Shivanya, despite being one fierce and bold woman, was very shy as a matter of fact.

She was all red because of embarrassment when she stepped out of shower in the bedroom and immediately turned around got back in.

" Abhimanyu, please go out of two minutes." She said meekly.

Her shyness.

" Yeah." I muttered, getting out of the room and shut the door behind me.

I had decided to give this marriage a chance and live like normal couple did with Shivanya. I was not in love with her yet, but I sure do feel something for her and she does too, but refuses to acknowledge it.

My touch makes her feel good and yet she feels uncomfortable and that is one thing I plan on changing soon.

She was wearing doing her hair when I got in. Then she put mangalsutra.

The door bell rang and she was about to get the door when I stopped her.

" Wait Shivanya." I held onto her wrist to stop her from going out.

I then took a pinch of sindoor kept on the dressing table and filled her hair partition.

" Thank you." She said, without looking at me and went down to open the door. Shy is really shy.

Maasi had threw some uncalled for bitter words at her during breakfast but she held her calm and responded very politely.

This was one thing I admire about her, she never really lost her calm soon.

I tried to talk to her but she shut me up. Having no option, I started for office.

I was busy with reading financial reports when Shivanya stepped into my cabin.

" Shivanya?" I said, looking up to her.

" Pati Parmeshwar. Your maasi thinks that all I do is waste your money so she decided that I needed to make myself useful and get lunch for you." She replied, her tone so sarcastic that I cringed.

" I am sorry." I said, sighing.

" I don't blame you. Just have lunch." I replied, sitting on the couch looking tired.

" Did you eat?" I asked, taking a bite. It was absolutely delicious.

" I am not hungry." She said.

" Shivanya, eat. Food is not at fault here. You don't have to take out your anger on it." I told her, offering some rice to her. There was no way that she was not hungry. She looked so tired.

But she nodded negatively, looking stubborn.

I kept the spoon back in the plate and took her small hands in mine.

She flinched and immediately pulled back. I frowned.

I took them again and she looked at me, wide eyed. It was comical and I would have laughed had we been in a different situation.

" Listen Shivanya, I'm going to stop fighting my developing feelings for you and I want you to do the same." I told her honestly. It was high time that we accept what was happening and acknowledge it instead of avoiding it like children avoided things which they did not want. The only change was, that I now wanted it.

There was a reason why Aditi had taken that promise from the both of us. She knew Shivanya and she knew me. She knew that we will fit because she had mentioned it so many times that had I had a younger brother, she would have got her Shivi married to him. She wanted all of us all to be happy and that we were but superficially. Deep down, both of us craved for Aditi to come back.

" What are you talking about?" She tried to act oblivious about what I had said.

I brushed my fingers against hers and she shivered a little.

" This is what I am talking about." I whispered, coming close to her.

" What?" I asked, going back.

" You did not feel anything?" I asked, amused by her attempt of lying.

" No." I muttered, trying at give me her I-am-a-lawyer-who-does-not-care look.

Aditi knew her sister deep down. She had said three things about Shivanya. First being that she is an open book, second that she cannot lie and the third and last that she liked to live in denial mode.

" Aditi was right about this too.....you like to live in denial and cannot lie." I addressed, smirking.

" Abhimanyu.....this is very wrong and I think that you are high on weed or something. I'm going home." She said, getting up but I pulled her back and made her sit down, chuckling.

" I am not going to force you into anything. Hell, even I don't what exactly I feel for you but I am going to stop fighting myself. All I want you to do is start acknowledging what your heart wants and stop living in that denial mode. Things will fall in place." I told her honestly, feeding a morsel.

She had nothing to say so she just gave me a blank look. As long as she did not fight with me on this, I was okay with the silent treatment for now.

" Bye Abhimanyu." She said as the lunch was done.

" Bye Shivanya. And we will take care of Maasi together in the evening." He told her and meant to do so.

She nodded and left.

Throughout the way back home, I was thinking about Abhimanyu's words.

It was all wrong. He was my sister's husband and we got married because it was di's last wish. I cannot fall in love with her husband. I cannot do that!

" Mumma, can we please go in the park and play?" Sahil asked. He had just woken up.

" Yes baby but we will go after an hour when the sun sets. Let's complete the homework for now?" I asked.

He nodded.

" Bahu, I want a cup of tea." Maasi shouted from her room.

" Ji maasiji. I'll get it in 5 minutes." I replied back.

" Champ, go to your room and take your notebook out. I'll be there soon." I said and he ran off.

I made ginger tea for maasiji and took it to her room.

" Sugar is less." She taunted.

I internally rolled my eyes.

" Don't worry maasiji, I'll add." I offered.

" No. I'll have it as it is for now. Make it properly tomorrow." She said.

" JI." I replied back and left the room to help Sahil.

Soon, Sahil was done with homework.

" Let's go now mumma." He exclaimed.

I changed his clothes, took the ball and held his hand.

" Maasiji, I am taking Sahil out to play. Do you want to come with us?" I asked, politely.

" Women these days just need excuses to go out of house." She muttered, audible enough for me to hear.

I took her taunt as a no and we went out.

" Mumma, why is maasi dadi so angry?" Sahil asked me innocently.

" Because she does not like me baby." I replied, absent mindedly.

Shit! I shouldn't have said that in front of Sahil.

" But I love you mumma!" She exclaimed.

" Mumma loves you too my baby." I replied back.

Soon we were in the park and Sahil was playing with his friends. The mothers of other children were sitting in a corner, probably gossiping about something. I rolled my eyes before my cell rang. It was boss.

" Good evening sir." I said.

" Good evening Shivanya. I have emailed some briefs to you. Please get them done by tomorrow afternoon. Will you?" He said.

" Absolutely sir." I replied.

" Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." He said.

" About that sir, I need an off tomorrow too." I said.

" That is not possible Shivanya. It's Friday and the both of us have to be in court. I need you there tomorrow." He said.

" But Sir...." I started.

" No Shivanya. You can heve your leave on Monday but it is really important for you to come tomorrow." He said sternly.

" Okay sir." I said, sighing. I had no option but to agree.

He hung up.

" Sahil, let's go home baby. It's already dark and mumma has to prepare dinner." I said to him.

" Just five more minutes mumma." He whined.

" Okay, but only 5. Not a minute extra." I said sternly.

He nodded and got back.

After five more minutes, I called for him and he agreed to leave because his friends were going too.

" What do you want to have for dinner baby?" I asked him.

" Paneer mumma." He said.

" Okay. Done." I said, entering the kitchen and he went to his room.

Before starting with dinner, I got milk ready for Sahil.

" Sahil, baby come and have your milk." I shouted for him.

" No mumma.....I don't want to drink milk." He whined.

" Sahil.....milk is necessary. You will have to drink it." I said, taking the glass in my hand for him.

" No mumma." He shouted and started running around the house. I was running behind him to catch him.

" Mumma, if you catch me, then I'll drink yuck." He said, laughing.

" Okay....so this is what you want?" I exclaimed, running.

He giggled.

I had almost caught him when Abhimanyu emerged in the living room and Sahil went to hide behind his leg.

" Sahil! We are not playing hide and seek. We are playing pakdam pakdai so you are not supposed to hide behind papa." I exclaimed.

" No mumma! I can hide behind papa because I don't want to drink the yukkie!" He said, frowning.

Abhimanyu picked Sahil up.

" Buddy, if you won't drink milk then how will you become a super hero?" Abhimanyu asked him in a baby voice.

" But papa! I don't like milk." Sahil whined again.

" Okay, let's have a competition. Whoever finishes the milk first will be the winner." Abhimanyu suggested.

" Okay. Mumma, get a glass for papa too!" Sahil exclaimed.

I nodded and got a glass of water for Abhimanyu in the steel glass so that Sahil does not see.

Abhimanyu took the glass, smirking at me.

" Okay so.....1...2....3 and go." I said.

" I won. Papa is still having it and I am done!" Sahil exclaimed.

Abhimanyu and I clapped for him.

" Now both of you go and do whatever you want. I am going to go and make dinner." I said, disappearing from the hall.

Within an hour, dinner was done and I fed Sahil before serving it to others.

Again maasiji compared my food with Aditi di's.

Yeah, I know that I wasn't as good cook as Aditi di was but all I could do was to try! I was so done with maasiji's taunts but I had no intention of hurting a guest so I kept my mouth shut.

" Maasi, the food is fantastic. I don't know what you don't like." Abhimanyu snapped at her and I frowned.

" Excellent, you have done black magic on Abhimanyu too?" She exclaimed.

I did not respond.

" No maasi. This is known as care, not black magic but it seems like you will not understand this." Abhimanyu said.

After that, maasi was silent and went to her room after eating.

I quickly cleaned the kitchen and went to my baby's room. He was playing with Abhimanyu.

" Come on Sahil, time for bed." I said.

" Okay mumma." He said, getting up.

" Good night Sahil." Abhimanyu said, kissing his forehead.

" Good night papa." Sahil replied and Abhimanyu left the room.

I got Sahil into his nightsuit and lied down with him. Within minutes, he was fast asleep.

I quietly got out of his room, took a water jug with a glass and put it in maasi's room and went to mine.

Abhimanyu was no where in sight so I went to stand in the balcony. It was getting suffocating for me and tears started flowing from my eyes.

" Why on bloodly earth am I crying!" I exclaimed to myself.

" Shivanya." I heard Abhimanyu call for me. I immediately wiped my tears away and turned towards him.

" You were crying?" He asked.

" No. And I didn't have to that in the living room." I said.

" Do what?" He asked, confused.

" Defend my culinary skills." I replied.

" I was not defending you culinary skills. I was defending you. Also, I didn't had to, I wanted to. There is a difference. " He said.

" Abhimanyu, I told you that I can stand up for myself and I don't need anyone for doing that." I said, raising my voice.

" I can take a stand for you. I am your husband goddammit!" He shouted back, losing his calm.

" So what? I never needed anyone for stand for me and I very well don't require anyone now." I said, now crying.

I immediately wiped my tears. I blame my PMS for these freaking tears!

Abhimanyu walked closer to me. I stepped back till the time I was pinned to the railing.

" Done walking back?" He asked, a little amused and a little irritated.

I gave him no reply.

He wiped my tears away.

" Shivanya, I will always take a stand for you weather you like it or not. That is how its going to be." He said.

" No Abhimanyu....it's not going to be like that. You cann....." I started but he placed a finger on my lips.

I quivered under his touch.

" Please don't argue with me on this Shivanya. Let's go to bed. You are tired." He said, pulling me to his chest lightly.

A billion butterflies erupted in my stomach.

" Relax." He muttered, gently stroking my hair.

" Abhimanyu." I started pulling away and he let me as we walked into the room. I immediately changed into my night suit and got out of the washroom and started building pillow walls between us.

" Shivanya, do you trust me?" Abhimanyu suddenly asked.

I nodded positively.

" Then don't do this. I will never do anything that you won't want me to do." She said.

I felt unsure but knew that he will never do anything.

He removed the pillow wall.

" Good night Abhimanyu." I said, lying down on one side.

" Good night." He replied back and I let myself slip into wonderland.