Aadya felt her own lips curl into a smile. She bent down to touch her mother-in-law’s feet but was stopped midway.

“Arre arre! Iss sabki koi zarurat nhi hai. Gale milo!”

(This is not needed. Hug me!)

Aadya was surprised when she was taken into a hug and looked at Rudra from the hug who smiled and raised his eyebrows as if saying that he told her so.

Aadya touched his father’s feet and he blessed her and caressed her head. Aadya felt her eyes brim with tears. His touch felt fatherly and she realised for the first time what a father’s love looked like.

“Ye tumhare liye.”

(This is for you.)

His mother gave her the shagun she brought and Aadya looked at her not knowing how to react.

“Ye? Iski kya zarurat thi aunty-”

(This? This was not needed aunty-)

“Arre kaise zarurat nhi thi? Rudra eklauta beta hai mera. Aur tum patni ho uski. Meri bahu ‘rani’. Tumhe bigaadne ka pura haq hai mera. Aur ye aunty kaun hai? Maa hu mai.”

(How not needed? Rudra is my only son. And you are his wife. My lovely daughter-in-law. I have the right to spoil you. And who is aunty? I am maa.)

Aadya nodded and bit the inside of her lip to control her tears. It was at that moment that she realised that her Kanhaiya had indeed chosen the best for her.

They spent the entire day with his parents. By the time they left, Aadya was glowing with happiness.

“Aapke amma baapu bhut achhe hai.”

(Your parents are really nice.)

She told him and he smiled.

“Ab sirf mere nhi hai. Aapke bhi hai.”

(They are not just mine. They are yours too.)

He patted her head and she blushed.

“Maine kaha hai naa aapko…mujhe aap mat bulaiye. Mere naam se bulaiye.”

(I told you…not to call me ‘aap’. Call me by my name.)

“Ek shart pr. Aapko bhi mera naam lena padega.”

(On one condition. You will also have to take my name.)

She looked at him wide eyed as if he had asked her to commit a sin.

“Ye kaisi baatein kr rhe hai aap? Mai aapka naam kaise le skti hu? Pati hai aap mere.”

(What are you talking about? How can I take your name? You are my husband.)

“Toh aap bhi patni hai meri.”

(You are also my wife.)

“Lekin aap bade hai na mujhse.”

(But you are elder.)

He sighed having no counter argument to that. 

“Kya chahti hai aap?”

(What do you want?)

“Mujhe nhi achha lagta aap mujhe aise aap aap krke bulate hai. Mujhe mere naam se bula skte hai.”

(I don’t like when you call me ‘aap’. You can call me by my name.)

“Thik hai Aadya. Aur kuch?”

(Ok Aadya. Anything else?)

She blushed when he bent down with his hands at the back and a teasing smile on his face. She lowered her lashes and looked away as heat crept her cheeks. He grinned seeing her blush. 

She had always found men with mustaches attractive. And he was an officer who looked super hot in uniform. On top of that his dashing mustache made even more attractive and difficult to resist. And the fact that he was her husband now didn’t help. As if all this wasn’t enough, he had to go on and flirt with her like that.

Aadya had started her classes a month back. She was a quick learner. She was so excited to learn new things and immediately told Rudra everything she learned as soon as he returned. It has become their nighttime routine.

Rudra had started getting attached to her. She was so pure that he felt like a sinner sometimes. She was effortlessly beautiful and seductive. She did things she didn’t even realise she was doing to seduce him.

Like right now, they were in his room, and she was laid on her stomach. He had brought sarees for her and when he got them he hadn’t realised that they had backless blouses but now that she laid in front of him, her bare back on display and her legs dangling in the air as she kicked them with excitement while giggling and telling him about his day, made him get all kinds of dirty thoughts.

Only he knew how he controlled the urge to move his fingers over her back and down her spine. He gulped and looked away.

“Aap sun bhi rhe hai mai kya bol rhi hu?”

(Are you even listening to what I am saying?)

She asked with a slight pout and his eyes immediately moved there. He looked back into her eyes and back at her lips. Her gaze too moved to his lips and the atmosphere got thick with tension.

Rudra, who was laid beside her on his back, turned and got on his forearm. He tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in slowly.

Aadya clutched the bedsheet in her fists and closed her eyes. Her chest heaved and lips parted in anticipation.

Before his lips could touch hers, they sprang apart hearing the sound of a phone ringing. Aadya immediately sat straight and saw her mother-in-law call.

She attended the call with her heart beating wildly and trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible. Rudra too rushed to the washroom. 

The next day, the two tiptoed around each other until Rudra left for the station. Aadya kept blushing the whole day. Rudra too kept thinking about it the whole day.

When he returned, she didn’t tell him about her day with the same excitement and avoided his eyes. He assumed that he might have made her uncomfortable and felt guilty.

They had their dinner wordlessly. Aadya started to go back to her room feeling shy and timid in his presence. Rudra immediately sprang up and his hand shot out to hold her wrist, stopping her in her place.

“Aadya! Rukiye!”

(Wait!)

She bit her lip and slowly turned. Her head was lowered and she had no courage to look into his eyes. Rudra closed his eyes and said sincerely.

“I’m sorry. Maine shayad aapko kal uncomfortable kr dia.”

(I made you uncomfortable yesterday.)

Aadya looked at him for a brief second before lowering her lashes and shaking her head.

“Aisa…aisa nhi hai…mai bas…mai kabhi…kisi se itna kareeb…mai uncomfortable…nhi thi.”

(Its…its not… I just…I never…got close to anyone…I was not…uncomfortable.)

He released the breath he had been holding and smiled. His smile widened when he saw her trying to hide her blush.

He was still holding her wrist and rubbed his thumb over her pulse softly and pulled her closer, making her gasp and keep her hands on his chest to prevent from bumping into him.

He kept holding her wrist from one hand and held her chin from the other. He made her look into his eyes and asked very seriously.

“Agar uncomfortable nhi hai…toh meri aankhon mai dekhiye!”

(If not uncomfortable…then look into my eyes!)

She had her lashes lowered and shook her head. He frowned and asked why. She looked away and whispered.

“Sharam aati hai.”

(I am shy.)

He chuckled but then got serious and said.