Unedited

Author's POV:

Avi and Maya were sleeping cuddling each other, forgetting the world. Their beauty sleep was disturbed by the continuous buzzing of their mobiles.

Avi your phone is ringing. Either lift it or cut the call or throw it away. She said groggily, snuggling more into him.

Avi: Even your mobile is ringing, and the same applies to you too. He said nuzzling his face in her neck.

I'm sleepy, answer my call too. Saying that, she covered her head with the blanket.

Avi sighed listening to her, and answered the call.

Hello! Who is this? He spoke lazily.

Vani: Hello, my dear son! How are you?

I'm fine, amma, did you call me to ask this? He said pulling Maya close to him.

Vani: No, to tell you that you both have to be in front of me tomorrow by 8 AM. She said sternly. By the way, where is ammu and why did you lift her phone?

Avi: She is sleeping, maa. And won't you attend your husband's phone. Now, please let me sleep and you also sleep hugging my nanna. I'm tired. He said while yawning.

I'll sleep by hugging your father only, but tell me this first, what made my son that tired? She asked smirking from the other side.

Ask your daughter-in-law, amma. She... He was about to speak further when Maya pinched his arm hardly, making him wince loudly.

Ouch! You woman, stop being wild.

Vani giggled listening to him. Maya glared at him and snatched the phone from him and cut the call.

Avi: Why did you cut the call? I'm speaking with amma, right.

Maya: May I know what are you speaking? She asked narrowing her eyes.

I'm telling her... He stopped in the middle, realising what he was about to speak with his mother and smiled sheepishly at her.

She shook her head at him and snuggled more into the comforter when his mobile buzzed again. She glared at him while he gave her a pleading look. He was about to get up from the bed when she shouted, "wear something, you idiot". "What's there to hide, bunny. You saw everything, didn't you?" He said winking at her and smirking internally. "Shameless", she said throwing a pillow at him. He chuckled at her and wore his boxers and went to the balcony to attend the call.

She sighed and sat on the bed as her stomach was growling. She looked around for her clothes and picked out his shirt and wore it. She got down off the bed and picked up their clothes and dropped them in the hamper. Her cheeks turned red as she looked at the blood spots on the bed sheet. She removed the dirty ones, and replaced them with new ones. She went to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her neck was covered with many hickeys and her her face was glowing like a moon. She caressed them with love and a small smile was playing on her lips. She came out in a bathrobe after having a long shower. She changed into her night wear and sat before the vanity, drying her hair and thinking about their love-making.

He came inside after cutting the call and saw her smiling to herself. He went near her and engulfed her in a hug from the back by keeping his head on her shoulder bringing her out of her thoughts.

Avi: May I know what made my wife smile that the smile was not leaving her face? He asked looking at her smiling face in the mirror.

Nothing. She said getting up only to be pulled back.

He pulled her back, holding her hand, making her bang his hard chest. She quivered as his hands slowly made their way inside her t-shirt and drew patterns on her stomach.

Avi: Bunny! He whispered huskily in her ears.

Hmm. She mumbled lost in his touch.

Avi: I love you. He said turning her around and looking into her eyes.

Maya: I love you too, she said brushing her lips with his and hugged him.

Their moment was broken as their stomach's growled making them chuckle. Avi left to have a shower while Maya moved to the kitchen. She looked at the food that was untouched. She heated the food and set the table for them. Soon Avi came down after freshening up. She served them and sat beside him. After having their dinner, both of them moved to the terrace.

They took a mattress and a blanket along with them and set up their bed on the terrace. They were lying in each other's arms and talking by looking at the stars in the sky.

Avi turned his face and looked at her and got lost in admiring her. Her eyes are twinkling like the bright stars in the dark sky, her face is glowing like a moon and a bright smile was playing on her lips. A smile crept on his face looking at her.

Bunny?

Hmm.

Avi:Whose house is this? I know, that's a stupid question still I'm asking you, okay?

Maya: This house is my both nanamma's (dadi/grandma) gift to their husbands. This house is close to both of their heart's as she and Jaya nanamma designed it specially for them according to their likes. Once thathayya (grandpa) brought me here when he saw that I was slipping into depression after that incident. After that, he used to bring me here frequently. Sometimes Shiva thatha used to join us. They used to pamper me to no extent. We used to play, do gardening, and even cook together. I came here lastly along with Shiva thatha before his death. After that, I never came here. She took a deep breath and continued, I miss them, Avi. I really miss them a lot. The moments I spent with them were one of the most memorable moments in my life. While going away from me nanamma also took away the warmth of a mother from me. Her voice cracked at the end but soon she composed herself and told him,

Don't tell about this place to anyone. Both my thatha's took promise from me that I shouldn't tell about this place to anyone except my husband.

Avi: Okay! But why they didn't want the others to know? He asked her curiously.

How would I know that? I neither questioned them nor they gave me an explanation. I respected their privacy.

Avi nodded his head and pulled her more close to him and covered them with a blanket.

Maya: From tomorrow wedding festivities are going to start. Attayya messaged me to be before 8 O' clock. They are going to start Godhuma rai function after 9:30 AM. And after that we have to leave for shopping. We have to select wedding cards.

Avi: Why don't you design them?

Maya: Huh!

Avi: Why don't you design their wedding cards? You used to give suggestions to Adi mama, right.

But that is different and I have never designed them before.

Avi: Come on, bunny. Why don't you try once? If they didn't like your designs, then they would choose the other one.

Maya: But.

No ifs and buts. Just give it a try.

I just don't know, Avi.

Okay! Your wish. "Stubborn girl. I know to whom you will listen", he thought in his mind. Acha! Did you remember how you were so excited to go to the school on the first day? You made everyone run behind you.

Maya: Yeah! And instead of me it was amma (mother), who cried as she would miss me, when I would go to the school and nanna (father) had a tough time to convince her.

Avi: Hey! Did you remember how Arjun punched a guy just because he pulled your hair to tease you?

Maya: Yes! And he was hospitalized for a week. And Babai (chacha) grounded anna for a month.

Avi: Remember how Sravya and Arpita used to challenge you to watch horror movies? And after watching that movie you either used to sleep in my room or Arjun's. And that whole night you didn't used to let us sleep.

Maya: Yeah! She said hugging him embarrassed.

He chuckled at her and pulled her close and dropped a kiss on her head. "Shall we watch a horror movie now?", he asked giving her a teasing look. "What? No", she said giving him a horror look. He laughed loudly looking at her face while she pouted at him.

Okay! Stop teasing me, that's enough. Everyone has their fears. You are teasing me as if you are a brave person in the world. Even you are afraid of lizards. Did you forget, how you didn't bath for four days when you saw a lizard in the bathroom in our house? You are afraid to go to the other one also, saying that,"what if there is another one there also?" She said teasing him.

Avi: They look disgusting and scary. He said making a bad face.

She giggled looking at his face while he whined looking at her.

They both lied there talking and reminiscing their childhood memories. They teased each other, laughed, cried and romanced and finally slept in each other's arms with a smile playing on their lips and a serene look on their faces.

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

Next morning, they both quickly freshened up and went back to their home. Both of them moved inside the house and saw everyone busy with their works. They greeted them and moved to their room after having breakfast.

Maya went to the closet to change her dress while Avi sat on the bed checking his mails. Just then Arjun and Yash barged into the room and sat on the couch. He looked at them and raised his eyebrows at them.

Where did you both disappear all of a sudden?

Arjun: Arey, understand bava (brother-in-law), they went on a mini honeymoon.

Avi: Think whatever you want. He told, not paying attention to them.

Yash: Come on, man. Don't try to escape. Do you think that we didn't notice the glow on your faces? My wife and your sister even noticed the hickeys on your wife's neck. He said with a teasing smile and smirking at him.

Avi sighed and told them,

Okay! I give up. We did it, is it okay? Or shall I give you full details?

We don't need. I don't want to listen about the romantic life of my sister. By the way, will I become mama soon? Or do have I to wait?

Listening to him, Avi threw a pillow at his face which Arjun dodged correctly.

Meanwhile in the closet, Maya chose a saree with a high neck blouse. She left her hair open and applied concealer to hide the love bites.

"Argh! Stupid, monkey, idiot Avi. He bit me like a rabbit leaving many hickeys on my neck. Now, I'm dying here to hide them", Maya thought while appying the concealer.

"Someone was admiring herself in the mirror by caressing those hickeys in the morning and yesterday night", her mind mocked her.

Maya pouted listening to it and told,"so what, I've bear all those teasings not him. Girls will not leave me for sure. Especially akka, I've teased her a lot."

Heart:

Soon she got ready and came out of the closet listening to the sounds and shook her head looking at the three of them. They were happily playing the PlayStation pulling each other legs.

She went near them and stood in front of them and asked them,

Hello sirs, don't you have any work? You are happily sitting here and playing.

Arey, bunny, move aside I'm going to win against your brother.

He said pushing her aside.

She got irritated with them and removed the connection of the console to TV and ran away from there.

Rakshasi (Devil). Nuvvu iypoyav ippudu naa chethilo. (You will be finished in my hands now).

For that, you have to catch me in the first place. She told showing her tongue to him.

Avi and Yash hit their foreheads and again started playing the game. While Arjun is running behind Maya. She ran down and hid behind Jai who had just come inside.

Babai, see how is he running behind me?

Arjun: Nanna, you move aside. This devil removed the connection of the playstation when we were playing.

Jai: Don't you have any work other than playing? Go and get ready for the puja, idiot.

Arjun went away from there stomping his feet. Maya kissed Jai's cheeks and told him "thank you, babai", and went from there. Jai chuckled at her antics and he also moved from there.

Maya went and sat beside Arpita who was tying garlands.

Arpita: Hello sista!

Maya: Umm, hi! She said taking the flowers from her to make garland.

Are you not feeling well?

Maya: No! Why did you ask that?

Arpita: You see, you are wearing a full blouse with collar neck na, that's why I've asked you. She said blinking her eyes innocently.

(Maya's attire)

Maya: Ah, umm. She started stammering listening to her question.

Why are you stammering, Maya? Answer her. She said joining them.

Maya: Nothing. She was about to get up when they pulled her back making her land on the couch.

Maya glared at them and thought, "cha, ila irukkunna enti. Ina nenu vachi vachi ikkade kurchovala. Ippudu veellu nannu vadalare."

(Shit, now I'm stuck with them. Should I come and sit here only? Now these people won't leave me)

She prayed in her mind to send someone to save her from their teasings. Just then Anjali called her making her grin. She ran away from there making Arpita and Sravya burst into laughter.

Arpita: Come we have lots of work. Saying that, both of them got busy in their works.

Soon the puja got completed and all the ladies gathered to make the turmeric powder by crushing the dried turmeric roots.

The powder is used to apply on bride and groom during their "pellikodu/pellikuturu" ceremonies.

After the ceremony, everyone had their lunch and sat in the living room discussing about the works related to the marriage.

Precap: Leap.

Keep smiling and take care.