Hey everyone, I'm extremely sorry for the super late update. But since my last exam, I haven't had my laptop with me. Even the 26th chapter was in my mail, was I could post it. But now the updates will be on time.

Also, a very very happy new year to each and every one. May this new year brings in a lot of newness and exuberance in your life.

Happy reading 🌻

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February 2020

Udaipur

Shergill’s

The very first morning of Monami Mahajan Shergill in the Shergill residence was quite weird. But wait, first, Monami Mahajan Shergill? Well, that is because the soldier chose to update her name after marriage to this, when she signed the papers yesterday. She just felt keeping his last name along with her parental name.

Now the reason, as to why this morning was weird? Well because firstly, Monami’s alarm turned the room engulfed in silence into a room with blaring and irritating noise.

It broke the slumber of the newlyweds and since they were sleeping facing each other, thanks to the small light in the room, their eyes somehow found each other’s and Monami had to turn to pick her phone from the side table and shut the alarm.

“Sorry, tumhe bhi disturb ho gaya.” Monami was guilty to break Karan’s sleep too, especially when both of them were dead tired.

(Sorry, it disturbed you too.)

“It’s okay, ho jata hai. So jao... abhi bohot der hai. Aaj rest karlo.” Karan said in his morning husky voice and took some portion of the quilt between his fingers and snuggled into it, drifting into his dreamland again.

(It’s okay, it happens. Sleep for now, we have a lot of time; rest for today.)

But Karan’s throaty voice did something to Monami’s conscious mind. She was so accustomed to be aware of even the slightest of the noises and that alarm was something that she has grown highly familiar too and it was something that literally woke her to the consciousness of her surroundings. But she decided to calm the reins of her already on a spree of overthinking mind and sleep off for some time and she did sleep after setting an alarm for 6:30.

As if that was not enough, at 5, Karan’s alarm bellowed in the room. Again, it broke the deep slumber in which Karan was slumped and almost a deep sleep in which Monami was about to drift in.

Although Karan quickly turned to his side and shut his alarm off, hoping he would not have disturbed his wife, but of course who he was kidding? She was up and now with a small smile plastered on her lips, she said before he could utter anything. “Quite a morning, it is.”

Karan too chuckled and said, “I’m sorry, but let us sleep at least jitna abhi so sakte hain hum because I’m sure tumhe jaldi uthna hoga.”

(Let us sleep at least till the time we can because I know that you’ll have to wake up a bit early.)

It was quite funny that even after the deafening voice of alarm had interrupted their almost equivalent to luxury sleep, not once but twice, Karan was still hopeful that they could sleep a bit and eventually he again slept off. But it was not the same for Monami, now her body and mind that was habitual to the set routine, did not allow her to sleep.

She just turned on her back and while looking at the ceiling she closed her eyes. She felt a little movement on the bed and when she turned her face, she saw Karan turning his back to her in the sleep. She then acknowledged that it was for the first time she had slept with a man, so unfamiliar yet familiar in it's own ways, on the same bed, in such close proximity and the realisation was enough to give her the goosebumps; she just clutched a small portion of the quilt in a feeble fist and turned on her side, facing the curtains.

It was not like she didn’t knew or something that she didn’t realised yester night, of course she did, and though there was some reluctance as well, but she knew how to deal with it, she simply has to follow her mother’s words and something in which she herself believes, go with the flow.

While thinking about all this, she too landed herself in the darkness which prevails once you close your eyes and her breaths become steadier too.

Monami was finally up before the alarm as she felt sleep satiated and checked her mobile after doing a quick morning prayer; she was 2 minutes early she realised and shut her alarm off so that it doesn’t ring.

She quickly went in the bathroom and did her morning business and got ready in a red georgette saree and tucked her hair in a small clutcher so that she can peacefully work around her way. Since she was already decked in her nuptial symbols, there wasn’t any other need for additional jewellery. When she was filling her hair partition, she felt different; a good different. She admired the reflection in the mirror and stepped out of the closet and she saw Karan still sleeping.

Monami chuckled when she took in the sight of her husband. Karan was sleeping on his stomach, facing where Monami was sleeping until a few minutes back, still on his side with his mouth a bit open and the quilt still secured in the grip of his left hand and dangling down from his right side, diagonally. Due to his moving, the t-shirt he wore for the night curled up a bit from its hem and rose a bit from his waist, and exposed a tiny bit of his waist to Monami’s eyes. Not expecting her eyes to land there, her cheeks coloured up in the realisation and she silently made the quilt cover his back and went out of the room.

When Monami stepped out and went downstairs, she saw that Barkha was already there in the kitchen so she simply went and greeted, “Good morning Bhabhi.”

Barkha looked up at the new bride and smiled back her sweetly, before greeting her with a sweet side hug, “Good morning Monami. Itna jaldi kyu uth gayi? Thoda sa aur so leti na... kitna thak gayi hogi itne dino mein.”

(Why are you up so early? You should have slept some more. The past few days must have exhausted you.)

“Aisa kuch nahi hai Bhabhi, jaldi uthne ki toh aadat hai.” Monami smiled at her sister in law, Barkha’s concern for her made her feel good and homely.

(It’s nothing like that Bhabhi; I’m accustomed to get up early.)

Barkha smiled at her and palmed her face fondly. She took her hand back and Monami then asked Barkha, “Toh bataiye Bhabhi, kya karna hai abhi?”

(So tell me Bhabhi, what am I supposed to do?)

Barkha chuckled and said, “Zyada kuch nahi hai bas tumhe kuch meetha bana na hai, nayi shuruat ke liye.” She paused and then continued, “Vaise accha he hai isi bahane aaj mujhe bhi kitchen mein company mil jaayegi. Yu toh sabhi ki chhutti hai lekin aaj Param ko office jaana padega, kuch urgent meetings hain unki.” Barkha informed Monami, making her nod in understanding.

(Nothing much, you just have to prepare something sweet for the new beginnings.) (But it’s good anyway, since I’ll also get a company in kitchen today. Although everyone is on leave today, Param has to go to the office for a few urgent meetings.)

“Umm kya banau Bhabhi?” Monami wanted to know the opinion so that everyone can enjoy the dessert.

(What should I make?)

Barkha walked a few steps back and leaned her back on the slab and after thinking for a few seconds, she said, “Gajar ka Halwa? Everyone will enjoy it.” She paused and then said, “Although count Karan out of it, already in the last week he had had sweets more than his limits.” Barkha smiled a little comfortingly as she felt a bit bad that Monami is making something for the first time and Karan won’t be able to have it.

Monami just smiled and tucked her pallu on her waist and asked Barkha for the ingredients and started on her task while she bonded with her sister in law. While Monami shared a few anecdotes of her life in IAF and otherwise as Barkha asked and the latter too opened up about the family members here and her life post marriage along with a few short accounts of their mother in law. Barkha took efforts to make sure that Monami gets little bit acquainted with the Shergill's and the latter too, gave her complete attention to it. But Barkha also made sure that she does not give a full flashed picture of their family in her perspective, she wanted that the new bride makes her way into this family on her own.

After Monami finished making halwa, a bit apprehensively Monami asked for a few more ingredients and before Barkha could ask anything, she was called upstairs by Param, so just patting her shoulder she left.

Meanwhile, while all this was happening, even Karan woke up sometime after Monami left the room. He blinked his eyes a few times and then slowly got up and saw the time on his phone and then some earlier flashbacks of morning hit his mind and he was fully awake. He bit his bottom lip and smiled goofily; tousling his hair he made his way to the balcony and stood there, basking in the sunlight.

Karan replayed the past week and all the incidents that have conspired, in a good way and introduced Monami as his life partner. The feeling of being married was still sinking in his being. He then stepped back in the room, exhaling a sigh and closed the door behind him. He then walked towards his side and kept his phone on charging and casually he turned and saw on Monami’s side which was although kept on charge but the switch was not on, so he just did so.

Karan then walked inside his closet, picked his outfit for the day and went in for shower. When he stepped inside his closet, he could inhale the faint fragrance of Monami’s perfume which made him more aware about his wife’s presence in his life. Then when he walked in the shower area, there also his nostrils could inhale the muzzy fragrance of her body wash; all of this made him smile and a little conscious about this new addition in his family, his room and his life. Karan then enjoyed the feeling of warm water cascading down his body, unknotting all his knots.

Coming out of the shower, while rubbing his hair with the towel which was hanging from his one shoulder and its other grasped in his hand which was working on his hair; Karan went in front of the mirror and there too, an additional comb and a few things greeted his eyes and he smiled at these little additions.

He finally stepped out of the closet area after grooming himself and saw the time and moved towards the bed arranged the bed and folded the blanket and then picked his phone and as he was about to move out of the room, he walked back, took Monami’s phone and then walked outside.

While Karan was about to descend the stairs, he heard Param’s voice from behind and the latter soon joined him on the stairs. Param slapped his back muttering, “Good Morning Chhotey.”

Karan greeted him back and the duo talked about how Param had to go to office on Saturday as well, well because he had to attend a few meetings of the clients that he had to postpone earlier and Karan chuckled at the misery of his brother and after making a comment which riled Param, he ran down the stairs, with Param behind him like his pants were on fire.

Karan skipped the last two stairs and ran around the sofas in the living room a bit when he saw Atul entering in from the main gate, with the newspaper in his hands and quickly hid behind him, using his father as a shield.

Atul came out of his room almost 45 minutes back and he was greeted with a working Monami in the kitchen and  who too, pleasantly greeted her father in law. He did ask if she had any problem in settling in the new place to which she denied. Atul then talked a bit more and while talking, he took the saucepan and started preparing his tea. Monami was perplexed and though she tried to say that she can do so, she was sweetly cut off by her father in law who said that this has been his habit since he was in his early 20’s.

Barkha too joined the duo when Atul was filtering his tea and looked at Monami and smiled at her as if saying that it was okay. Soon Atul walked out in the lawn with his morning paper and left the ladies in the kitchen. Monami and Barkha too, quickly winded up the kitchen and sat in the living room with their beverages and enjoyed the warm liquid.

Soon Barkha saw the time and accompanied by Monami, she went in the kitchen and started plating the stuff and in all this they heard the commotion from the living room and Barkha muttered, “Hey bhagwaan, ho gaya inka shuru.” Monami looked at her in tumult and Barkha just shook her head in no and sighed stating, “Don't worry, you’ll be accustomed to this commotion soon.”

(Oh god, they have already started.)

They went outside and saw the scene, Karan behind Atul, holding him from his shoulders and an irritated Param in front of the duo. Monami was tickled pink with this sight and no sooner did she find her eyes capturing the scene with her husband getting beaten up by his elder brother.

Barkha the mother hen she is, silenced the commotion and told the brothers to arrange the table as the food is ready. Yes, since the boys didn’t knew cooking Atul fixed that the boys will set the dining table and it has been the routine ever since, along with having the food with all the members of the family.

Soon Baby too came, dressed up in a yellow frilled  frock and greeted everyone and Karan picked her up, squishing her cheeks, making her frown and she demanded to be kept down.

She trudged towards her chachi and after greeting her, she asked her to come to her level and when Monami did so, baby hugged her, making her chachi smile. Baby backed off after kissing Monami’s cheeks and exclaimed, “You’re looking so pretty!”

“Thank you kiddo, aap bhi bohot pretty lag rahe ho.” Monami lightly pinched little one’s nose and complimented her back, not only making the little one but every other Shergill smile at this sweet interaction.

(Thank you kiddo, you look pretty as well!)

“Chachi dekho na, chachu kaise mujhe pareshaan kar rahe hai, aise he har baar karte hain.” Baby complained to her chachi and then glanced at Karan who was looking at niece with mouth wide opened and he narrowed his eyes. Baby royally ignored him and looked back at Monami, who did not miss this little exchange and looked at her niece and gestured her to continue, after nodding her head, because she could not understand the reason behind this little complaint.

(Look na chachi, how chachu troubles me and he does it every time.)

“Toh abhi toh aap bhi aa gaye ho aur aap meri he team mein ho, toh aap chachu ko punish karoge na?” Baby was clear that Monami was a part of her team and this fact will always remain the same. The cherubic doll was looking at her with utmost sincerely hopeful eyes.

(So now that you are here and in fact in my team as well, so you’ll punish chachu, right?)

Before Monami could say anything, Karan intervened in between, “Oye bacchu, Monami tumhaari chachi se pehle meri biwi hai, toh woh meri team mein rahegi.” Clearly Karan was not pleased with baby’s innocent acts and he went with the flow.

(Hey you kiddo, before being your chachi, Monami is my wife so she’ll obviously be in my team.)

And this led to another battle in the morning between Karan and baby, who were fighting for Monami and the poor soul could only look at Barkha; because it has been ages that someone has fought for her like this and she could feel that did not feel any necessity to adjust. She was home, already.

Barkha again had to take the matter in her hands and she played the peacemaker by telling them that the decision can take place later and for now Param is getting late and they should start with their breakfast.

Quickly, the guys arranged everything and settled down with everyone. Since Monami was sitting beside Karan, he quickly took out Monami’s phone and placed next to her making her look at him to which he said, “Tum upar bhool gayi thi.”

(You forgot it upstairs.)

This made Monami feel yet again the same feeling of familiar congeniality , warmth and that she was cared for. She could only give him a grateful smile, saying a soft thank you.

After finishing the meal, Monami stood up and she went in with Barkha, taking the big bowls which were emptied, to bring out the dessert. Barkha placed the tray in the centre of the table. It was the gajar ka halwa which was for everybody sans Karan and all he could do was scrunch his nose. But even that didn’t stayed for as he witnessed Monami coming out of the kitchen with another tray and she placed it adjacent to the earlier one.

Although Barkha didn’t knew what was in it, yet she was sure of one thing that this was especially for Karan so she asked Karan to open the lid of the bowl and when he did, he was astonished to see the contents in it. It was the dry fruit laddoos.

“Uhh neither it has sugar nor anything that can’t be eaten while following the diet.” Monami said, but everyone knew that this delicacy was made for whom.

Karan was touched with this step and he felt the familiar fuzziness which he feels when he sees Monami behaving a little out of character that is mostly in front of him. A small smile broke out on his lips and he closed his eyes tilting his head a bit down, after opening his eyes and raising his head a bit to look at her, post a couple of seconds.

His eyes caught hers, after she looked at him for the first time she spoke about the sweet delicacy she prepared for him, because she felt shy and hence it took her time to finally let her wandering eyes look at him and she could clearly see how her efforts managed to make him feel happy, seeing him smile at her, she too smiled and then averted her eyes as soon as she realised that they were surrounded with everyone. But it was too late since everyone teasingly coughed and broke Karan’s reverie.

“Haan bhai, ab toh Karan ka dhyaan pehle rakha jaayega. But no issues, we are happy with our Gajar ka Halwa.” Atul said teasingly.

(Yes yes, now firstly, it will be Karan who’ll be looked after.)

“Uh aisa kuch nahi hai papa, aap sabhi ke liye bhi hai.” Monami explained to which everyone chuckled and asked her to sit and eat what she prepared which she followed; although with gushy insides.

(Uh it's nothing like that, it is for you all too.)

When Karan took hold of the laddoo, he could see that the size was small so that one could easily have one at a time and be happy and needless to say, he was more than happy.

Soon everyone took one - one laddo and appreciated Monami for her efforts and the delicious delicacy she had prepared. In fact while she was eating, Karan slightly leaned towards her and whispered a thank you, making his warm breath hit her ears and she gripped her bowl a little tight, nodding her head with her cheeks getting redder.

Post that, when Barkha asked Monami to get ready since Vedant would be here any moment, the latter nodded and went upstairs and to her surprise she saw that the bed was already made and roses he gave her were missing and narrowed her eyes and then her gaze fell on the vase that is kept in the balcony which was filled with daffodils and since sunlight hardly came on this side during winters, the flowers would easily sustain a day or a two more. Karan did so, when he came back after bathing.

Monami could not help but appreciate the joint effort which Karan was making, and he was literally falling into step with her.

Monami quickly corrected her hair and saree and left downstairs with her sling bag and phone. She went downstairs and sat with everyone sans Param since he already left.

Soon enough, Vedant came too and after sitting for a few minutes both the siblings left, but not before a bye between the couple was hidden by the eyes of the remaining audience.

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Almost 3.6k words.

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