everyone think that hayee bakasur bahu mili hai (hayee they've got a food monster as a daughter in law)" She looked at him horrified. He flicked her head and took the plate to get her samosas. Aarchi and Aviraj kept both the Rathore sisters up-to date with the argument.