The day before Shubman's parents were set to arrive, the house was in full preparation mode. Aditi was sitting at the dining table, working on a project that required her full attention. She had a stack of papers in front of her, a laptop open, and a steaming mug of coffee by her side. But every now and then, her gaze would drift to the living room, where Lalli and Shashank were playing, each absorbed in their little worlds.

As she was lost in thought, she heard the unmistakable sound of the door opening. Her heart skipped a beat, and she didn't even need to look up to know who it was. Shubman had come home from practice.

He walked through the door, all sweaty from his practice session, his hair sticking to his forehead and a wide grin on his face. The moment he stepped inside, Lalli and Shashank, as if on cue, dropped what they were doing and rushed over to him. They both practically launched themselves at his legs, their small hands gripping onto him like he was their whole world.

"Dada!" Lalli giggled, looking up at him with her little face beaming with joy.

"Papa!" Shashank echoed, his tiny hands waving at him excitedly.

Shubman crouched down immediately, his smile growing even wider as he scooped both of them up, one in each arm. The three of them shared a happy, warm moment, with Shubman lifting them high into the air before pulling them into a big hug. The kids giggled and squirmed in his arms, their faces glowing with happiness.

"You two are getting stronger every day," Shubman teased, pressing a kiss to both of their foreheads. "Such big helpers today, huh?"

Lalli nodded eagerly, giving him a messy, flour-covered hug, and Shashank, still a little wobbly on his feet, gave his dad a big sloppy kiss on the cheek, which made Shubman laugh.

Once the kids let go of him, he stood up, wiping a few sweat droplets off his face, and turned to Aditi. His eyes softened when he saw her sitting there, looking focused and peaceful as she worked. Without a second thought, he walked over to her, crouched down in front of her chair, and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a big hug.

Aditi chuckled softly, giving him a playful look. "Oh, now you're all sweaty," she teased, not even trying to pull away. She loved this—the way he showed up after practice, always so full of love for their little family.

Shubman pressed a kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment before he pulled away, his smile turning into a smirk. "You think the babies are going to like this?" he asked, nodding toward Lalli and Shashank, who were now watching them intently from the living room, their little eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and possessiveness.

As soon as they saw their dad kiss Aditi, both kids squealed in protest. "Papa! No!" Lalli shouted, holding out her hands, and Shashank gave a little frown, crossing his arms like a mini drama king.

Aditi laughed, her heart melting at their antics. "Looks like someone's jealous," she said, grinning at Shubman as he pulled away with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Yeah, well," he replied with a wink, "I think they want all the kisses for themselves."

Aditi shook her head, her laughter filling the room. "You're right, Shubs," she said, playfully patting him on the arm. "But we have to share the love with them, don't we?"

Shubman smiled, his eyes full of affection as he watched their kids. "Guess we'll just have to shower them with even more love," he said, leaning down to give Aditi one last quick kiss on the lips, just as the kids rushed over to tug at his shirt.

"Dada! No kissie! No kissie!" Lalli giggled, tugging on Shubman's sleeve, and Shashank chimed in with a whiny, "Papa!"

"Alright, alright," Shubman said, lifting them both up again, the chaos of their love making him feel more at home than ever. "We'll save the kisses for later."

Aditi, smiling softly at the sight of her family, leaned back in her chair, content in the knowledge that no matter how much the kids might protest, the love between them all would always be overflowing.

The next day, the moment had arrived. Shubman's parents were finally coming over to their house to meet their grandchildren, but there was tension in the air. Shubman was nervous, but he knew this was important for Aditi, even if his parents still didn't fully approve of her. Aditi, on the other hand, was calm and collected, as always. She had her hands full with Lalli, who was sitting on her hip, giggling happily as she peeked at her grandparents.

As soon as the doorbell rang, Aditi gently set Lalli down and opened the door, offering her warm, sweet smile. She greeted them with her usual grace, touching their feet respectfully. "Namaste, aunty, uncle," she said in her soft, melodic voice. Her kindness was so genuine that even though they didn't approve, it made it hard for them to be outright cold.

Shubman's mother gave a stiff nod, while his father simply looked past Aditi and immediately scanned the house with a disapproving eye, the luxury of the home seemingly only irritating him more. They had always preferred a more traditional and modest lifestyle, and the size of the house didn't help with their increasing discomfort.

Aditi smiled, trying to make them feel comfortable. "Please come in," she said politely, as she gestured them inside. They stepped into the grand living room, eyeing the spaciousness and modern decor with visible judgment. The house felt more like a palace than a home to them.

Once inside, his parents were clearly trying to assert their dominance, attempting to take the children from Aditi. His mother immediately reached for Lalli, trying to pull her away from Aditi's side. But as soon as Lalli was lifted up, she began to cry, reaching for her mother. "Mummy!" she wailed, her tiny hands outstretched.

Shashank, still a bit too young to understand the situation, clung to Aditi's leg as his grandmother tried to pick him up. He began crying too, his little face scrunching up in distress. It was clear that the babies wanted no part of being with their grandparents.

Aditi, without missing a beat, immediately scooped Shashank into her arms. "Aww, baby," she whispered softly, kissing his forehead. Shubman stepped in at the same time, lifting Lalli into his arms, murmuring, "It's okay, Lalli, we're here. Don't cry, meri jaan."

Shubman turned to his parents, his tone slightly apologetic but firm. "They're not used to being held by strangers yet, mom, dad. They're just kids."

But his parents barely paid attention to the explanation. His mother was already murmuring under her breath, looking at Aditi. "She has spoiled them, let them cry," she muttered, her voice dripping with passive aggression.

Aditi, always the sweetheart, tried to keep the mood light, walking over to where Shubman stood, balancing Lalli on his hip. She gently spoke to the babies in a mix of Hindi and English, her voice soft and comforting. "Aww, Lalli, why are you crying, baby? Mummy's right here, don't worry," she said, kissing her daughter's cheek.

Shubman echoed the same to Shashank, switching between Hindi and English. "Shashank, beta, calm down. Koi baat nahi, Papa is here, okay?" His voice was gentle and reassuring, his lips pressed against Shashank's tiny head as he bounced him slightly in his arms.

The parents, however, were less than pleased. "Why are they speaking English with the children?" Shubman's father murmured under his breath to his wife, though it was clear that Aditi and Shubman could hear them. "They should only speak Punjabi. These kids are getting spoiled."

Shubman's mother nodded in agreement. "They won't learn the values of their culture if they speak all this foreign nonsense," she muttered, eyes narrowing as she stared at the children with a disapproving look.

Aditi simply smiled, not letting their comments faze her. She looked at Lalli and Shashank, her heart swelling with love for them. She wasn't going to change how she spoke to them just to appease anyone, especially not her in-laws.

Shubman, sensing the tension, stepped between his parents and Aditi, his protective instincts kicking in. He wasn't about to let them disrespect his family, but he did so with grace, not wanting to escalate the situation. "Let's not worry about that now," he said, his voice calm but firm. "We're here to enjoy the day, not to discuss language."

His parents, still bristling, clearly weren't happy, but they didn't push further. Instead, they took a seat, trying to hide their jealousy of Shubman and Aditi's life. The grandeur of their home, the love and warmth between them and their children, was clearly making them uncomfortable.

As they all sat down, Shubman could feel the passive-aggressive undertones of his parents' words. They were treating him like he was still their baby boy, as if the decisions he made didn't matter. It was evident in the way they would only focus on his childhood, pulling up old memories and ignoring the man he had become.

Aditi, always the calming presence, smiled warmly at Shubman's mother, her voice gentle. "Aunty, we are so grateful to have you visit. The babies are very excited," she said, trying to ease the tension.

Shubman, sensing the situation could easily turn uncomfortable, kept a slight distance from his parents while still maintaining his respect. It was a balance between honoring them and drawing the line on what they could say or do.

As the conversation dragged on, Aditi kept the babies entertained, trying to get them to settle down. But every now and then, she caught Shubman's eyes across the room, and he would give her a soft smile, silently telling her it would be okay. She knew the disapproval from his parents wasn't going to disappear overnight, but for the first time, she felt secure in the love they shared. She wasn't going anywhere.