"What is the time now?",asked a very worried Ria.

"You are asking it for the tenth time now. We've just been out for 20 minutes. There is plenty of time.",Koustav replied while lighting a smoke.

" Still.....you won't understand!",answered Ria choosing a bench to sit on.

Koustav and Ria made a habit of morning walk after Idhyant's birth. Koustav believed,it was necessary for her to lose excessive pregnancy fat which Ria had put on.

" He is not going to walk around. He is only three months old. Plus my mother is looking after her now. He is not alone. 'Doi' does have plenty of fans!",chuckled Koustav.

"Was it needed to name our son before your pregnancy craving?",he added more.

Ria was doing her regular pranayams. She just looked at him and rolled her eyes. " You took the opportunity of his formal naming as you wanted. I only got to choose his nick name. Plus everyone specially Titli liked the name too. You've problem with that too?",she said. Then they started to their brisk walking.

"I had informed you about this name.",Koustav gingerly replied walking towards the tea stall. Ria had started to make Green tea for everyone in their house. The aroma and traces of both Milky brown tea got vanished automatically. Sumit had initially tried to protest,but Mita's pressure finally had subdued his efforts too.

" To where are you going?",came her voice from behind.

"It has been 15 days since I got a cup of normal tea. Please one day!",Koustav said and almost ran to the stall and ordered for a cup for his own.

"Dada make it two! "came her voice again. After the tea was delivered,they sat on the nearby stools and started sipping." No Barista,tea store,ccds can beat the taste of this tea.",looking proudly at the earthen tea cup, Ria said.Koustav just nodded and continued drinking that.

" What were you saying then? What was it? You informed me about his name? It was me,who called you the night before my delivery. You never in those 9 months tried deciding his name!",her voice a little high. Koustav looked at her direction."Aren't you getting a bit more short tempered day by day?",Koustav now laughed looking at her expression.

"Lets go home. 'Doi' might be awake.",Koustav had to follow her to their home now.

Reaching home, they washed and changed their clothes first. Ria found their bed empty on reaching her room. She was relieved knowing her son was with her Granny. So she arranged Koustav's shirt and trousers for Office. From her room her ears heard his cries. He had waken up.

She was in a hurry while Koustav got out of the washroom after showering.

" You wait here. I'm bringing him up.",he said trying to stop her.

" Not needed. You just come after getting ready. You need to hold him while Ma and I cook.",her voice came from outside as she was already near the stairs.

Koustav just huffed and sat on the bed. These three months had passed like a blink of an eye. Putting on the vest he started to think about the day when Idhyant was born. It was not that he had not seen pain or someone in physical pain. Anyone would call it cliche how he reacted after the surgery. He had literally pushed others out after twenty minutes of the transfer of both Mother & the newborn to normal cabin and himself had sat near her the entire visiting hours. He could not see her in the pain as the Anesthesia started to worn off . He started to soothe her hair and ask the nurse every 15 minutes about the painkillers, the old lady had enough experienced to humbly smile and answer. The next day she had exchanged her duties.

" Koustav? Where are you?",with her yell, his trance broke. He was thinking all this and smiling like a fool. Hurriedly he went downstairs, and saw his son on Ria's hold.

" Hold him. ",Ria instructed and transferred the baby. Koustav knew in no time,his freshly ironed shirt will be wrinkled and full of his droolings. It was odd or not, but everytime he took him in his hold, he looked at his face and smiled. He was toothless,but he had his father's dimples. Everytime he smiled, Koustav's insides flooded with joy.

" Your son only smiles when he goes near you." ,Titli taunted taking her tiffin box and packing it in her bag.

" Ria, I've not said this earlier, but I now think you should join our business. ",Sumit said in between. Ria looked at him. Koustav knew about it since many days so he kept quite and rather went to close the door as Titli left for her school.

Ria had just started getting some time for herself as Doi had accepted living near his grand parents. The first month ,he literally needed her everytime. She got no time to eat, bathe,sleep and breathe. Koustav was with her like a shadow. No other usual guy would cut off his office time,sleeping time,gaming time and sacrifice other important guy-stuffs, but he did. Finally Koustav had found an idea of keeping warm/ ironed pillows near him when Ria had to use washroom or go downstairs for eating. Though the kid might not fooled for more than half an hour. He was extremely sensitive with smells and touches. Mita described Doi to her relatives sometimes as Crab stuck to its prey.

" Actually Baba,I need some more time. It is not that I don't want to work. It is just that I want to give him and myself some more quality time. Once I join there,I will not be able to give him my sole attention. And I think he is too small to be left alone.",Ria paused saying it.

Mita was going to tell something. Seeing her face Ria guessed it." I'm not complaining or saying that You all don't help me or if I go office, no one will look after Doi. It is something else,I can't explain.",she kept standing near the gas oven and stirring the ladle unmindedly.

Mita patted her shoulder and whispered," He is just saying. Take your time. Do it when you feel like doing."

And the conversation ended there as both the men had to go office. After the lunch was done. It was Soma's turn to come and play with her grandson. Ria had gotten free time to check her phone. She dialled Romy first. She had sent so many messages. As she decided before, she had moved to North Bengal. Ujaan and she were now in a long- distance relationship. Romy had bagged a job in the Tea Board. They seemed and sounded happy in their own way- Coming and leaving Kolkata in every few months, building Careers and bond taking time.

Nabila had shifted to Kolkata as she had joined an MNC some weeks before. While checking all this, she herself had fallen asleep. Ria woke up with Koustav nudging her softly. " When did you come back? Where is Doi?",she asked suppressing a yawn.

" Titli is changing his diapers. Ma had fallen asleep and it seems that he soiled it that time.",he replied sitting beside her. "Can I have a cup of your special tea?",his pleading melted her heart.

"In two minutes. Want some buttery corns too?",Ria knew his answers, so she walked downstairs faster. Titli was on the sofa with Doi on her laps. Making four cups of tea she called everyone. And the family gathered for evening tea.

" Don't take all the corns,leave some for that poor boy.", Mita rebuked Titli. It had been some weeks,Adrij kept coming for maths tuition from Koustav everyday. Titli sat too. Not for maths obviously, but some other certain reason. Mita had accepted it too.

Slowly more 3 months had passed. It was 11th December, Idhyant's Annaprashon( Baby's first rice-eating ceremony). It felt like Mita was arranging another marriage. She fulfilled all her left over dreams from her son's wedding. She managed and looked into every single detail- printing invitation cards, inviting guests, buying clothes, calling the priest and the barber.

That year,winter had not been that harsh on the 2nd week of December. Koustav woke up and found his son still sleeping beside, Ria had worn her Saree in that time. "His hairs have grown quite long. ",Koustav smiled taking his hairs in his palm.

" Don't wake him up now. Give your wife some peace. I'm on energy saving mode now ",Ria said and applied some vermilion on her partings. Suddenly two very known warm hands embraced her from behind." Did I make you tired? Last night was nothing. The real trailer is awaiting.Say!",Koustav got no chance to tease her more as she elbowed him on his stomach.

"Go! Shower. You are deliberately waking him up now. I'm going downstairs to help Maa",Ria said and left. Koustav stood there and grinned. He looked at Idhyant and went to sleep beside him.

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Hey loves! Thanks for being here. Do vote,comment and share. I'd love to know your suggestions regarding the chapter. 2 more chapters are left for this one.

So for you all presenting my second book: Illusions

Don't forget to shower your love over this too. Take Care. Stay Safe. Be Happy.♥️♥️♥️♥️