It had been three months since I got married to the Chote Thakur. And in the span of that short time, he made me sign up for school, and Maa Ji gave me at least three of her nice saris. She even taught me how to make tea with a hint of ginger, just like how Baba liked it.

Keshav and Bhargav were my devars. The former was fourteen while the latter was seventeen. But Bhairav Ji made sure that Keshav and I were in the same class at school. Both of them were quite annoying, especially Keshav. In fact, I felt like they were my own brothers at times.

In the end, we three were equally scared of Bhairav Ji. But sometimes, rarely, my husband could suddenly be as sweet as kheer. It had already been a month since he came home, so he had to go back to the city for work.

"Sanjana, idhar aana," Bhairav Ji called. I was busy watering and talking to the plants on the balcony when I rushed towards him.

(Sanjana, come here for a bit.)

"Haan!" I smiled.

(Yes!)

He was fixing the sleeves of his shirt when he glanced at me in the mirror. "Tumhare liye kuch laya hu," he said without glancing my way.

(I've brought something for you.)

My eyes twinkled in excitement, "Kya laye hai aap?" I searched the entire table. Maybe he'd have kept it over there. But my face dulled when I didn't find anything.

(What did you bring?)

Suddenly, his hands were on my hip. I froze. Bhairav Ji lifted me with ease and sat me down on the table. I faced him, my cheeks a bright red color.

"Shaant ho jao, meri gilehri." He sighed. It was the first time that he called me that. I felt warm inside. "Dikhao na. Kya laye hai?" I insisted, kicking my feet.

(Calm down, my little squirrel.)

(Show me. What did you bring?)

Bhairav Ji opened his bag and took something out of it. I couldn't see the item since he held it in his fist. He sat on the chair in front of me, and the moment he touched my feet, I pulled away in fear, "Aap kya kar rahe hai?!"

(What are you doing?!)

"Hilo mat," his voice was firm as he squeezed my feet. Husbands weren't supposed to touch their wives' feet. Besides, I was so much younger than him, and still, he was doing that.

(Don't move.)

"Nahi, chodiye, Maa dantengi..." I whined. There were tears in my eyes.

(No, leave me. Maa will scold...)

"Kuch nahi hoga," he assured, and carefully, slowly, put beautiful golden anklets around my feet. I gasped.

(Nothing will happen.)

"K-Kya yeh... Sone ka hai...?"

(Are these... Golden ones?)

My husband hummed, his attention fixed on making me wear the anklets. He put it on both my legs, and I curled my toes when he squeezed my feet in his hands. "Pasand aayi?" He asked.

(Do you like them?)

"Haan... Bahut sundar hai," I blushed and smiled at him. "Shukriya."

(Yes... They're very pretty... Thankyou.)

Bhairav Ji smiled at me for the first time. He leaned down and kissed my feet as well. A few tears slipped down my face because my father used to do that. Now I had someone who loved me just like he did.

"Ab inhe khona mat, theek hai?" He said, and I nodded. Slowly, I slipped down from the table and onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his neck before kissing his cheek.

(Now, don't lose them, okay?)

"Aap kitne ache hai... Shukriya."

(You're so nice... Thankyou.)

Bhairav Ji sighed. "Ab sharam nahi aati?" He questioned. I giggled and kissed him again on the cheek.

(Now you don't feel embarrassed?)

"Acha, hogaya," He pressed his palm over my mouth, pushing me away, "Jaakar rasoi mei Maa ki madad karo. Mujhe nashte ke baad nikalna hai."

(Okay, enough. Go help Maa in the kitchen. I have to leave after breakfast.)

I grew sad immediately, "Aap phir kab aayenge?"

(When will you come back?)

"Mahino baad, shayad... Pata nahi. Par phone karunga. Ache se padai karna, theek hai?" He patted my cheek. "Aur agar ek bhi shikayat mili toh..." He pinched my ear, and I groaned in pain, "Nahi! Nahi... Padhai karungi!"

(After months, maybe... I don't know. I'll call you. Study well, alright?)

(And if I hear even one complaint...)

(No! No... I'll study!)

Bhairav let go of my ear with a teasing smirk. It had turned red because of him, and I rubbed it while pouting, "Aap kitne bure hai... Sharam nahi aati aapko aapse chote kisi ko thang karne mei?" I spoke like an adult.

(You're so bad... Don't you have any shame in bullying someone younger than you?)

My husband raised a brow playfully, "Tang karne ke liye hi toh shaadi ki hai. Agar tumhe aise nahi sikhaunga toh tum kabhi padhai nahi karogi. Pustakon se toh nafrat hai... Par ache number aate hain."

(Yes, I married you just to tease you. And honestly, if I don't push you like this, you'd never open a book on your own. You hate studying... yet somehow, your grades are still good.)

"Sab aapke kaaran," I muttered irritably, "Mujhe nahi padhna par aap toh har roz zabardasti vidyalay bhejte ho."

(It's all because of you... I don't want to study, but you send me to school forcefully.)

He gripped my chin, making me face him, "Tumhare ache ke liye. Bachi ho abhi bi, badon ka maanna toh banta hai. Aur pati ka toh hamesha maanna chahiye, samjhi?"

(It's for your good. You're still a child; you have to listen to your elders. And I'm your husband, so you have to listen to me no matter what.)

I looked away. "Sanjana," he said in a warning tone. I was always terrified of that. I hugged his neck and buried my head on his shoulder.

"Ji..."

(Okay...)

He hummed in approval and ran a hand over my head. "Aap kab mujhe aapke saath sone denge?" I asked finally. My married friends had asked me the same, but I didn't have an answer to that. Bhairav Ji froze. His face hardened in an instant.

(When will you let me sleep with you?)

"Dadi ne puchne ko bola hai?"

(Did Dadi ask me to ask you?)

"Nahi... Woh... Dost puch rahe the... Shaadi ke baad toh sabhi apne pati ke saath sote hai."

(No... My friends were asking... After getting married, everyone sleeps with their husband.)

"Tum nahi," He glared. "Aur jab tak mai kahu, aise hi rahega. Ek aur baar iske baare mein baath ki toh," he raised his hand, and I closed my eyes, flinching away, "Mere haath se maar khayegi."

(Not you. And until I say otherwise, that's how it will stay. If you speak about this one more time, I won't hesitate to hit you.)

"Nahi..." I looked away in fear, and he held my face, making me look at him.

(No...)

"Padhai ke alava kuch bhi nahi hona chahiye is chote dimag mei. Bas... Ache se padho, likho, khelo." He made me get down from his lap and got up to straighten his kurta.

(You shouldn't think about anything except studying in this little head of yours. Just... Read well, write well, play well.)

My payal made a sweet sound, and I jumped slightly to hear it better. "Kitni achi aawaaz hai!" I beamed, forgetting entirely that Bhairav Ji had scolded me a while back.

(It's such a nice sound!)

He shook his head with a sigh and began packing his bag. "Aap jaldi waapas aayenge is baar?" I clutched the end of his kurta. He only hummed, and I stayed in the room until he was ready to go down for breakfast. He led me outside by my shoulder as well and fixed the pallu of my sari.

(Will you come back soon this time?)

"Jaakar sabhi ko apne payal dikhao," he told me and bent down to kiss my head. I smiled at him and hurried down the stairs. The sound made by my anklets was heavenly, and I ran into the kitchen first to show Maa.

(Go show everyone your anklets.)

"Maa dekho! Unhone hume payal di hai," I grinned at her and lifted my sari a little to reveal my anklets. Ma glanced past me. Bhairav Ji was leaning against the doorway, watching us, and Maa smiled before patting my head, "Bahut sundar hai."

(Maa, look! He gifted me anklets!)

(They're very pretty.)

"Hai na?" I grinned.

(Right?)

She turned to pour tea for everyone when I stepped towards her, "Laiye Maa, mei karti hu."

(Give it here, Maa. I'll do it.)

"Dhyan se," she said softly and stepped to the side while watching me work. I always loved helping her in the kitchen. She was a wonderful teacher, even though a little strict at times. But I loved her more than my own mother.

(Be careful.)