During the nuptials the caterer's staff passed around snacks and refreshing beverages. While the guests enjoyed the hospitality the bride and the groom were escorted to the changing room to freshen up and share a few private moments, which would be improbable at a conventional wedding. Sanyukta sat down on the vanity chair, resting her feet on a pouffe. Randhir smiled at her as he took out her mangalsutra from his pocket and put it around her neck lovingly. "Sorry I forgot about this earlier. This is no longer a proxy, it is real! How does it feel to be married, my love?" He asked, pulling her close to him. "I already felt married when you put this on me the first time. But now it feels perfect!" She smiled happily in his embrace.

"Your head looks like a gruesome murder scene!" Randhir was referring to her vermillion. "That's because you bombarded it with sindoor!" Sanyukta looked ruefully at her reflection in the mirror. "Here, let me help tidy it up." He used some tissues to make her look presentable again. She took a bathroom break and when she returned she found him lounging near the window, cigarette in hand. "Hey, you are a married man now, act more responsible, quit smoking!" She complained. "Next you'll ask me to quit sleeping with other girls, stop nagging me biwi!" Randhir smirked. "Hey, I won't mind if you sleep with other women as long as they are inflatable and can fit in a sock drawer!" She declared, matching his smirk.

"How would you feel about making love to a mannequin, huh? I have married a truly evil woman!" He whispered in her ear and eyed her lips greedily as he closed the distance between them, giving her butterflies in the stomach. "What are you doing? Koi aa jayega!" She whispered back. "It is not a crime to kiss one's wife. And the door is shut!" He said, barely an inch away from her lips. "Nasty smoker's breath, yuck Randhir!" She scrunched up her nose. He responded by shackling her in an iron grip so she could not move. "Your fault for reminding me what yuck rhymes with. Get used to this, baby, I know you cannot resist me so just lie back and enjoy it with your eyes shut. I am really in the mood and there's always time for a five minute frolic!" 

No words were spoken after that. Sanyukta felt a warm sensation as his tongue made love to hers. They had kissed scores of times but the feeling of being kissed by her husband was ethereal and she surrendered herself completely.  Their lips remained locked passionately and before Randhir could make another move a familiar voice rang out, as tiny hands pounded the door. "Sanyu, Dadu is calling both of you, come out!" Aman shouted. "Your little sentinel sure knows how to kill the mood. Apni lipstick theek karo!"Randhir asked her to touch up her lip colour, dabbing his own lips with a tissue before getting the door. "Door kyun bandh kiya, mujhe bathroom jana hai!" Aman ran to the bathroom to address his urgency as Parth and Vidushi walked in laughing. 

"Did we intrude anything important, bro? Parth winked at Randhir who used a finger to make a rude gesture at him.  "Bhaisa, fresh gossip! Did you know that there is fresh romance blossoming right under our noses? Now that he's gotten the two of you married he's got eyes only for her, Shaila this and Shaila that!" Vidushi told Randhir conspiratorily. "So you noticed? The old fox had managed to keep it all under wraps so far!" Randhir looked amused. "Time to let you guys on, and don't look shocked, but they are having a civil marriage tomorrow, that's why he rushed to get Sanyukta married to me first!" Randhir dropped the bombshell. "Who is getting married tomorrow?" His job done, Aman was back and he asked Randhir this, curiosity writ large on his and Sanyukta's face.

"Let me handle this guys!" Randhir told the others. He made Aman sit on the pouffe, drew a chair for himself and sat down facing him. "You know I promised you that you will always be our first baby and we will always be together? My Dadu and your Dadi are getting married tomorrow!" He broke it as gently as possible to the boy. "What? Why? But they are so old! How can they marry? And if they have a baby will they leave me like my Dad?" The boy sounded distressed. "No sweetheart, your Dadi is too old to have any babies. They are getting married so Dadu can take your responsibility legally, and we can all be a happy family together.  And Dadi will have someone to take care of her and to maintain the house. The fun part is you will become a little brother to Vidushi and me and Sanyu will become your bhabhi!" Randhir tried hard to make him see reason. Finally convinced, Aman hugged him, with a genuine smile on his face.

"Aman baba, Dadi ji aapko bula rahi hai." The maid called out to him, and Sanyukta sent Aman away with her, assuring him that they would soon join him for dinner. As soon as he had left the others asked Randhir a thousand questions together. How and when did this happen? How long had he known? He just smiled and asked them to relax as he began narrating the story. "You know it has been over a decade since Didima passed away and Dadu lived by her memory for so long. But after Arohi's wedding he realised how lonely his life had become. He told me that when he came to see Sanyukta he met Shaila ji for the first time and they connected instantly. They exchanged phone numbers and had been in touch, mostly discussing Aman and Sanyukta's bond."

"You know Shaila ji has been facing a financial crisis for some time, her son stopped sending remittances claiming mounting expenses for his new family. And a few weeks ago he actually began badgering her to sell the house and let him have his share of the money or to give him his inheritance from her deposits. He threatened to take Aman away otherwise. She was so disturbed she called up Dadu and he immediately flew to Mumbai after taking legal advice from a reputed lawyer, who advised him that getting married to Shaila ji could solve the problem as due to his financial position he could help her retain Aman's custody. Sanyukta has grown close to Aman and getting her married to me would automatically cement her bond with Aman, as  we would all be related to each other. "

"He proposed marriage to Shaila ji after explaining the situation, telling her that it was the best solution, he would take care of her and Aman financially. There was also another angle.  After having met and found each other compatible they realised that both had lived increasingly lonely lives after having lost their respective spouses and after their children left the nest. She is in her 60s and he in his early 70s. Both could use the companionship and Aman and her would never have to face a financial or any other crisis again. Once she agreed to his proposal things moved quickly and  they served notice of intended marriage in Mumbai a month ago, deciding not to disclose this to avoid any trouble from either side of the family. He took me into confidence a couple of days ago, having already made arrangements for both weddings and after having asked Vidushi to fly down from Delhi."

Now that they had full disclosure Parth, Sanyukta and Vidushi found Nobin da's decision quite sound. "They are waiting for us to start dinner, let us not keep everyone waiting. And everybody remember to congratulate the senior couple-to-be. Let's hurry up." Randhir added. Sanyukta was overwhelmed, so much had happened recently! She had married Randhir and was joining him in New York, even if it was only for a couple of months. All thanks to Nobin da, who had been considerate enough to secure her future before assuming the responsibility of Shaila ji and Aman. That meant she would never have to worry about being distanced from Aman, who would have himself an entire new family soon. They headed toward the banqueting venue where people were waiting for the elaborate Bengali wedding feast to begin, and where a new relationship was waiting to bloom.