She looked at him with shock.

“Aur tune mujhe bataya nhi?”

(And you never told me?)

“Mai kya krta tujhe batake? Jab ghar wale hi seriously nhi le rhe toh mai faaltu mai tere dimaag ye sab daalke kya krta?”

(What would I have done by telling you? When the elders are not serious about this why would I put it into your brain?)

He shrugged, knowing very well how her brain worked. 

“Arre! Toh matlab tu mujhse baatein chhupayega ab?”

(You will hide things from me now?)

“Tune bhi toh nhi bataya na mujhe jab tujhe pata chala.”

(You also did not tell me when you found out.)

He countered and she got quiet. They stayed in silence. She stared at the picture and he stared at her, trying to understand what was going on in her head.

“Wo toh…wo toh…mujhe laga tu…”

(That…that…I thought you…)

She trailed off and he took a step closer, making her eyes snap to his.

“Waise tune kaise react kia when you got to know?”

(By the way how did you react when you got to know?)

She asked curiously. Did it affect him as much as it affected her? Devansh looked away, pretending nonchalance.

“Kaise react krna tha? Jab mummy ne bola wo log serious nhi the, toh maine bhi dhyan nhi dia. Aur waise bhi mai toh khush tha ki bach gaya tera pati banne se.”

(What was there to react? When mummy said they weren’t serious, I also did not pay attention. And I was happy that I was saved from being your husband.)

He teased and she gasped. She hit his arm and narrowed her eyes.

“Gadha kahi ka! You don’t know anything! Itni talented hu na mai. Bhut lucky hoga mera pati!”

(Donkey! You don’t know anything! I am so talented. My husband will be very lucky!)

She crossed her arms in front of her chest and boasted. He snickered and turned to her, leaning against the bookshelf as he looked at her with his hands in his pocket.

“Achhaa? Bata toh zara ye talents. Mujhe bhi toh pata chale.”

(Really? Tell me these talents. I should also know.)

She blinked and looked at him. 

“Haan…wo…talents jaise…”

(Yes…that…talents like…)

She bit her lip in thinking. What talents did she have? What special traits did she have?

“Jaise tu kitni amazing lawyer hai.”

(Like you’re an amazing lawyer.)

He provided and she immediately nodded.

“Haan! Right!”

(Yes!)

He smiled softly and stood straight before saying.

“Jaise tu kitna amazing khaana banati hai ki mai mummy ke haath ka khaana bhul jaata hu.”

(Like you make such amazing food that I forget the food mummy makes.)

She blinked in surprise when he started walking towards her, making her walk backwards.

“H-haan…”

(Y-yes…)

She whispered and he kept looking into her eyes while walking towards her.

“Jaise jab tu hasti hai toh lagta hai ki sab kuch achha hai.”

(Like when you laugh, everything seems beautiful.)

Her heart skipped a beat. What was happening?

“Jaise jab tu saath hoti hai toh sab asaan ho jaata hai aur lagta hai ki bas ab aur kuch nhi chahiye life mai.”

(Like when you are near, everything becomes easy and it feels like nothing else is required in life.)

Her legs hit the bed, making her stumble. His arm shot up and looped around her waist, balancing her. Her eyes widened, feeling her body plastered against his.

“D-dev?”

She whispered in confusion and he grinned.

“Baat toh sahi hai teri. Lucky toh hai tera pati.”

(You are right. Your husband is lucky.)

With those words, he left the room. She blinked and looked at the door as if seeking answers for what she had just experienced. Was she dreaming? It was possible because she had been having weird dreams about him recently.

The two did not have much interaction the whole week because of work. It was Sunday again and Rishika found herself in Devansh’s home.

“Wow aunty! Aap toh superstar ho!”

(You are a superstar!)

She grinned wide seeing Chhole Kulche. Komal kissed her forehead and asked her to take her seat.

She plopped herself besides Dev and brought her hands forward to take a bite from his plate. She raised her eyebrows when he pushed the plate towards her without any fights.

“Aaj toh tu bada civilized behave kr raha hai.”

(You are behaving very civilized today.)

She patted his back and tore a morsel. Just as she took the bite, he spoke.

“Ab biwi ke saath plate share krne mai kaisi sharam?”

(What shame in sharing plate with my wife?)

His voice came out teasing and she looked at him wide eyed. He chuckled and poked her cheek, making her chew and gulp.

“Khaane pr dhyan de. Atak jaayega gale mai warna.”

(Focus on food. It will get stuck.)

He shook his head and focused back on his own food. She stared at him for a few seconds before going back to filling her tummy.

There was a wedding in their village. Some distant relatives were getting married. Risika had no idea who they were to her but she knew that someone from her family had to go.

And since her father couldn’t travel long journeys because of his backache, she being the only child had to mark her presence on behalf of her family.

“Lekin akele kaise jaayegi tu?”

(How will you go alone?)

Her mother asked, worried.

“Arre agar gaao mai hai shaadi toh Dev ki family ko bhi toh invite aaya hoga na. Unke saath chali jaaungi.”

(The wedding is in village, so Dev’s family must be invited too. I will go with them.)

“Haan! Ye sahi hai. Mai baat krti hu Kammo se.”

(Yes! This is fine. I will talk to Kammo.)

“Arre mai wahi jaa rhi hu. Mai baat kr lungi. Aap tension mat lo.”

(I am going there only. I will talk to her. You don’t worry.)

Rishika said and skipped out of her home after kissing her mother’s cheek.

“Hello aunty!”

“Hello mera bacha. Aaja baith.”

(Hello my baby. Come sit.)

Komal patted the space beside her and Rishika slumped against the lady. Komal patted her head. 

She’d always wanted a girl of her own and treated Rishika like one. Then came Priyanshi and she felt that she had two daughters of her own.

“Aap logo ko invite aaya hai kya? Gaao se?”

(You also got an invite? From the village?)

She asked, having the litchis that Komal was peeling.

“Haan aaya toh hai. Lekin samajh nhi aa raha ki kaun jaayega.”

(Yes we did. But we cannot understand who will go.)

“Wo kyu?”

(Why?)

Komal sighed and said.

“Priyanshi ka 9th month hai. Wo nhi jaa skti. Usko chhod ke Vedant nhi jaayega. Vedant ke peeche se office ka kaam ye dekh rhe hai toh ye bhi nhi jaa skte aur ghar ka kaam chhodke mai bhi nhi jaa paaungi.”

(Priyanshi is in her 9^th month. She cannot go. Vedant will not go leaving her. His father is seeing the office work on behalf of Vedant, so he cannot go and I cannot go leaving the household.)

Rishika pouted and said.

“Lekin mai toh soch rhi thi ki aap log jaaoge toh aap ke saath saath chali jaungi mai. Mummy papa bhi nhi jaa paayenge na papa ke backache ki wajah se.”

(But I was thinking of going with you. Mummy papa are also not leaving due to papa’s backache.)

Komal looked at her for a moment and said.

“Toh ek kaam kro na. Tu aur Dev ho aao. Shagun hi toh deke aana hai. Shaadi khatam hote hi wapas aa jaana.”

(Do one thing. You and Dev go. You just have to give the shagun. Come back as soon as the wedding gets over.)

“Haan. Ye bhi thik hai.”

(Yes. This is also fine.)

Rishika nodded and the plan was made. Rishika’s mother was helping her pack her bags.

“Aur ye Sunita buaji ko de dena. Ghar pahuchte hi de dio. Shaadi tak ka wait mat krio tu bhul jaayegi.”

(And give this to Sunita buaji. Give it as soon as you reach home. Don’t wait until function start otherwise you’ll forget.)

Rishika nodded and remembered the names of each of the relatives she had to hand over the envelopes to.

“Ye Sunita buaji ka, ye Ramesh fufaji ka, ye Bittoo tauji ka aur Seema taiji ka.”

(This is for Sunita buaji, this if for Ramesh fufaji, this is for Bittoo tauji and this is for Seema taiji.)

She repeated and her mother nodded. Dev was very chilled out. Komal had simply told him to give the envelopes to whoever Rishika would give hers to.