All the days felt like bliss with Sahil and Abhimanyu by my side. Abhimanyu would always be my side whenever I need him and Sahil was the perfect child. I may not have birthed him or even brought him up a lot but he was my son and I was his mother and no one could ever change the fact.

Currently, I was sipping coffee while the two of them were playing throw with Diya in the lawn.

" Mumma....mumma please come here! I want to play with you. Papa and bua are cheating!" Sahil stormed towards me with the ball in his hand and I kept the mug of coffee aside, scooping my baby in my arms.

" I promise to play with you tomorrow my love, right now we have to get inside and work on your homework, alright? Anyways it's getting dark." I said, kissing his cheek and totally expecting a tantrum but lucky for me today, none came and he agreed like a good boy.

As the four of us walked inside the house, I saw mom already done with cooking dinner.

" Mom, I was just coming to help you once I was done helping Sahil with his homework!" I said as she walked into the living room from the kitchen.

" It's okay beta. You go and help Sahil. Sometimes let me cook too." She said, giving me a smile which I returned and made way to Sahil's room with him.

He first handed his books over to me and the school almanac. I went through that first.

" You have your Annual Function next Saturday. Sahil, have you been practicing with bua?" I asked him a little sternly.

" Yes mumma, bua helps me in the afternoon after I return from school. In fact, I know the complete song now." He said sincerely.

" Good boy." I said, ruffling his hair and then the two of us started with the homework which was half done when Abhimanyu decided to join us.

" See papa....I got two stars today." Sahil jumped out of his chair as he saw his papa entering the room.

" Very good champ. Which subject?" Abhi asked, taking a seat next to me and pulled Sahil in his lap.

" Math." He replied, handing over the notebook to him.

" I am proud of you." Abhimanyu said, handing him over a candy bar.

" Oh no no no.....absolutely not. Abhimanyu stop spoiling my son's teeth!" I took the bar out of Sahil's hands who was trying to take it back from me.

" Come on Shivi, it's just one. Let him have it." Abhimanyu advocated.

" No. You have been giving him these daily now and that is not acceptable and Sahil stop trying to take it. You are not allowed to have them for a week now." I said, getting up.

" Mumma please?" He gave me his puppy eyes which always work but not today.

" Beta, I cannot let you spoil your teeth. No means no and Abhimanyu, the last page of his math homework is left, get it done and then come for dinner the two of you. I am going to freshen up." I said and the two of the lot nodded in obedience.

" Good boys." I said, walking out of the room.

Stepping into mine, I saw Abhimanyu's files lying here and there.

" Let me just freshen up. I'll clean the room then." I muttered to myself and taking the towel and clothes, walked inside the washroom.

Post taking a relaxing bath, I put my night suit on and walked out to see my phone ringing. It was my boss.

" Good evening sir." I said, picking up.

" Shivanya, there is an emergency. You have a priority case and you have to represent the client in the court tomorrow morning at 11. Please come to the office as soon as possible to go through the case please." He said and I was almost about to sigh right in front of him.

" Yes sir, I will be there in half an hour." I said, hanging up and got dressed in my formals.

" Shivi, you don't have to wear formals to have lunch with us." I heard Abhimanyu teasing me as I rolled my eyes.

" There is a work emergency Abhimanyu, I have to go right now. Look after Sahil?" I asked, turning towards him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

" Of course love. Do you want me to drop you?" He asked, tucking a loose hair strand at the back of my ear.

" No no....I'll drive. Just made sure that you set Sahil's bag according to his timetable and keep his art book too. The one with the green cover and make sure that he sleeps by 10:30. I should be back by then most probably." I told him.

" How do you remember all this along with your office work? Hats off love." He said, giving me such a loving smile that all I wanted to do was tell my boss that I am quitting and stay with this husband of mine.

" I'm a superwoman. That's how." I joked instead.

" That you are. Okay now, go and come back soon." He said as I unwrapped my arms from around him and took my bag.

" Will do. Love you!" I said, stepping out and then talked to Sahil, informed mom and dad and left for office.

This was a case of an orphan 3 year old girl whose only relatives she was living with tortured her. Such disgusting people. She won't live with them for another sunrise and that was a promise. It was almost 11 in the night that we were done.

" Reach to the court directly Shivanya, I'll see you at 10." Sir said and I took my leave.

Reaching home didn't take as much time. I rang Diya to open the door because I knew she would be up. Then I went to Shail's room to check on him who was sound asleep and then got into the bedroom where Abhimanyu was up, working.

" I was waiting for you." He said, as moment he saw me and keeping the laptop aside, walked towards me, wrapping his arms around my waist and claimed my lips with his.

" Someone seems in a hurry." I managed to utter but he made me sit down instead.

" Go and change. I'll get your dinner." He said and I held his hand to stop him as he was going.

" I am not hungry." I told him honestly. In reality, I really was not. In fact, since morning, I didn't feel like eating anything.

" You have to eat something Shivi. I'll get you fruits if you don't want to have dinner." He offered and I nodded. That seemed like a reasonable offer.

I changed and by the time I was done, Abhi was here as he handed a plate to me.

" There is a case tomorrow. A baby girl, just three years old. Her name is Nitya and both her parents died in a fire. Her uncle and aunt have her custody and they beat her Abhimanyu. They really beat a three year old. She will go in the system tomorrow where she'll either shift foster homes or be adopted." I told him as he came and sat next to me.

One thing had been going on in my head right from when I read about this child. I wanted to adopt her and I hadn't even seen her yet. I know it would be really difficult to gain her trust and actually for her to accept me but I wanted to do it. But I could only do this if my family wanted it too.

" And you want to bring her home?" He asked, looking at me, seemed like studying me.

I nodded my head unsurely, looking at him. 

" I think I would like that too." Came his reply that I didn't really expect so soon and I looked at him once again, wide eyed.

" You haven't even met her!" I exclaimed.

" Neither have you love, but I would love to have tiny little feet running around the house with Sahil." He took me by surprise.

" So you wouldn't mind that the child is not our flesh and blood?" I asked him.

" Shivanya, flesh and blood have never mattered to me and I know it does not matter to you. You love and care for Sahil just like Aditi used to and that says something. If you want this little girl in our lives, we will try the best we can and that is a promise." He said, pecking my forehead as I rested my head on his shoulder.

" Why don't you come to the court tomorrow post 1:30 and bring Sahil, Diya, mom and dad along? We will meet the little survivor together." I suggested and he seemed to have liked the idea.

" Try and get some sleep now. You have a long day tomorrow." He said as he got up and offered me his hand to take and I gladly did as he tucked me in and then pulled me towards him, embracing me in his arms as we fell asleep.

...................................................................

The next morning, dad had helped Sahil get ready and I was dropping him off to school when I decided to ask him.

" Sahil baby.....what do you think about having a little sister?" I asked him as he was sitting next to me.

" My sister? Will she play with me?" He asked, getting really excited, all his sleepiness flying out of the window.

" Of course she will play with you! But you may have to give her a little time to be friends with you because she will be new in our house na?" I tried to explain him.

" Yes mumma.....I want a little sister. When can we get one?" He asked, now completely over-excited.

" Do you want to meet her today after you come back from the school?" I asked him once again and he nodded his head really fast and I chuckled at his enthusiasm.

" Okay then, papa will pick you up and then we all can meet her." I told him and he shouted a yes.

I then kissed him goodbye and drove back home where Abhimanyu was already getting ready for work.

" Abhimanyu, how are we supposed to talk to mom and dad about this? I have already talked to Sahil and he seems really excited." I told him as I helped him put on his blazer.

" Shivi, all you focus on right now is the case. I will talk to them and convince them too. Alright love?" He assured me, nodding positively at me and I returned that.

I went to get ready and then all of us had breakfast together as usual and then Abhimanyu dropped me to the court.

There, I met my boss and the NGO people who had filed the case initially.

" Don't worry. We have our best on this case, we are going to win." Sir reassured me while addressing the NGO workers and I gave them a nervous smile. This was actually the first time I was so nervous before a hearing.

I took a deep breath and then entered the courtroom and shortly, the proceedings begun. Baby Nitya was also present there and I couldn't really keep my eyes off her for almost the entire time. She was such a cute baby and one look and I was already feeling an unexplained kind of love towards her. It was really mystic.

" My Lord, after all we have said and heard today in this courtroom, I say that we as a social institution have failed to protect a baby. A baby who cannot speak for herself nor can she look after herself and this is where we require self-reflection. The uncle and aunt of the baby are not fit to raise her and this is where I end my closing statement. I rest my case." I finished.

The judge, as expected rolled the judgement in our favor, and baby Nitya was to be looked after by the NGO till her was a part of the adoption system. Those abusers were sentenced prison for 5 years.

As I walked out of the courtroom, it felt like a weird sense of relief and joy.

" I knew it that you would win." I heard Abhimanyu who was standing with Sahil, Diya, Mom and Dad.

I immediately walked to him and hugged him.

" I did." I said, wiping the stupid tears. I just couldn't stop them.

" Come on, let's meet the princess." Dad said we walked slowly to where the NGO people were standing.

" Thank you so much for this ma'am." One of the NGO members said.

" Please, don't." I said and looked at Nitya and she looked at me.

" Hey baby. Do you want to come here?" I asked her and I forwarded my arms towards her to see if she is okay with it.

She seemed to have panicked a little before she looked at me once again and I gave her a little smile. That seemed to have done the trick as she leaned towards me and I took her.

" Hello Nitya. My name is Shivanya." I said as she giggled a little and it was a melody to my ears.

I then slowly introduced her to everyone in the family but she didn't leave my embrace but when she met Sahil, she tried to reach out to him but for some reason, he seemed a little cold towards her. I looked at Abhimanyu alarmingly and he nodded slightly, reassuring me that it will be alright.

" We want to adopt Nitya." Abhimanyu told the NGO workers who looked a little surprised at first but then nodded, giving us a smile.

" Nitya, princess....would you like to have a new family? I would like you to be our family." I said. At first, I thought she didn't understand but soon, she wrapped her little arms around my neck.

" You my momma?" She asked with her broken words.

" If you want me to be." I told her and she gave me a little nod as she sucked her thumb.

It was such a warm feeling. I looked towards Abhimanyu and the rest who had a huge smile on their face.

" I will go and fill up the adoption papers and submit them. I know a person or two who can get this done really fast. Usually, it takes about a month for the whole process to get completed but a person owes me a favor." I said as the rest nodded.

" Baby, you will have to go with this aunty today but I promise that you will be home with us in 2 days. I will come and meet you tomorrow. Promise." I tried to assure her and she was. 

" Bye love." I said, kissing her cheek and gave her to Malti, the NGO lady.

" You all go home, Shivanya and I are going to take Sahil for ice-cream." Abhimanyu told mom and dad and they nodded their head in understanding.

I filled up the adoption papers and then Abhimanyu started to drive towards an ice cream parlor as I made Sahil sit on my lap in the passenger's seat.

" What happened to my baby? Did someone trouble him in school?" I asked, looking at him and he didn't take a second more to tell me why he was angry.

" No....but my friends told me that once my sister comes, you both will love me less because your love will get divided." He announced and I realized his issue.

" Really baby? Okay tell me, how many members do we have in our family?" I asked him.

" Six mumma." He said after counting on his fingers. Aw...my baby!

" Very good! Now tell me, when your little sister Nitya comes home, will our family divide or multiply?" I questioned him once again.

" Oho mumma.....it will multiply! Papa was right, you don't know math." He deadpanned and I looked towards Abhimanyu who had an alarmed expression on his face.

" I will deal with you later." I muttered to him as he ignored me.

" So now that our family is multiplying, our love will multiply or divide?" I posed another question for Sahil which left him thinking.

" Multiply!" He exclaimed, looking happy.

" Exactly baby. So our love for you and little Nitya will only multiply. It cannot ever divide. See? You solved this problem yourself!" I ruffled his hair and he grinned.

" Really mumma? It will multiply for me too?" It was his turn to question.

" Of course champ! It will multiply by 1000 times for you." Abhimanyu said as he parked the car and looked towards the two of us.

" Promise?" He looked at the two of us.

" Pinky promise." I said, entangling his finger with mine as Abhimanyu kissed his forehead.

" Then I have no problem mumma and papa." He cheered, making us laugh too.

Giving one last look to Abhimanyu, who ran his hand through my hair, we got down and ate lot's of ice creams. It was a pass for Sahil today!

I love you all. Until next time. Byee!!