Shankar

Kitni pyari lagti h meri Yukti.

(My Yukti looks so adorable.)

The morning sunlight hits her face and she rubs her eyes then turns around to face me.

This makes me more happy.

My heart skips a beat.

If my morning view is this great then I have to wait the night to come soon so that I can watch her like this every morning.

I carefully tug her hair behind her ear.

Arz kiya h .

Subah toh Kai huyi hain,

Sooraj bhi aya h.,

Roshni bhi huyi h.

Par wo ronak hi kha thi

Jo inhe yun apni baahon mein dekh kr hui hai.

("Many nights have passed, morning has dawned, the sun has risen like always. But the radiance I felt growing in my heart was only when I held you in my powerfully weak arms.")

Wha Wha kya Shayari thi. !!

(Damn! They are great poetic lines!!!)

I continue admiring her but then I couldn't stop myself from touching her.

I run my finger from her forehead then slightly caressing her cheeks and finally moving down to her licious lips.

My fingers never really touched her. They just hovered a few centimeter  above flawless skin. It's only the third day since our marriage and

for now this is all I can get. I respect her boundaries. I am happy with what I can have.

I wish I could hug her so I hug the extra pillow kept between us.  My movements get a little over excited as she senses them.

Her eyes twitch a little bit. Indicating she might wake up so I close my eyes., pretending to be in deep sleep. Yukti stretches a little bit and gets up from the bed.

When I could not feel any movement around, I open my one eye to check. There is no one so she must be in the bathroom.

I contemplate whether to get up or not. I think I should go out as she might need to get ready.

I get up and leave the room. I walk down the empty hallway. It's only 6 in the morning so no body is awake. I continue my voyage to the garden area.

My mother is sitting on the khat. The sun is also shining brightly so I go to my mother and lay head on her lap.

"Uth gaya mera beta. " My mother says affectionately.

(My son is awake.)

She starts caressing my head and states, "Dekh tera baal kaise ho gaye hain. Tel laga liya kr Shankar. "

(Look at your hair!! They are so dry. You need to apply oil, Shankar.)

"Hmm." I say.

"Papa ko bahar lau? Wo bhi dhoop sekh lenge. "

(Should I bring dad out. He would love to have some fresh air along with the sunlight.)

"Abhi dawai kha kr soye hain. Kal unhe raat mein dard ho raha tha. "

(No need, he has just fallen asleep now. Yesterday his body was aching so he couldn't sleep whole night.)

"Mujhe kyu nahi uthaya. "

(Why didn't you wake me up?)

"Are tu and teri patni Ma ke mandir se aye the. Aur tu toh teri shadi ki khushi mein teen din se soya bhi nahi tha. Mene socha aram krne deti hu. "

(You and your wife just came back from the temple. And you hadn't slept for three days due to the excitement of your wedding, I thought I'd let you rest.")

"Utha diya kr mujhe. Main hospital le jata. "

("Wake me up next time. I'd have taken him to the hospital." )

"Are Ishan tha. Usne dawai dedi aur unki malish bhi kr di thi. "

(Ishan was there. He gave the medicines and massaged your dad feet.")

"Phir theek hai. Par agli baar se mujhe jaga diya kr. Ab kaise hain papa? "

("Alright then. But wake me up next time. How's Papa now?" )

"Abhi toh theek hain. So rahe hain. "

(He is resting and feeling better. )

"Accha."

(Ok)

"Chal Tu aram krle. Mein dekh ati hu khana kitna bana. "

("Alright, you rest. I'll check how much food is ready.")

He is going to be fine. I will talk to the nurse about this issue and tell her to come a little early. A specialist nurse has been appointed to take care of my father. He usually come around 9 in the morning and leaves around 6 pm. I can't afford any  blunder with father's health.

Anyways Tomorrow I have to take my father for his routine checkup. So I will ask the doctor to change his medications if necessary. He is going to be fine. I reassure myself.

I go back to my father's room to check on him. He is sleeping peacefully. I sit there with him and start massaging his feet.

I have talked to many specialist doctors about his condition but all they give me is that 'we can't help' look.

They say since my father is old there is nothing that can revive him back to his healthy state. All they do is prescribe him medication to keep his condition stable.

I hate this feeling of not being able to help him.

I go downstairs only to hear some commotion happening in the living room.

"Kisse pooch kr ja rahi ho tum? " My mother says.

("Who gave you permission to leave?" )

Looks like my mother is arguing with my wife.

"Kya matlab mein Job pe nahi ja sakti."

("What do you mean I can't go to work?")

"Nahi ja sakti. Haatho ka chuda abhi uttara nahi aur kaam pe ja rahi ho. "

(That's exactly what I mean You can't go. Look at yourself your bridal bangles aren't removed and you're going to work?")

Before Yukti can argue and offend my mother. I step in.

"Kya matlab Ja nahi sakti. " I state calmly.

(Who said she can't go?)

"Usne itni padhai kari hai yeh krne ke liye aur tu usse jana se mana kr rahi hai. " My mother glares at me when I continue taking my wife side.

("She's studied so much to do this, and you can't stop her from going, Mom")

Even if I say the same thing as yukti I know my mother won't be offended by me because I am her son.

But if Yukti does the same my mother will hold an add on grudge against my wife. I don't want any bad energy between my mother and my wife.

"Dekh usse. Ek mahina bhi na hua tum dono ki shadi ko aur yeh bahar ghoomegi. Kam se kam chuda to uttarne deti. "

(Look at her. It hasn't even been a month since you two got married and she's already out and about. She should have at least let you take off her bangles.")

"Lag toh rahi hai ghani sutthari. " I say looking at my wife.

(She is looking so beautiful.)

She always looks exquisite in her police uniform. She had always dreamed of becoming one and finally she has achieved it so who are we to strip it away from her.

"Aap jao madam ji. Mein dekh lunga Mangal zara chordkr aa malkin ko. "

(You should go, Madam ji. I'll handle it. Mangal! Go and drop her safely.)

I wish I could drop her but I have to deal with my mother so that she couldn't bug Yukti again.

"Shaam ko lene aauga aapko." I say  when Yukti starts walking away.

(I'll come to pick you up in the evening." )

"Haye ni mere. Kaise baat krta hai apni lugai se. Sharam krle tu chore. Teen din hue nahi shadi ko, aur Joru ka gulam ban gaya h! "

(Oh my god! How do you talk to your wife? Shame on you! It's not even three days since you got married, and you've become a slave to your wife!")

"Ma isse pyar krna bolte hai. Tu kyu kadwa karela ban rahi hai. " I say squeezing my mothers cheek.

(Mom I love her. Why are you acting so bitter like a bitter gourd?)