Aanya hadn’t cried so much on her wedding day as she was crying today. Her pag phera ritual was done the previous day.

“Bas mera bacha! Itna thodi na rote hai. Thoda dur hi toh hai bas. Tujhe jab yaad aaye phone mila lio.”

(It’s ok baby! Don’t cry so much. It’s just a little distance. Call us whenever you want.)

Her mother said while her own tears fell uncontrollably. She had her father’s kurta in her clutches and cried against his chest. His own chest shook with sobs.

“Meri laado! Kaise rahunga mai tere bina? Kaun daatega mujhe jyada meetha khaane pr? Kaun mere saath ludo mai cheating krega? Mujhe toh tere bina jeena hi nhi aata.”

(My baby! How will I live without you? Who will scold me when I eat too much sweet? Who will cheat in ludo with me? I don’t know how to live without you.)

“Papa!”

She cried and held him tighter. Abhimanyu stood behind her watching her with a feeling of helplessness.

“Bas bhi kriye aap dono! Apni nayi zindagi shuru krne jaa rhi hai wo. Aapko aashirvaad dena chahiye.”

(Stop it both of you! She is going to start her new life. You should bless her.)

Her mother said and caressed Aanya’s head. Her father nodded and pulled back. He cupped her face and said.

“Koi bhi baat ho, kisi bhi cheez ki zarurat ho, mai hamesha hu tere saath. Thik hai?”

(Whatever it is, whatever you want, I am always there. Ok?)

Aanya nodded and her mother called Abhimanyu forward. He stood by Aanya’s side and her father joined his hands.

“Dhyan rakhna beta. Apni zindagi de raha hu tumhe.”

(Take care. I am handing over my life.)

“Papa please! Don’t do this! I promise you, she’ll always be my priority. Over and above everything else. No exceptions.”

Abhimanyu promised earnestly and her father nodded. Her mother brought the aarti thaal and rotated it around their heads.

“Hamesha khush raho. Sada suhagan raho. Dudo nahao puto phalo.”

(Stay happy. Stay married. Be prosperous and have healthy babies.)

She blessed the two and Abhijeet joined his hands.

“Ab chalte hai yaar. Aur tu tension mat le. Bahu nhi, beti le kar jaa rhe hai apne saath.”

(We should leave now. Don’t worry. We are taking a daughter, not daughter-in-law.)

Manya nodded and said.

“Bilkul! Hum aap dono ki jagah kabhi nhi le paayenge iski life mai but I promise ki isse pura pyaar milega.”

(Absolutely! We will never be able to take your place in her life but I promise she’ll get all the love.)

Aanya bid them adieu still sobbing silently. Abhimanyu knew he couldn’t do anything right now. He just held her close and let her cry on his shoulder.

She seemed to calm down during their way to the airport. He silently passed her the water bottle. She had a few sips and gave it back to him.

They reached the airport and their luggage was taken by the attendants. Aanya frowned when Abhimanyu and his parents moved away from the security checks.

“Abhimanyu? Security checks waha hai. Hum yaha kyu jaa rhe hai?”

(Security checks are there. Why are we going here?)

She asked in a slow whisper only for his ears. He smiled and said.

“Those are for commercial flights. Private jets ke liye yahi se hai.”

(These are for private jets.)

He said it so casually, she almost didn’t understand what he said. 

“P-private jet?”

Abhimanyu hummed absentmindedly while showing their passports on the counter.

“You own a private jet?”

She asked in surprise and he smiled, holding her hand more firmly.

“Not me. It’s the family’s jet. So, you own it too now.”

Aanya gasped. She owned a jet. Wow! They entered the jet and Aanya looked around in awe. She had never seen a private jet. It was like an entire house inside the plane. There were sofas, TV, kitchen and counters and even beds. All of it screamed MONEY in caps.

“This is so beautiful.”

She whispered but frowned when Abhijeet and Manya disappeared behind a door.

“Why is there a partition?”

“They like their privacy.”

Abhimanyu answered and helped her settle in. He sat beside her and then leaned in to mutter naughtily.

“And I don’t want them to see our romance.”

Aanya gasped and blushed, looking away.

“Plane mai kya romance kr lenge aap? Wedding night pr toh kia nhi kuch.”

(What romance can you do on a plan? You did not do anything on wedding night.)

She mumbled the last sentence but he heard her and narrowed his eyes on her. He held her chin and made her look at him.

“Don’t blame it on me, sweetheart. I knew you were tired and not mentally ready. You still are not.”

She lowered her lashes and rested her head against his chest with a huff.

“And moreover…there’s a lot that can happen on this plane. We have a bed.”

Aanya gasped again and he chuckled, kissing her head.

“You want to watch something?”

He asked, pointing towards the TV. She shook her head and rested back.

“I’m too tired. I’ll sleep for some time.”

“Okay. I'll be there. I have some work to do. Rest well, sweetheart.”

He said and started getting up but she held his wrist.

“Aap waha kyu baithenge? Yaha kaam nhi ho skta kya?”

(Why will you sit there? Can work not happen here?)

“Ho skta hai but tumhe disturb hoga.”

(It can but you’ll get disturbed.)

“Nhi hoga. Stay with me.”

(I’ll not.)

He smiled and settled beside her again. He took out his laptop and began working. Not even 10 minutes later, he felt her weight drop against his shoulder.

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. He was seeing her in a saree for the first time and no doubt that he had a beautiful wife. And safe to say that he was slowly falling in love with her. 

Everything about her made him so fiercely protective of her. The way she spoke, with a hint of shyness and innocence. The way she subtly demanded his attention and sought comfort with him. The way she looked at him with sparkles in her eyes and the way she blushed when he flirted with her or gave any naughty reference.

He hadn’t touched her apart from holding hands or hugging her and kissing her forehead occasionally. He wasn’t sure if she would be comfortable with anything more just yet and he would kill himself before letting any of his acts discomfort her.

He held her close by rounding one of his arms around her waist and let her lean against him more comfortably while continuing to skim through the documents on his laptop.

Abhimanyu felt Aanya stir and he himself peeled his eyes open. When did he fall asleep? He had no idea. But it seemed like he too was tired from all the wedding rituals and functions.

Aanya released a small sigh and snuggled against him. Each and every muscle of his body was acutely aware of her soft body being pressed against him. Aanya realised where she was and immediately sprang straight.