𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐭�...

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Jab se milen hain hum, sab kuch naya sa lagta hai,
Dil ke andar yeh jo safar hai, ab bas tera saath chahta hai.

A Month Later..

It had been a month since we returned from Russia.

Life was back to its usual chaos.

Ishaan and I were so caught up in work and responsibilities that meeting each other felt like a luxury.

But somehow, Ishaan always found a way.

Sometimes, he'd show up at the hospital after my shift. "Let's go" he'd say with that signature smirk.

And before I could argue, I'd find myself sitting in his car, driving to a quiet spot to watch the sunset or just chill in peace.

Other times, he'd call on a random weekend. "Lavika, pack an overnight bag. Tumhe uthane aa raha hoon." I'd always protest, but I'd end up at his place, spending a lazy day in cozy comfort.
(Lavika, pack overnight bag. Coming to pick you up.)

Those moments became my little escapes.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

One evening, I was busy packing my bags when Ishaan showed up at my door.

"Kya ho raha hai yahaan?" he asked, stepping into my messy room with a curious look.
(What is happening here?)

I looked up, mid-folding a dress. "Packing. Bhool gaye kya? Maine bataya tha bhai ki shaadi hai."
(Packing. Have you forgotten? I told you it is  my brother's wedding)

"Bhai ki shaadi?" he asked, pretending to be clueless.
(Brother's wedding?)

I rolled my eyes. "Haan, pehli baar bhabhi se milna hai. Sunna hai woh bohot cute aur friendly hai. Mere bandar jaise bhai ko Pookie bana diya!"
(Yes, I have to meet my sister-in-law for the first time. I heard she's very cute and friendly. Turned my monkey-like brother into a pookie)

Ishaan laughed. "Pookie? Seriously?"

"Haan, aur tum kyun aaye ho yahan?" I asked, squinting at him.
(Yes, and why have you come here?)

"Wahi batane. Kal subah meri flight hai. Di ki shaadi ke liye India ja raha hoon," he said casually. "Agar kabhi chance mila toh India mein milenge. Nahi toh apna England hai hi."
(Was about to tell,I have a flight tomorrow morning. I am going to India for Di's wedding , If we ever get a chance, we will meet in India. Otherwise it is our England.)

I froze for a second, processing his words. "Tum itni jaldi ja rahe ho?"
(Going to early?)

"Shaadi ka kaam hai" he said with a small shrug. "Aur tum bhi busy rahogi wahan."

I sighed dramatically. "Fine, ab ruko, main kuch banati hoon khane ke liye."

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

I decided to make biryani—his favorite. He sat at the dining table, watching me bring the steaming dish.

"Tumhare haathon ki biryani kaafi miss karunga" he said, taking a bite.

I smirked. "Bas, zyada makhan mat lagao. Main roz banane waali nahi hoon tumhare liye."

"Arrey, meri chef ho tum. Tumhare bina main kaise rahunga?" he teased, his tone playful.

"Hmph, tumhari lines kabhi purani nahi hoti na?"

"Nahi, aur tumhe pasand bhi toh hai" he said with a wink.

I shook my head, smiling. "Bas kha lo aur zyada drama mat karo."

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

After dinner, as we were cleaning up, I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Uhmm... kya aaj yahan ruk sakte ho? Ab pata nahi kab milenge dobara."

He paused, looking at me with a soft smile. "Of course. Tumhare saath aur time spend karne ka mauka kaun chhodta hai?"

We settled on the couch, talking about everything and nothing.

Somewhere during the conversation, I leaned my head on his shoulder, and soon, I drifted off to sleep.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

Next Morning..

I woke up to the sound of him moving around. He was already dressed, ready to leave.

"Tum ja rahe ho?" I asked groggily.

"Haan, ghar jaake packing karni hai" he said, glancing at me.

I walked him to the door. "Safe flight, Ishaan" I said softly.

He turned, smiling. "Tumhara bhi. India mein milte hain... ya phir England mein."

Without thinking, I hugged him tightly. "Take care" I whispered.

"Tum bhi" he replied before walking out.

Later That Day..

I finished packing my own bags and took a short nap.

I had informed the hospital that I needed time off for my brother's wedding, and thankfully, they understood.

A couple of hours later, I called Ishaan.

"Lav?" he answered almost instantly.

"Kaha ho tum?" I asked.

"Airport pe. Flight board karne wala hoon" he replied. "Tumhe toh kal jaana hai, na?"

"Haan, shaam mein" I said quietly.

"Chalo, phir milte hain India mein. Aur jab tak milna ho, mujhe itna miss mat karna. Hum kal hi toh saath the" he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "Haan, haan. Tum bhi khudka dhyan rakhna."

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

By evening, I was at the airport with my luggage.

The flight from England to Mumbai was long—around 9 hours—but I couldn't sleep much.

My mind kept wandering back to Ishaan and the fleeting moments we had shared.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

As I stepped out of the arrival gates at the airport, the humid Mumbai air hit me, bringing with it a sense of familiarity and excitement.

I scanned the crowd, looking for my brother.

And there he was—standing tall with a girl beside him, holding a large chart that read:

"COMEBACK sabka hota hai, jaise meri doctor behna ka hua hai!"

I couldn't help it—I burst out laughing right there.

My inner voice chimed in, "Lmao, mere bandar jaise bhai ki creativity toh dekho... aur woh ladki... haye, kitni pyaari hai! Bhabi lag rahi hai, 100%."

I walked over, trying to stifle my laughter.

My brother, Aditya, grinned wide, spreading his arms for a hug. "Meri behna! Dekho kaun wapas aa gayi!"

I hugged him tightly. "Bhai, seriously? Yeh chart ka idea kiska tha?"

"Obviously, mera! Original genius hoon" he said proudly.

"Genius?" I teased. "Chart se zyada toh aapka bandar-wala expression funny lag raha hai."

The girl standing beside him giggled softly.

I turned to her, and before I could say anything, she smiled warmly and said, "Hi Lavika, main Adya. Aapki future bhabhi. I hope humari vibes match karengi."

I blinked for a second, taking in her sweet demeanor. "Haye, kitni gentle aur pyaari hai" my inner voice sighed again.

Recovering from my momentary pause, I returned her smile. "Bhabi ji , I already like you. Jo mere bandar jaise bhai ko sambhal sake, woh mere liye best hai!"

She laughed. "Mujhe lagta hai aapke bhai ko sambhalne ke liye ek hi lifetime kaafi nahi hoga, but I'm trying!"

Aditya groaned. "Dono milke meri taang kheenchoge kya?"

"Bhai, this is just the beginning" I said, smirking.

Adya chuckled. "Woh toh hai. Waise, maine aapke baare mein kaafi suna hai, Lavika. You're like a superhero in your hospital, aur ghar pe sabki jaan."

I shrugged playfully. "Ab aap bhi ghar mein aayengi toh jaan aur badh jayegi."

Adya blushed slightly, while Aditya looked between us, clearly thrilled that we were getting along.

"Chalo, chalo, sentiment se zyada nahi" Aditya interrupted. "Tum dono chalo, gadi mein baithte hain. Ghar pe maa aur papa tumhara intezaar kar rahe hain, lavu. Aur Adya bhi officially apna pehla dinner karegi sabke saath."

With that, we headed out, chatting and laughing like a family already perfectly in sync.

My heart felt warm, knowing this new chapter of life was going to be something special.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

As soon as we got home, everyone greeted me warmly.

The vibe of being back with family was unmatched. I met everyone, but my favorite was Adya bhabhi.

The moment someone mentioned Adi bhai's name, her face would turn as red as a tomato.

I couldn't resist teasing her. "Bhabhi, aap itna blush kyun kar rahi ho? Shaadi hone wali hai, ab toh sharmaana band karo."

She laughed, covering her face with her hands. "Kya karun, Lavika? Tumhare bhai ka naam lete hi blush automatically ho jata hai."

"Mujhe toh pura detailed introduction chahiye, bhabhi. Batao, apne family ke baare mein thoda aur."

She smiled and leaned forward slightly, her tone soft. "Meri family mein sirf main aur mera ek younger bhai hain. Vo England mein rehta hai, abhi shaadi ke preparations ke liye kal afternoon mein hi wapas aaya hai."

"Oh, England?" I asked, intrigued. "Coincidence hai. England toh ab mera second ghar ban gaya hai."

She nodded with a playful smirk. "Lagta hai humari vibe match ho sakti hai. Aur waise, mera bhai bhi wahan ka CEO hai. Shayad dating bhi kar raha ho..."

I raised an eyebrow, grinning. "CEO aur dating? Interesting combination. Ab toh milne ka intezaar aur bhi zyada hai."

At the same time. Adi bhai entered the room with his usual loud energy. "Addu! Jakar saale sahib ko bhi bula le. Bohot ghante ho gaya unse mile huye."

Adya smiled but shook her head. "Kal morning mein aayega, Adi. Abhi vo rest kar raha hai aur phone bhi off hai."

I stood up, brushing my hands together. "Thik hai, mai maa aur papa ke saath kitchen mein help kar leti hoon. Aap log apni blushing aur private session enjoy karo."

Adi bhai rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Lavika, ab tum zyada samajhdar ban gayi ho."

I shot back, grinning. "Bhai, meri samajhdari agar aapko samajhne ke kaam aayi, toh kya bura hai?"

Before he could reply, I walked out toward the kitchen, leaving them alone to their adorable newly-engaged moments.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

As soon as I stepped out, I dialed Ishaan's number, but it went straight to voicemail. "Meri subah se baat nahi hui... sab theek toh hoga na?" I muttered to myself, trying not to overthink.

Before I could dwell on it, Maa called from the kitchen. "Lavika, zara idhar aa, table set karne mein help kar."

I quickly put my phone aside and went to help her. As we arranged the plates and bowls, Maa said, "Beta, sabko bula le khane ke liye."

"Okay, Maa" I replied and walked out to call everyone.

"Adi bhai, bhabhi, Papa! Dinner is ready. Jaldi aayiye!" I shouted from the hallway.

We all sat down for dinner, and the atmosphere was warm and wholesome.

Between bites, Bhai kept teasing Adya bhabhi about how much food she was eating.

"Addu, OMG aap khana bhi khate ho" Bhai joked.

Bhabhi blushed and swatted his arm. "Adi, chhodo na! Aapne khud mujhse zyada khaya hai."

Maa smiled. "Tum dono bas humare saath khush raho, khana jitna chahe khao."

After dinner, we all went for a short walk outside. While strolling, Adya turned to Bhai. "Adi, mujhe ghar chhod doge? Betu bhi ghar par hai, pata nahi usne kuch khaya hoga ya nahi."

Maa immediately jumped in, "Ruko, Adya. Main uske liye khana pack kar deti hoon"

"Thanks, Maa" Adya said, smiling.

I grabbed Bhai's arm and whined, "Bhai, mujhe bhi saath le chalo na! Raste mein mujhe ice cream khaani hai."

Adi raised an eyebrow. "Addu se puch lo. Agar unko koi problem nahi hai toh le chalte hain."

Adya laughed. "Mujhe kya dikkat hogi? Mujhe itni achhi nanad mili hai, koi kaise mana kar sakta hai?"

I grinned and jumped into the backseat of the car. "Obviously, backseat meri hai! Front seat toh meri cutest bhabhi ke liye reserved hai."

Adi shook his head. "Tum dono ladkiyan mil kar mujhe hi sideline kar dogi."

We first stopped to grab ice cream for everyone. As I sat in the car, I couldn't resist checking my phone again.

No call or message from Ishaan. "He must be sleeping... ya shayad kaam kar raha hoga" I thought, trying to convince myself.

Bhai finally parked the car outside a beautiful apartment building.

The area was posh, with tall buildings, manicured gardens, and bright streetlights illuminating the night.

Bhabhi smiled and stepped out of the car. "Kal milte hain, Lavika. Shaadi ki tayari bhi toh karni hai."

I hugged her tightly. "Bye, bhabhi! Love youuu!"

She laughed. "Love you too, nanad ji!"

Adi waved at her. "Chalo, ghar mein jaake thoda rest karna. Kal ka din busy rahega."

With a warm goodbye, we drove back home, and I couldn't help but feel excited for the coming days.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

I reached home and sat with my family, hoping Ishaan would call back, but... nothing.

Maa and Papa were talking about the wedding. "Humare paas ek week hai shopping ke liye, phir sare functions shuru ho jayenge. Parso shopping jaayenge, Adya ko bhi saath le jaana hai, aur Shaan bhi aayega" Maa said, giving me a look. "Ab jakar sojao, beta. Tum bhi thak gayi hogi."

I went to my room and Bhai followed me. "Kya hua, Lavu? off-off kyu ho rakhi hain? Everything okay? Work ka pressure?"

"Nahi Bhai, bas aise hi. Kuch nahi hai" I said, trying to act fine.

He looked at me for a moment, "Agar kuch bhi ho, toh batana. Tumhare liye hoon, sab kuch manage kar lenge."

I quickly changed the topic. "Thankyou bhaiyuu but ek cheez toh hain, pata nahi kaise aapko itni achi biwi mil gayi. Kaha tum, kaha woh! Wah!"

He pretended to hit me, laughing. "Chal, chal, main jaa raha hoon. Tum bhi aram kar."

Meanwhile...

Suddenly, my phone rang.

It was Ishaan. "I'm sorry, Lavii! Dil se maafi mangta hoon. Aaj ka din thoda hectic tha, socha tha kuch der mein uth jaunga, par pata nahi kaise so gaya."

I pretended to be upset. "It's okay, just wanted to let you know I reached here and met Bhabi for the first time. She's super friendly, and we really clicked. Great vibes!"

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ

I landed in India around 2 pm and went straight to Adya's house to catch up.

After freshening up, I met a few friends. I thought Lavika would be arriving later, so I wasn't too worried.

Around 5 pm, Adi called. "Ishaan, please Adya ko drop kar do."

I said, "Sure, I'll go. After dropping her, I'll head home and rest."

Once I came home, I crashed, and before I knew it, it was 11 pm. The door opened, and I saw Adya's shadow.

"Adya?"

She smiled. "Adii yaad kar rahe hai tuhje aur Maa ne khana bhi bheja hai."

I heated the food, and we talked about random stuff. "Tomorrow, I'll finally meet Lavika."

Adya teased, "I told her, tu date kar raha hai"

I laughed, "Abhi nahi kar raha, but soon, I will. Mata Shri kehti thi, ache kaam mein dheeri nahi karte."

Adya smiled, but then suddenly hugged me. "Agar Mata Shri aur Appa hote, toh kitna acha hota..."

I calmed her down. "Didu, don't worry. They'd be proud of you. You're doing amazing."

We both went to our rooms after a while. I turned on my phone and saw-

5 MISSED CALLS and 7 MESSAGES

from Lavika.

She had been trying to reach me, asking where I was.

I immediately called her back and apologized. "Lavii, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to worry you."

We talked about the wedding plans, and then she yawned. "Lavika, it's already 2 am. Go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

She agreed, and I smiled before finally putting my phone down.

───────── ౨ৎ ─────────

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