The sun slowly peered from clouds living its yellow hue. Birds chirped and welcomed a new moring.
Smell of incense, tea and and shrill sound of cooker's whistles filled the household of Aggarwal Mansion. Another day full of hustle in Aggarwal Mansion.
A girl in her late teen was sleeping like there is no tomorrow.
She woke up abruptly with the sudden shrill whistle of cooker.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked around. Seeing no one, she fell back on bed and tried to sleep again.
Key word 'Tried.'
Because just when she thought, she can go back to her dreamland, she heard a faint giggle.
Danger Alert! She thought.
She looked around frantically, seeing no one ,she yawned lazily but still cautious about the hidden danger.
She rolled down her bed like a ninja , and quickly entered her bathroom and closed the door, and sighed in relief.
Rubbing her sleepy eye ,she took her brush and paste.
Still brushing her teeth, she looked at the mirror and let out a horrific scream!
"VAIDEHI!"
Sound of giggle filled the room with the sound of someone running away.
Giggling stopped near a room filled with mix smell of incense and desi ghee ke laddu(sphere shape sweet).
Chanting soft of hymns with her hands folded , a lady in her early 70 sat near shrine with her hands folded in concentration as she offered her prayer.
.
.
.
With slow and steady step , she tip-toed near the plate of laddu(sphere shape sweet) -that has been offered to God.
Her hand slowly neared the plate ,trying to steal the ladoo, only to be stopped by getting a smack on the back of her hand.
"Vaidehi Aggarwal, what are you trying to do, eh!?" Soft yet stern voice of the old lady bloomed the room.
"I was praying ,Grandma." Vaidehi replied with an innocent look, shifting from one leg to another.
"Don't fall for her innocent look , Grandma!Look what she did to my hair!" Complained a new voice.
"What happen Sanvi? What did she do no-" Her grandma turned and let out a gasp.
"SHE DYED MY HAIR , RAINBOW!CAN YOU BELIEVE IT ,GRANDMA!" Sanvi complained while glaring at Vaidehi.
Vaidehi looked at her cousins sister from the corner of her eyes ,and tried to control her laugh.
"Vaidehi, what kind of behaviour is this! Do you have any explanation?" Grandma raised her eyebrow and questioned her sternly.
"I did nothing Grandma!" Vaidehi looked at her grandmother innocently with her special puppy dog face ,that she have mastered practicing twice in front of mirror.
"Then explain yourself!?What on earth were you thinking,when you were dyeing my hair rainbow!?" Sanvi exclaimed furiously.
"Sanvi! She is your elder sister, calm down and say sorry to her!" Grandma ordered.
"You're still taking her side!?" Sanvi looked at her Grandma in disbelieve.
Vaidehi controlled her laughter with a fake cough, Sanvi swiftly turned her head from her grandma to Vaidehi and narrowed her eyes.
"It's not about taking sides, bacha(kiddo)-it's about respecting elders." Grandma patted Sanvi's head and tried to make her understand.
"Yes , yes its about respecting elders! " Vaidehi chirped in between.
Grandma turned her head head toward Vaidehi and smacked her head lightly.
"When will you grow up, Vaidu! You will be turning 22 and this is what you do, dye your sister's hair rainbow!?"
"But Grandma , I was jus-"
"No more words! You both, say sorry to each other!" Grandma said in stern voice.
Vaidehi pouted and Sanvi had a victories smirk pasted on her face which made Vaidehi glare at her.
"Sorry!" Both said at the same time.
Both of them slowly shook hands with each other ,still glaring.
"Good girl. Now Sanvi go and call your mother and ask her if the preparation of today's function is done?"
"Okay, but how am I going to go out with this hair?" Sanvi whined at looked at grandma.
"Its temporary. Wash it nicely and colour will fade away. " Vaidehi chirped in between, still controlling her giggles.
"Vaidehi! You still have a lot to explain. Why did you dyed her hair? You grandpa has spoiled you. God! What will you do when you get married!? " Grandma exclaimed seeing Vaidehi's mischievous smile.
Vaidehi pouted and said to Grandma in a very child like voice, "I don't want to marry anyone. I want a job and be independent. And I died her hair rainbow because she stole my food. And no one touches my food!"
"God! What!? Vaidehi, you need to be more mature. And stop behaving like a toddler. Now go and get ready." Grandma patted her head and went inside her room.
.
.
.
Aggarwal mansion was all set to celebrate seventy-nineth birthday of Raghav Aggarwal.
The head of the household, grandfather of Vaidehi.
Ladies and mens of the house were running around and preparing for the occasion.
Despite all the hustle-bustle, our Vaidehi was busy munching popcorn while watching her favourite movie.
A hand slowly crawled toward her Popcorn.
Just when the hand successfully grabbed almost handful of popcorn, a hard smack and then a loud shout of "THIEF" echoed the room.
"Thief, thief! Someone is trying to steal my food! Help!" Vaidehi closed her eyes and stomped her foot repeatedly on the ground.
The same hand closed her mouth but Vaidehi kept stomping her foot repeatedly.
"God! Vaidu, stop it! It me Vansh ,your god damn brother!"
Vaidehi , whose mouth was still closed with Vansh's palm , turned her head , glared and tried to say, which sounded like, "Mmmthm hmmmfomm mmmmm."
Vansh seeing Vaidehi's struggle, quickly removed his hand only to get smacked on his head repeatedly.
"HOW DARE YOU TRIED TO STEAL MY FOOD! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT NO ONE TOUCHES MY FOOD!? " Vaidehi exclaimed looking at her brother.
Vansh gave her a crooked smile a stuffed his hand inside his pocket and dangled 2 big chocolate bars infront of her.
Vaidehi's eyes twinkled and she quickly jumped to take it from his hand only to be pushed back by Sanvi.
"These are mine now." She snatched the chocolates from Vansh's hand and smirked.
Vaidehi glared at her and tried to jump on her but stopped suddenly, she smirked and look out her phone from her pocket.
She spinned her phone in front of Sanvi's face with an evil smile.
"Tsk, tsk you don't want everyone to see you with a rainbow hair now, do you?"
Sanvi stomped her foot and turned to Vansh, "Stop her Vansh bhai(brother)! "
"Deal with the devil, sis!" Vansh raised his hand in surrender and walked away toward the hall room.
"Vaidu di(sister), please don't do this with me." Sanvi whined and look at Vaidehi.
"First chocolate then I will think about it." Vaidehi smirked and forwarded her hand.
Sanvi pouted looked at a the precious chocolates and then at smirking Vaidehi.
Letting out an irritating grunt in a very unlady like manner, she forwarded the chocolates, which Vaidehi, snatched it from her hand.
"Good girl. " She patted Sanvi's head and walked away whistling a tune.
.
.
.
.
"HAPPY BIRTH DAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAY TO DEAR DADU(grandfather)! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! " Every sang in chorus, wishing the old man. Who was cutting the cake with a happy smile.
Vansh jumped to eat cake first but , stopped when grandpa pulled Vaidehi and feed her first.
Vansh pouted while Vaidehi, sticking out her tongue at Vansh, Vaidehi happy stuffed her mouth with large piece of cake that her grandpa offered.
"Happy Birthday , old man!" Vaidehi said and gave a tight bear hug to her grandpa.
"Oyeee,I am not old your father is! Huh." Grandpa pouted looking at Vaidehi.
"Awe! I know you are still young and that I why all the oldie grandma's of our society is your die heart fan." Vaidehi said and bit her tongue as her grandma pulled her ear.
"Die heart fan ,eh?" Her grandma said glaring at her husband, who pouted looking at Vaidehi.
"Oouch! Grandma leave me , its hurting!"
"Prashanti, why are troubling her? "
"You don't talk! You have spoiled her and turned her into your lady version!" She chided and glared at her husband.
"Aha grandma, why are you scolding your Romeo? He is still gaga over you." Vaidehi chirped in between.
Grandma just shook her head at both Grandfather and granddaughter duo.
"Gift time!" Vansh said while walking with a large gift box.
"This from all of us." Vaidehi's dad said taking the box from Vansh.
The old man's eye shone with unshed tears, seeing the love of his family.
"Na, Na birthday boy! No tears today." Vaidehi said side hugging her grandfather and encouraged him to open the gift.
Slowly opening the gift wrap , the old man's let out a surprised gasp and a lone tear roll down his eyes.
Holding the gift with a shaky hand with the help of Vaidehi.
He looked at Vaidehi and said in a shaky voice, "I know this gift is your idea."
Each and every family member was emotional seeing the old man in happy tears.
Vaidehi gave him a nod with smile. Her shone with tears.
Inside the box–was a huge framed portrait of Aggarwal family.
What was more special about this portrait was –Each and every family member wrote a sweet message behind the frame.
"Its time to dance!" Sanvi squealed breaking the silence.
Vaidehi with her cousins played some favourite old songs of their grandpa and starting dancing,slowly joined by everyone.
.
.
.
After an exhausting day, Vaidehi, sprawled on her bed like a cat and scrolled throw social media–posting pictures of today's celebration.
She opened her mail, as a daily routine to check if their was any important message.
Her eye fell on a certain mail and she let out a shriek and fell from her bed.