Jai and Vennela were seated in that small town clinic waiting for their name to be called. Jai looked around and saw many to be mothers sitting with elderly women mostly their mother in law or mothers and he was the only male there. But he did not feel uncomfortable since it was matter of his Vennela's health and he was not taking chances.

Then their names were called and Vennela went in first as he followed her in.

"Seetha Pinni. How are you?"

"Thingari pilla! Usually a doctor is supposed to ask the patients that question"

"But no one asks the doctor right? So I ask."

Dr. Seetha shook her head seeing Vennela's antics. She greeted Jai with a smile and asked them to take their seat.

"What Jai? Still this girl is running away from Thota koora pappu?"

Jai Chuckled as Vennela glared and pouted.

"She eats when it is necessary."

"It is necessary if you are planning a family. She needs to strengthen her backbone and womb."

"I will take care of that!"

"Yeah! You take care while this girl easily escapes you!"

"Pinni!"

Vennela glared at both making them chuckle.

"So.. What is it?"

Seetha asked. Vennela looked at her husband once and then turned to doctor.

"You know right.. How I am usually on those days?"

"Hmm!"

"This time, I dont have cramps. I dont have heavy bleeding. Mainly though I am a little tired, I am not that tired like I usually feel. You understand what I am saying?"

Seetha looked at her and was in deep thoughts. Then she nodded her head.

"I will have to do some tests. Give me your samples. It will take at least 4 days for the results since it has to go to the lab in the nearby city."

Both nodded. Seetha looked thoughtful again.

"Vennela. Tell me this."

"Enti doctor Pinni?"

"How many days has it been since you SPOKE to your husband?"

Jai was like HAIN? What kind of question was this, he thought. He turned to Vennela and saw her cheeks taking beautiful red hue which confused him more. She refused to meet his eyes nor doctor's. He frowned as he saw her look up at the doctor.

"Enti Pinni idi?"

"Its important. Tell me Vennela."

"Huh.. Adi.. Hmm.. Aaru rojulu.. Six days"

Jai again had this confusing look. Did his wife just say that it has been six days since she last spoke to him? Seeing his expression both ladies chuckled. Vennela's face was literally red.

"Jai.."

He turned to doctor.

"I know you will not leave this room and go. So I am taking Vennela inside the examination room."

Jai chuckled. In last 10 months he has visited this clinic at least 4 times and all 4 times he refused to leave Vennela in and stand out. Whatever was happening to her, it concerned him.

"Okay doctor!"

Seetha smiled as she and Vennela moved behind the screen into the examination area. He could hear them talking in hushed tones. He could hear the doctor asking something about bleeding and clotting for which Vennela was giving hmm and uhumm answers.

But his mind still lingered on the SPEAKING to husband question. And Vennela's answer for it. 6 days? She has been speaking non stop eating his brain till they came to clinic and she said 6 days?

Before he could contemplate anything, Vennela came back adjusting her saree. This so reminded him of their Shobanam and the next morning. She wore a similar color saree that night. Half white. Though today she wore normal cotton while that night it was nice silk cotton with beautiful thin red border.

"BAVA!"

He came out of his thoughts as he saw Vennela frowning at him.

"What?"

"Let us go!"

"What? Test samples taken already?"

"Yes!"

"That was fast!"

"Yeah. You keep snoozing and everything will happen fast only. Padha Bava! Bye Seetha Pinni"

She said as she pulled Jai out not minding the chuckling and shaking head doctor who found them cute.

They were about to get on the bike when Jai turned to her.

"Has it been 6 days since you spoke to me?"

He asked frowning. Scandalized Vennela looked around and then gave him a smack.

"Let's go!"

Still frowning Jai started the bike and Vennela sat on the bike putting her arm around his waist and sat close.

"Enti Vennela? Taking too much liberty."

"Shouldn't I?"

She asked as the bike moved with the wind ruffling past them.

"Bava shall we go to the rocks?"

Jai frowned. What was wrong with her today? First mangoes.. Now this? But he anyways drove to the side as he wanted to spend some time with her.

Jai sat on the rock and wiped the mangoes as Vennela sat close to him and wound her arm around his. He smiled as he passed on the mango to her. With only sound of nature resounding around them, the silence among them was so pleasant. Their thoughts went back to the time when their life started together in real terms.

That night Vennela looked new to him. For the first time, Vennela felt her cheeks warming up seeing her Bava. Her Chinnatha, pinni everyone pushed her inside the pleasantly lit room after pulling her legs while getting her ready. She was so irritated with them that she almost pushed them out saying she will dress herself up. But it was tradition that elders and already married women dress the bride for the Shobanam Ratri.

Jai chuckled looking at Vennela who was glaring at the locked door and giggles coming from the other side.

"Vennela!"

He called her as he walked up to her. She looked up at him and beautifully blushed as her eyes looked at his eyes that was caressing her. He held her hand that she had interlocked with her other hand.

It had been 4 days to their marriage and the shobana Muhoortham was only today. In between they got more comfortable as they had to make up for the 11 months he was away. As soon as he returned Jai demanded to get married and today here they were.

He slowly took her to the bed that was tastefully arranged and made her sit on it and he settled beside her. He left her hand and held her cheeks.

"Nannu choodu"

He said in his husky voice. She looked up and her eyes met his eyes.

"I know I rushed this marriage Vennela.."

"Shh Bava!"

She said frowning.

"We were supposed to get married long back."

"Still Vennela.. I just returned and.."

"And its good that we got married. I don't have to sit here and get worried about some Milan beauty trying to make her way to you."

She said heatedly and he laughed. He laughed after so many months of pain. Only Vennela was capable of doing this. She was the only woman who would hit him for proposing her, who would think of some milan beauty on their shobanam night. She was single piece and she was his to cherish for this life.

He cupped her cheeks and smiled.

"Vennela! No one can make their way to me unless its you!"

"Abba!"

She said making Jai chuckle. Jai became thoughtful which made her frown. She let her hand hold his that was on her cheeks.

"Emayindi Bava?"

"Vennela.. I want to tell you something.. Ask you a favor"

"Enti Bava adi? Why are you hesitating so much?"

"Adi.. Vennela.. I know that we were supposed to marry earlier. But things went south.. Amma.."

"Shh.. Bava!"

"See.. I grew up alone with Amma Vennela.. I never knew I had such big and wonderful family. I thought everything was mine to cherish and that moment I lost my amma who was my world. Now that I am getting another chance.. I want revel in this feel Vennela.. I want to make up for the time I missed with you, this family and.. Nana.."

Vennela listened to him patiently.

"Can we postpone starting a family for ourselves?"

"Yem Antunnav Bava? What are you saying?"

"Manaki ippudu Biddalu vaddu.. Kontha kalam let it be just us?"

Vennela looked at him who was looking at her with those big eyes that were shining. Then she made a comment that could only be made by her.

"Oh! Ante.. Today all these decorations and me taking pains of sitting through all this dolling up is waste?"

She sighed! Jai Laughed his heart out.

"Vennela. Neeku konchem mental undi.. Do you know that?"

"Bava.."

She said shrugging his hand. She moved away and went to the dressing table and started removing her earrings. Jai walked to her and held her hands.

"You used to wear a lot of bangles right?"

"Yes! Amma said Newly wed should wear it until Shobanam!"

"So why today only 2 thin gold bangles?"

"How would I know?"

"Maybe I know. Come let me help you."

Saying he turned her and let his fingers slowly go up her cheeks to her ear lobes. Vennela felt a tingling sensation. He very slowly removed her earrings and placed them on the table. Then he removed her waist belt. Then he took something out of his pocket and showed it to her. The thin silver jewel shined in the moonlight from the window.

"My wedding gift."

He winked as he made her wear it. As his palm slid over her waist, Vennela felt something strange inside her. He closed in and went to her ears and whispered.

"Wear this always."

Her cheeks took a beautiful shade of pink which Jai enjoyed. He has always seen Vennela talk non stop as she lacked the brain to mouth filter. Today seeing her like this and the realization that he was the only person who could see this, made him happy and proud.

Seeing the chance, he stood up and holding her waist he hoisted her on his shoulder startling her.

"Orei bava! What are you doing?"

"You will see!"

He threw her on the bed and started removing his shirt which was already half open. He threw it out as she looked at him with her eyes widening.

"Bava?"

"Hmm?"

He asked as he opened the night stand draw and took out something. Jai never thanked his stars and Father and babayi enough for making him wear the panche. He found its best use today as he closed in on Vennela. Slowly he removed her pallu pin and then the pallu followed. Vennela looked up at him.

"Bava.. u said.."

"I said we are going to postpone making a family of our own!"

"Ante?"

He settled on the bed and pulled a Saree devoid Vennela on him. She held on to his bare shoulders and frowned at him. Putting his arm around her waist just above the waist band of her petticoat, he pulled her more closer and whispered in her ears.

"Ante.."

"Ante?"

He lifted her chin to meet his face and smirked down at her. His hand on her chin slowly made way to her cheeks and held her as his lips met hers making her gasp. Her hands on his shoulders tightened the grip as his hand on her waist played with the waist chain he just made her wear. Their first kiss. Jai during his college days he has heard about a raw liquor called Moonshine made in woods by people illegally. It is usually very strong spirit that can make you go high just by having one small peg. Today he was experiencing it with his Vennela. His very own moonshine of his making. He felt drugged as he kissed her. He was high with the way she responded to his advances. Her hands relaxed and made their way to his ears, his soft spot and he went crazy all over again.

By the time both came up for air, they were breathing heavy, her blouse knot was removed and the jasmine flowers she had on her hair was nowhere attached to her hair anymore. Not able to meet his gaze, she hid her face on his chest as he made her lay on the bed and he turned to her lying sideways. He again whispered in her ears.

"Nothing will go waste today Vennela.. I will see that everything is used properly!"

As his lips made way to her ear lobes and then neck, his hands made way to the blouse hooks. While Vennela who had her own naughty thoughts by now, let her hand move on his waist where he had fastened his panche which was already loose. By now, her blouse was out his way. Since it was a designer blouse.. It was only blouse that he had to take care there. Now it was turn of her petticoat. By that time he felt his panche give away and he moved back and looked at Vennela with wide eyes while she had this naughty grin on her face.

"Vennela?"

"Nothing should go waste Bava.. I hate wasting.. Mainly time.."

She whispered huskily as she pulled him on her putting her arm around his hip. Chuckling he let her have her way with him and enjoyed her naughty touches. When he knew that it was beyond endurance he stretched his arm for night stand and switched of the only light in the room and let the room shine in the moon light. His hand on the way grabbed a foil packet. Meanwhile his lips were very busy. But then he winced as his wife bit his ear.

"Vennela!"

Her arms tightened around him as she closed in and.. Even the moon hid behind the clouds leaving privacy for this very much in love couple.

Jai Chuckled coming out of his thoughts as Vennela looked up at him finishing the mango.

"Enti Bava!"

"Thinking of someone who thought Shobanam decorations would go waste just because I said we can postpone having babies!"

Scowling she hit him.

"Don't make fun of me! I was irritated with all the leg pullings that day that happened during dolling me up!"

"I know! But you forgot science?"

"I was absent for most of biology classes!"

"No wonder!"

She hit him again as he put his arm around her and pulled her more close.

"Vennela.. That night.. I know I made this silly proposal of postponing our family.."

"I understand Bava!"

"I never even worried about asking your opinion!"

"Look at you asking after 11 months!"

"Better late than never! So.. tell me.."

"You are important Bava! If you say we can have family later.. I can wait.. Its not big deal. And even I felt that we need this time together."

"There was one more reason.."

"What?"

"I thought I cannot handle two babies!"

"Two?"

"Yes.. you and our baby.."

He said with the laughter bubbling in his voice making Vennela scowl.

"But now I know how to handle.."

Vennela frowned.

"I can handle two kids because my Vennela would make a very beautiful mother. Just like my amma!"

He said very seriously that Vennela had tears in her eyes.

"Yem Antunnav Bava?"

"Can we have a girl first?"

He asked looking at her. She scowled at him and then smacked him. He frowned.

"Vennela.. That day when I asked you to marry me, you hit in reply. Today I ask you this and again you hit me?"

But she just chuckled and hugged him putting her head on his heart while he held her more close to him hugging her tight smiling. He knew his mother would be happy seeing him happy and he knew that his father did not hold him responsible for the ill fate anymore. As his guilt washed over with Vennela making him understand last night, he felt that he was ready for the family. And today he knew that they would make good parents. And with the way Vennela smacks him he also knew that she would be strict mother too. He chuckled and held his life, his wife closer.