"Reet where is Bani?" Ram asked being impatient. Him and Reet were waiting for her in car from last 15 minutes.

"Mumma is coming Papa." She replied looking out of the window.

"You're happy that Bani is your Mumma?"

"Yes papa. All my friends had mumma but now i have mumma too."

"Aww!"

"Papa mumma is coming." Reet clapped in excitement.

Ah, she's so beautiful.

She was dressed in a soft pink anarkali suit with minimal make-up. Her red choora and mangalsutra makes her look 1000 times prettier.

"Am i late or am i late?"

"You're late." Ram said rolling his eyes.

"Sorry, i was just checking on everything." She said settling down on the passenger seat. "And why is she tucked in car seat?" Bani continued.

"Because that's her seat." Ram said.

"No need, Reet come to me."

"No, I'm good. I feel like a big girl."

Ram gave Bani an i-told-you look.

"Where are we going Mr. Kapoor?"

"I don't know, you tell me where you want to go."

"Mom said she's arranging or something no?"

"Mom made arrangements for dinner only."

"Hum na Elephanta caves nahi gaye hain aaj tak. Wahan chale? (I've never been to Elephanta caves. Let's go there?)"

"Historical place?"

"Yes and peaceful too. We can have lunch there too!"

"Reet you want to go there?" Ram asked.

"Whatever Mumma says. She's newly married no!"

"Mumma ki chamchi."

"Haww don't call Reet with such names."

"Whatever you say, Reet ki chamchi."

"Reet, your Papa is mad."

"I know mumma, adjust please." Reet giggled.

Ram rolled his eyes.

"Stop rolling your eyes Mr. Kapoor."

"You're Reet's teacher not mine."

"You're the more weird person I've seen."

"And you're wife to this weird person, be respectful."

"Saying that i hate you would be an understatement right now."

"Offo Mumma Papa! You guys are grown ups for god's sake." Reet scolds.

"Reet it's first day after our marriage and i already hate your Papa." Bani said twisting her mouth.

"As if i love you Mumma." Ram said rolling his eyes.

"Mumma Papa." Reet said sternly.

-----------

"What you want to eat? We have to buy lunch before going there." Ram asked looking at Bani who didn't said anything in return and kept looking out of the window.

"Reet, Ask you Mumma what she wants for lunch."

"Reet tell your Papa I'm okay with anything."

"Okay, I'll go and buy ANYTHING." H e said getting out of car.

"I don't like your Papa at all." Bani said turning to Reet when Ram was gone.

"But he's your husband." Reet giggled.

"But i still don't like him."

"Mumma don't be a bad girl."

"C'mon Reet, you know your father is a bad boy too."

"But you are good girl."

Few minutes later, Ram returned with some packets. Dumping them in back seat, beside Reet he took his place on driver's seat and started the car.

"Papa how much time it take to reach there?" Reet asked.

"Can't say-- Maybe half hour."

"What we gonna do all this while?"

"You can look out of window like mumma is doing from last 20 minutes." Ram said with a lip tight smile.

"Reet, tell your Papa to not poke me again and again."

"Reet, tell your Mumma to talk to your Papa."

"Reet, tell your Papa that i don't want to talk to him."

"Reet, tell your Mumma that she is being extremely rude."

"Reet, tell your Papa----"

"Oh shut up you both. I'm done." Reet screamed and turned her face towards the window.

"You ruined her mood." Bani said gritting her teeth.

"You did, not me." He whispered, scared that Reet will again scold them.

"Mr. Kapoor." Bani rolled her eyes.

Ram gave her a wicked smile. "Yes Mrs. Kapoor?"

Bani twisted her mouth in annoyance and looked out of the window.

Finally, after a ride 45 minutes, they reached Elephanta caves.

"Wow!" Reet exclaimed looking at the view from the cliff. It was all green and peaceful.

"Reet, let's go in and see the caves. Later we'll come and have our lunch here." Bani said excitedly.

Reet held Bani's finger. "Yes."

Bani, Reet and Ram spent the next 1 hour exploring the place and Bani clicking pictures of Reet and Ram clicking pictures of Bani and Reet.

"I'm so hungry!" Bani said settling down on the back seat of car with Reet.

"Same pinch." Reet pinched Bani's hand.

"Ouch!"

"You don't have to pinch so tight baby." Ram laughed.

Reet pouts. "But Papa i pinched lightly."

"You didn't baby. I actually got my hand burnt today." Bani said caressing the spot Reet pinched.

"Oh." Reet said carefully taking Bani's hand in hers.
She started blowing air on the wound and then prepped some light kisses around it.

Bani giggled. "What you doing?"

"Papa says bui-bui gets good this way." Reet replied innocently.

"Aww baby. Why do you have to be so cute? I already love so much." Bani pecks Reet's nose lightly.

"Bani food?"

"Yeah!"

Bani took the food out of bags, there were wraps, rolls and burgers.

They had their lunch together in their car, Reet continuously talking about how she is happy to be here and she have never seen so many trees together.

After completing their food, Reet insisted to play for sometime.

"No Reet, running games are not good for here. The land is slippery here."

"It's okay Mr. Kapoor, I'll take care."

"No Bani--" But Bani didn't wait for him and got out of the car with Reet.

"Mumma I'll run and you have to catch me."

"Sure but be careful."

Reet started running around laughing and Bani was intentionally running as slow as she can pretending to chase Reet.

Suddenly, Reet's feet got tangled and she fell hard on ground bruising her knees.

"REET!" Ram and Bani called at same time.

Bani made her stand and started dusting off her skirt when Ram pulled Reet into him.

"Don't!" Ram said glaring at Bani.

"Mr. Kapoor lemme just--"

"SHUT UP BANI!" He yelled. "So this is how you will take care of Reet? Look her knees are bleeding."

"I--- we were playing."

"Bani, just because she calls you Mumma doesn't mean you are her real mother. So please don't act like one, you're an outsider, behave like one."

Bani looked down hiding her tears.

She's nothing but an outsider. Even after marrying him, she's not family.

Ride to home was really silent. Reet insisted to sit with Bani on back seat and now she was sleeping on Bani's lap.
Ram was stealing glances of Bani from the rear view mirror and caught her wiping her tears for two-three times.

He shouldn't have called her an outsider.

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Specially for my beshti loveeagle_ 🥺

LOVE ❤️
N 🥀