"Hume aur sona hai, Abhisar," she muttered as he tried to wake her up.

["I want to sleep more, Abhisar."]

God, it was so late. Priya was already cooking breakfast in the kitchen. Surekha was sitting in the kitchen and Abhigyan had left for the work, but here, his wife, was sleeping lazily on the bed.

Not wasting another second, he picked her up in his arms. She was naked, almost naked.

He moved towards the dressing table and landed her feet upon the floor.

He was moving away, but she, like a sloth bear, started falling down, and he immediately held her again,

"Kyu badmaashi kar rahi hai aap aaj? Kuch chahiye aapko?".

["Why are you being mischievous today? Do you want something?"]

She shook her head unconsciously.

He held her by her waist from behind and looked at her through the mirror. He whispered in her ear,

"Dekhiye na.. humari biwi kitni pyari lag rahi subhe subhe."

["Look... how beautiful my wife looks early in the morning."]

She still didn't upon her eyes.

He cleared his throat and spoke again,

"Aapke sharir par humara Diya Gaya Nishan kitna jach Raha hai na aap par?".

["How well does the mark I gave you suit your body, right?"]

She still didn't budge.

She heard silence around her. Utter silence. And she felt confused.

And suddenly she heard his voice while he left her body suddenly,

"Bhabhi. Aap yahan!".

["Bhabhi, you here?"]

She opened her eyes immediately and hid herself behind Abhisar.

Abhisar laughed mutely and leaned back, only to mutter,

"Hai na aapka pati samajhdaar?".

["Isn't your husband smart?"]

She looked here and there. He lied to her. No one was there.

She beat him lightly on his shoulder and muttered,

"Bahut bure hai aap."

["You are very bad."]

He nodded,

"Bure toh hai hum. Par jaise hai, ab toh aaphi ko jhelna hai, humari biwi."

["I'm bad, indeed. But as I am, you have to tolerate me now, my wife."]

She scoffed.

"Jaiye Nupur ab. Badmashi nahi. Aaphi ko sharm aaegi fir. Bhaiya toh kaam par bhi chale gaye.. aap kamre me so Rahi hai."

["Go now, Nupur. No more mischief. You'll be the one embarrassed later. Bhaiya has already gone to work, and you're still sleeping in the room."]

She nodded. He moved outside the room and she corrected her saree after wearing her blouse.

***

She was ready after taking a good bath. Very good bath.

She was about to step outside after getting ready, when she saw Abhisar stepping inside.

Odd.

Alongwith Surekha.

Holding her hands, supporting her.

She has never seen them interacting before, other than casual chit-chats.

She stepped forward, covering her half face with veil and touched her feet, upon which she blessed her.

Abhisar made her sit on the bed.

It was ten minutes before, when Priya had informed him that Surekha wanted to talk with them. And so, Abhisar had went to Surekha's room.

But she asked him to take her to his and his wife's room. And thus they were here.

Abhisar asked in a soft, low voice,

"Kya hua maa, koi zaroori baat thi?".

["What happened, Maa? Was there something important?"]

He saw her taking out boxes from the packet that she was holding in her hand throughout.

Abhisar looked at Nupur who was standing a feet away from them, who was looking at him, equally confused.

Surekha called Nupur in a soft voice,

"Choti Bahu, idhar aao, humare pas."

She nodded, and stepped forward, standing just infront of her.

"Baitho."

Nupur, without thinking twice, started sitting down on the floor, beside her feet.

Surekha stopped her, "Upar, bistar par, humare bagal me."

["Up on the bed, next to me."]

She looked at Abhisar. Abhisar blinked his eyes.

She slowly, sat up, beside her, on the edge of the bed.

They saw Surekha opening a rectangular box, which had a beautiful gold jewellery set.

Surekha forwarded it towards Nupur. Nupur's hands shivered and Abhisar spoke immediately,

"Yeh kya kar rahi hai maa aap."

["What are you doing, Maa?"]

Surekha stayed quite.

Nupur spoke,

"Hume nahi chahiye maa ji yeh sab. Hum kya karenge in-"

["I don't want this, maa. What will I do with-"]

"Shhhh," Surekha stopped her from speaking further.

She looked at Abhisar, who closed his eyes tightly in frustration and opened it again.

Surekha opened another box, cylindrical, which had gold bangles in it.

She forwarded it towards Nupur and placed in her palm.

Nupur's heart was beating fastly. Neither was she able to stop her, by uttering something from her mouth, nor did her husband was.

She gulped as Surekha opened two more jewellery boxes, which had, kamarbandh, payal, and baajubandh, forwarding them all to Nupur.

Abhisar spoke finally,

"Maa, yeh sab ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Humari baat maaniye na aap."

["Maa, there's no need for all this. Please listen to me."]

Surekha showed him her palm,

"Hum humare Ghar ki choti Bahu ko de rahe hai, tumhe nahi."

["I'm giving our home's younger daughter-in-law to you, not you."]

Nupur shook her head,

"Hume nahi chahiye maa. Aap sab ka pyaar mil raha hai utna kaafi hai humare liye."

["I don't want this, Maa. The love from all of you is more than enough for me."]

Surekha shook her head,

"Tumhari shadi par bhi sasural walon ki taraf se kuch nahi chadhaya Gaya tha, itni jaldbaazi me hua sab kuch."

["Even at your wedding, nothing was given from the in-laws' side; everything happened so hastily."]

Abhisar was shooting daggers with his eyes at Nupur whose face was hidden partially by veil. Nupur was equally feared. She knew what her husband wanted.

She bit her lower lips.

Surekha's hands surprisingly reached to Nupur's head, as she spoke,

"Humara ashirvaad hai Bahu. Hume pata hai tumhara yeh jo pati hai, iski wajah se dar Rahi ho tum," she looked at Abhisar and he lowered his head down.

["These are my blessings to you, bahu. I know you are afraid because of this husband of yours."]

She continued, "Kuch nahi kahega yeh tumhe. Kaha toh humse kehna, aaj tak maar nahi padi isey humse. Kaan kheech kar sudhaar denge hum isey."

["He won't say anything to you. He dared not say anything to me till today. I'll straighten him out."]

Abhisar was surprised by her words. Amused. He looked up, into his step mother's eyes. He saw something, that was never present there. Never.

His hands immediately reached hers and he asked in a soft voice,

"Maa, aap theek hai na? Aapki tabiyat theek hai na?".

["Maa, are you okay? Is your health alright?"]

Surekha laughed,

"Theek hi hai, teen chaar din aur kaat lenge hum aaram se, daro mat."

["I'm alright, I'll spend another three or four days in peace, don't worry."]

Abhisar's jaw dropped.

3-4 days.

"Kya hua hai maa? Aap theek nahi hai? Aap gayi thi na sheher. Bhaiya ne toh kaha sab theek hai. Fir aap aisa kyu keh rahi hai?".

["What happened, Maa? Are you not okay? You went to the city, right? Bhaiya said everything is fine. Why are you saying this?"]

She shook her head, her eyes smiling,

"Umra hogayi hai ab humari. Aur kya kehna chahiye Hume, ki teen chaar saal aur aaram se kaat lenge hum?".

["I'm getting old now. What more can I say, except that I'll spend the next three or four years peacefully?"]

He lowered his gazes down.

Surekha gulped and asked slowly, her eyes on Nupur,

"Ummeed hai Abhisar ne tumhe sab bata hi Diya hoga ab tak?".

["I hope Abhisar has told you everything by now."]

She nodded, timidly.

Her hands went towards the anklets,

"Yeh.. iski maa ke hai."

["This... belongs to his mother."]

Abhisar's eyes rose up. Surekha nodded,

"Antim nishani hai. Itna hi tha humare paas. Baaki toh tumhare baap ne nahi chora tumhari biwi ke liye, sab bech daala."

["This is her only belonging. This is all I have. Your father didn't leave anything for your wife, he sold everything."]

His muscles tightened.

Jaw clenched.

"Baaki ke jewar, humari taraf se. Iske bhaiya-bhabhi ki taraf se. Khush raho, sada suhaagan raho. Dudho nahao, puto falo."

["The rest of the jewelry, are from me. From his brother and sister-in-law. Stay happy, always be a blissful wife. Bathe in milk, bear sons."]

She touched her feet, immediately, and Surekha placed her palm over her head.

Surekha smiled and saw Abhisar, as she spoke, her eyes dim,

"Maa toh ban nahi paye, humne socha saas hi ban jaye."

["I couldn't become a mother; I thought I would become a mother-in-law."]

Abhisar gulped.

Remained silent.

Everyone remained silent in the room.

Until Abhisar shifted forward and wrapped his arms around his step-mother.

Her eyes became wet. His too. Nupur's too.

Surekha caressed his back as Abhisar spoke,

"Hume apna kar, maa se bhi bada kaam Kiya hai aapne, maa. Sautele bete ko rakhta hi kaun hai apne Ghar me? Hume koi shikayat nahi hai aapse."

["You've done something greater by making me yours, Maa. Who else would keep a stepson in their home? I have no complaints against you."]

"Hum .. Abhisar hum-", Abhisar cut her off.

"Kuch mat boliye maa. 20 saal ki zindagi me pehli baar apni maa ko gale lagaya hai. Kuch mat kahiye."

["Don't say anything, Maa. For the first time in my 20-year life, I hugged my mother. Don't say anything."]

She nodded, caressing his back.

Nupur smiled, seeing them.

After some five-seven minutes, he seperated himself, after his tears dried off.

Surekha cupped his cheeks and spoke,

"Humne tumse kabhi nafrat nahi kiya, Abhisar. Bas haalat ne Hume pyaar bhi nahi jataane diya tumse. Hum dekhte the, maa ki jimmedariyan kaise, tumhare liye humara beta nibhaata tha aur hu-"

["I never hated you, Abhisar. It's just that circumstances never allowed me to express love for you. I saw how mother's responsibilities, my son was fulfilling for you, and I-"]

He held her hands and kissed upon them one by one,

"Puraani baatein yaad nahi karte maa."

["Maa, don't dwell on the past."]

Surekha nodded.

"Khana lagaye maa ji? Aap dono ke liye?", Nupur asked.

Surekha's eyes moved to her, as she spoke,

"Bahu, tumse bhi kuch kehna hai hume."

Nupur nodded, her eyes moving between Surekha and Abhisar.

"Badi Bahu ko bhi kaha hai humne, Ghar ka khyal rakhna, gharwalon ka bhi. Woh badi Bahu hai Ghar ki, Hume pata hai tum uski bahut izzat karti ho, jaise Abhisar apne bhaiya-bhabhi ki ijjat karta hai."

["I have also told the badi bahu to take care of the house, and also of the household members. She is the elder daughter-in-law of the house. I know you respect her a lot, just as Abhisar respects his brother and sister-in-law."]

She nodded, "Ji, maa ji."

"Uska bhi khyal rakhna, kahi Ghar ki jimmedari uthate uthate, khud ka khyal na rakhna chor de woh."

["Take care of her too, make sure she doesn't get so caught up in household responsibilities that she forget to take care of herself."]

Nupur smiled and nodded,

"Hum khyal rakhenge, maa ji."

"Aur, apna bhi khyal rakhna sath sath. Bhagwan tumhe sundar bacche de."

["And take care of yourself too. May God bless you with beautiful children."]

She smiled, shyly as Abhisar's eyes travelled to her.

Surekha was about to speak more, when Priya interrupted,

"Khana lagaye, maa ji?".

Surekha spoke,

"Andar aao Bahu."

Priya entered inside, timidly.

She made her sit beside Nupur.

Holding both their hands together, she spoke,

"Ghar ki hamesha jod kar rakhna. Dono Bhai hamesha saath rahe, yeh tum dono ki jimmedari hai. Sab sath rahenge, toh khud hi khushiyan aaengi Ghar me."

["Always keep the household united. Both brothers should always stay together; this is your responsibility. If everyone stays together, happiness will naturally come to the home."]

They smiled, and nodded, looking at each other through veil's.

Priya spoke,

"Aur.. badi nanad bhi hai tum dono ki, bhul mat Jana."

"Ji, maa ji," Priya replied.

Surekha looked at Abhisar and spoke,

"Abhigyan nahi hai yahan, ussey bhi keh dena. Tum dono Bhai, humari dono bahuon ka khyal rakhna humesha," Surekha held both of their chin's, and Abhisar smiled, "Chaand se bhi khubsurat hai humari dono Bahu. Inki chamak ghatni nahi chahiye."

["Abhigyan isn't here; tell him too. Both of you brothers, always take care of both my daughters-in-laws," Surekha held both of their chins, and Abhisar smiled, "Both of my daughters-in-laws are as beautiful as the moon. Their radiance should never diminish."]

Abhisar laughed mutely and replied,

"Ji, maa."

"Ab khana khila do Hume," Surekha spoke with a smile.

And the daughter-in-law's stepped down together, moving towards the kitchen.

Reaching the kitchen, both Nupur and Priya hugged each other tightly.

The bond, that they've formed, was unimaginable. Like they were sisters and meant to be together since ever.