the scene showed a large white mansion surrounded by many varieties of different coloured jewels giving the mansion a homely touch from the outside. the mansion was welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. upon the walls were the photographs of children, so obviously so loved. a warm, luxurious living room interior with beige walls and marble floors, white coffee table with a vase of fresh roses and a large, gray corner sofa with snowy white pillows, the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. under the lamp-shine it was nature’s art, something that soothed right to the soul.
a tall slim woman entered the scene…somewhere in her mid forties. her hair was thick, not too long, not too short. not too straight nor too curly. it had no sign of grays despite her age. eyes dark brown. she was wearing a simple yet gorgeous pink and white sari and to complete the look she was wearing a golden chain and her nuptial necklace along with sindoor and golden earrings with some pink in them. she was ordering servants about.
she went into the dining room and her eyes widened in shock seeing what was in the transparent blue bowl.
woman: arre rai singh! who put raita here?
rai singh: me mam…
woman: put it away please. my princess doesn’t like raita and today we are only having her favourite dishes.
rai singh: ji mam. i’ll put it away.
woman: thank you.
rai singh picked the bowl up and put it away. as the servants were working and she was observing their work. a man, taller than her, came and sidehugged him. he was wearing a grey suit. he was also in his mid forties maybe, he gained some weight due to age. he had a beard and perfect hair….no grays like the woman. his eyes were a rare black colour. a silver rolex watch was on his wrist and he was wearing a smile.
man: arre jhanvi, stop stressing about.
jhanvi: how can i not worry tej?! my princess is coming home after two years and everything has to be perfect. by the way she is allergic to dahi!
she says this and picks her phone up checking some stuff. and yes that woman was jhanvi and the man was her husband tej.
tej: first of all, she is not allergic to dahi, that’s an excuse not to eat things she doesn’t like. remember when she said she was allergic to milk and the next day she was having ice cream?
jhanvi giggled smiling: haan i remember.
tej: and second of all, she is my princess first.
jhanvi: oh please! we all know that you were happy with four sons! also she is my princess, your bulbul.
tej: true but shivay is like my son hence i thought four kids was enough. anyway let’s see how everyone else is doing with the preparations. let’s go to bulbul’s room.
jhanvi: ok.
they left the dining room and went up the marble stairs which had pink and white balloons attached to the railings. as they walked through the corriders, jhanvi asked: by thw way what did you get princess?
tej: well i can tell one person. i got her an iPhone XS Max.
jhanvi stopped making tej stopped. she glared at him and said: such an expensive gift?!
tej: hey just to remind you, we are the Oberois after all. what did you get her?
jhanvi: an apple watch series 4, rose gold because meri princess loves rose gold!
tej: and who was saying my gift was expensive?
jhanvi: oh shut up! yours is more expensive.
tej: we agree to disagree!
jhanvi: true.
they laugh and then eventually found gauri’s room and entered it:
they saw four men around the age of their late, mids and early twenties blowing pink and white balloons up, once they were done with them, they threw them to corners and started blowing more balloons. in the centre of the bed laid some teddies and gorgeous Barbie dolls in perfect conditions.
once the men were done, they turned to their parents.
all men had eyes as brown as rich chocolate, all had perfect black eyes and all was wearing suits but one was wearing ripped blue jeans and a white shirt…..that was rudy and one man had blue like the sea, crystal clear blue- shimmering and crashing and churning. that blue-eyed man was shivay and the other two men was mahir and adi
mahir
adi
rudy
shivay
mahir: how is everything mum dad?
jhanvi: perfect.
rudy: obvisously it is. after all i did all this.
mahir, adi and shivay turned to rudy with a ‘are you serious?’ look and then in unison said: shut up rudra!
rudy pouts sadly and says: but it’s true.
tej and jhanvi laughs and then tej says: who went to pick up bulbul if you all are here?
shivay: voh bade papa, we sent khanna to pick her up.
tej: great and shivay, don’t call me ‘bade papa’, call me ‘dad’.
shivay: i know you have raised me like your own son ever since my parents passed away, i still have the habit of calling you ‘bade papa’ but i am trying.
tej smiles: great.
jhanvi: accha can someone tell me where anika, zoya, bela and kids are?
adi: mum, they are showing the kids photos.
jhanvi: ok great.
just then, they heard the doors opening with khanna saying at the top of his voice: she is here!
tej: oh my gosh, finally!
adi: what are we waiting for? let’s go down.
all nodded and rushed downstairs to see three women with perfect silky hair and beautiful dark brown eyes, wearing sarees, and five children going down the stairs.
they all stood in disappointment to see servants taking the suitcases inside but no sign of her.
woman 1: where is she?
jhanvi: exactly what i am thinking anika!
woman 2: khanna, where is she?
khanna: she is quickly taking a call…letting a friend know she’s reached bela mam.
woman 3: she is taking forever.
adi: patient zoya.
zoya (and the sari she is in)
bela (and the sari she is wearing)
anika (and the sari she is wearing)
tej: finally she is here.
a ray of light was shown as a short yet slim girl entered. the scene flashed at her eyes….her eyes were the softest brown infused with green, as if she held the new spring growth inside. they were the forest floor and the gentle flowers, somewhere to rest and breathe. they were perfectly outlined with kajal. the scene then flashed at her long hair….cascading down her waist like a midnight waves…the shade was so dark with bright shines creating a great contrast. they were soft and silky. you could tell apart each strand. she was wearing simple blue jeans and a white strap top with a golden chain which held a diamond leaf. her left feet adorned with a golden anklet and her left hand had a golden bracelet. finally her lips were so pink…like candyfloss and her ears carried simple gold studs. her face was finally revealed.
before she could say a word, she was immediately hugged by everyone.
tej: finally after so long, you came home.
jhanvi: haan finally. what was the need to study abroad?!
girl: voh mama, Sinagpore was a great place to study hence i studied abroad.
mahir: there was no need to go, we really missed you.
girl: but i skyped you all.
shivay slaps her cheek lightly and says: can we slap you on Skype?
all laugh.
anika: accha guys, give her some space to breathe.
rudy: good idea bhabhi.
they broke the hug and allowed girl to walk in and sit on the sofa.
anika: so gauri, how was Singapore?
yes that girl was gauri.
zoya: tell us everything.
gauri: ok…it was amazing. beautiful view, beautiful places….it was just perfect!
bela: and you couldn’t take us?
gauri: sorry…(makes a cute voice) i was on a study visa only.
anika: it’s fine.
jhanvi: accha gauri, here eat some dal. you love it na?
she sat next to gauri with dal and roti but before she could feed gauri, gauri stood up quickly and went to the bathroom vomiting.
tej from outside the bathroom: gauri, is everything fine?
gauri: haan…just overate on the plane.
rudy: you will be moti at this rate!
gauri: shut up.
she wiped her mouth with a towel and thought to herself: good excuse gauri….now think of 131232132 more but what comes may they can’t know yet!
she cleaned the basin, washed her hands and took mouthwash, then she went outside smiling acting as if nothing happened.
precap: he comes home