"Are you insane?" Minerva yelled gaping at her husband, who was about to lie down in a wet towel. "Hain? Am tired Minu. Not now please." "What the hell! I will not allow you to sleep in towel. That too in a wet one!" she gritted her teeth. "Minu.." he mewled. But Minerva being strict with her rules stuck to her point, and Dhritiman being the stubborn mule stuck to his!

"Drhiti one last time, I am saying, put off that towel. Otherwise.." "Otherwise ? What haan?" and in fraction of seconds the towel was snapped off. And, oops! Dhriti turned around. Minerva's jaw dropped.

She gasped at the sight! She felt like laughing. Trying hard to stop, made weird noises and finally broke into a loud laughter..

There stood her husband in Mickey Mouse printed little boxer!

Minerva kept gawking at her husband. What sort of a person was he? A thirty year old IPS officer in a Mickey Mouse underwear! Who said, with age comes maturity? Minerva could hardly think. And again, instead of stabling down, she again started cackling.

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The Gupta Couple finally settled after some hustle-bustle. Though, Minerva was yet giggling but now she was gradually getting used to the sight in front of her. Dhritmaan grumped, what is so funny, that she can't just stop laughing!

"Nice choice Sir." He heard his wife's voice.

He was about to open up, but stopped! What's the use? She won't ever understand. But why now? After everything is over? After all, technically, he had cut the ties that had wound him and his lady love together. But did she leave any other option for him? Dhritimaan went back to a evening, where he was sitting in front of the laptop. And on the other side was his would be wife, Tiya. It was just an hour midnight, when the couple were actually seeing each other for the first time in the whole day. Arch tired Dhritimaan had somehow hoped this conversation would be a calm one with lots of love and planning some beautiful dreams to be executed. But alas! The chat soon turned into an argument which was heating up with every passing second.

"Dhriti.." his trance broke with Minerva's words. "Is anything related to Tiya, bugging you?" the no non-sense girl came to the point directly. Her husband gasped getting caught off guard.

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It was the fourth time, when Dhriti tried speaking but ended up being silent! "Take your time, but speak it out. You know Dhriti, the way we are leading our relation, will go nowhere! We really need to talk about it. To sort things out. And yes, you still have an option to go back to her. No harm done yet." With that Minerva excused herself from their room, leaving Dhriti bewildered. What does she mean by I can go back? Doesn't she want this marriage to survive? Doesn't she want to our relation to work? But then why is always the perfect wife, the best partner! Then why she brought those gifts? What is it? How can be so calm about my pathetic love life, that too when I can't get over it yet! Raising his hands he surrendered. No, he could not think anymore. He had to do something. Something very soon!

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Dhriti was about to leave to search his wife, but abruptly stopped on his way, as his nasal buds hit the familiar smell. Again that pasta! He could help but smile. But what was it? Just one plate? For whom? He wasn't hungry, in fact he had ate tonight more than usual. Even Minerva seemed to be full. Then?

"Dhriti.. Umm.. Since, for the first time, we are really talking, I thought to make it easy for us. Pasta, a common factor between us. So, even if at some point we disagree with each other, we can always talk on this". She smiled raising the plate. What a difference! Dhriti couldn't help but compare. Tiya, his once girl friend who never took any initiative to stop an argument, and here was his wife ready with all sorts of precautions.

Dragging the coffee table, Dhriti lit up the candle. If his wife was putting all the efforts to make the marriage successful, that too without losing herself then he could do at least this. At least for the sake of those forty-forty-five days of their nuptial bond. Though one could hardly call it nuptial!

Smiling, they sat adjacently. The little coffee table looked really adorable with the big candle, and a big plate to pasta with two forks. 'A pasta date! My first date!' the words automatically rolled out of tongue. Dhriti looked at her in horror. What? first date? She got to be kidding! Anyways, let's start. Rubbing his palms, he forwarded her a fork.

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"You know, Minu.. I loath flights. I love that slow rhythm of train, where you pass those villages. Hardly you know their name.. but they are just so calm, so peaceful.." Dhriti said playing with flame of the candle. Minerva was shocked at his words. He hated flights? Then why the hell did he arrange this journey?

"Dhriti... But this time.." "Minu, I am seeing you from childhood. I know how much you hate train journeys. Specially this route." He stuffed the morsel.

"I don't know how to say this you".. he hesitation rose more as he saw her leaning on the table, hardly eating but looking straight at him. So eager to know his thoughts? When was the last time Tiya was so eager? Na.. he could not remember.

"Just because I hate flights, I planned our honeymoon inland, whereas Tiya wanted it to be in Paris" he stopped, trying to gauge her reaction. "you know, that was my fault.. I used to decide the major things in our relationship. From the date of our marriage, to her jewelleries to dresses even to honeymoon destination. And that's why little things like this Mickey mouse pant.. you know..." he gulped and " last time we friends were in Goa, I had noticed she had some cute fantasies regarding the bed time.. So.." he said in a go..

Minerva was quiet. "Minu..."

"You slept with her Dhriti?" "We were in relationship then, moreover I wanted to marry her.. so..." "you shared bed with her or not?" she asked again. Dhriti chose to keep quiet. What would he say? Already he had said things about sex fantasy regarding his girl friend. Which wife could take it? But Minu is different right? She will understand! She will not get me wrong! Dhriti tried convingcing himself. But his confidence broke as he saw his wife getting up.

"Minu.. please.. listen to me just once.." Dhriti tried stopping her. But his hand was jerked off! Now he realised, in a spontaneity he had held actually her hand. For the first time in their one and half month relation. He lost his words. What would he say now?

"I never knew things went so far Dhritiman Gupta. Talk to her tomorrow. May be.." and for the first time in all these days, he witnessed his wife shedding tears...

A/N: SORRY FOR HOLDING YOUR PATIENCE SO LONG. THANK YOU AGAIN. PLEASE DO DROP YOUR COMMENTS. LOVE LOVE. AND PLEASE VOTE.