In the evening, we went to the nearby Hanuman temple. The kids were quite excited as we had to climb a bit of a hill to get there. Bhairav Ji carried them in his arms.

"Haath is tarah pakado," Saarang pressed his hands together to show the kids.

(Hold your hands this way.)

"Aankhein band karo aur bhagwan se prarthana karo. Mujhe hamesha swasth rakhiye, mujhse ache se padh paaye... Aise aise dua karo," My husband whispered in their ears. I smiled seeing how devoted they looked, adhering to their father's instructions.

(Close your eyes and pray to god. Keep me healthy always, help me read well... Pray like that.)

Maa was the most excited one. She loved visiting temples, and she even insisted that we take a dip in the temple pond, too. My husband wasn't very willing, but Maa convinced him.

The water was awfully cold when I touched it. And unlike my husband or the kids, I only had to pray and sprinkle some of it on my head.

Bhairav Ji was the first to dip entirely. Then he took the kids one by one. Saarang seemed to be the only one who enjoyed it, as the twins were bawling their eyes out immediately.

"Ro mat beta..." I wrapped Janu in a towel that a servant had brought and scooped her into my arms. "Ghar jaake tumhare liye garam garam pakore banaungi," I smiled and kissed her little nose.

(Don't cry, my dear... I'll make warm pakoras for you as soon as we get home.)

Meanwhile, Raghav was with Maa and Bhairav Ji. He didn't stop crying no matter what they did. "Maa! Maa!" He screamed at the top of his voice, and I was compelled to take him into my arms.

"Raghu, aise nahi rote-"

(Raghu, don't cry like-)

A sharp punch. Right below my eye. It startled me entirely to think a three-year-old could be this strong. Why did he do that for no reason?

But before I could comprehend what had happened, Bhairav Ji grabbed Raghu's shorts and lifted him with ease. I gasped when he held our son over the pond.

"Aap yeh kya-!"

(What are you-!)

"Chup reh," he snapped at me while glaring at our boy, who was crying even more, "Maa pe haath uthayega toh tumhara haath thod dunga mei."

(Shut up. If you raise your hand against your mother, I'll break your arm.)

"Woh gir jayega, Bhairav... Bacha hai... Aise khatarnak cheeze mat karo!" Even Maa interjected, seeing how crazy my husband was behaving. He ignored her as well.

(He'll fall, Bhairav... He's just a child... Don't do dangerous things like this!)

"Maafi mango. Warna abhi talab mei dal dunga."

(Apologize. Or I'll drop you in the pond.)

When he cried even more, my husband pretended to drop him. I felt my soul leave my body that instant. "Raghav." My husband used his warning tone. Even I was scared of it.

Raghu stuttered a sorry while continuing to bawl. Bhairav Ji finally placed him down, and right before he could run to me, my husband twisted his ear, "Zindagi bhar tum dono ko yeh yaad honi chahiye."

(You both should remember this for the rest of your lives.)

Janaki hugged my legs while hiding behind my pallu. Even Raghav ran to me immediately, and I scooped him in my arms again while drying his hair.

God, my husband was truly cruel and selfish when it came to me. I thought he'd change after the kids were born and make them his top priority, but no. The man still chose me over everything. It was quite flattering... But the possessiveness was equally scary.

The drive back to the cottage was silent as Raghu refused to leave my arms. He continued to sniff and whine in my lap, and I realised that he did it mostly to catch his Father's attention. But Bhairav Ji didn't bat an eye.

As I promised the kids, the housekeeper helped me make warm pakoras after reaching home. The kitchen window made it possible to keep an eye on the children while cooking. Saarang was with the twins, and the three of them were busy chasing dragonflies. At least they weren't crying anymore.

"Thakur Ji, aap?" The Housekeeper asked in surprise when my husband came into the kitchen.

"Aapko Maa bula rahi thi," he told her, and the housekeeper went to Maa's room immediately.

(Maa was asking for you.)

 Bhairav Ji sat on the counter beside me. I could feel his intense gaze on my face, and I glanced up once. "Kuch kaam thi?"

(Did you need something?)

He didn't say anything. I saw his eyes wander to the pakora bowl. Right when he reached for one, I slapped his hand away, "Ab bhi bahut garam hai. Aap jaiye!"

(It's still really hot. Go out of the kitchen!)

My husband didn't respond. He continued staring at me as though we both knew he wasn't going to leave without getting what he wanted. I huffed, "Jo chahe kijiye... Aapka muh jal jayega."

(Fine, do whatever you like... Your mouth will burn.)

He ignored my words and took a hot pakora in his hand. I couldn't just wait for him to burn himself, so I snatched it out of his hands and broke it into two halves before blowing on the inside.

"Aap itne ziddi kyu hai?" I muttered under my breath.

(Why are you so stubborn?)

Bhairav Ji was smiling a little now. "Mere muh jalne se tumhe utna farak padta hai?"

(Does it make that much of a difference if I burn my mouth?)

"Haan, padta hai," I glared, "Mere pati ka khayal mujhe hi rakhna padega na? Lijiye ise," I handed him the pakora pieces, but he didn't take them. Instead, Bhairav Ji leaned a little closer to my face and continued gazing in that awestruck way.

(Yes, it does. I'm the one responsible for my husband, right? Take this.)

"Phirse bolo. Sunne mei acha lagta hai."

(Say that again. It's nice to hear it.)

My cheeks burned. God, he was infuriating. I stuffed the pakora in his mouth, but he looked more than happy to receive it.

"Nikal jaiye rasoi se... Mai ab bhi naraaz hoon aap par. Raghu ke saath aapne aisa kyu kiya? Sirf bacha hi toh hai. Woh kya jaanta hai?"

(Get out of my kitchen... I'm still mad at you. Why did you do that with Raghu? He's just a child. What does he know?)

Bhairav Ji scoffed, "Bade hone ke baad karne se kya faida? Is umar mei unhe sikhana chahiye ki koi bhi tumhare upar haath nahi rakh sakta. Bacha hai... isliye chetavni dekar chod diya... Agar koi aur hota toh-" he grinned with malice, "Baldev ke saath jo kiye, yaad hai na?"

(What's the use of doing it after they grow older? They need to be taught at this age that nobody can lay a finger on you. He's our child... So I'm letting him off with a warning... If it were someone else- you remember what I did to Baldev, right?)

I gulped. What kind of a monster was he?

"Aur bache toh tumse darte hi nahi hai," he said it like it was a bad thing, "Agar mujhse nahi darenge toh baap hone ka faida kya hai?"

(And the kids aren't scared of you at all. If they're not scared of me, then what's the meaning of being their father?)

I sighed. There was no cure for him. He'd remain selfish, entitled, and possessive. It made me sick to think that he took pride in ending Baldev's life. God, he was so twisted. And still... I found myself unable to hate him. Bhairav Ji took his job of being a husband too seriously.

"Ek aur baar aise bolo, meri gilehri..." he nudged me again, grinning sheepishly. I tried to push his hand away, but he kept annoying me by pulling my pallu or undoing my braid.

(Say it one more time, my little squirrel...)

There was something entirely different about him lately. It had appeared only after he 'returned from the dead' (as the neighboring kids liked to call it). His eyes sparkled whenever he looked at me. He smiled and laughed a lot more often. Maybe my husband was still quite arrogant, but it felt like he didn't take things for granted anymore. Especially with me.

I remembered how desperate I used to be for his love and attention. There used to be ignorance in his eyes back then... He never had to worry about his shirts being pressed or his food being prepared. He used to live like a true king.

But the two years when he had been devoid of all luxury... It had truly taught him humility.

Bhairav Ji paused when I held the side of his face, and smiled, "Do saal aapne kaise jiya hoga?"

(How did you spend those two years?)

His eyes darkened a little. My husband curved his hand around my waist, pulling me closer, "Sanjana-"

"Didi yeh dekho! Humne hawaai keeda pakad li hai!"

(Didi look! We caught a dragonfly!)

Almost instantly, I pushed my husband's arm away and coughed while pretending to be busy at the stove. Bhairav Ji looked annoyed and disappointed as he ate the pakoras. Saarang and the twins came into the kitchen, each with a dragonfly in their fist.

"Bhaiya aur humne pakda!" Janaki exclaimed out loud, and Saarang gave her a sharp knock on the head, "Bhaiya nahi hu. Mamu bolo. Main tumse bahut bahut bada hoon." He had a proud smirk on his face while looking at us, "Hai na Didi? Jiju?"

(We caught one with Bhaiya!)

(I'm not your Bhaiya, call me Mamu. I'm much, much bigger than you. Am I right Didi? Jiju?)

Bhairav Ji sighed, "Sirf nau saal ke ho. Tum ab bhi chote ho."

(You're just nine years old, so you're still small.)

Saarang completely ignored his Jiju's words while continuing to act older in front of Janaki. Raghav tugged on my pallu at that time, and I realised he was glaring at his father while trying to hide behind me. Bhairav Ji noticed it as well. "Kya chahiye?" He intimidated the child even more. Raghav clung to me tighter, "Maa... Maa!"

(What do you want?)

"Kya hua beta?" I caressed his head.

(What's wrong beta?)

"Hawaai keeda..." He whispered and released the dragonfly in the kitchen.

(Dragonfly...)

"Bahut pyaari hai!" I smiled and patted the twins on the head. They were overjoyed.

(It's so cute!)

Bhairav Ji eyed them closely before smiling, "Arey? Tumhare sar par maindak kaha se aaya?"

(Arey? How come there's a frog on your head?)

Janaki and Saarang were confused as they stared at Raghu, but my brother suddenly decided to play along as he gasped dramatically, "Raghu tumhare sar par itna bada maindak! Hai bhagwan!"

(Raghu there's such a big frog on your head! Oh my god!)

That did the trick. My baby boy burst into tears instantly as he frantically ran around the kitchen while trying to get rid of the imaginary frog on his head. Bhairav Ji snickered while seeing his antics, and I glared at him, "Aap bacho ke saath aisa kyu kar rahe hai?"

(Why are you doing this with the kids?)

But even Saarang was rolling on the floor and laughing. Janaki looked so sad and disappointed that she couldn't see the frog. Otherwise, the little devil would have captured it immediately.

"Baba mazaak kar rahe hai, beta. Maindak nahi hai sar par," I ruffled his hair to prove it. He suddenly looked embarrassed as he buried his head against my sari.

(Baba is just joking, beta. There's no frog on your head.)

"Ab rona band karo..." My husband smiled and got down from the counter. He scooped Raghav into his arms and kissed his forehead, "Maindak se mat daro, mere laal. Tum bahut bahadur ho na?"

(Now stop crying... Don't be scared of frogs, my dear. You're really brave right?)

Hearing sweet words from his father suddenly made Raghav cry even more. He hugged Bhairav Ji and sobbed into his shoulder, "Mai hoon! Bahadur Raghu!"

(I am! Brave Raghu!)

"Sahi kaha... Mera beta bahut bahadur hai," my husband smiled.

(Exactly... My son is very brave.)

A/N - Haven't slept for the past two days cuz I was up till 3 am watching the World Cup lol. Can't wait for the finals 🇦🇷🇪🇸 <33