"Sarthak… please wake up. Myra is crying."
I shook him gently, trying to wake him.
"Can you please get up? I just slept… I was working all night and only came to bed now," he murmured, turning away from me.
I sat quietly for a moment and checked the time.
Four o'clock. Too early.
I picked Myra up and went downstairs. No one was there.
I placed her in the baby chair, prepared her milk, and rocked her slowly.
"Baby… sleep. It's okay," I whispered, singing a soft rhyme until she finally slept.
After putting her in the carrier, I opened the fridge.
No coconut milk. Only normal milk — the one I'm allergic to.
So I took some vegetables and instant noodles, boiled water, cut everything carefully, and made myself a warm bowl of noodles.
Myra woke up again by then, and I even took a beer for myself. Comfort food.
Just then, Arya came downstairs. She saw me, smiled softly, and took Myra from my arms so I could eat peacefully.
"What are you doing here, Samira?"
"Nothing… she was hungry. I was hungry too.
By the way… what happened last night after we drank wine?"
She blushed deeply.
"He confessed that he loves me..."
I smiled.
"Wow. My brother actually knows how to love."
"Of course he does. And we are not divorcing."
"Good. Otherwise I would have taken you as my sister," I said, and we both laughed.
Then she asked, "Do you want pancakes? I'm making breakfast."
"Sorry… I'm allergic to sugar. I can't."
"Then I'll make sugar-free ones for you, dumb," she said, handing Myra back to me before going to the kitchen.
Myra kept kissing me like I was a donut, so I took her upstairs, changed both our clothes, brought out her pram for a walk, and woke Manya too.
I heard Arniv crying, picked him up, changed him, asked Arya, and took him along as well.
At the park, I gave Myra to sleepy Manya and took Arniv to the slide.
He looked exactly like the child I once imagined for Aarne and Sarthak…
but I was still happy. I had my love… and my nephew too.
I slid with him, ran with him, played ball, even sat on the seesaw.
For a moment, I felt like a child again.
Then Advait arrived.
"What are you both doing?" he said, sitting down before lifting Arniv. "Let's go home."
"Bro, let him walk with me… please," I pleaded with a cute face.
He sighed, put Arniv down, took Myra's pram, and we walked home — Manya half asleep, Arniv and I running toward each other the whole way.
At home, everyone was already at the table.
I sat down and picked up a pancake, but Mother stopped me.
"Sammy, it has sugar."
I quietly put it back.
Arya came with another plate.
"These are sugar-free. For you."
"I love you, sister-in-law. You're the best," I said, kissing her cheek.
Advait kissed her too out of jealousy, and everyone laughed.
After breakfast, Mother called me to her room. I went with Myra.
She was sitting there, crocheting.
"Maa, why did you call me?"
"Sweetie… I want to talk about something important.
And don't be angry with Sarthak."
"Why would I be?"
"I spoke to him yesterday. He wants to move back to his apartment.
Before you both got together, he used to live there because it's close to his office.
He didn't want to force you… that's why he didn't tell you himself."
"Okay, Maa. I'll talk to him… and about marriage too."
She smiled and patted my head.
"Good girl."
I went to his study. He was working on his computer.
"What happened? Why are you looking at me like that?" he said, pulling me closer.
I sat on his lap while he continued working.
There were snacks on the table, so I started eating.
"Sarthak… I want the snacks," I said.
He handed them to me without looking away from the screen.
"Mom called me today," I said softly.
"What did she say?"
"Why didn't you tell me you wanted to move to your apartment… with me?"
"I thought you wouldn't want that. I'm sorry."
I held his face and kissed him.
"I'll come with you. But…"
"But what?"
"We're not married yet."
He immediately lifted me in his arms.
"Then let's go."
We went to get the marriage certificate.
In the car, he held my hand, and I kept smiling.
We filled the papers, went for the photo, and when the photographer said, "Smile,"
I rose into my toes and kissed him.
That became our best picture.
When we reached home, everyone was sitting together.
I saw Aarav and ran straight to hug him.
"Bro, you're back!"
"Yes, trouble. I'm back," he said, kissing my cheek.
"What did you bring for me this time?"
"Nothing."
I puffed my cheeks like a pufferfish.
"I brought a wedding gift for you."
"Give it now!"
"But you're not married yet."
"We just got married," I said, pulling the certificate from Sarthak's pocket and showing everyone.
"You both got married?" Maa asked, shocked.
"Yes. Didn't you tell us to?"
"I told you to ask first!"
Papa laughed.
"What is there to ask? They love each other."
"I love you, Papa!" I hugged him tightly.
"Okay, okay. This is from me and your mother," he said, giving me a card.
I kissed his cheeks again and went back to sit down.
"Now your gifts," I told Manya and Aarav.
"You'll get them at your real wedding," they replied.
"Maa, when will the real wedding be?" I asked.
"After Aarav and Lavanya's wedding."
"Okay," she smiled.
"I'm going to Myra now," I said, and went upstairs.