As Aarav stepped out of his room, still a little groggy, his sister spotted him and smirked mischievously. Leaning against the doorframe, she gave him a knowing look and teased, "Brother, no patience at all, huh? Couldn't even wait a day?"
Aarav rolled his eyes, unfazed. "You wouldn't understand. You're just a kid. Stop overthinking and go help sister in law in the kitchen."
She gasped dramatically. "Wow! Just one day, and you're already taking sister in law's side?"
Before she could tease him further, Aarav playfully flicked her forehead. "Enough now. Go get me a towel."
Laughing, his sister turned to leave but paused at the door. "Why don't you ask sister in law instead?" she teased, winking before dashing towards the kitchen.
Aarav shook his head, sighing. His family was going to make sure he never lived this down. Grabbing the towel himself, he hummed a song under his breath and headed toward the bathroom, shaking off his sister's playful taunts.
After finishing his bath, Aarav stepped out, feeling refreshed. His mother approached him with a gentle smile.
"Go to the temple with your wife and take blessings as a couple," she said.
Aarav nodded, and soon, he and his wife set off on his two-wheeler. The ride was silent—neither of them spoke, the weight of their new relationship still settling in. The cool morning breeze brushed against them, but there was a lingering awkwardness between them.
As they reached the temple, Aarav stopped near a flower vendor. "Should we buy flowers?" he asked.
She gave a small nod. "Yes."
"Alright, you wait here. I'll park the bike and come."
After parking, he returned, carrying a small garland and flowers. They performed the darshan together, standing side by side in quiet reverence. Once done, they moved to a side bench within the temple premises and sat down.
Aarav hesitated for a moment before gently reaching for her hand. His touch was light, hesitant, as he asked, "How do you feel?"
She didn't respond immediately, just smiled softly. Aarav watched her, waiting.
Finally, she spoke, "It feels good."
Her simple words made Aarav relax a little. It was the first real response, something genuine, something more than just polite nods.
Slowly, their conversation began to flow. Aarav asked about her education, and she told him she had completed her degree through distance learning.
"I always wanted to be a teacher," she admitted. "Or maybe a housewife. I like managing a home."
Aarav listened intently, nodding. "That's nice. A stable career or a happy home—both are good dreams."
She asked him about his work, and Aarav told her about his civil job. "It's demanding, but I like it. I worked hard to reach here."
From there, the conversation moved from dreams to everyday life. Bit by bit, the silence between them was replaced with words, small but meaningful. For the first time, they weren't just two strangers bound by marriage; they were two people getting to know each other.