Have you heard of Palampur? It's awesome little village nestled between the hills and valleys.
The atmosphere there is so tranquil that it really makes you contemplate life. In this village, there's this fiery short- tempered Jiya, who lives with h...
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Ah, the fourth month of pregnancy. A beautiful time when you start feeling the little flutters of life growing inside you, your family's joy overflowing... and your husband's snoring filling the room like an out-of-tune trumpet.
Seriously, Tanishk could win awards for this. His head was tilted to one side, mouth wide open, and the kind of snoring that makes you wonder how this man ever managed to look so suave in boardrooms. I chuckled softly, watching him in his deep sleep, his hand lazily draped over my growing belly like it was an unconscious declaration that he was "protecting the heir."
"Oh, look at you," I whispered sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
"The mighty Tanishk Singhaniya, reduced to snoring like an old man."
But, despite his obnoxious snoring, these past four months had been something special. Rajshree Amma? Oh, she was practically bouncing off the walls. She had taken her promotion to 'soon-to-be grandmother' way too seriously. If happiness could be measured in decibels, I'm sure the neighbors in the next colony had heard her excitement when we first announced the news.
And then, my father. Don't even get me started. His happiness was just on another level. Every time he visited, he brought some 'good luck' trinket or a mountain of fruits, saying.
"Beta, this is good for your health. The baby will be as strong as a wrestler," At this point, I was pretty sure we could open a fruit market in our living room.
Siya di and Jeevika di? Well, they were practically gushing every time they saw me. It was like the first grandchild in the family had given them a reason to behave like excited schoolgirls. They kept comparing baby names, and I swear, every time they started discussing, I saw Tanishk's soul leave his body.
And don't even get me started on Adhiraj bhai and Yuvan bhai. 'Those two'. I swear, they've made it their life's mission to tease me and Tanishk every chance they get.
F L A S H B A C K
"Tanishk," Adhiraj bhai called out dramatically one evening, eyes twinkling with mischief as we gathered for dinner.
"You've been blushing more than a new bride these days. What happened? Jiya toh theek hai, right?" Yuvan bhai, always the partner in crime, chimed in.
"We thought you were the 'man' of the house. But it looks like you're the one playing the bashful bride!"
And then, there was Tanishk; my husband. The man who was known for his calm, composed CEO persona? 'Blushing' like a teenager on his first date. He turned beet red, avoiding eye contact like the whole situation was just too much for him.
I hadn't blushed this much in the entire marriage life, but there was my husband, running away like he'd been the one caught sneaking out of the house past curfew. He had actually 'ran away', leaving the room in a huff while we all burst into laughter. My fearless husband, the same man who stared down businessmen in board meetings, couldn't handle a little teasing from his brothers.
