It's been an hour, Naina didn't turn up nor did she call, Rajveer tried to contact her but her call was unreachable.

''Uff, ye bhi naa jaane kahan chali gayi!'' He sighs deeply.

Rajveer leaves his room to check Anamika and finds her missing.

''College gayi hogi!" He thinks and turns when he bumps into someone, the other person falls while Rajveer stands rooted at his place.

''Dad!!! Aap dekh ke nahi chal sakte kya!?" Ananth shouted.

Rajveer helps him in getting up,''tum toh school gaye the na?" Rajveer questions as Ananth left just an hour ago and he's here already.

''School off hai aaj!!'' Ananth exclaims and heads towards his room, Rajveer follows him.

''Par kyun?? Pehle toh inform nahi kiya unhone, achanak kaise off kar diya?'' He enquires.

''Mujhe kya pata?? Unko pucho na aap, mere piche na pado!'' Ananth says rudely.

Rajveer holds his hand and pulls him,''pehli baat, ghar pe abhi koi hai nahi toh apni jaban ko lagaam do warna maarunga char ginoonga ek. Aur aab dusri baat, mujhe toh bilkul nahi lagta school off bhi hua hoga, haan ye jarur ho sakta hai tumhe punishment mili ho apne karnaamon ki wajah se!'' Rajveer states, Ananth stares at him without speaking a word.

''Aisa kuch nahi hai!'' Ananth replies after a pause, but his low tone was enough for Rajveer to know the reality.

''Chalo main maan leta hoon!'' Rajveer says, surprising Ananth who expected some slaps and taunts from his father.

''Lekin meri ek condition hai!'' Rajveer exclaims and Ananth knew what his father would ask, definitely a favor for his daughter.

''Kyunki aaj tumhari mom ka birthday hai aur tumne uska mood already off kar diya hai toh abb tumhe meri help karni hogi ek surprise party arrange karne mei!'' Rajveer put his condition forward which came as another surprise for Ananth.

''Aaj mom ka birthday hai?'' He questions absentmindedly.

''Yesh!! And she's upset!! Bolo help karoge ki nahi?'' Rajveer asks firmly, Ananth shakes his head in affirmation. He can do anything for his mother but nothing for Anamika!!

''Aur aapki ladli beti?'' Ananth asks, as off course Rajveer won't disseverance his daughter from any plan but she doesn't seem to be anywhere.

''Usko tumhaari tarah college se nikala nahi gaya hai.'' Rajveer taunts and leaves the place, leaving an angry Ananth behind who at last gets insulted.

...

It's evening, Naina gazes at the shopping bags she has been holding. She's in the mall, to shop for something for herself but ends up shopping for her family. No matter how angry she is with them, the truth is she can't live without them or without thinking about them.

She's frustrated because of her kids, it makes her irritants but when she's far from them she misses them badly.

''Kya karu main dono ko? Dur jao toh yaad aati hai aur saath raho toh pareshan ho jaati hoon!! Na unke saath peacefully reh sakti hoon na unke bagair. Jaane kya kar rahe honge sab!?" She makes a face and takes out her phone to call Rajveer when she realises that her phone is dead, she needs to charge it.

Naina sighs deeply and exits the mall, she can converse with them upon reaching home. Maybe they can go out for dinner too!

....

Rajveer and Ananth were busy decorating the house.

Ananth was trying to fill air in the balloon while Raj was placing an order of cake and other edibles in a hotel.

Finding Ananth struggling, Rajveer headed to him.

''Kyun bhai, ek hawa na bhari jaa rahi tumse aur baatein khudka mahal banane ki karte ho.'' He taunts him, Ananth rolls his eyes.

''Bolna bahut asan hota hai na issliye aapki jaban chal rahi hai, karna pade tab pata chalega na!" Ananth snaps at his father receiving a smack on his head.

''Chup!! Baap se panga maat le, tujhe do Karan aage hoon main. Fatafat inn balloons mei hawa bhar taki jab tak Naina aaye hamara kaam ho chuka rahe aur usko surprise mille.'' He orders Ananth who glares at him but remains silent because they are doing all this for Naina and he doesn't want to ruin her day though it's already ruined by them.

The father and son get busy in preparation. Meanwhile Anamika enters the house with a bag and is taken back to the sight.

''Woahh!! Mujhe laga sirf mujhe hi yaad hai mumma ka birthday par lagta hai baki mujh se bhi jyada taiyaari kiye hue hai.'' She states, dragging the attention of the other two.

Rajveer smiles at her while Ananth makes a face. He just doesn't understand why his father is so obsessed with the girl. She's not good in anything except studies and his father is drooling around her as if she's a queen who sanctions them for money to lead a life. Huhhh!!

He turns away and concentrates on his work.

Anamika rushed to them and informed her father that she had brought a cake for Naina.

''Arey waah!! Ye toh bahut aacha kiya tumne. Abhi fatafat jaa ke fresh ho aur niche aa jao. Sham toh ho hi gayi hai aur preparations bhi, Naina aati hi hogi aab toh!" Rajveer says assuming.

Anamika nodded and ran to her room. She freshens up and gets ready in a fresh dress. She then rushed to the hall and helped them with the work. Later she places the cake on a table and decorates it. Ananth helped her in the task.

When Rajveer finds them working today on the cake, a smile forms on his face. Meanwhile Naina enters the house to see the beautiful scene. Finding her kids decorating her birthday cake makes her happy, her anger vanishes in seconds and she runs to hug them.

She embraces both her kids and pecks their heads.

''Kitna pyara decoration kiya ghar ka tum dono ne.'' She expresses.

Ananth looks at her, ''Mom, ye sab meine aur Dad ne kiya hai isne nahi. Haan, ye cake jarur lai hai!" He says, indicating to his sister.

Rajveer came by their side,''koi baat nahi, sabne kuch na kuch kiya na. Chalo, Naina aab ready ho jao hum cake cut karte hai.'' Rajveer says, Naina nodded.

She first handed the dress she got for them and asked them to get ready while she too headed to her room.

Anamika and Ananth run to their respective rooms, so does Rajveer.

As the dressing room was locked, he changed in the room itself, after a while Naina stepped in the room. Rajveer looks up, her saree look makes him smile wide.

He headed to her as she stood before the mirror.

''Ek baat toh manni padegi, tum teeno ko logon ko manana aache se aata hai.'' Naina states looking at him through the mirror.

Rajveer hugs her from behind,''kya kare, aab biwi ko itna gussa aayega toh humko manana toh padega na.'' He says in a flirtatious tone receiving a slap on his arm.

''Chalo hatto!! Mujhe ready hona hai, apna birthday bhi toh celebrate karna hai mujhe!!" She exclaims separating him.

Rajveer giggles and moves back, letting her finish her task.

The small celebration will surely excite her and she will forget all the bitter arguments they witness in the morning.

....

To be continued..