As I stood outside Sidhisha's house, my heart pounded with nervous anticipation. Meeting her parents was a daunting prospect, especially given the circumstances of our impromptu marriage in Vegas. But I knew I had to face them, to prove to them that I was worthy of their daughter's love and trust.

Taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell, the sound echoing through the quiet neighborhood. Seconds felt like hours as I waited for someone to answer the door, my palms clammy with nervousness. And then, finally, the door swung open, revealing Sidhisha standing on the other side, a tentative smile playing on her lips.

"Sanchit, come in," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth. "My parents are waiting to meet you."

I nodded, my throat tight with emotion as I followed her inside, my heart racing with anticipation. As we entered the living room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease washing over me at the sight of Sidhisha's parents sitting on the couch, their expressions unreadable.

And as we talked, they began to slowly accept me. In the end, we laughed together and I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude fill over me at the thought of having Sidhisha and her family in my life.

When they got to know about my issues on how my Dad kicked me and that I was going to stay in a hotel, they offered, no, actually they ordered and insisted that I stay there with them. I agreed after a lot of persuasion by them.

But, Yayyyy, I'm going to live in my wifey's house. I'm definitely going to love it here.

Sasu-mom is too chill and modern and Papa is so cute, he calls Wifey lovingly as gudiya, that's so sweet. Also, Wifey is getting jealous from the attention I'm getting, it's visible on her face.

I love my wifey's family, well my wifey is a bit scary, but who cares, when I have her family, no wait, our family on my side.

But oh, I love how she scrunched her nose and puffed her cheeks in jealousy and irritation on noticing my bond with her family, who instantly became mine too. She looked so cute just like chena pai then, I wish I could pull her cheeks and give a cute little peck on her puffy cheeks.

What the hell Sanchit? Cute like a chena pai and all? And you want to peck her? Get your mind out of the gutter, Wifey is going to kill you if she knows. But wait, who's telling her. Hahaha! I then mentally danced in my head.

As night descended and we sat down for dinner, the doorbell rang once again, signaling the arrival of another member of Sidhisha's family. With a smile, Sidhisha rose from her seat to answer the door, her younger brother Niyant bounding into the room with his usual exuberance.

"Hey, Didu!" Niyant exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he caught sight of Sidhisha. "I'm home!" Sidhisha's face broke into a grin as she enveloped her brother in a tight hug, "Niyu! Finally, we've all been waiting for you!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with affection. I watched their sibling bond with a sense of warmth in my heart.

They clearly shared a close relationship, and it brought me joy to witness their affection for each other.

As they pulled away from each other, Niyant's eyes landed on me, and a mischievous twinkle danced in his eyes. "And who's this, didu?" he asked, a playful grin spreading across his face as he extended his hand towards me. "I'm Niyant, my Sidhisha didu's little brother."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his playful demeanor, shaking his hand firmly. "I'm Sanchit, your new brother-in-law," I replied with a grin of my own. "It's nice to meet you, Niyant."

Niyant's eyes sparkled with mischief as he turned to Sidhisha, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, so it's you. Well, well, well, looks like Didu finally found someone to put up with her, welcome jeeju" he teased, earning a playful swat on the arm from Sidhisha.

Sidhisha shot back, though the smile on her face betrayed her amusement, "Oh puh-lease, Behave yourself, Niyu. You were supposed to be in my team." She then huffed in fake anger and went away from there.

But Niyant was undeterred, his playful banter continuing as he settled into the dining table, regaling us with stories from his day at college.

"So, jeeju, Did you manage to win over my sister or she's still behaving sadu amma with you?" Niyant asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity as he turned to me.

I chuckled, feeling slightly put on the spot. "Well, it isn't easy to handle your didu," I replied with a grin. "But I think I can manage, you know? Sometimes, when you meet someone and need to adapt to their nature."

Niyant nodded thoughtfully, a knowing smile playing on his lips, "Well, I'm glad you're here, Sanchit jeeju. It's nice to have another guy around to balance out all the estrogen in this house," he joked, earning a playful shove from Sidhisha.

"Hey, be nice!" she admonished, though the laughter in her eyes betrayed her amusement. As we continued to chat and laugh together, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the warm welcome I had received from Sidhisha's family.

They were accepting me with open arms, and I felt a deep sense of belonging in their presence.

After dinner, we moved to the living room, where Papa suggested we watch a movie together. "It's been a while since we had a family movie night," he said with a nostalgic smile. "Sanchit beta, you should join us. It will be fun."

I agreed, feeling honored to be included in such a cherished family tradition. As we settled on the couch, I found myself sandwiched between Niyant and my wifey. The movie was a light-hearted comedy, and soon, the room was filled with laughter. 

Halfway through the movie, I felt a gentle nudge. I turned to see Niyant grinning at me, "Hey, Pshh jeeju, if you ever need any tips on how to handle didu, just let me know. I've got years of experience," he whispered conspiratorially, earning a chuckle from me.

"Thanks, Niyant. I might just take you up on that offer," I replied, trying to keep my voice low. Despite the teasing, I could tell that Niyant genuinely cared for his sister and was happy to see her happy.

As the movie ended, we all stretched and yawned, the comfortable lethargy of a well-spent evening settling over us. Mama suggested we call it a night, and everyone agreed. As we made our way to our respective rooms, I felt a hand slip into mine. I looked down to see Sidhisha smiling up at me, her eyes filled with affection.

"Thank you for tonight," she whispered. "It means a lot to me that you came on just one call even after all that I did to you. Thank you for respecting my family like your own."

"Thank you, wifey", I replied, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, she glared at me through those scary eyes of her and I quickly withdrew my hand, "I mean Sidhisha, for everything. I couldn't have asked for better in-laws."

Her expression softened slightly, and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Just remember, Sanchit, you're not off the hook that easily. But I appreciate your effort." As we reached our room, It felt peaceful in my heart.

This house, this family, had become my home in such a short time, and I was determined to cherish every moment.

As we were getting ready for bed, a new challenge presented itself. Wifey's room only had one bed, and the couch in the corner looked less than comfortable. I had assumed we would share the bed, but it seemed that Sidhisha had other plans.

"Sanchit, you can sleep on the couch," she said matter-of-factly, arranging pillows on the bed. I blinked in surprise, "Wait, what the heck, why should I sleep on the couch? It's your room; you should take it."

"And that's exactly why you should take the couch," she retorted, hands on her hips. "You're the guest here." I crossed my arms, determined to stand my ground. "Guest? I'm your husband. Shouldn't we be sharing the bed?"

She sighed, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Don't use that 'husband' card on me, Sanchit. We got married in Vegas, and you didn't even ask me if I wanted to share a bed tonight."

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, fair point. But you can't let me sleep on that lumpy couch. It's not right." "And I can't let you sleep on my bed either. Besides, I'm used to my bed. I'll sleep better here," she argued, her voice firm.

"Exactly, you'll sleep better here. It's your room so you can take the couch and I will take the bed," I insisted. "Sanchit, just take the couch. This isn't up for debate," she snapped, clearly frustrated.

I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Okay," I went towards the couch and poured water on it, Sidhisha's mouth widened in disbelief, "YOUU-" I put my hand on her mouth and closed it before she could shout.

"Sidhisha, In all honesty there's no way I'm letting you sleep on the couch while I'm comfortable in bed and there's no way in hell I'm myself sleeping on the couch, I promise I'll stay on my side and you can make a pillow wall,"

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she muttered, rubbing her temples. "Because I care about you," I replied softly. "And I can't stand the thought of you being uncomfortable but I also care for my own back."

Her expression softened for a moment, but then she shook her head, "Fine. If you're so insistent, we'll both sleep on the bed. But no funny business, Sanchit. I warn you!"

I chuckled, relieved that we had reached a compromise. "Deal. No funny business." As we climbed into bed, there was an awkward tension in the air. We lay on opposite sides, each trying to give the other as much space as possible.

The bed suddenly seemed much smaller than it had before.

"Goodnight, Sidhisha," I murmured, turning off the bedside lamp. "Goodnight, Sanchit," she replied, her voice softening.

Despite the tension, I felt a sense of victory. We were learning to navigate this new relationship, and compromises like these were part of the journey. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but smile, knowing that we were taking small steps toward building a life together.

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of birds chirping outside the window. I got dressed and made my way to the kitchen, where I found Sasu-mom preparing breakfast.

"Good morning, Sasu mom," I greeted, trying out the affectionate term for the first time. It felt right, natural. "Good morning, Sanchit beta," she replied with a warm smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Oh, I sure did, thank you," I said, remembering my fight with Wifey last night and taking a seat at the kitchen table, "Is there anything I can help with?" "Oh, no need, Sanchit, even Siddhi doesn't help me. Just sit and relax, I can easily do all the work, Breakfast will be ready soon," she insisted.

"Okay Sasu-mom, but I can't just sit there, so I will set up the table for you till then and today I will come back early and you will have to let me prepare dinner, trust me, I make delicious food," I said with a grin.

Sasu-mom chuckled and her eyes twinkled with amusement, "Alright, Sanchit. I'll hold you to that. But remember, the kitchen is my domain, so you'll be under close supervision."

I nodded eagerly and started setting up the table. The rest of the family began to trickle in, drawn by the aroma of Sasu-mom's cooking. The kitchen filled with chatter and laughter, and soon we were all gathered around the table, enjoying a hearty breakfast.

That evening, true to my word, I returned home early and headed straight to the kitchen. Sasu-mom was already there, preparing ingredients.

"Sanchit beta, you were really serious about this in the morning, weren't you?" she asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

"Absolutely, Sasu-mom. Sanchit Maheshwari doesn't bluff or break away from promises. Tonight, I'll treat you all to one of my specialties," I replied with confidence. "You just relax and let me handle everything."

Sasu-mom raised an eyebrow but stepped aside, watching as I got to work. I prepared two of my favorite dishes, Veg. Manchurian gravy and Shahi Paneer, the two recipes I had perfected over the years. 

As I cooked, I could feel Sasu mom's curious eyes on me, occasionally offering tips or pointing out where things were in the kitchen. Soon, delicious aromas filled the kitchen, drawing the rest of the family in.

 Papa, Niyant, and even Sidhisha peeked in, curiosity etched on their faces. "Dinner's ready!" I announced, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. We all gathered around the table, and as everyone took their first bite, I held my breath.

The room was silent for a moment, and then Papa smiled warmly.

"This is delicious, Sanchit beta. You weren't kidding about your cooking skills. By your cooking skills you're soon going to win over our Siddhi, She's a bigg foodie," he said, clearly impressed.

Wifey slightly whined at his remark, "Papa he isn't supposed to know that," she whispered into his ears which was still audible to me. The rest of the family chimed in with compliments, and I felt a wave of relief and happiness wash over me.

We enjoyed the meal together, the atmosphere filled with laughter and conversation. It was a perfect end to a wonderful day.

As we cleaned up afterward, Sasu-mom placed a hand on my shoulder. "You did great, Sanchit. You're really becoming a part of this family. " "Thank you, sasu-mom," I said, feeling a deep sense of pride and belonging. "That means a lot to me."

So, that's it for the 8th chapter.
I hope you liked it and if you did please vote and comment.

Well, Sanchit is earning brownie points in front of his sasu mom and papa. Sidhisha and Sanchit's cute littlw fight about the bed. They're getting attached slowly slowly.
Stay tuned to know what happens next.

Word Count : 2401 words

With love ❤️
Signing off
Vee