DEDICATING THIS PART TO @anish_17

Happy birthday Anish akka. God bless u!

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UNEDITED!

PART - 16

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"Smiling has always been easier than explaining why you're sad."

- - - - -

It was a Sunday and the family was lounging leisurely in the backyard.

Rishab and Arjun were relaxing in the swimming pool.

Inayat and Naira were sitting on the bamboo swing, Inayat with a book in her hand, reading and Naira, listening to music on her earphones.

Veer was helping his mother Madhu in gardening.

"Maa, are you upset?" Veer asked as he dug the soil with his gloved hands.

"Hmm" Madhu nodded her head.

"Because of me? Maa, I am sorry, I didn't mean to hit Arjun. He provoked me..."

"No, Veer. I am actually mad at your dad" Madhu said glaring at her husband. "What?" Rishab mouthed at her not getting why she was behaving strange with him. She turned her face away from him.

"Your mom is crazy, I tell you!" he muttered to Arjun.

Arjun ignored his dad and proceeded with his sink and float water exercise to relieve his stress. He hadn't talked with Kathryn since yesterday, the moment they broke up. He thought of calling her or meeting her in person and demand an explanation for changing her WhatsApp profile pic but he went against it knowing he would say something regretful to her and they won't have a chance, ever, in mending their relationship so he decided to cool himself down before facing her.

"Why? Did dad tell anything to upset you?" Veer asked.

"No but I am angry on him because he only taught you guys kickboxing and told you to fight to vent out your anger and frustration"

"Ah, maa! Don't put the blame on dad, please."

"Veer, I know you and your dad are born to fight but Arjun..."

"Yeah, he is born to flirt" Veer commented humorously.

"I heard that..." Arjun splashed water on his brother. "And I take that as a compliment" he roared with laughter.

"Arjun is not used to fighting. See, today he got hurt and he said he won't go to college for two days" Madhu worried.

"That boy needs a reason to truant from college, maa"

Madhu giggled, agreeing with her son.

--0--

"My baby seems so upset" Rishab worried looking at his daughter.

"Yes, dad, I am so upset" Arjun swam closer to his dad and said in a hurtful tone.

"I am not talking about you idiot. I am talking about your sister"

Arjun scoffed and swam backwards, away from his dad.

"How long will she be angry on me, Arjun?"

"Why are you asking me that? Go, ask your darling daughter!" Arjun yelled.

"Arjun, why are you mad?"

"You know why, dad!"

"You told me you will talk with your girl, today, but I presume you still haven't."

"Yeah"

"Why?"

"I am mad at her"

"Oh"

"How can she set that pic?"

"What pic?"

"She changed her WhatsApp profile pic from ours to that idiot's"

"Who is this idiot now?" Rishab asked curiously.

"Alex. Alexander. They both are friends from their diaper days."

"Ahaan"

"Kathy told me they were like conjoint twins before she moved here from America leaving him behind there"

"Oh! Well, if you're sure they are just friends then you shouldn't worry about them"

"I am worrying because I know for sure that fucktard has feelings for my girl"

"You have met him?"

"Yeah, once. I didn't like him at all. I literally wanted to pounce on him and throw some hard punches"

"Good thing you didn't do that." Rishab chuckled. His son Arjun was weak in fighting department. "Look at your face. It's turning purplish. Looks like your brother was reserving this punch for long and finally delivered it to you."

"Dad!" Arjun shouted and groaned feeling his jaw ache. "I hate that boy!"

"Your brother?"

"Nope! That Alex guy"

"Are you jealous?"

"Yes, I am but it's not just that"

"Then?"

"He... He only introduced my Kathy to the world of drugs."

"What!"

"It's a long story, dad"

"Oh! Then tell me in two lines, crisp and clear"

"Not possible, dad"

"Then don't tell me now. Your mom is gawking us like an hawk" Rishab cautioned.

"Ohp! Then meet me in the garden, tonight. I will tell you everything, dad."

"We are not secret lovers to secretly meet in the garden"

"Ugh!"

"I want to meet your girlfriend, Arjun. Make arrangements for that"

"Why?"

"Just do as I say. I want to talk with her, personally" Rishab said sternly.

"About what?"

Rishab glared for questioning him.

"You're not going to meddle in our business and separate us, right?"

"For sure, I am going to meddle in your affairs but I don't have any intention to separate you both"

"Alright"

--0--

"What book you're reading, Inayat?" Naira unplugged the ear piece and asked conversationally as she started getting bored.

"You are the best wife - by Ajay Pandey" Inayat replied looking up from her book. "I am just done with this book." she said, closing the book and placing it on her lap.

"So how is the book?"

"It's a true love story of the author and it's really heart-melting. But the sad thing is the author's wife will fall fatally sick and die in the end"

"Oh no! That's so depressing to even think" Naira said.

"Yeah, I know" Inayat said with a sad sigh.

"My dad and my twin bro might write a book with the same title "You are the best wife" for their wives, after all they got the best of best one's." Naira said teasingly and bumped her shoulder against Inayat's.

"You will also make one best wife, one day, to your husband" Inayat said with a small smile.

"I don't know, Inayat. I am a selfish person... so I don't think I will make my man happy and even be a better wife for him."

"Why do you say like that?"

"I... I always hurt people I love and care and eventually, end up hurting myself"

"Naira, don't feel like that..."

"I feel so guilty for hurting Roshan and I feel so stupid for thinking Sabeer loves me."

"Naira, you had a misconception and of course, you did a mistake but you know, even now you can mend it"

"I don't know how to mend the things I messed" Naira said and looking down at the floor, she gently pushed the swing with her feet.

"I failed to see the love of the man who actually loved me but imagined the love of the man who never had any sort of feelings for me. How stupid am I?!" Naira put her head in her hands, frustrated.

"Hey" Inayat gently wrapped her around her shoulder in a comforting way. "Don't get upset, please. Your family will worry" Inayat whispered near her ear.

"I am so confused, Inayat. Tell me a way out for my problem?" Naira asked helplessly.

"Naira, please don't stress over your problem. If Allah brings you to it, he will bring you through it. Just believe in Allah's mercy... I mean believe in the mercy of the God you believe" Inayat corrected. She didn't want Naira to think she was preaching Islam.

"I am not a spiritual person. In fact, I am an agnostic person" Naira told blinking her eyes and biting her lip.

"Well, then just listen to your heart. It will show you the right path"

"Hmm... I think I can do that..." Naira nodded her head. "... I will listen to my heart... but there too I face a problem. My muddled up mind will mess with my heart and confuse me. What should I do then?"

Inayat couldn't help but smile at Naira's innocent question. "I think you are not sure about your love... I mean, not sure about who you love actually. If you do then I am sure your heart and mind will mutually agree. You won't be having any conflicting thoughts"

"Er... Inayat, whatever you said, partly makes sense to me and partly makes no sense at all"

"Hold some patience..."

"I am not a patient girl, Inayat"

Inayat sighed tiredly. She didn't know how to deal with her.

"Okay, don't give up. Just tell me for how long I should hold on to patience?"

"Till you realise with whom you want to spend all your life, Naira"

"Alright"

--0--

"Maa, I am leaving in three days. Please take care of Inayat"

"You know you don't have to tell me that, Veer. We are all here for her and we will take care of her. She will be fine with us so you don't worry at all"

"I know" he smiled.

"When will you be coming home again?"

"Six months from now"

"Oh good. I hope, at least, by then all the problems in this house get resolved"

"Yeah, I hope so too." He fervently wished to see his sister's wedding when he comes home for the next holiday. "I really feel guilty for marrying before getting my sister married..."

"You have nothing to feel guilty about, Veer. You didn't stop your sister's marriage and get married to your love. Even if you hadn't brought Inayat along with the intention to marry her, Naira's marriage wouldn't have happened." Madhu said appeasingly. "In fact, your dad and I feel guilty that we couln't give you a proper wedding..."

"Maa, I am happy I married the only girl I ever loved and will love, so don't feel guilty. In fact, I should thank you and dad for accepting Inayat. She loves you both already" Veer said looking at Inayat with a smile. Feeling someone's gaze on her, Inayat looked up and noticing his smile, she smiled.

"Inayat is really a sweet girl" Madhu said with a genuine smile. Veer solemnly ageed.

--0--

"Kids, I have baked cupcakes. C'mon, try some and tell me how it is" Radha called as she stepped out of the house to the patio.

"Dadi, bring your cupcakes here." Arjun said, now sprawled on the air mattress in the swimming pool.

"Dadi, you come and sit here. I will go get the cupcakes" Inayat said and quickly walked into the house. After few minutes she came back holding a tray in her hands.

"Anyone wants anything to drink?" Inayat asked as she placed the tray on the coffee table.

Everyone said no except for Arjun "Orange juice, bhabhi" he ordered and with a polite smile she went in to get the juice for him.

"Lazy ass!" Rishab pushed his son off the floating air mattress.

"Dad!"

Ignoring his cry, Rishab hopped out of the swimming pool.

Madhu offered him a towel to wipe off the wetness. "Wanna dry my hair?" He asked with a wink and earned a glare from his wife. Shrugging, he sat beside her on the bamboo chair.

"Yummy cakes, dadi" Naira said with her mouth full.

"Honeybee, pass me one" Rishab asked Naira but she royally ignored him.

"Naira!" Madhu admonished her daughter for her rude behaviour.

"Mom! The tray is placed on the center table and he can easily get one cupcake for himself. Why ask me?"

"Naira, get up from your place, take a cake and give it to your dad" Madhu ordered. "Now!" She barked making Naira jump from her chair. She took a vanilla cupcake and offered him.

"I want carrot cupcake, sweetie" Rishab said, smiling. Naira glowered before giving him the one he asked for.

"Baby, baby, wait..." Rishab called when she turned to walk back to her place. "Squeeze some white chocolate cream on top of my cupcake, please"

Madhu kicked his leg, not subtly but for everyone to see. "Ouch" Rishab yelped. Radha and Veer laughed. Naira grinned in satisfaction. "Well deserved kick, daddy. Good job, mommy" she thought.

"You like your cupcakes plain, right?" Madhu asked menacingly.

"I thought why not try..."

"Stop pissing her off and eat"

"Yes, boss" he mock saluted his wife. Naira danced back to her place.

--0--

"Come, I have made orange juice for you, Arjun" Inayat said standing at the edge of the pool holding a glass in her hand.

"Give me" Arjun stretched his hand from the inflatable pool float. Inayat knelt down on the floor and extended her hand but she couldn't reach him.

"Come closer, Arjun" she said.

"Lean your upper body a little more forward, bhabhi. You will reach my hand" Arjun said refusing to get down from the pool float.

"Here, hold the glass"

Arjun tugged the glass from her hold little forcefully and that made her loss her balance. "Allah!" Inayat shriek as she fell headlong into the pool and a moment later she resurfaced, coughing as she swallowed nasty amount of chlorine water.

Everyone panicked when Inayat screamed and Madhu stood up to help her daughter in law but Radha held her hand and made her sit back. "Veer will take care of her" she said winking at Madhu.

"Oh bhabhi" Arjun rolled off the pool float like a bloody pig and the water harshly splashed on Inayat's face.

"Inayaa" Veer ran to her side in a jiff. "You okay?"

"No, I am not okay" Inayat cried and turned to Arjun's side. "You did this on purpose, right?" Inayat accused.

"What? No!" Arjun said, bug-eyed

"Don't lie. You asked me to play pool volley ball with you but I refused because I didn't want to get wet but now you deliberately pulled me into the pool..." Inayat splashed water at him, pissed.

"No!" Arjun denied to accept her accusation. He didn't pull her down to take revenge on her for refusing to play pool volley ball. He actually had other ideas. "Bro, help bhabhi to get out of the pool and take her to your room" he suggested. Veer gave him a death glare.

"Inayat, come" Veer held his hand out for her to take but she hesitated.

"You don't want to leave the pool, bhabhi? Fine, then we will play pool volley ball..."

"I don't want to play with you" Inayat pouted and placed her palm on her husband's, surprising him. Then slowly she stepped out of the pool holding his hand so that she won't slip and fall back again.

"Thanks, Veer" Inayat said still holding his hand. He stepped little closer to her and gently brushed the wet tendrils off her forehead which managed to peep out of her hijab.

Arjun watched his bro and bhabhi with a happy smile.

"Dark chocolate brown" Veer whispered looking into her eyes.

"What?" She asked puzzled.

"You have identical eye color and hair color... and both are beautiful" he said. He thought she had black hair because her eyebrows were dark. He had never seen her hair because she always covered her head with a scarf and now he wished to see the length of her hair.

"Oh" she breathed and quickly adjusted her hijab.

Inayat shivered and hugged herself with her arms as she took a step back from her husband. The close proximity was scaring her and this time it had nothing to do with her fear but something else. Something hot and sensual.

"Naira, get the towel, please?" Veer asked pointing his finger to the towel placed on the wooden sun lounger.

Naira brought the towel and wrapped it around Inayat's shoulders and took her into the house.

... To be continued!

Hi guys, sorry for the delay. I kinda lost the track of the story. LOL!

Even this update didn't come out well and I am sorry about that.

I will try my best to make the next part interesting!

Please encourage me with your VOTES AND COMMENTS!
Thanks all!