Ritvik stopped the car in front of a fancy restaurant and Yukti gulped in nervousness. She had never been to such restaurants before. What if she does something to embarass him?

"Umm-hum kahi aur chal skte hai kya?"

She asked him nervously and he frowned.

"Kyu? Tumhe ye jagah pasand nhi?"

"Nhi aisa nhi hai. Par ye-ye bhut high fi and expensive hai. Mai pehle kabhi yaha aai nhi aur na mujhe pata hai ki yaha pr kaise etiquettes hote hai."

She confessed in a small voice. He smiled and said.

"Pehle mhi aai tabhi toh maza hai na. Try new things and places on your birthday. Aur rahi baat etiquettes ki toh basic manners hone chahiye baaki kisko farak pad raha hai. Duniya jaaye bhaad mai. The society doesn't matter if you're happy in something. Let the society be fucked! Kya farak padta hai ki chaar log kya kahenge?"

She smiled. It was his way of showing that she mattered more than some stupid society and image.

After a happy family dinner and dessert cutting, which made Yukti giggle wholeheartedly because Ritvik even sang along and clapped on the birthday song for her not caring about what the people around them might think.

They had stopped at a roadside for ice creams and Ritvik was out of the car paying for it while Yukti enjoyed hers while feeding Yaksh and held his in another hand.

Ritvik opened his wallet to pay the vendor when his eyes fell on the photo he carried around. Yakshna's. His smile fell for a moment remembering about her.

"Jaldi kriye! Ice cream pighal jaayegi."

He heard his wife call from behind and he smiled at her. He quickly paid the vendor and closed his wallet, keeping it back in his pocket.

He was always going to love Yakshna. But that didn't mean he had to stop himself from loving his wife, his Yukti now.

He got in the car and looked at her with his eyes shining with love. They reached home and Yukti changed her clothes and Yaksh's too. Ritvik too changed into pjs and tshirt.

"Neend nhi aa rhi."

She declared and he smiled.

"Hmm! Movie dekhni hai?"

He asked and she questioned excitedly.

"Kaunsi dekhenge?"

"You decide that. Mai tab tak setup krta hu."

"Setup?"

She mumbled with a confused look and saw his run around and place things in the balcony.

He placed a soft and thick mattress on the ground in front of the armchairs in the balcony. He covered it with pillows and blankets. The setup looked cozy as hell and then he went on to place laptop in the middle.

"Movie decide kri? Let's go!"

"Mujhe samajh hi nhi aai."

She pouted and he chuckled. He made a thoughtful face and said.

"There's a movie trending among girls nowadays. It's called the Idea of You. Agar tumhe-"

"Haan!"

She didn't even let him complete and squealed excitedly. He chuckled and nodded.

"Lekin inn janab kya krna hai? Sone ka naam nhi le rhe ye?"

He asked referring to his son who had all the plans of spoiling his first date with his wife. Yaksh looked at him and giggled as if he enjoyed his father's plight.

"Ye toh 15 minute mai so jaayega movie lagte hi. Aadat hai janab ki."

Yukti said pinching his nose and he flailed his arms and launched himself in her chest making her laugh and kiss his head.

"Well, let's get settled then."

The three of them sat inside the blankets Rotvik had spread. Yaksh sat in between both of them chewing his teething toy.

"Papa! Ediba!"

He demanded as soon as he saw his father switch on the streaming platform. The boy was too smart.

"What?"

Ritvik asked confused.

"It's his code word for The Incredibles."

"Wo kya hai?"

Ritvik asked eyeing his son who looked at his father waiting for him to fulfill his command.

"It's an animated movie. He wants to watch it."

"Arre yaar!"

"Koi baat nhi. 15 minutes mai so jaayega ye."

Ritvik sighed and played his son's movie instead.

"Ediba!"

He squealed as soon as the title of the movie was shown. 10 minutes in and even Ritvik got interested. Yaksh had already slept by then.

Yukti poked Ritvik's thigh making him hum while still looking at the screen with rapt attention.

"Yaksh so gaya."

She said and he looked at her with a frown. He looked at his sleeping son and realised why they were sitting here.

"Ohh! Mqi sula kr aaya isse."

"Aap thak gye toh hum bhi so skte-"

"Nhi! I want to watch the movie with you."

He said and quickly rushed to place Yaksh in his cot. He came back and sat beside her in the blanket. He placed his hand around her shoulder pulling her closer.

She looked at him with her eyes widened in surprise. He smiled at her and kissed her head before starting the movie they planned to watch.

Yaksh had turned an year old a few days back and as Yukti had wanted, they celebrated his birthday with the whole family and relatives.

Yukti was meeting Ritvik's side of relatives for the first time. Not all of them were very welcoming. Just like every other relative in everyone's family, they wanted an excuse to judge other people. And that's what they did with Yukti but she wasn't bothered.

It was her son's day and she wouldn't let anything spoil it.

The day was spent well with mixed feelings. Happiness for Yaksh's birthday and sadness because of Yakshna's first death anniversary.

It was a normal day at home and Yukti was home with her in-laws and Yaksh. Ritvik was as usual at work.

The bell rang and Yukti went to check the door only to be shocked to see Krish standing at the door.

"Umm-hi? Kaisi ho?"

"What the hell are you doing here now?"

She asked, feeling anger course through her body.

"Umm-andar aa kr baat kr skta hu?"

"Nhi! Mujhe tumse koi baat nhi krni. Jab bulaya tha tab nhi aaye tum. Ab nhi krni mujhe koi baat. Jaao yaha se."

"Oh come on Yukti! Tum aise suddenly call krogi toh ghar mai sab pata chal gaya hai aa jaao toh koi bhi darr jaayega na. I just got scared. Aur aa gaya na ab mai. You don't have to stay here and do all the household works for these people."

He said and held her hand and she looked at him in surprise at his audacity.

"How dare you touch me? Haath chhodo mera. Mujhe kahi nhi jaana tumhare saath. You bloody lier! Coward! Tum darte raho. Aur ye log meri family hai. I don't owe you any explanation and I want anything to do with you now. Niklo yaha-"

"Kya ho raha hai yaha?"

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