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Author's POV

It was evening. The dining table had become less of a place to eat and more of a gossip lounge. Diya, Paridhi, Piyali, Tanushri, Kashish, and the brand new bride Rhea sat together, their chatter echoing softly through the grand hall.

Rhea sat idly, chin propped on her palm, watching her elder sisters-in-law juggle a dozen things at once. Diya was on the phone giving instructions to the garden staff. Paridhi was busy setting the dinner menu with one of the household helps. Piyali and Kashish were poring over sketches and layouts for  the upcoming Aspire College canteen project owned by Jay and his father Rajeev. Piyali is helping Kashish because she is a Interior designer.  Tanushri, meanwhile, was casually chopping vegetables.

Rhea's eyes sparkled with a mix of admiration and intimidation "You all are such multitaskers, You handle businesses, clinics, firms and still keep an eye on the household. I want to be like you all someday."

Diya chuckled, "Relax, Rhea. You're newly married. You'll learn everything in time." "But I don't even know how to cook," Rhea confessed dramatically, throwing her hands up.

Piyali laughed. "Arey, when I came after my marriage, I didn't know how to cook either. But now, she smirked, wiping her hands, "I can make any cuisine. All thanks to Arjun Papa. Her father-in-law practically runs a kingdom of Hotels. He with Naksh handels the  hotel chain named Dreamy Destiny Suites. 

Everyone laughed, and Rhea glanced at Kashish. "Look at Kashish bhabhi. It's just a month since her wedding, that too arranged marriage, but she moves around this house as if she's lived here forever. And me? I've been coming here even before marriage, and still I feel like a guest". Kashish looked up from her iPad and gave her a knowing smile. 

Kashish reached over and squeezed her hand. "Rhea, who's telling you to become like us? Be yourself. Trust me, everyone adores you just the way you are. Paridhi added "And moreover Rhea,  Nandini Badi Maa and Jeevika Chachi, uff they love you like their own daughter."

Just then, the self-proclaimed Gen Z Squad , Yatharth, Ivaan, Alia, and Arohi  trooped in with puppy faces, as if rehearsed. They lined up in front of the table, pouting in unison.

Tanushri raised a brow, arms crossed. "Now what? What mischief have you four pulled this time?"

Piyali added slyly, "Or should we ask... kaand kiya hai ya karne wale ho?" ("Have you messed up already, or are you about to?")

Diya shook her head with mock exasperation. "Every time you lot do something, you come begging us to cover for you. And when we help, what happens? Your Bhaiyas (Brothers) and our Patis (Husbands) give us their lectures. Honestly, I think we get punished more than you!"

The four youngsters exchanged sheepish grins, clearly caught before even confessing. The Gen Z squad had already lined up like soldiers on a secret mission. With puppy eyes and sugarcoated tones, they began their strategic attack , not on their parents, but on their favorite shields, The bhabhis.

Yatharth and Alia flopped beside Kashish. Ivaan went straight to Paridhi, and Arohi went towards Piyali's like a shadow. "Pari bhabhi, suniye na..." Ivaan started, his voice suddenly syrupy. (Bhabhi please listen )

Paridhi narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "This tone of yours, Ivaan, scares me. Out with it, jaldi." (Speak fast)

Ivaan blurted in a single breath, "Bhabhi hume long drive jana hai aaj raat ko, aur humare dost bhi saath aane wale hain!" ("Bhabhi, we want to go on a long drive tonight, and our friends are coming along too")

Piyali's mouth fell open. She turned to Arohi with mock horror. "Not happening, haan! Don't even dream of it."

Meanwhile, Yatharth stole a glance at Kashish, who was already watching him with raised brows, waiting for yatharth to speak. "Bhabhi" he began carefully, "Kabir bhaiya se baat karo na. Mujhe unse seedha permission maangne pe darr lagta hai." ("Please talk to Kabir bhaiya for me. I'm scared to ask him for permission directly.")

Kashish crossed her arms. "Plan banate waqt darr nahi laga, ab permission ke waqt darr lag raha hai?" ("You weren't scared while making the plan, but now you're scared to ask for permission?")

Alia quickly leaned closer to Kashish, puppy eyes activated. "Bhabhi, please baat karo na bhaiya se" (Bhabhi please talk to bhaiya)

Kashish smirked. "Alia, your NEET exams are around the corner. And you, Yatharth, your pre-final MBBS exams are practically knocking at the door. Tum dono ko drive karni hai ya paper fail karna hai?" ("Do you two want to go for a drive, or do you want to fail your exams?")

Yatharth groaned. "Bhabhi! Ab toh aap bhi bilkul Kabir bhaiya jaise bol rahi ho." (Bhabhi! Now you're talking exactly like Kabir bhaiya.")

Kashish laughed softly. " Tumhare bhaiya tum logon ke saath-saath mujhe bhi ghar se nikal denge agar main tumhare liye permission maangne gayi toh." ("And your brother will throw me out of the house along with you all if I go ask for permission on your behalf.")

Alia said  "Bhai himself might step out of the house, but he'll never let you go out. So relax, bhabhi."

Arohi, not ready to give up, tugged Piyali's arms. "Bhabhi, kuch toh kijiye! Dekhiye, Ivaan aur Yatharth ke paas driving license bhi hai. Please ask Raiansh bhaiya na" ("Bhabhi do something, Look, Ivaan and Yatharth even have driving licenses. Please ask Raiansh bhaiya")

Piyali placed a dramatic hand on her heart. "Mujhe abhi se darr lag raha hai. Raiansh se main kaise bolun ye baat?" ("I'm already feeling scared! How am I supposed to tell Raiansh about this?")

Paridhi shook her head in mock frustration. "Aur tumne ye kal kyun nahi bola? Kal toh Riaan ka mood bhi achha tha, aur Krish bhi jaldi so gaya tha!" ("And why didn't you say this yesterday? Riaan was in a good mood then, and Krish had gone to bed early too!")

The girls burst into laughter. Ivaan seized the chance, grinning mischievously. "Bhabhi, aap toh expert ho bhai ka mood banane mein. Yeh toh aapke baaye haath ka khel hai!" ("Bhabhi, you are an expert in making bhai's mood. This is totally a game of your left hand!")

Before he could blink, Paridhi had his ear pinched between her fingers. "Zyada zubaan chalayi toh abhi mood kharab kar doongi!" ("If you talk too much, I'll ruin your mood right now!")

The whole table laughed, and finally, the bhabhis looked at each other.
"Fine," they said in chorus.  Piyali said "Hum manayenge, par yaad rakho, hum unhe force nahi karenge. Agar tumhare bhaiya gussa ho gaye toh apni jaan bachana tumhari zimmedari hai!" ("We'll convince them but remember, we will not force them. If your brothers gets angry, saving your own life is your responsibility!")

The Gen Z squad erupted in cheers, already high-fiving each other as if the mission was half won.

✨✨

After dinner, Kashish, Yatharth, and Alia were huddled on the bed in Kabir and Kashish's room, whispering and plotting. Kashish had already made it clear to Yatharth and Alia that she would only convince Kabir if they both were  present, she didn't want to face him alone, just in case her own nervousness made the negotiation harder.

Yatharth had his head resting on Kashish's lap, and Alia was clutching her arms around Kashish. All three were lost in deep thought when the door creaked open.

Kabir walked in, fresh from his study where he had been attending hospital calls. His eyes immediately took in the scene, Yatharth's head on Kashish's lap, Alia snug in her arms. His brows arched.

"Aaj tum dono ka yaha hi sone ka plan hai kya?" he asked, voice calm but teasing. (Are you both planning to sleep in our room today?)

The three of them sat up straight in unison.

Kabir's gaze sharpened. "Yatharth, Alia have you started plotting against me with your bhabhi?"

Yatharth scrambled. "No no, bhai! Hum kon hai aapke against plot karne mein? Aap toh Ram saman aur bhabhi Sita maa saman hai humare liye, haina Alia?" ("No no, bhai! Who are we to plot against you? You're like Ram and bhabhi is like Sita maa to us, right Alia?") (God/ Goddess)

"Yes, yes," Alia replied. "Yatharth bhaiya is right!"

Kabir tilted his head, sensing something was off. He grabbed a chair and sat opposite the bed, crossing his legs and leaning one hand on the armrest. "Okay, now tell me what you want, and I see you both have dragged my wife into this already," he said, a warning glint in his eyes and looking towards kashish.

Kashish, unfazed, replied firmly, "Kabir, don't scare them. Yatharth, Alia, Ivaan, and Arohi, they want to go on a long drive at night."

Kabir's posture straightened. His gaze pinned Yatharth and Alia to the bed, who were looking down nervously. "Look at me you both, what your  bhabhi is saying?"

Kashish cut him off quickly. "Kabir, mere pass dekhiye aap... let them go. Their friends are coming too." (Kabir you look at me)

Kabir's eyes narrowed. "Kashish, you don't know these four. They're made to create chaos. And Yatharth, your prelims are coming. Alia, NEET is next month. And  Yatharth, your pharmacology professor met me at medical conference last week and he mentioned that you're not attending pharmacology lectures regularly"

Yatharth shrugged. "Bhaiya, the lectures seem boring."

Kashish shook her head, smiling. "Kabir, leave it. They just want to enjoy. Since I got married, I've only seen them focus on studies. Let them live a little. And don't worry if anything goes wrong, it's my responsibility. I'll make them sit and study day and night afterward."

Kabir laughed, a mix of exasperation and amusement. "So, they've trapped you in their web, huh?"

Kashish got up from the bed, stepping closer to him. "It's okay trapped or not, for now, just say yes." Yatharth and Alia got up from bed and joined her side, nodding eagerly.

Kabir shook his head with a chuckle. "Fine but when are you planning to go?"

"Tonight!" chorused Yatharth and Alia.

Kabir smirked. "Tonight? You thought I'd agree so easily? Agar nahi maanta, your whole plan would flop." ("What if I hadn't agreed?")

Alia smiled confidently. "We trusted Kashish bhabhi to convince you and she did. She won it for us!" "Thank you bhabhi"

The four shared a tight hug, a mix of relief and triumph. Kabir, in his rare soft moment, kissed each of their foreheads.

After giving his list of strict instructions, which the kids listened to carefully, they quietly left the room, giving the couple their well-deserved privacy.

✨✨

As Yatharth and Alia left the room, Kabir and Kashish made their way to the bed. Kabir leaned back against the headboard, adjusting both their pillows to sleep, and said,

"Why is it that they seem more comfortable with you than me?"

Kashish smiled softly. "Because to them, you're more like a father figure. They respect you in that way."

Kabir nodded. "Hmm, that's true, but sometimes they give me so much stress."

"Let it go, Kabir," Kashish said, resting her head against his shoulder. "It's their age. And besides, these days they come to me more than you for approval."

Kabir already knew this, and though it made him smile, he was secretly glad to see the bond between Kashish and his younger siblings growing stronger.

He pulled her closer. By now, sleeping side by side, close and warm, had become their quiet routine. Kabir always took the first step to cuddle, and Kashish never resisted, always accepting his gesture. Kabir knew it would take time before Kashish would ever initiate closeness herself, but he was patient, more than willing to wait.

As she leaned on his arm, Kashish whispered, "Kabir... why did Ma and Papa give you the responsibility of Yatharth and Alia? I'm just asking, I don't have any issue with it."

Kabir looked at her and said gently, "It's okay, Kashish. No need for long explanations. The truth is, Ma and Papa are already fully occupied with the hospital. Papa is the President, and Ma is the Vice-President and Dean of the hospital. They've got huge responsibilities. They didn't give me this role, I took it myself. Once I completed my MS in Neurosurgery, I stepped up. And it's not just me, Yug also keeps an eye on them. But since Yug is still pursuing his MS in Orthopedics, I don't want his career to be affected. So, I take the load. It also helps Ma and Papa relax a little now."

Kashish's heart softened. She thought to herself how effortlessly Kabir carried the weight of being the elder brother, without complaint, without hesitation.

"You surprise me every day, Kabir," she whispered. "And you," Kabir smiled, tightening his hold around her, "make every day easier for me."

Kabir smiled at her words, The room fell into a gentle silence, their breaths syncing with one another, the weight of the day dissolving into the warmth they shared. And like this, they both slept.

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

Hello Pristians

So, what did you think of this chapter? Did the Gen Z squad's antics make you laugh, or did the tender moments between Kabir and Kashish warm your heart? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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I've set a target for views, comments, and votes. The next chapter will be uploaded once the target is completed ✅

Target 🎯

Comments 💬 50+

Votes ❤️ 200 +

Views 👀 200+

-[Pristi Scrolls]