This chapter is dedicated to anaviabhi & . Thanks for showering your love on all my books and for supporting me silently, right from the start of my journey as a writer.

Hey guys!!

I'm back with another update.

Those who have not read chapter 68, do check it out fast.

This chapter is unedited and may contain grammatical mistakes.

Author's POV:

Time flew away in a jiffy, and it's been a week since our lovely couples returned from their honeymoon. Those two weeks made the bond between the couples strong. They explored all the popular places, tried water sports, enjoyed walking on the streets and eating local foods, enjoyed walking on the shores, enjoying the cool breeze and looking at the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. In a few words, they had the best time in these two weeks, with romance in between.

The relationship between Arjun and Diya was blooming, which made everyone happy. Maya and Avi have become closer to each other. They spent every morning, walking on the shore, talking about their future, their dreams and goals, their fears and responsibilities, and mostly about their little one.

From the time they returned from their honeymoon, Avi was totally busy with his office work, as a project was nearing its end. He is busy with back-to-back meetings and travelling from one site to the other. His schedule sopackedd, that he is unable to spend proper time with Maya. He would leave early in the morning and return at late night.

She used to wait for him every night in the living room and fall asleep, while waiting for him. Though Avi told her not to wait for him, would his stubborn lady listen to him, nah? So, Arjun, Diya and Aashi used to give her company.

They went to the check-up immediately after their return. Their little man is doing well but Diya warned Avi that Maya is a little weak. And he scolded himself for planning the vacation when she was weak. But everyone assured him that she would be fine.

From the time, Rishi and Sakshi confronted everyone, they increased the security. Arjun and Diya came to know about it from the youngsters. It took time for them to process everything. Arjun and Diya are busy with their work. Maya and Aashi were busy with "Slice of Dreams." As it's wedding season, they are getting orders in large numbers. The outhouse renovation was completed, so they were from the outhouse. They perfectly gelled with the new members who were appointed by Avi.

It's afternoon, Gayatri is feeding Maya and Aashi, while both of them are busy watching cartoons. Raj and Sarala were sitting opposite them. The remaining people are at their respective offices. They took a break, leaving their work to their co-chefs. Maya is looking at mobile from time to time. She was disappointed to see no message from Avi.

"Enough ammamma, I'm full", Maya said to Gayatri.

"Hello madam, you didn't even eat at least ten morsels properly", Aashi said, looking at Maya. "Dadi she would say like that only, you feed her", said Aashi to Gayatri.

"I'm feeling nauseous", said Maya.

"Are you really feeling nauseous or lying because Bhiayya didn't message you?" Aashi asked, raising her eyebrow.

Maya was about to say something when Vansh and Varsha came running towards her, shouting "Pinni (aunt/choti masi/chachi)".

"Arey, wah, my munchkins are back from their play school. By the way, who brought you here?", she said, making them sit beside her.

"Amma", Vansh said, climbing onto her lap. "How ish my little sistel (sister), pinni?"

"So, my Vansh wants a little sister, hmm" Maya said, rubbing her nose against his, making him giggle.

"Yesh", said Vansh.

"What if it is your little brother, won't you play with him and love him?" Maya asked Vansh.

"Little blo (bro)", Vansh asked, looking at Maya innocently.

"Haa", said Maya.

"I'll teach him boxing", said Vansh, making everyone laugh.

But how can our jealous queen be calm when her brother is getting all the attention?

She climbed onto Aashi's lap, hid her face in her neck and said, "Varshu katti with pinni", making everyone chuckle.

"Pinni, chochy (chocolate) cake", said Vansh, ignoring his sister.

"Hello, Mr. Vansh, you threw tantrums for having your food, but have empty space in your stomach for your chocolate cake, haa", said Arpita, coming inside with a bag in her hand.

Vansh pouted cutely, listening to his mother, and whispered in Maya's ears, "It ish (is) blah."

"Vansh, you shouldn't say like that, baby. Don't you want to grow big and play with your little brother and teach him boxing?" Maya asked him, to which Vansh nodded his head.

"Then you have to eat healthy food, okay", said Maya, to which Vansh nodded his head, making a cute pout.

"Ammu, here are your putharekulu", Arpita said, taking the box from the bag and giving it to Maya, making her squeal.

"Thank you, akka", said Maya, grabbing the box. "Umm, it's so yummy", she said, while taking a bite.

(Pootharekulu is a popular Indian sweet from the of Andhra Pradesh, a South Indian state. The sweet is wrapped in a wafer-thin rice starch layer resembling paper and is stuffed with ghee, powdered jaggery/sugar, dry fruits and nuts.)

"Aashi here is your mango jelly", said Arpita, handing another box to Aashi.

"Thank you, didu", said Aashi, taking the box.

"I too want that", said Maya, while gobbling putharekulu.

"You were feeling nauseous and didn't have your food, right?" Aashi asked, raising her eyebrow at her.

"Ammu, didn't you eat lunch?" Arpita asked Maya, to which she rotated her head in all directions.

"She just ate a bit and said she was feeling nauseous", said Gayatri while feeding Aashi.

"Did you have your medicines?" Arpita asked her.

"Yeah!" Maya said, making a bad face.

"Do you want to eat something else?" Arpita asked her, to which she shook her head in denial.

"It's waste to ask her, didu. Actually, bhaiyya left for the office in the morning before she woke up, and didn't even reply to her message till now. That's why madam is not in the mood to have the food", Aashi said, while having her food.

"Ammu, what is this? Did you forget that you have another soul inside you? Don't forget that you have to eat for two people", Arpita said sternly.

Maya's eyes pooled with tears as she listened to her stern voice.

"Ammu, look at me", said Arpita, calmly.

Maya looked at Arpita, wiping off her tears.

"You are already weak, Ammu. If you didn't eat properly, then how would you get the strength? If you are craving to eat something, then ask us, anyone of us will make it for you. But don't suppress your hunger like this, okay", Arpita told her calmly.

Maya nodded her head positively.

"Good, now tell me, do you want to eat anything special?" Arpita asked her.

"Garlic rice", said Maya.

"Okay, you sit here, I'll go and make it. And you can eat these later", said Arpita, taking away the sweets box from her hand, making her pout.

Aashi giggled, looking at Maya's face, while eating mango jelly and feeding Varsha in between. While our sleepy boy has slept peacefully, in his aunt's arms.

Arpita moved to the kitchen to make garlic rice for her dear sister. Gayatri completed feeding Aashi and moved to the kitchen. Aashi drank water and picked up the sleeping Vansh in her arms while Varsha held her hand. She moved to her room and made Vansh sleep on the bed. She picked up Varsha and put her on the bed, while she lay down beside her chotu and hugged him. Aashi slowly patted Varsha slowly until she drifted into sleep. She placed pillows around them, so that they wouldn't roll down. She moved out of the room after switching on the baby monitor.

While Gayatri, Raj and Sarala moved to their respective rooms to take a rest.

"Maya, I'm going. You eat properly, take your medications, and get enough rest. You don't worry, we will handle", saying that, Aashi moved to the outhouse without giving Maya a chance to speak.

"Here you go, madam", Arpita said, handing her a plate of hot and spicy garlic rice.

"It's yummy, akka. By the way, don't you have work today?", Maya said, taking a bite.

"I had a meeting, but it was postponed by the clients in the last minute, so I'm free. I picked up twins from their play school. They told me, they wanted to come here, so we came here after having our lunch", said Arpita.

"Hmm. Teach me how to make mango jelly. It's tasting different to yours", said Maya, while devouring the garlic rice.

"Okay, by the way, I forgot to ask you how our surprise was", Arpita asked Maya, giggling.

Maya rolled her eyes and said, "I knew it. I felt something was fishy when you didn't argue back. How did you change our bags? We didn't even notice it, and you know, I was so embarrassed to wear those so-called clothes in front of him."

"That's a secret. You were scolding me, but my maridi (younger brother-in-law) thanked me for changing your bag", Arpita said, winking at her.

Maya made a bad face, listening to her.

After having her lunch, Maya went to take rest, while Arpita moved to the outhouse to help Aashi.

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

It was around 6 o' clock in the evening, and everyone was back from works except Avi, Arjun, and Diya. Maya was disappointed, but she hid it by putting a smile on her face.

She was sitting in the living room with the others, and playing with the twins, looking at the door from time to time. Listening to the car honk, she went towards the door and saw Arjun and Diya getting down off the car with Aura in Arjun's arms.

(Aura was gifted by Arjun to Diya on her birthday)

Aura jumped from Arjun's arms, and ran towards her.

"Aura, shoo, go inside", Maya said, shooing away Aura.

Aura moved inside, wagging her tail.

"Ayee, you made my baby sad", Arjun said, hitting her head.

Maya glared him, and moved inside, not before pinching his shoulder hard.

"Aula (Aura)", Varsha said, hugging Aura, while Aura licked her cheeks, making Varsha giggle.

While our Vansh climbed onto the sofa immediately, by looking at Aura, making everyone chuckle.

Maya came and sat on the sofa, taking Vansh into her lap, while he hugged her like a koala. Aura came towards them, making both of them squeal loudly.

"Aula (Aura), shoo, shoo", Vansh said, waving his hand.

"Vansh baby, she won't do anything. You used to play with it when it was small, right", said Diya, sitting beside them.

"It wash (was) a cute puppy then", said Vansh.

"Exactly, it was a cute puppy then", said Maya.

Everyone chuckled at the aunt-nephew duo. They love puppies, but not dogs, note the point.

"Did you have your meds?" Diya asked Maya.

"Yeah", said Maya.

Rishi, Sakshi and Nandan came inside and greeted everyone. Nandan enquired about Maya's health and moved to the garden along with Varsha and Aura tagging them behind.

Sakshi forwarded a box to Maya and said, "Your favorite goduma (wheat) halwa."

Maya's eyes twinkled, because it's her favorite sweet and also her mother makes the best halwa.

"Thanks amma, and you only feed me", said Maya.

Sakshi nodded her head and started to feed Maya, while Arjun tried to take a bite from the box, but Maya swatted his hand, making everyone chuckle.

"I won't share it with you. You ate mine and vadina's (sister-in-law) chocolates", said Maya, swatting his hand.

"Peddamma this is cheating, you brought halwa only for your daughter, did you forgot about your son?" Arjun said, wiping off his fake tears.

"Don't do drama, she made it for everyone, the box is the car, go and get it", Rishi said, hitting Arjun's head.

Arjun immediately ran outside to get his favorite halwa.

"Boyfriend, don't you think you are eating a lot of sweets now-a-days? I mean, you didn't like sweets that much, right, except a few", said Aashi.

"What to do, when I'm carrying your bhaiyya's junior? And looks like this boy inherited all his father's traits", Maya said, pouting, making everyone chuckle.

Arjun went to the kitchen, and served halwa in bowls for everyone, along with hot onion samosas made by Vani and Janaki.

"Here you go, hot and spicy samosas and yummy halwa", Arjun said, coming to the living room.

"Attayya, I'll only eat curd rice and some fruits and yeah, not to forget that yucky milk before going to bed", Maya said to Vani.

Vani nodded her head positively and said, "Arjun go and call Nandu and Varsha."

Maya and Nandu were sitting in their favorite corner while relishing their favorite halwa with samosas.

"Nandu, how is your college going in?" Maya asked Nandu.

"Good," said Nandu.

"Are there any beautiful girls in your college?" Maya asked him.

"I don't know," Nandu said, shrugging his shoulders.

"What do you mean by you don't know? Wait, do you have any girlfriend?" Maya asked him, with a mischievous smile.

"What no?" Nandu shouted, grabbing everyone's attention.

"What happened, Nandu? Why did you shout like that?" Asked Aashi.

"Umm, nothing, di," said Nandu, glaring at his sister.

"Okay," Aashi said, looking at the brother-sister duo.

Soon, everyone got engrossed in their talks.

It was around 9 O' clock when Avi returned from his office. Rishi, Sakshi and Nandan, Arpita and the twins and left to their respective homes.

He looked for Maya in the living room, but she was not there. Maya had her dinner and moved to her room, and told Vani to send fruits and milk to her room.

"Maa, where is Maya?" He asked, sitting beside Vani, loosing his tie.

"In your room", said Vani.

"Did she had her dinner?" Avi asked her.

"Yeah", Vani replied him, without turning her head from the TV as she was busy in watching a daily soap serial along with Sarala, Janaki and Gayatri.

"Did you guys had your dinner?"Avi asked them.

"Attayya, papa (Raj) and mumma (Sarala) had their dinner along with Maya", said Vani.

"Okay, I'll freshen up and come", saying that, he got up and moved towards his room.

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

Avi unlocked their room door and searched for Maya. He heard the sound of running shower, he sighed and removed his coat and shoes. He put his mobile on charge as it is switched off and placed his laptop bag on the table. He moved to the closet, and grabbed his shorts and tee.

He came out of the closet and saw Maya standing in front of the vanity.

He hugged from back, placing his chin on her shoulder and said, "What's my bunny and my little one are doing?"

"Oh! You remembered, I thought you forgot about us", said Maya, coming out of the hug.

"Sorry, bunny, today I had back to back meetings, that's why I couldn't call you", said Avi.

"Atleast you could have replied to my message, Avi", she said, without looking at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see your message as it was in silent mode, and then it's switched off as I forgot to keep charging for it", said Avi, looking at her apologically.

But Maya didn't speak anything. She was combing her hair, not paying attention to him.

"Looks like mother-son duo are angry at me", Avi thought in his mind.

He hugged her from back and said, "Sorry, bunny, I won't repeat it again", pecking her both cheeks.

Though Maya smiled a little, but she didnt show it on her face.