Chapter 37 Unexpected Re
The drive back to the hotel...
Was unusually quiet.
Not because there was nothing to say...
But because both of them were lost in their own thoughts.
Arjun glanced towards Aadhira.
She was looking out of the car window.
A peaceful smile still rested on her face.
It was the same smile...
She had worn while playing with the children.
Without realizing it...
He smiled too.
...
That night...
Neither of them spoke much.
After wishing each other good night...
They retired to their respective rooms.
Yet...
Sleep came much later than usual.
For both of them.
---
The next morning...
London greeted them with another bright day.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the suite.
Aadhira was arranging breakfast on the dining table.
Arjun walked out after getting ready.
He paused for a moment.
"You made breakfast?"
Aadhira nodded.
"The hotel chef made it."
"I only arranged it."
Arjun chuckled.
"I almost thought you cooked."
She looked at him innocently.
"I can."
Arjun smiled.
"Looks like I'm the only useless one."
Aadhira remembered the orphanage.
A tiny smile escaped her lips.
"The children already told you that."
He sighed dramatically.
"I've been bullied by children..."
"And now by my wife."
She almost laughed.
Almost.
Before either of them could continue...
The doorbell rang.
Arjun frowned.
"Who could that be this early?"
He walked towards the door.
The moment he opened it...
Three familiar faces stood outside.
"SURPRISE!"
"Siddharth?"
"Dev?"
"Rohan?"
Before Arjun could react...
All three barged inside.
Rohan wrapped an arm around Arjun's shoulders.
"Missed us?"
"No."
Dev looked around the luxurious suite.
"So this is where our newly married CEO has been hiding."
Siddharth smirked.
"We came to inspect your honeymoon."
Arjun folded his arms.
"Who told you I was here?"
Rohan grinned.
"You seriously think we couldn't find you?"
"We're your best friends."
Dev added,
"We finished our business conference yesterday."
"So we thought..."
"Why not annoy Arjun before going back?"
Siddharth nodded proudly.
"It was a unanimous decision."
Arjun pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I knew I needed new friends."
The three laughed.
---
Just then...
Another doorbell rang.
Everyone turned towards the entrance.
Aadhira walked over.
She opened the door.
For a brief second...
Her usually calm expression disappeared.
"Kabir?"
"Shanaya?"
"Naina?"
All three smiled brightly.
"Surprise!"
Before anyone could say another word...
Kabir stepped forward and hugged Aadhira warmly.
"It's been months."
"We missed you."
Aadhira smiled genuinely.
"I missed you too."
Shanaya hugged her next.
"Mrs. Rathore..."
"You forgot your friends after getting married."
Naina dramatically wiped an imaginary tear.
"So heartless."
Aadhira laughed softly.
"I've only been away for a few weeks."
"Still counts."
The three replied together.
Inside the living room...
Arjun silently watched.
Kabir casually ruffled Aadhira's hair.
"So..."
"Still overworking yourself?"
She rolled her eyes.
"You sound exactly like my mother."
"Someone has to."
Arjun narrowed his eyes slightly.
He knew...
Kabir was only her friend.
Then why...
Did he suddenly feel irritated?
---
Kabir finally noticed the others.
"Oh..."
"We have company."
Aadhira smiled.
"Kabir..."
"This is my husband, Arjun."
Kabir extended his hand immediately.
"So you're the famous husband."
Arjun shook his hand politely.
"And you're..."
"Kabir."
"Aadhira's best friend."
He smiled confidently.
"The one who knows all her embarrassing stories."
Aadhira looked at him.
"Don't."
Kabir grinned mischievously.
"Oh..."
"I definitely will."
Arjun blinked.
Embarrassing stories?
Aadhira?
Now he was interested.
---
Soon...
Both friend groups gathered in the living room.
Introductions began.
"Siddharth."
"Shanaya."
"Dev."
"Naina."
"Rohan."
"Kabir."
Within minutes...
The suite became louder than a marketplace.
Everyone spoke at once.
Everyone laughed.
Everyone interrupted everyone else.
Arjun sat silently.
Watching the chaos unfold.
Rohan leaned towards him.
"I like her friends."
"They're just as dangerous as ours."
"I noticed."
---
Kabir suddenly looked at Aadhira.
"Remember our university days?"
She nodded.
"Unfortunately."
"You once burnt instant noodles."
"They caught fire."
Everyone turned towards Aadhira.
She looked completely expressionless.
"That happened once."
Kabir laughed.
"Twice."
Shanaya corrected him.
"Three times."
Naina burst into laughter.
"The fire alarm still remembers her."
Even Aadhira couldn't defend herself anymore.
Arjun looked at her in disbelief.
"You?"
"Burnt instant noodles?"
She quietly looked away.
"It was an experiment."
Kabir almost fell off the sofa laughing.
"That's what she told the hostel warden too."
For the next five minutes...
The entire room echoed with laughter.
---
While everyone continued talking...
Kabir naturally walked over to the dining table.
Without asking...
He poured himself coffee.
Then...
He poured another cup.
He casually placed it beside Aadhira.
"There."
"You always complain if the coffee gets cold."
Aadhira took the cup.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
The conversation continued.
---
A few minutes later...
Kabir turned towards Aadhira.
"Come on."
"We're going sightseeing."
Arjun frowned.
"We?"
Kabir nodded confidently.
"Of course."
"We didn't fly all the way to London just to sit inside a hotel."
Rohan immediately agreed.
"I'm in."
Siddharth nodded.
"Me too."
Dev simply shrugged.
"Sounds good."
Naina clapped excitedly.
"London group trip!"
Shanaya smiled.
"Approved."
Kabir looked at Arjun.
"So, Mr. Husband..."
"No objections."
Right?
Arjun looked around the room.
Seven smiling faces stared back at him.
He slowly realized...
He had already lost.
Aadhira looked at him.
A tiny smile appeared on her lips.
"Looks like..."
"Our honeymoon has become a group vacation."
The entire room burst into laughter.
Arjun leaned back dramatically.
"My peaceful honeymoon..."
"Officially ended..."
Before it even properly began.
The laughter grew even louder.
And unknowingly...
This unexpected reunion...
Was about to change all of their lives.
To Be Continued...