Chapter 91.

The day after from Chapter 90 (and the preceding bonus Chapter).

Shishir's POV.

Having been a lawyer practising since few years and also belonging to a family of lawyers I would have thought I have come across all types of possible trials.

Apparently not, considering the one that was about to unfold itself now was not something I had ever witnessed.

Charles entered the room followed by Danny and Rahul and I raised my eyebrow at them "Should you all be here now?"

I thought I was being suitably sarcastic by reminding them that I had specifically asked them not to be around my apartment today morning and if possible for the next couple of days. Other than Charles of course, He had reasons to be around in the apartment though not in the room.

"We have been summoned." Danny said gravely and sat on the couch next to me and Rahul took up the seat next to him.

"Summoned?" I repeated and he shrugged his shoulder. "Probably since we were also aware about Anuj's alter identity."

Suvi came into the room right then with a tray of snacks.

I looked behind her when Paresh did not make his appearance "Where is he?"

"Who?" she asked carefully placing the tray on the center table.

"You brought in a tray full of special snacks cooked by you and the biggest foodie ever created by God is on not chasing after you?" Charles quipped with a grin.

Suvi laughed "Pushy? No I have hardly seen him since last night." She frowned slightly "In fact even when I was making the Dhokhla he did not appear."

"That is not normal." I said thoughtfully. "I hope he is all right."

"I have seen him couple of times when he was entering or coming out of Anuj's room." Charles said and I looked at him.

"He must be trying to make things easier for Anuj by giving him company." Rahul commented.

"I tried to go to Anuj bhaiya's room last night but he said he was feeling tired and wanted to sleep. I thought he must be all worked up and tensed because of Nanu." Suvi said frowning harder.

Right then Paresh walked in looking rather smug with a subdued looking Anuj, who had a cap covering his now controversial hair style.

Suvi went and hugged her cousin and glared at mine. "What have you been upto since last night?"

"Been busy." The brat answered making it sound important and it raised my suspicion. His definition of important usually did not match with the others' around him.

"You were not even around food." Charles said obviously as curious as the rest of us to know what kept Paresh away from food!

"Charles my man." Pushkar drawled in a serious tone. "Life at times has issues far more important than food."

"Eh? For you?" Suvi challenged "Like what?"

"Patience woman patience."

"Hang patience!"

"Suvarna he was helping me." Anuj said softly and Suvi narrowed her eyes at Paresh.

"What exactly have you done?"

"I have just been my brilliant self." He stated and when he saw Suvi lift up a fork from the tray and advance towards him he blurted in rush. "Show it to them Anuj."

Anuj slowly removed his cap and I felt my jaw drop open. A quick look around the room revealed similar reactions all around.

"What have you done to his hair?" Suvi asked in a voice that did not sound much like hers.

"Dyed it." Paresh said shooting a triumphant look around the room "the colour was one of the main reasons everyone was reacting weird."

The style was same still but the colour- what shade was this?

"What is the shade you used?" Suvi voiced my query.

"I had to make do with the shades he had with him. He had florescent green-"

"You used florescent green to cover purple?" Danny asked looking at the new hair shade queerly.

"Of course not! I have more sense than that. "Paresh retorted. "I used dark green."

"And he talks about having sense?" Suvi turned an accusing gaze in my direction as though I was in some way responsible for the way Paresh's mind works.

"I messed up big time didn't I?" Anuj said softly with pain in his voice and my heart went out to him.

We had been all so occupied in our banter we had overlooked the poor man squirming uncomfortably.

Suvi went up to him and knelt in front of him and gently removed his hands that he had covered his face with.

I gulped uneasily when I saw his eyes glazed, obviously he was trying to hold back his tears. The poor guy looked devastated and I could understand his situation.

"No bhaiya you did not." Suvi said gently but with firmness in her voice. "Bhaiya, look at me- look at me please?"

I saw him slowly raise his head and meet Suvi's gaze as she sat in front of him. "Bhaiya you have always made everyone so proud of you. You have always put others before you and strived to make their dream come true even if it meant you getting into trouble or letting go of your own dreams." She continued softly.

Reflecting back on our growing up years I realised what she was saying was true. Anuj had been the perfect son. He excelled in studies, sports - limited ones that he was allowed to indulge in by his mother. He would be the first one to stand by a friend if anyone needed his help even if that got him into trouble. When the time came for his career options to be decided he never voiced what his aspirations were - after he had been told that 'parent's know what is best for you.' by his mother.

I had been quite young at that time myself being about two years younger than him but it had been evident to me he had looked sad while agreeing the subjects he needed to pursue after 10th grade. And he had given it his best shot and excelled in what was essentially his parents' dream.

"I did not mean to hurt anyone Suvarna." Anuj said.

"Bhaiya you can never want to hurt anyone. Besides do you know how well you have done even in the path you chose recklessly? Do you know how many crazy diehard fans Andy has?"

Immediately Charles, Rahul and Danny raised their hands. Slowly Paresh and I smilingly raised our hands emphasising on what Suvi was saying.

Anuj chuckled softly seeing our raised hands and looked at me "Don't lie Shishir, just to make your fiancée's cousin happy. Have you even heard me play?" he teased.

I grinned back at him "I trust their judgement." I said then pointed at Danny and Charles "At least theirs I do.

Right then I saw my father enter the room followed by my mother. My smile faltered slightly and I avoided looking in their direction.

Our Grandfathers entered right after them so there was no need for me to interact with my parents.

I saw my smiling grandfather urge in a rather grumpy looking Suvi's grandfather into the room. "Sit down- silly Willy." He said pushing his friend into a seat.

"One more smart Alec dialogue of yours I will forget your age and fling you down the room." Suvi's grandfather snapped at mine.

"My age? What are you? Tarzan the ape-man at his prime?" Dadaji retorted sounding indignant.

I had to hold my chuckle and was sure most of the others in the room must also be feeling the same.

"Um- Papa" my father said coughing uncomfortably brining the attention back to the main issue in hand.

Anuj stole a look with Suvi who nodded slightly encouraging him. He got up and walked upto his grandfather. He went down on his knees and held his grandfather's hands.

"I am sorry Dadu." He said sincerely.

"For what?" came the unexpected question.

Anuj raised his grandfather's hands to his lips and kissed them gently. "For not telling you about this."

"I have grown old, why will you confide in me?" Suvi's grandfather said grumpily "Now this old man is not worth being your friend."

Is that what he was angry about? Not about what Anuj had done but the fact that he was not aware of it?

I glanced at Suvi and she gave me a small smile shrugging her shoulder.

The doorbell rang and Charles went to answer it. He would tell whoever it was to come back later.

"Does he know?" Suvi's Grandfather asked.

"Who?" Anuj asked then suddenly smiled as though understanding "Vikram? No."

I remembered Anuj and my elder cousin had always been good friends.

"I am sorry I had to let the person at the door in." Charles said hesitantly and I did not know how to react when I saw who it was.

"Shishir! I have to tell you something very important. I have decided to become Ve- Ve-gan" She said slightly stammering on the word.

"Pinky? Come in sweetheart." I said opening my arms. "You want to become a Vegan?" I wonder where she learnt the word.

"Yes then I will not have to drink milk-" she started to explain and then stopped abruptly when she saw Anuj.

"Ohmygod.Ohmygod." she squealed and rushed forward. Surprisingly she clutched at his T shirt and tugged at it while trying to peep inside it.

"Pinky what are you doing?" I asked stunned at her action.

"Whersh iit? Whersh it?" her voice sounded muffled as she tried to put her face inside Anuj's T shirt.

"What baby doll?" Anuj asked looking zapped.

"The squirrel! It's tail is stuck on your head, where is the rest of it?" she demanded, her hands on her hips.

There was a stunned silence in the room before it erupted in laughter, the loudest being Suvi's grandfather's. The little imp had unknowingly washed away whatever little tension had remained in the room.

And she had described Anuj's hair perfectly! That is how it really looked now.

"So you are a Vegan now?" My grandfather asked her as he pulled her into his lap and she nodded.

"Then you cannot have this cup cake?" Suvi asked lifting up a delicious looking chocolate cup cake from the tray.

Pinky gave it a long look before spreading her hand out "Gimme." She urged.

"That is cream, you know milk-" Paresh started to say.

"It is allowed." Pinky said giving him a straight look making us all laugh louder.

I smiled at the little angel who had so effortlessly changed the whole atmosphere around the room.

Suvarna's POV.

"I have something important I want to do." Paresh said as he lay sprawled on Shishir's bed. He suddenly sat up.

"Like what? Paint someone's face this time?" I said turning to look at him from the other side of the bed.

"You are all just jealous of my persona."

"What are you upto anyways?" I asked and to my amusement I saw him go slightly red in the face.

"Are you blushing? " I asked squinting to look at him "You want to tell Prema about your feelings?" I yelled realising what he had in mind and Paresh's face almost resembled a tomato as it became redder.

"Okay so have you thought about how you will do it?" Shishir asked sounding excited as I sat now facing Paresh.

"That is easy." Paresh said like he had things in control.

"What will you say?"I persisted.

Paresh cleared his throat rather loudly "Prema you are lucky that someone so perfect as me has decided to be with you."

"What?" Shishir half laughed at his words.

"Shhh- bhaiya don't interrupt. I will forget some points." The brat frowned at Shishir "There are so many woman falling at my feet after just a glance at my gorgeous face-" he continued.

"Oh God! Pushy you are impossible!" I said hitting his head with the cushion I had in my hand. The silly coot was planning on letting Prema know about his feelings and he was rattling away all crap!

The two were already attached to each other but neither had actually confessed the true feelings in words.

But if he continued with what he was blabbering he will end up losing some teeth and maybe some broken bones!

"Be expressive. Let her know she is most important in your life." I said giving him an impatient look.

"Okay. Got it." He said and stood up dramatically "Prema you mean the world to me. I cannot function without you-" he paused and looked at me raising an eyebrow.

"Cheesy." I giggled. "But go on."

"You are to me like- like bread is to sandwich."

I slapped my head with my hand as Shishir roared in laughter. "He cannot forget about food even for love."

"Stop thinking about food." I said and he looked horrified. "No, no food." I insisted.

"You are to me like- like- like-" he gave me a lost look before suddenly brightening up "Like teeth is to mouth."

"Yuck! What?" I said squirming my face.

"Teeth Suvi is not just for eating-" he started explaining but was interrupted by his phone ringing. I saw it was a video call from Prema .

What a timing.

Suddenly the phone got plucked from Paresh's hand by Shishir and he gave us a naughty grin.

"Hello teeth." He said answering the call.

"What? " I heard a confused Prema's voice not able to see her face.

"Oh sorry, hello bread !" Shishir laughed running around the bed out of Paresh's reach who looked he was about to have a heart attack.

"Bhaiya!"

&&&
Updated on 9th August 2017.

I hope the chapter has been a good read. So Anuj has a Squirrel's tail on his head now- LOL! Paresh's master piece haha!

Do let me know what you think about the conversation in the beginning.

Pinky has a novel idea to avoid milk!

Paresh's proposal plan seems to be in trouble now- haha!

Please do vote and comment.

Love, from me to you.:)

Pre cap chapter 92.

Suvarna's POV.

"Shishir what are you planning?" I asked

"Nothing. I am attending a marriage and I want my beautiful fiancée to come with me."

"Mariage?" I asked in surprise.

"Don't worry not ours." He gave me a naughty smile and I gaped at him. "I am not planning to rush you into marriage- but how do you like the sound of Mrs. Shishir Mehrotra?"

"I am not coming anywhere with you." I said pushing at him trying to hide my flushed face.

He turned me around in his arms so that my back was pressed to his chest "No marriage till you re open your father's hotel." he said softly making it clear he knows what I want and I smiled.

"But still how does Mrs. Shishir Mehrotra sound - for the not so near future?" he asked bringing his mouth close to my ear.

Look out for the next one guys!

Buh bye till next time.:)