Next day morning dawned. Jhanvi, Pinky and Annika were busy in the kitchen.

Jh: All the kids are still asleep...I guess that all of them are really tired after their long journey from Goa..

Pi: That's true..Today Omkara and Ranveer didn't even go for their routine jogging.

An: They all arrived late at night..That's why, choti maa..

Jh: Annika beta..You go and wake up Shivaay..Wasn't Tej telling yesterday that Shivaay has to accompany him for a conference..?

An: Ok Mom..I will go and wake him up..

Just as Annika went out of the kitchen, Nandini came inside.

Na: Good morning..

Jh & Pi: Good Morning Nandini..

Na: (smiling) I just came in to see if I can be of any help in the kitchen...

Pi: (smiles)Nandini..You are our guest..How can we take help from you?

Na: Oho Pinky..Stop treating me like a guest..I am fed up by sitting idle all day..Even I want to help you all with the household work..Please allow me..

Jh: (smiling) Ok then..Join us..

**************************

Tej, Shakti and Shivaay left for the office after having their breakfast.

Akshay also went off with them today for a change. He was invited for the conference to present his views.

It was 9 am, and still the youngsters hadn't woken up. Their mothers arranged their breakfast upon the dining table and went out for some shopping with Annika, after having their own breakfast.

At 11' o clock in the morning Ranveer and Omkara walked out of their room after freshening up. They went into Rudra's room and woke him up. As they were passing the girls' room door, they decided to wake them up too.

The three of them knocked upon the door together. But there was no answer. Omkara pushed open the door and saw that the room was empty. He looked at the other two.

Ra: Might be downstairs..Come on then..

And they followed him downstairs. The girls were sitting down on the couch in the drawing room and were having their coffee. The boys also picked up their coffees and joined them.

Pr: You sleepy heads..Slept well..?

Ra: Hmmm..Had a sound sleep..

Suddenly he remembered something. He turned to Omkara.

Ra: Omkara..Where did you go yesterday night..? And when did you come back..? I slept off after you left..

Omkara literally choked over his cup of coffee and looked at Gauri and then at Rudra and Bhavya. They were looking at him wide eyed.

Pr: Hmm..Now I remember..Where did you both girls disappear to, last night..? I waited for a long time for you both to come back and then dozed off.

Bh: Well..I had gone off for some fresh air at the terrace..

Ga: I went to get some pain balm..

Pr: But you took so much time to come back Gauri..You had trouble in getting it, I guess..

Ga: Hmm..Yeah..you are right Priyanka..But I found it finally..

Ra: Omkara..You didn't say where you went off..

Om: Errr..Me..I was also at the terrace for some fresh air..Isn't it Bhavya..?

Bh: Yeah..Yeah..

Suddenly to everyone's surprise Rudra issued a shout.

Ru: STOP LYING GUYS..!!

Every gaze fell upon him. Ranveer and Priyanka looked at him with a frown and Gauri and Bhavya gaped at him nervously.

Omkara shrugged and put his arm around Rudy's shoulders.

Om: (naughtily)Then you tell them the truth Rudy..!

Rudra shrugged his shoulders and announced.

Ru: Bhavya came to meet me at the terrace yesterday..I and Bhavya are in a relationship and we would like to get married with each other..

Om: (confidently)And well..Gauri and me too..We also came out to meet secretly at night..

Ranveer and Priyanka were looking blank as if they were struck by lightening. Both were still and were staring at the four of them. Ranveer was the first one to find his voice. He cleared his throat and threw his question at his two sisters.

Ra: Gauri..Bhavya..What am I hearing, girls..? Why did you all hide all this from me..? Don't you people consider that it's important to share something like this to your own brother..?

Ga: Bhaiyya..We are really very sorry..

Bh: Yes bhaiyya..We really are..

Ranveer smiled widely at his sisters and hugged them both.

Ra: I am proud of your choices my dears..Rudy and Omkara are perfect for you..In fact I was expecting something like this to happen between you guys..!!

Gauri and Bhavya couldn't believe their ears. Then grinned happily and hugged him back.

Ga&Bh: Thank you bhaiyyaa..

Now Priyanka was also grinning like an idiot with tears in her lovely eyes. She too got up and hugged the girls. But accidentally she hugged Ranveer too in the process.

Priyanka blushed suddenly and took off her hands. It didn't go unnoticed by Ranveer and he had a sudden urge to hug Priyanka tightly and share his joy with her.

But then she went and hugged her brothers, Omkara and Rudra.

Pr: Ohhh..I am so happy for you all...

In their excitement they didn't at all notice four pairs of eyes watching them with a shocked expression. Jhanvi, Nandini, Pinky and Annika had just arrived back from their shopping.

Jh: (enraged)What is going on here..?

Na: (coldly) Some matchmaking business going on without our knowledge..?

Pi: (raising her brows)Oh my mata..!

The six youngsters stood still for a few seconds. Then they all gazed at the doorway.

Minutes before they all were really hungry for having the yummy breakfast which was awaiting them at the table. And now, their appetites seemed to just dissolve into nothingness.

Jh: Answer me..Omkara..!

Om: Mom..We..

Pinky walked towards Priyanka and glared at her.

Pi: What is going on, Priyanka..?

Pr: (nervously) Mom..I didn't do anything..

Pi: (glaring at Rudra) Rudra..Will you say something..?

Ru: Mom..Relax..Please sit down..We will explain everything..

Annika didn't know how to handle the situation. She approached Pinky and held her shoulders.

An: Choti maa..

Pi: You keep quiet Annika..Let me handle this..

Om: Choti maa..Mom..I love Gauri and Rudy loves Bhavya..

Jh: Omkara..Do you have any idea what you are talking about..?

Ru: Badi maa..We know what we are saying..Please try to understand..

Jh: Rudra..You all know well that Tej doesn't approve of all this..

Meanwhile Nandini was shivering with indignation. Without looking at her daughters she announced.

Na: Gauri, Bhavya..Come with me..

And she walked off. Gauri and Bhavya looked at Ranveer nervously. He nodded at them and closed his eyes in an assuring manner.

The three of them followed their mother to her room. Once inside the guest bedroom, Nandini faced her daughters. Her face was red in embarrassment.

Gauri and Bhavya hung down their faces.

Na: (shivering voice) You went for the Goa trip for all this..?

Gauri looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes.

Ga: Mom..We didn't mean to hurt you at all..I didn't realize when I fell in love with Omkara..He is a nice guy..I couldn't help it, Mom..Please forgive me...

Bh: Yes Mom..Scold us..Beat us..But please don't hate us..Rudra is a lovely person..Don't you think so..?

Na:(tearful eyes) I never knew that my daughters have grown enough to choose their life partners..!

Ranveer felt pity for his mother and he hugged her from behind. Nandini never felt so helpless in her life. She leant on to Ranveer's chest and wept bitterly.

Ra: Ohhh Mom..Now stop crying..(caressing her face and hair) Omkara and Rudra are perfect in my eyes..Our families know each other and what more do you need, Mom..?

Nandini stopped crying and released herself from her son's hug. She faced him.

Na: Beta..You won't understand..Everyone will not think like you..Didn't you notice what happened in the drawing room..Jhanvi and Pinky were furious..And I dread to think of what is going to happen in the evening when Tej bhaiyya and Shakti ji will come back from the office. Thank god your Dad also went off with them today.
******************
The evening arrived, and the six of them had spent the entire day shut inside Priyanka's bedroom.

They didn't have breakfast or lunch or tea from the morning. Their stomachs were rumbling and their brains had stopped working as the much dreaded moment dragged closer.

They all heard the sounds of two cars coming to a halt in front of the Oberoi Mansion. The whole house was silent enough and it was quite easy to hear even the slightest noise.

All of them stood up from the bed abruptly. Gauri hugged Omkara and Bhavya hugged Rudra instinctively. Priyanka and Ranveer stared at each other with blank expressions. Ranveer noticed tears welling up inside her eyes and so he put his arm around her shoulders, consolingly.

Ra: Don't worry, everyone..Be positive..

All of them waited with bated breaths for a few minutes. Just then a knock at the door startled each of them.Ranveer went and opened the door. It was Annika.

Ra: Bhabhi..

An: Dad is calling all of you downstairs..

******End of Part 17*****

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Love u all,
Naina