"Yakshu! Papa ko baith kr dikhao."

Ritvik stopped at his place hearing her excited voice and carefully looked at his son, who until now had his back against the bed. Yukti shifted him away from the support and Ritvik waited for Yaksh to fall back as he always did but this time, he sat straight and flailed his arms at his father making happy noises.

Ritvik grinned wide and smothered his little chubby face with kisses making him giggle and hold Ritvik's face in his small hands.

"Thank you Yukti. For doing so much and-"

"Aap thank you kyu bol rhe hai. Mujhe achha lagta hai Yaksh ke saath time spend krna."

"Phir bhi. You're too young and I'm sure tumhare kuch dreams rahe honge. But here you are, taking care of someone else's son."

Yukti smiled and looked at Yaksh who was busy playing with his blocks.

"Mujhe bache shuru se bhut pasand hai. Aur Yaksh ko toh maine apna maan kia hai bhut pehle. Toh apno ke kiye itna toh kr skte hai na? Aur rahi baat dreams ki. Wo toh mai kabhi bhi pure kr lungi. Ye thoda sa bada ho jaaye toh mai soch rhi thi ki tuition centre join kr lungi koi, ya teachers ki post ke liye apply kr dungi."

Ritvik nodded and said.

"Aur aisa zaruri nhi hai ki hum husband wife nhi ban skte toh koi rishta hona zaruri hi nhi hai. Tumhare mann mai koi bhi baat ho, dost samajh kr share kr skti ho."

Yukti nodded gratefully and they focused their attention back to the playing baby.

Ritvik came home from work and entered his room only to find it empty. Where was his son and Yukti? He heard giggles and squeals from the bathroom and as he stepped inside it, he saw the cutest sight.

His son was his in inflatable bathtub and was splashing water on Yukti who was an equal opponent in splashing water making Yaksh giggle and squeal.

"Aaj iss waqt kyu naha rhe hai janab?"

He asked entering inside after getting rid of his tie and belt and unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt.

He took another stool and sat beside Yukti placing a kiss on Yaksh's head.

"Aaj Yakshu park gaya tha aur waha usne khud masti kri. Haina Yakshu?"

He blabbered in his own language and Ritvik laughed.

"Achha? Kya kya kia? Papa ko bhi toh batao?"

He asked and then what he heard made his eyes tear up. His son spoke his words in front of him.

"Pa..pa..papa...papa..."

And then he went on blabbering again as if telling his father about all the fun he did.

"He-he-did you hear it? He called me-he called me papa Yukti-he-"

"I know! Doctor ne bataya tha ki it is the right time when the baby should start speaking atleast a few words. Aur mai tab se isse easy easy words bolna sikha rahi hu."

"You're -I don't know how to thank you Yukti-"

"Maina kaha na! Mujhe thank you ki zarurat nhi hai. Isse janam maine bhale hi na dia ho. Lekin hamara dil ka connection hai."

Ritvik smiled gratefully at her.

"Chalo ab! Bahar chalenge. Than lag jaayegi na warna."

She said and fake shivered making Yaksh copy her. The two of them laughed at hos cuteness.

"Aap isse taiyar kr dijiye. Mai tab tak ye saaf krke aati hu."

Ritvik nodded and took his son wrapped in his cute penguin towel.

"Papa...pegin."

He said pointing at his towel. Ritvik smiled and said.

"Hmm! Penguin!"

"Pegin!"

He made Yaksh wear his night suit and put his toys in front of him.

Yukti came out after cleaning the bathroom. He smiled at her, making her smile back. Yaksh grabbed Ritvik's wallet which was on the bed near him and started playing with it.

Ritvik didn't notice it until he opened his wallet and started blabbering again. This time, it made him numb.

"Maa...maa....mum....maaa...."

His son was looking at Yakshna's picture and calling her mumma. His eyes teared up and he looked at Yukti.

"H-how?"

"Aap please bura mat manna lekin maine isse aapki aur Yakshna didi ki picture dikha kr hi papa mumma bolna sikhaya tha."

She mumbled with her head bowed down.

"Why?"

She frowned at his question and said.

"Kyunki she is his mother."

"But she is not here."

He said with a pained voice. She knew he missed her terribly.

"Lekin sach toh yahi hai na ki Yakshna didi hi iski mumma hai."

"Why are you so-so-selfless?"

He said and she just smiled with a shrug.

It was a Sunday and Ritvik was home. Yukti and her mother-in-law were at the local supermarche getting groceries and other household items.

"Shaam ko kya banana hai?"

Yukti asked her mother-in-law while keeping the stuff at their places.

"Baad mai dekhte hai. Mai toh abhi aaram krne jaa rhi hu."

"Thik hai. Mai bhi dekhti hu Yaksh ne kuch khaaya ki nhi."

Yukti entered her room to see Ritvik sprawled on one end of the bed.

"Yaksh ne kuch khaaya tha?"

"Hmm! I gave him some fruit pulps like you said."

"Hai kaha wo shaitaan khopdi?"

She asked making him chuckle and indicate towards the floor with his eyes. Yukti moved towards the place he indicated and saw him sitting on the floor with his blocks around him.

"Yakshu!"

She chirped in excitement making the baby turn and grin wide seeing his favourite person.

"Mum...maaa....mum...maaa...."

He called seeing her and crawled towards her. She took him in her arms and he continued chanting mumma over and over looking at her. She looked at Ritvik shocked.

"What? Just like you said. Yakshna gave birth to her. But you're the one who's raising him. Maa toh tum bhi ho na."

She smiled a teary eyed smile and he patted her head leaving the two for some time.

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