Author's POV:

Anjali excused herself to go to the washroom. As she walked, her mind was drifting, replaying the chaos of the day with a small smile. After she came outside, she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't see someone approaching from the corner.

Thud.

She accidentally collided with someone, and the person’s belongings scattered across the floor. Anjali immediately knelt down, her face flushing with apology.

"I am so sorry! I really didn't notice where I was going," she said, quickly gathering the papers.

Her gaze fell onto a professional-looking file. As she picked it up, she looked at the woman standing before her.

"Aap writer hain?" she asked curiously.

The woman stood up gracefully. She was stunning, with a presence that felt both calm and commanding. Her green eyes were hypnotizing, catching the mall's bright lights as she smiled warmly.

"Yes, I am," she replied.

Anjali smiled, a small spark of nostalgia in her eyes.

"Main bhi thi..." she murmured, her face falling slightly as she remembered she hadn’t picked up a pen in years.

The woman tilted her head, observing her. "Oh, nice. By the way, I am Tarani Singh."

Anjali shook her hand, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. "I am Anjali... Anjali Verma."

Before she could ask anything more, her phone began to vibrate incessantly in her pocket. She glanced at the screen—it was Aryan.

"Sorry, I really need to go... but it was nice meeting you, Tarini," Anjali said hurriedly.

The woman nodded politely, watching Anjali walk away until she disappeared into the crowd.

Meanwhile;

Aryan was pacing near the table, his thumb hovering over the call button for the fifth time. When Anjali hadn't picked up, his protective instincts had kicked into overdrive.

He was just about to head toward the washrooms to check on her when he saw her walking back.

He reached her in three long strides and pulled her into a tight, rib-crushing hug.

"Call toh utha liya karo! Kitna darr jata hoon main," he muttered into her hair, his heart finally slowing down.

Anjali chuckled, patting his back as she leaned into his warmth.

"Kahin bhaag thodi jaungi,Pati dev."

"Bhaag gayi toh?" he whispered, pulling back just enough to look at her.

"Toh tum mujhe phir se dhoond loge," she replied softly, her eyes full of certainty.

Aryan smiled, the tension leaving his body. Forgetting they were in the middle of a crowded food court, he leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead.

When they finally turned back to the table, they stopped dead. Arushi, Aahan, Advika, and Veer were all frozen, food stuffed in their mouths, staring at them like they were watching a climax of a romantic movie.

"Dekha Adu? Aapke Mummy-Papa kitne romantic hain," Aahan said through a mouthful of burger.

Advika blinked, confused. "Chachu, kaunsa tic?"

Aahan swallowed hard and pointed a greasy finger at Aryan.

"Jab aapke Papa aapki Mumma se aise chipke ho... use 'romantic' kehte hain."

Advika made an "Oh" sign with her mouth, looking impressed.

Smack!

Aryan’s hand landed right on the back of Aahan’s head.

"Bada gyaan de raha hai bacchon ko! Tujhe doon main thoda gyaan?"

Aahan rubbed his head, smiling cheekily.

"Nahi, mere pass in sabke liye time nhi hai"

Smack! He got another one, but this time from the other side.

"Ek meri taraf se bhi," Arushi said, not even looking up from her burger.

Aahan gave her a deadly side-eye.

"Behti ganga mein haath dho rahi ho?"

"Nahi, haath nahi... munh," she replied sarcastically, taking another huge bite.

Aahan glared at her, but Anjali and Aryan just shared a look and burst into laughter.

After sometime;

the family walked toward the parking lot, the tired kids were leaning against their parents, but the energy between the adults was still high. Just as Aryan reached for the driver-side door, Anjali stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Mujhe gaadi chalani hai," she announced, holding out her hand expectantly.

Aahan and Arushi froze in their tracks. They looked at each other and then let out a synchronized, theatrical cough.

"Bhabhi, humein ghar pahunchna hai, swarg nahi," Aahan muttered, clutching his shopping bags as if they were life jackets.

Anjali’s eyes narrowed as she glared at them. She turned her gaze to Aryan, her hand still extended.

"Tumhe bhi lagta hai main sabko swarg pahuncha dungi?"

Aryan looked at the keys, then at his wife’s determined face. He let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Devi ji, aap jahan pahunchayengi, main wahan khushi-khushi pahunch jaunga."

Anjali didn't wait for a more poetic answer; she snatched the keys right out of his hand with a triumphant smirk.

As they moved to get into the car, Aahan leaned into Aryan’s ear, whispering frantically.

"Bhai, aapki Ga**masti toh dekho! Yahan humein swarg ka rasta dikh raha hai aur aapko abhi bhi romance ki padi hai?"

Aryan didn't even look at him. He just hooked his arm around Aahan’s neck, pulling him into a playful but firm half-chokehold.

"Beta, agar swarg jaana hi hai, toh kam se kam teri Bhabhi ke hathon jayenge." Aryan whispered back with a grin.

"Aur tu itni chinta mat kar, tu toh pakka narak hi jayega, toh rasta tere liye waise bhi alag hoga. Relax kar."

Aahan choked out a protest as Aryan tossed him toward the back seat.

Anjali adjusted the driver’s seat, buckled her seatbelt with a sharp click, and checked the rearview mirror.

She looked at the terrified faces in the back and the admiring one beside her.

"Ready?" she asked, her foot hovering over the accelerator.

Aryan nodded bravely, bracing his hand against the dashboard. Behind them, Aahan and Arushi grabbed each other’s hands, squeezing tight.

"Jai Bajrangbali!" they both shouted in unison, closing their eyes as Anjali shifted the car into gear.

The Mercedes roared to life and zipped out of the parking spot.

Anjali didn't just drive; she treated the Mercedes like a fighter jet. The moment they hit the open road, she shifted into sport mode, and the car lunged forward.

The speedometer climbed faster than Aahan’s heart rate, and the city lights turned into long, blurry streaks of neon.

In the back seat, Aahan let out a high-pitched shriek that would have put a soprano singer to shame.

He didn't even care about his "cool guy" image anymore; he practically dove into Arushi’s lap, hiding his face in her chest and clutching her waist like his life depended on it.

"BHABHI! BREAK! BREAK MAARO!" Aahan screamed, his voice cracking.

"Humein bacho ko bada hote dekhna hai! Arushi, mujhe bacha lo, ye aurat humein maut ke ghat utar degi!"

Arushi, though slightly startled by the speed, was busy trying to push Aahan’s heavy head off her.

"Aahan! Chhodo mujhe! Tum toh aise darr rahe ho jaise pehli baar gaadi mein baithe ho. Aur kam se kam mard bano, ladkiyon ki tarah cheekhna band karo!"

"Nahi banna mard! Mujhe zinda rehna hai!" Aahan wailed, peeking one eye out only to see Anjali expertly overtake a truck with millimeters to spare.

"JAI BAJRANGBALI! Hanuman Chalisa shuru karo koi!"

Meanwhile, Aryan was sitting in the passenger seat, looking at Anjali with pure, unadulterated admiration. He wasn't scared at all; in fact, seeing her so confident and in control was doing things to him.

He leaned back, a smitten smirk on his face as he watched her grip the steering wheel.

"Jaan," Aryan murmured, his voice thick with a mix of pride and playfulness.

"Tumhari ye driving skills dekh ke na... mujhe sach mein orgasm aa raha hai. You look so hot when you drive."

Anjali didn't even take her eyes off the road, but a small, smug smile played on her lips.

"Control yourself, Mr. Taneja. Driving pe focus karne do."

Aahan, hearing his brother's flirtatious comment even through his panic, popped his head up for a split second, looking at Aryan with pure disgust.

"Bhai! Sharam kar lo!" Aahan shouted from the back.

"Yahan meri potty nikalne wali hai darr ke maare, aur aapko wahan romance ki sujhh rahi hai? Aapka tharkipana swarg ke darwaze tak khatam nahi hoga kya? Kam se kam maut ko toh serious le lo!"

Aryan just chuckled and blew a kiss toward Anjali.

"Maut bhi aa jaye toh kya gham hai? Jaanu ke saath 'Fast and Furious' wala climax toh mil raha hai."

"Tum dono pagal ho!" Arushi laughed, finally giving up and holding onto the handle above the door.

"Anjali, thoda slow kar le, warna Aahan sach mein rone lagega."

"Fine, fine," Anjali giggled, finally easing her foot off the pedal as they entered the quiet residential lanes leading to the mansion.

"Ek toh tum log adventure enjoy nahi karte."

As the car slowed down to a normal speed, Aahan finally let go of Arushi, sitting up and gasping for air. He straightened his shirt and tried to fix his messy hair.

"Adventure? Bhabhi, ise adventure nahi, 'Final Destination' ka audition kehte hain. Aaj ke baad, main aapki gaadi mein tabhi baithunga jab mere haath mein insurance paper honge."

"Darpok," Anjali teased, pulling the car into the driveway with a perfect parallel park.

After sometime;

They finally reached the mansion, the heavy silence of the night a sharp contrast to the chaos of the mall. In the backseat, Advika and Veer were completely out, their heads lolling against each other in deep, exhausted sleep.

Aahan and Arushi stepped out carefully, moving like they were on a covert mission.

Aahan scooped up Veer while Arushi took Advika, both of them moving toward the front door with practiced caution.

"Dheere se uthao, Aahan! Agar ye jag gaya toh puri raat 'Super-Man' banke mere sar pe nachega," Arushi whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Fikar mat kar, ye itni gehri neend mein hai ki dhol bajao tab bhi nahi uthega," Aahan whispered back, though he was still walking on his tiptoes.

Meanwhile, at the trunk, Aryan and Anjali were left to deal with the mountain of shopping bags.

As Anjali reached for a bag, Aryan noticed the porch was empty and the coast was clear. He dropped the bags in his hands and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him.

"Ah!" Anjali flinched, her heart skipping a beat at the sudden contact.

"Sshhh..." Aryan murmured, his breath warm against her ear.

Anjali looked up at him, her hands instinctively resting on his chest. The moonlight hit his face, making his gaze look even more intense than usual.

"Kitni sexy lagti ho car chalate waqt," Aryan whispered, his voice dropping to a low, gravelly tone.

"Main toh bas ye soch raha tha... mujhe drive karte waqt aur kitni sexy lagogi."

Anjali didn't pull away. Instead, she let a slow, playful smirk spread across her lips.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, interlacing her fingers behind his head and pulling him down just an inch closer.

"Hmm... dekh rahi hoon main, Pati-dev," she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Tumhari nigahein aaj kal bahut dol rahi hain. Kuch zyada hi 'observations' kar rahe ho tum."

Aryan let out a husky chuckle, his grip on her waist tightening as he leaned in until their foreheads touched.

"Agar biwi tumhari jaisi ho, toh nigahein dolna toh laazmi hai, jaan," he murmured, his nose brushing against hers.

"I’ve spent four years looking at nothing. Can you blame me for wanting to see every single side of you now?"

Anjali’s heart softened, the teasing fading into a moment of pure, quiet intimacy.

"Tharki"

"Sirf tumhare liye," he whispered, before closing the tiny gap between them for a soft, lingering kiss that tasted like the cardamom tea they’d shared earlier and the promise of a long night ahead.