Niren entered inside his brother's house with a bag full of toys. He saw Myra in the living room with his beloved nephew on the ground as usual surrounded with his toys but today his nephew was in Myra's lap, she was reading some story from a book.

"May I disturb you both?"

Myra raised her head from the book to look at the voice.

"Niren... Hi please... please come. Have a seat." She closed the book greeting the guest.

"Mumma" Neev did not like any intruder capturing his mother's attention.

"Hey my baby. Come to me." Niren went on knees in front of the duo raising his hands.

"Go Neev. See Niren Uncle is here." Myra gently pushed him.

"No." Neev snuggled in Myra's chest hiding his face showing his disagreement.

Niren sulked whereas Myra pressed her lips to suppress her chuckle.

"Neev please baby. Go to your uncle. See I think uncle bought some new toys for Neev. Let's see what it is?" Myra tried her best to convince her son.

After a long convincing session, Neev turned to Niren. The moment, he saw new colourful toys he jumped off from Myra'a lap and got busy with exploring.

"Woosh" Niren was playing with his nephew having the best time of his life.

Within no time Neev became familiar with Niren and started jumping in his lap. Myra was smiling looking at her son's happiness.

"Where is Neil?" Niren asked abruptly. "Isn't he still at home?"

"He is at home. He came back sometime. He went upstairs to take a shower."

"Ohh." Niren again became busy with his nephew in no time.

"Neil said he started walking on his own." He asked, hoping to see his nephew's latest achievement.

"Yes that's right, this little man took the first step two days back but after that he is not in the mood."

"Moody! Just like his father. Right?" Niren raised his teasing eyes to meet Myra's eyes wide open.

Both laughed their hearts out nodding their heads in agreement.

But their exchange of words was already heard by Neil.

"What are you doing here?" Neil entered and was surprised to see his little brother. His voice startled Niren and Myra.

"I came to see my young buddy." Niren twitched his nose but turned to Neev.

"Dadda" Neev showed his new toys to his father.

"So this asshole is trying to bribe my little one." Neil tapped on Niren's head before settling down on the floor in front of his son besides Myra.

"You should not use bad words infront of him. He is learning new words nowadays." Myra spoke slowly.

Both brothers' eyes turned to her immediately.

"Sorry" Neil gave a sheepish smile.

"Thank you." Niren gave the brightest smile passing glare to his elder brother from corner eyes.

Neil threw one of Neev's soft toys to hit his little brother with death glare. Whereas Myra was enjoying brother's tussle with pressed lips.

"Hey it's game night." After some time Niren switched on TV to see the basketball match finale.

"Ohh ya." Both brothers got busy watching the match. Neev was jumping at his place when his father and uncle were shouting their lungs out with excitement.

Myra got up and went inside for dinner preparations. The moment she left Neil lost interest from the match but his eyes kept on moving towards the kitchen entrance.

After almost half an hour, Neil became restless as his wife was still inside the kitchen. He got up and left to look for her.

Niren pressed his lips, shaking his head looking at his brother's antics.

"You know your father has lost his senses behind your mother." Niren murmured in Neev's ears, now he was sitting in his lap.

"Mumma?" He asked, looking everywhere.

"Your Mumma is busy and your Dadda went behind her." Niren chuckled.

"My Mumma." Niren could sense possessiveness in Neev's voice for his mother and suddenly one idea popped up in his mind.

He made Neev sit in front of him and started talking to him in a very serious tone.

"Neev you are a big boy now. You have to become cupid for your father and mother's love by becoming the villain of their story."

Neev nodded his head as he understood everything his uncle was conveying.

"You have to stick to your Mumma and make sure your father does not get a single glance of her. Whenever you see your father is spending time with your Mumma go and interrupt. Your Mumma should be only your Mumma. You should make your father jealous then only that dumb person will try to understand his feelings for her." Niren explained in a cunning tone, narrowing his eyes.

"Ok?" Niren showed his fist and Neev tapped his palm over it, agreeing to his scheming uncle.

Here in the kitchen, Neil stood at the entrance taking support of the door. Myra was cutting veggies as well as stirring spatula in the pan in the middle.

Unknowingly his lips stretched in a smile. "Why are you here? Game is going well. We are winning the match."

"Dinner! Neev will be hungry in sometime." She stopped in mid and turned to him with big question mark on her face.

"Is it ok if I cook baked chicken with grilled veggies and mash potatoes? I hope Niren will like it. I am not sure about his preferences."

"He will love it. Don't be so formal with him." Neil took a few steps inside.

She concentrated back on her work.

"I am sorry I did not know this idiot would suddenly pop in. I hope it's ok with you." Neil spoke cautiously while helping in her work.

"Why will I have any problem? He is your brother, he can come here anytime." Myra did not understand the reason behind his precautionary explanation, unaware that her sister never appreciated any of Neil's family members intruding in their space.

"How was your day?" Myra asked, it had become their routine to talk about their day while preparing dinner.

"It was good. Had a lot of back to back meetings." There they both discussed their day, Neil told her about his office matters which went top of Myra's head whereas Myra told him about her day with Neev.

"Doctors visited today for Julia aunty's check up. We can take out her plaster in two weeks."

"Ohh that's great news."

"Myra, I think once Julia is fine you should start your medical internship." Neil suggested.

"No Neil, Neev is very small. He became used to me around him. I don't want him to suffer." Myra's heart swelled thinking about his suggestion but for her, Neev's betterment preceded her own career.

"But it's a question of your career. I don't want you to spoil it. You must have worked very hard to be here. Medicine is too tough." Neil countered genuinely.

"I understand but let him turn into a toddler, maybe once he turns 2 or 3 I will surely think about it." Myra felt butterflies in her stomach with his concern.

Unknowingly Neil felt goosebumps thinking about his future with her. Over last few months he had stopped hoping for bright and happy future thinking it's unpredictability.

He held her arm to turn her and made her look into his eyes. "Promise me you will never ruin your efforts for me or Neev anytime. We both will look after Neev. We both are his parents, his future, his wellbeing is our ... a joint responsibility."

Myra could not take her eyes from his determined face. He was holding her both shoulders. His simple brief touch again gave flutterings to her heart.

She inhaled his manly cologne which set her heart on racing speed turning her cheeks into cherry red. She bit her lower lip lowering her head not able to match with his intense gaze.

"Promise me Myra." his deep voice earned a simple nod from her side.

Neil felt some tinklings in his heart making its presence felt after a long time for the owner. Her antics, her shy nature, her innocence introduced a new set of feelings to him. Emotions which he had never experienced till today.

Not even for Meera.

Throat clearing sound from the entrance broke their moment. Myra turned towards the kitchen counter shifting her hair strand behind her ear, whereas unknowingly Neil cursed his brother in mind which he could not hide from his facial expressions.

"Actually Neev was becoming restless so..." Niren could not finish his not so required explanations.

"My Mumma." Neev raised his hands to Myra.

"Ohh my baby, are you hungry? Just give 5 mins to Mumma." Myra hurriedly started working.

"Give him to me." Neil took steps to get his son.

"No. Mumma." Neev shook his head in disagreement.

"Good going buddy." Niren mumbled in his nephew's ears.

In the next 10 minutes all four settled on the dining table. Myra served food to all.

"Wow, this is delicious." Niren exclaimed, taking a first bite.

Myra passed a small smile.

Both brothers got busy with their talks whereas Myra was feeding Neev as well as eating her own food.

"So you three are coming home next weekend right?" Niren asked in the middle of their conversation.

Myra turned her eyes to Neil with a question mark.

"Ohh shit you forgot?" Niren snapped before Neil could answer anything.

"Sorry. No more bad words." Niren raised hands in surrender when Myra and Neil gave him look.

"It's Mom and Dad's anniversary so it's time for family dinner." Neil gave her additional information casually but Myra felt goosebumps as he counted her in their family member's list.

"Neil, we have to figure out what we can give them? I heard BMW is launching a special edition, it's a good option."

"Yes and for Mom, we can get swarovski. She loves these stones." Neil suggested.

Myra was a silent spectator but Neev was giving his approval in his baby voice.

Later, Niren went back to his home but not before wishing 'Best of Luck' to his elder brother. Neil was clueless about his sudden wish.

Neil came inside after bidding bye to his little brother. Myra was still in the living room whereas Neev was playing with his new toys, he was feeling sleepy but still reluctant to close his eyes.

"Neev don't you want to sleep?" Myra took him in her arms. She patted his back and the little guy slipped into a deep slumber the next moment.

"He really loved all his new toys." Neil followed Myra, both were going upstairs calling off for the day.

"Who doesn't like gifts? Everyone loves it. And especially those gifts which are special." Myra was climbing stairs holding Neev in her arms.

"What are special gifts?" Neil asked.

"Gifts which are laced with emotional touch, which forms some heart to heart connection." Myra shrugged her shoulders.

"I am still not understanding." Neil opened the door of her room.

"Ok, I will try to explain. For my Granny, she was diabetic but she had a sweet tooth, but sweets were strictly not for her. So, I used to find all the sugar free recipes of Indian sweets for her and used to make it on her birthday. That used to be my gift to her. Her smile was priceless... precious." Myra made Neev lie down on her bed. She covered him with a blanket.

"If you were at my place what would you have gifted to Mom and Dad?" He settled on bed beside his son whereas Myra on the other side.

"Ohh come on. How can I? Your Mom and Dad are different. I mean you can afford to give whatever you want. There is no comparison between you and me." Myra turned hesitant.

"You only said gifts should be special, one should always remember it. Now after knowing this, I don't think gifting an expensive car or jewellery set would make any difference to them." Neil reasoned out.

"See Neil, I grew up in a middle class family so for us finding such theories for gifting is fine but for you... I mean you don't need to."

"But the emotional touch of a gift... who will not like it?"

"I don't think that will be a good idea."

"That I will decide... just tell me what would be the gift you would have given to Mom and Dad?"

"Something which is close to their heart. Something which they always want to cherish."

"Myra, you might be a doctor turned into a philosopher but I am a hard core businessman." Neil was clueless about her words.

Myra thought for a while where as Neil  could not take of his eyes from her face.

"Idea" she exclaimed in excitement.

"Why don't you gift their memories? It's their anniversary... make them relive each phase of their life they have lived together. Starting from the way they got married, the way they went through ups and downs of married life or the way you and Niren completed their togetherness, the love they share even today." Neil could not take his eyes from her shining face.

He could not figure out the reason behind her glowing face, was it moonlight peeping inside her room or the ecstatic and pure heart she had.

"You are a genius, Myra. I am glad that I found you." His honest words touched her heart.

"You need to help us." He asked while getting up and moving towards door.

"Good night"

"Good night Neil."

Weekend came within a blink, it was Sunday when Neil and Myra were invited to Singhania Mansion for dinner and small family celebrations.

There was a knock on the door. "Myra are you ready?"

"Yes. We both are ready." She opened the door while

Neev was on his feet holding his mother's one finger. Recently, he showed some mercy on his father and started standing up and taking a few steps without support.

Neil observed his wife, she was dressed in a simple peach colour ankle length gown with minimal make up whereas his son was dressed in three piece giving tough competition to his father in handsomeness.

"Someone is looking stunning today." Neil went on his knees in front of his son, but he passed one glance at his wife.

'Did he compliment me or Neev?' thought crossed Myra's mind.

'No it was for my Neev, he is looking so cute today.' She convinced herself.

"Come let's go." Neil held the other hand of Neev with a smile.

Myra turned nervous when they stepped inside Singhania House. It was for the second time she entered  inside, the first time was when she came for her marriage.

She bent her head gulping hard remembering that day of her life, she felt hold on her palm. "Don't get nervous, I am there." Neil mumbled with an assured blink.

"Welcome Neil, Myra, come inside. Hey my little young boy." Dev welcomed the three with a bright smile.

"Happy Anniversary Dad." Neil wished but was pulled in a bear hug by Dev.

"Thanks son."

"Happy Anniversary Dad." Myra wished and bent down to take blessings.

"You are my daughter. Daughter's place is in their father's heart."  Dev made her stand and pulled her in bear hug.

"Neev." Myra blinked with indications.

Neev bent in front of his grandfather and tried to copy his mother.

"Ohh my goodness." Dev held Neev and took him in his arms kissing him all over his face.

Neil's heart swelled with pride looking at his son. Surely, his son was in good hands. His eyes fixed on Myra who was staring at Dev and Neev.

A tap on his back broke his reverie, "Your wishes are only for your father. What about me?"

"Mom, happy anniversary." Neil kissed her cheeks.

"Happy anniversary." Myra wished and repeated her actions but Nandini held her arms with a smile.

"Thank you so much dear."

"Ganny" for Neev pronouncing 'r' was still difficult.

"You are so cute, my bundle of joy." Now Neev was showered with Nandini's love.

Soon Niren joined family celebrations. Nandini and Dev cut cake feeding their sons as well as Myra and Neev.

It was a chocolate cake which was an instant hit for Neev. He got busy with his cake plate.

"Mom, Dad take your seat. It's time for your gift." Niren made all of them sit in the family room and switched on the projector.

Screen was showing a slideshow of Nandini and Dev's journey till today in pictures and videos.

Joy, tears, laughter, banters filled slideshow made Dev and Nandini speechless who were reliving all moments from their memory lane.

"This is priceless." Tears were rolling over Nandini's cheeks.

"This is the best gift you two have given to us till today." Dev seconded his wife.

"Thank you so much."

"Mom, you need to thank Myra for this." Neil commented with a small smile.

"No Neil. What did I do? It's you and Niren who did all the compilation of the slideshow." Myra became hesitant with Dev and Nandini's surprised look.

"He is right Myra. We just implemented it but you were the mastermind of this idea." Niren seconded his brother.

Nandini turned to look at Myra with adoration. "Thank you dear."

"That's what I thought, how come these two dumbheads could plan such a heartwarming surprise for us." Dev teased in a serious tone.

"Dad" Neil and Niren shouted at the same time.

Looking at their shocked yet embarrassed faces, the room boomed with Dev, Nandini and Myra's laughter. Neev did not understand much but he shouted at top of his voice clapping his hands showing his two front teeth.

"Dad at least don't insult me in front of my son." Neil's grumpy voice only increased the volume of their laughter.

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

Thanks for loving this story. Let me know how you found this chapter in the form of your votes and comments.

Please feel free to share this story in your message board as a suggestive read if you think that they will enjoy this roller coaster ride.

Love
AngelTweet