Esha rubbed her eyes, walking into the living room and yawning. Amey came running from the kitchen and hugged her legs. "Good morning, Maasi."

Instead of scowling at him first thing in the morning, she leaned down and pecked his cheek. "Good morning, baby. Did you sleep well?"

He nodded, "Yeah, mom read me story. Snow white and seven dwarfs."

Esha chuckled and teased Neha, "You're going to turn him into a girl, Neha."

"As if. I'm teaching my kid to be in touch with his feminine side." Neha defended her actions, though the slight selfish gain in reading Amey that story would be the fact that it was her favorite bedtime story growing up.

Esha picked him up and placed him on top of the kitchen counter. "What's for breakfast?" She sent a smile to Nikhil who was pouring creamer in his coffee and looked around to find Anaya munching on Nutella bread. "Where's the lovebirds?"

Rahul answered, looking up from the stove where he had been making omelet, "Romancing, I'm sure. Omelet or scrambled?"

"Scrambled, please." She answered before telling Amey to sit still so she could quickly walk to the other end of the kitchen and get a cup so she could pour juice in it.

After getting the mug, she turned to witness Nikhil talking to Amey while feeding him tiny bits of the omelet. She smiled, along with Neha who came up to stand next to her. "He's amazing. Wherever did you find him?"

She chuckled to herself, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Neha went on to inform, "You know, he was giving me such a hard time getting ready. Nikhil must have heard so he came over and I don't know magic he did, but Amey took a bath without a single whine. The two of them are probably best friends by now."

Rahul muttered at the two of them, "Okay, no need to make me jealous."

Neha laughed and went up to him, placing a kiss on his cheek, "Oh, babe, it's okay. Amey still loves you more." She then went to Nikhil, "Thanks Nikhil, I got it."

He answered, "I don't mind. You go have your breakfast."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, and she went to grab a bite. She walked up to the fridge, filled up the cup with OJ and came to stand next to him. Amey forwarded his tiny hands, making the grabbing motion of 'give-me'. Nikhil moved slightly so she could stand in front of Amey. She carefully tilted the cup so Amey would drink only a little at a time and not slobber it down to make a mess.

"Eshu, here you go." Rahul placed a plate of scrambled eggs for her. She thanked him, eating while standing there instead of going to sit with Neha. Rahul turned off the stove and went over to his wife. Esha turned her focus to Amey and Nikhil again.

"Hey kiddo, want to try this?" She asked Amey, knowing he would nod. The kid was only three, but he loved trying everything. He had to have a bite of everything everyone was eating. Only then would he decide his favorite from the choices and eat more of that. Once he nodded, she forwarded a spoonful to him. After he chewed, she asked, "More?"

He nodded, and she went to feed him another morsel when he put his tiny hands on her wrist, turning the direction towards Nikhil. He ordered him, "Try;yummy."

Nikhil chuckled and abided, eating the morsel Esha was offering. "Hmm, you're right, kid. It is yummy."

Esha glared at him, noticing the mischief in his eyes. She was sure he was commenting more on her feeding him than the food itself.

Amey cheekily grinned oblivious to Nikhil's innuendos, "I know. Maasi, give him more."

Nikhil teased, "Yeah, maasi. I want more."

She scowled, "Eat your omelet."

Nikhil spoke to Amey, "Uh-oh. I think maasi is upset we didn't give her any omelet."

Amey put his hand in the plate and broke a piece with his fingers, deciding using a fork was too civilized in the morning. He then forwarded it to Esha, "Here maasi."

Esha's scowl turned into a smile as she accepted the piece Amey was feeding her so lovingly. He was such an adorable child, she just had to pull his cheeks afterward, causing him to whine and swat her away.

She laughed at the grumpy face he pulled. She took his face in her hand, turned his face and placed a wet kiss on his cheek. He wiped at it, deepening the frown. The playfulness continued till they finished their food, Esha and Nikhil taking turns feeding him and themselves.

At the end, she informed, "Alright, I'm off to shower. Amey, you go tell chachu and chachi to come have breakfast." After she placed him on the floor, he ran off towards their room to fulfil the order given to him.

She left to get her clothes from the room before using the shared bathroom. Nikhil quickly slipped in the room after her. "What's up?" She asked, finding him there when she turned.

He stalked towards her, "I forgot to say something."

"What?"

He captured her lips, still tasting orange juice on her, "Good morning." He whispered against her lips.

She smiled, kissing him back. "Morning to you too, babe." She then pulled back, but he tried to find her lips again. At that, she slightly pushed his shoulders back, "Uh-uh. Not when you taste like bitter coffee. I hate coffee."

He gave her a baffled look, "What planet are you from? We thrive on coffee!" She slapped his chest for mocking her, making him grin. He released her, asking, "Need some company?"

She caught on that he was talking about the shower. "Bye, Nikhil." She said, making it clear as she made him leave the room and then herself disappeared into the bathroom.

|> >< <> >< <> >< <> >< <|

In the afternoon, the ladies were on the couch in the living room watching Bones on Netflix while painting their nails for the celebrations at night. Esha was painting Sanam's nails when Amey trotted over and forwarded his hand, mimicking Sanam. Esha motioned for him to be silent as she quickly painted his. He then went back to Rahul and gushed, "Dad! See! Color."

Rahul looked at him in horror and then scolded them, "You three are going to damage my son!"

At his exaggeration, the trio laughed. Neha spoke, "He asked for it!"

"He's a kid! You're the mother." He pointed out to his wife, "You're supposed to teach him."

"Hey, if my son wants to be gender-neutral at heart, I am certainly not going to stop him." Neha answered, believing that it was best to not teach children that boys are different than girls and that they are supposed to be stronger, manlier, etc. "I'm going to make him a flipping romantic at heart and there's nothing you can do about it."

Rahul grumbled something about how he could have gotten stuck with her. She threw one of Amey's toys at him, hitting him in the leg. Rahul yelped and apologized, "Okay, fine. I'm sorry for saying that. I love you. Now don't get violent."

Neha grinned, accepting his apology, "Much better."

Since Esha was done with Sanam's nails, she ushered Neha over so she could do hers and then her own in peace. The two elder girls always insisted that Esha was good at painting them, and whenever she'd be around, made her do it. But, by the time Esha would have to do her own, she wouldn't be able to paint her right hand with the brush in her left hand. She would either struggle, or move on with having only one hand painted.

She grinned, getting an idea, and called Nikhil, "Nikhil, how much do you love me?"

He gave her a dubious look, "I sense a trick question coming."

She batted her lashes and asked ever-so-sweetly, "Will you paint my nails for me?" Getting the reason for her earlier question, he narrowed his eyes at her.

Rahul laughed while Arjun patted his back, "Good luck, my friend."

The way Esha had asked, it was obvious to him that he didn't have an option but to oblige. With his dignity at stake, he walked over to her. Neha moved so he could sit. "You don't play fair, you know that?"

Esha simply smiled at him, passing over the bottle of nail polish.

"You can't complain if it is all over the place." He warned her. Ofcourse, he had never painted nails before, and didn't trust how well he would be able to help instead of making it worse.

"No complaining." She repeated, letting him know she wouldn't. He asked for her hand, and with shaking hand of his own, started with painting her thumb. When he tried to paint the ends, the skin got painted as well. "It's fine, once it dries, I'll scrape it off."

He went on to do the rest of the fingers and about five minutes later, he closed the bottle, slumping his shoulder in a relaxed stance. "Done."

She shook her head, "Nuh-uh. That was just the first coat."

"What the heck? First coat? How many do y'all do?"

"Atleast two." She answered cheekily, "Sometimes more depending on the quality of the paint. Come on, you can do my feet in the meantime."

"Okay, this is seriously a one-time generosity. Never again." He made it known, but little did he know that he was already a scapegoat. Once you say yes, you can't say no the second time.

She muttered, "Yeah, yeah, we'll see." She surely knew he would be helping her again in the future when she would need it. It's what husbands are for. She wanted to say it out loud, but had to refrain and instead only think it.

She lifted her leg, placing her foot on top of his ankle. After unscrewing the top, he held her foot to paint them as well when his touch tickled her. Without meaning to, her foot jerked. Instead of her toe-nail, the skin got painted. He looked up to scold her when she quickly apologized, "Sorry, but you tickled me."

He wiped off the paint with his thumb while it was still wet. Then he was careful to not tickle her, but still, simply holding her foot was sending butterflies to explode in her stomach. She kept curling the fingers, causing him to look up at her face. She looked away, trying to focus on the TV instead.

A slight smirk played on his lips as he realized it was a turn on for her. He made a mental note to kiss her feet the next time they had a private moment.

|> >< <> >< <> >< <> >< <|

Close to five in the afternoon, Neha got up and first got Amey ready so Rahul could look after him while she got ready. Then, the ladies took over Arjun and Sanam's room to get ready, with Sanam telling Arjun to take everything he needed because after that, he wouldn't be allowed to enter till they were all ready.

Esha was not used to wearing Indian traditional outfits. She wore one of the many lehngas she had bought for Sanam's wedding, but never got a chance to wear. She had to get Neha's help to hook the top in the back as well as pin the tippet on one shoulder and tuck the other end on the opposite side of the waist. She then put on makeup, unable to decide the shades for the eyeshadow. Turning to the rest with two choices of lip shade in either hands, asked, "Which one?"

"Darker one." Sanam and Neha answered at the same time. Even if Anaya had chosen the other, it was out bidden.

She faced the mirror, "Darker one it is." Once she was done, she asked, "How do I look?"

Neha, being the open one, complimented, "Like a sex goddess." There was a reason Neha and Esha got along well.

Sanam glared at Neha for saying that to her little sister, "Neha!"

Neha shrugged her shoulder, "What, you thought it too! I was simply the one to say it." She directed the rest to Esha, "Nikhil is going to be clean-bowled the second he sets his eyes on you."

Sanam brought it to notice, "Speaking of, have you thought of how to talk to dad and tell him the two of you are dating?"

Esha answered, "Jeeju pointed out we should leave that out for now. You know, get dad to see him as a person before my boyfriend?"

Sanam nodded, agreeing. "One good idea." She then groaned, pulling at her blouse, "Ugh, I think I am going to have to go shopping soon. Everything is tight."

Neha quipped, "Welcome to the world of motherhood."

Esha gushed, walking closer to where Sanam sat, "I love the little baby bump that's starting to show."

Sanam warned, "No, don't you start as well. Arjun is already starting to obsess."

Esha awed in cue, but did not tease her sister any further. Neha approved her own make-up in the mirror and then stood up from the dressing chair, "Alright. I am done."

"Great. Let's get going." Sanam commented, standing up and starting to slip into her heels, "Arjun's already called five times to see when we'll get there."

Esha asked, "Should you be wearing heels?"

Sanam admonished, "Eshu, I'm pregnant, not crippled. And it's still the first trimester."

"I was just asking!" Esha quickly exclaimed, putting up her hands in surrendering position to let Sanam know she would back off.

They piled in the car Rahul had sent for them with a driver who drove them to the manor where the celebration was held in honor of Arjun and Sanam for the pregnancy.

On the way, Esha received a text.

Nikhil: Your dearest and beloved brother-in-law turned out to be a traitor. Left me alone with your father!

Esha laughed reading the message, "Listen to this, Arjun jeeju left Nikhil alone with dad."

Sanam grimaced, "Ouch."

Esha: And?

Nikhil: He left me scathing. I have no idea how I survived the past half hour.

Esha: Aww. I'll be there soon (;

Nikhil: You might want to hurry.

Esha: If you think dad left you wounded, wait till you see me.

Nikhil: I'll be teased. Again. What's new? (;

Sanam teased her, "Look at you, all grins." Esha looked up and blushed. "I definitely approve of him. Look at you blush! I had never thought I'd see this day."

"Please di, can we stop the teasing?' Esha bit her lip to stop from blushing any further.

Sanam eased up, but was definitely happy to witness her younger sister in love. It reminded her of the earlier days when she had been falling for Arjun. Sure, it took her longer to realize, but she was glad Esha was clear of her feelings unlike herself.

Esha commented, "We need to find Anaya a guy."

Anaya quickly defended, "Oh no, leave me out of this."

Esha gasped, "You like someone!"

"What? No. I never said that."

"You didn't have to. You got all defensive. Who is he?"

Neha asked in a warning tone, "Anaya?"

"No one, bhabhi. Don't listen to Esha." Anaya denied it, but Esha could tell there was definitely a guy she was hiding. If not a boyfriend already, then a crush. She promised herself she'd eventually get it out of Anaya. Her friend wasn't allowed to keep secrets from her.

|> >< <> >< <> >< <> >< <|