"Ha dad, humne plane board kar lia hai! Don't worry papa, we are 24 not 4. First time nai travel kar rahe hai hum dono!! Airport pe car bhej dena, ha I'll call once we reach. Uff papa, 2 hours ki flight hai sirf, acha chalo bye." Akshara talked to her over protective father.

Vatsal looked at his cousin and asked," He didn't change a bit, did he?" to which Akshara smiled saying, "And that's why he's the favourite Goenka, bro!!"

The two cousins smiled and then after the plane takes off one puts ear phones while the other opens his book to read. The two in the plane are at peace while the Goenka house was a mess.

"Naira, kachodi taiyaar hai na? Meri princess ko bohut pasand hai." Kartik asked his wife for the 10th time to which Naira fumed and replied," Kartik abhi ek bhi baar aur pucha na toh dekh lena!"

"Aree meri sherni shaant!! I am just excited humari Akshu ghar aarahi hai wapis. Woh bhi permanently, I am so happy, kitne saalon baad aarahi hai. I don't wish usko yaha koi bhi problem ho." Kartik gushed in excitement while Naira smiled at her husband's happiness.

"Kairav beta, jaa jakar panditji ko mandir se pick karke aa. Vansh Naitik ji tumhe dhundh rahe hai, koi Krishna ke client ka call aaya hai. Neeti bacha laptop rakh aur ready ho ja, panditji aate honge." Manish entered the living room shouting instructions to everyone.

Kairav obeying his dadu went to pick up panditji while Vansh left for garden where Naitik was present. Swarna huffed in annoyance and said," Aap shanti se baithye nai toh blood pressure badh jayega aapka."

Akhilesh was busy talking to Manan, Luv and Kush about some business deal when Prisha entered," Aaj no kaam! Akshu aur Vatsal wapis aa rahe hai taiyaari mein help karo aap sab! Luv ye lo Preet ko sambhalo" saying so she handed her son to her husband and dragged Manan towards Gayu and Keerti.

"Manan beta, ek kaam karo go and ask Neeti ki engagement ka colour kounsa final hua, so uss hisaab hai I can tell Harini to arrange clothes. Also, Vansh ko bata dena aaj event manager aane wali hai so usse, coordinate kar le and Prisha dadi ko davai deke aana please." Keerti said everything in one go.

Manan nodded to most of her instructions and then added," Engagement ka koi fix theme nai hai shayad se. Di was telling no dress code or something, fir bhi I'll confirm ek baar."

Keerti nodded and turned towards Gayu who said," Harini ko pick up karne bhejna padega uski car puncture ho gayi hai and she has many dresses with her." to which Keerti sighed, "Aaj hi sab hona tha! I'll send Krish to pick her up."

Everyone was pretty much busy in Goenka house when Akshara and Vatsal entered. "I thought ye log humare liye surprise plan karege, itne saalon baad jo aarahe hai hum but nai sab Neeti di ki engagement ki preparations mein busy hai." Vatsal whispered in her ears but before she could answer Kairav who saw them at the gate ran and hugged them gaining their whole family's attention.

The two then entered the living room only to be crashed in hugs by everyone, the reunion went for almost 20 minutes and was ended by panditji gaining their attention.

"Yeh dono kundali toh bohut ache se milti hai Swarnaji par shaadi ka koi acha muhurat nai bata raha hai 3 saalon tak." he said looking at Neeti and Sanyam's kundalis.

"Aww di ko 3 saal tak jiju ka wait karna padega!" Vansh teased to which Vatsal further added, "Bhaag ke shaadi ka option khula hai though" before any of the cousin could reply they were shushed by their mother.

"Panditji, humare baaki bachon ki kundali bhi dekh lijyena. Koi achi si kanya ho toh zaroor batana." Naira said giving Vansh, Kairav, Krish, Manan and Vatsal's kundali. She accidentally also gave him Akshara's kundali.

Looking at Krish's kundali he said, "Iss mein nakshtra ke hisaab se prem vivah hone ka yog hai."

The cousins who were staring at Krish expected a reaction only to find him busy staring at Harini, a fashion designer from Keerti's boutique who was arranging the outfits on the other side. "Hume bhi iske prem vivah ke lakshan dikh rahe hai." Akshara whispered to Neeti who stifled a laugh while Kairav nudged Krish.

"Baaki toh koi bhi kundali mein 3-4 saal tak vivah ke koi lakshan nai dikh rahe." Panditji started but stopped while looking at Akshara's kundali then continued, "Iss kundali mein ye 2 saal mein shaadi ka yog aur lakshan hai. Aapke iss peedhi ki pehli shaadi issi ki hogi. Iss kanya ke liye mere pass ek uchit var bhi hai, Abhimanyu Birla. Kal hi unki matashree se baat hui thi who unke bet eke liye ladki dhundh rahi hai. Agar aap kahe toh uski jaankari bhej sakta hu mein aapko."

"Ek minute kya??Mere liye ladka? Ye kab decide hua?" Akshara shouted but was cut by Suhasini, "Birla khandaan se hume koi Rishta nai jodna. Meri bachi uss khandan mein kabhi nai jayegi. Panditji Birlas ke siva koi aur ho aapke dhayan mei toh batayega."

"Ji zaroor. Ab aagya chahta hu." Saying so the panditji left.

Akshara turned towards her parents, "Meri shaadi and mujhe kab puchne wale the?"

"Akshu bacha, galti se de thi teri kundali. Tuje puche bina thodi shaadi ka faisla lenge hum." Naira said and Kartik added," Akshu aap meri princess ho, mera bas chalet oh aapko kahi jaane hi na du. Shaadi toh dur ki baat hai. I promise we are not planning for your marriage."

Akshara nodded and the matter was then diverted. The whole family then went on with the engagement preparations.

Later at night, after a melodramatic reunion and tiring preparations, the cousins found themselves sitting on the terrace.

"Ye lo," Vansh said passing them coffee and then sat beside Kairav. "Ahh! Now it feels like I am back home." Vatsal said sipping the coffee.

Krish noticed Akshara busy on her laptop and asked, "Chutki, what's going on?" Akshara shook her head and said, "Kuch nai bhai Udaipur ke DIG ke office se mail aaya tha who check kar rahi thi, about some money laundering case."

"Ayee choti, no work today! Waise any boyfriend jisse 2 years ke andar you going to marry?" Neeti teased and Akshara blushed and said, "Kya di kuch bhi, prem vivah ka yog toh Krish bhaiya ka hai!! Also I am just 24, he is almost 30 so pehle unka fir aap sabka mera number toh last mein aana chahiye."

"Prem vivah se yaad aaya, what's going on between you and Harini? Aaj pura time ek dusre se nazar hi nai hatt rahi thi also you samne se went to drop her." Manan asked.

Krish gave a shy smile and said, "We are dating. Last 3 years se!! Isliye she joined mom and Gayu bua." His answer shocked all the cousins who happen to know mostly everything about each other.

"And why is this a secret from us? Kisi aur ne kuch secret toh nai rakha na?" Akshara asked sternly.

The others except Kairav shook their heads and Kairav all of a sudden asked, "Does any of you know mimi Birla naam se kyu chid gayi thi?"

"Nope, but mujhe kya! Its not like ki I am going to marry within 2 years to Abhimanyu Birla." Akshara shrugged but Kairav murmured, "But mujhe farak padta hai because I am dating the eldest Birla daughter, Anisha." "Kyaa?? Kab se??" shouted the rest.

Kairav then went on telling them about knowing Anisha for last 5 years and dating for last one year. "So aapke liye we need to find out birlas and goenkas ke bich ka raaz? Chalo bhai ke liye kar lenge." Manan spoke dramatically.

"Waise I have a job interview at an orphanage affiliated with Birla hospital and Aarohi got internship there too, so jaan na easy ho sakta hai" Akshara said and was promptly questioned by Vansh, "Full time job ya sirf weekends?"

"Weekends only kyuki I have few cases with Udaipur police and some ongoing case with crime branch Mumbai." Akshara replied.

"Di, aap full time police mein kyu kaam nai karti? Like why freelance?" Manan asked.

Akshara said, "Well offer toh aaya tha Udaipur mein jo naya crime branch khulne wala hai usmein Cyber head ka but minimum police training leni padegi so 4-5 months police academy se training, which I don't know whether I should do or not."

****

First chapter out!

How did you find the chapter? Also do tell me if you wish to see Akshara as police or not? We could have a tashan wala Abhira meet.

Do vote, comment and share.

Love,

Writer!