The most important thing in the world is family and love.

Nithya read this quote and smiled wholeheartedly. She was blessed in abundance with both. Her parents loved her so much that they left behind everything and traveled to an unknown nation only for their daughter. And she had no words to describe her mother in-law, who was no less than her mother. She is an iron lady, and that's what Nithya admires about her.
She could not even face at least one percent of the struggle that Sharadha had gone through in her past.

Coming to her love, Raghav... He is a gem. Even though they had gotten to know each other in a strange situation, he never misbehaved with her when they spoke on social media. That had made her trust him so much. She never knew that he would become her better half soon.

She wound up her work and went home early that day. Sharadha was coming home from Yazhini's house. Raghav had planned to pick her up from there after his office.

Nithya thought of making something special for the dinner. Her athai was also coming home,so she wanted to try a new dish.

She remembered that Sharadha had mentioned once that she loves pizza. So, Nithya decided to bake a pizza at home.

As there was still time for their return, she went to the grocery store to buy the necessary ingredients. Once everything was ready, Nithya started the preparations for the pizza. In the meantime, Raghav and Sharadha reached home.

"Welcome home, athai." Nithya hugged her happily.

"How are you, Nithya?" Sharadha asked with a smile.

"I'm fine athai."

"What's that nice aroma?" Raghav asked her as the smell hit his nostrils.

"Guess guess." Nithya asked them with a wink.

"Something new... The aroma is good but feels new for me." Sharadha replied thoughtfully.

Raghav sneaked into the kitchen to check on what was cooking. There was no vessel on the stove, but he could feel the smell.

"There are no vessels on the stove. Did you order anything?" Raghav asked her curiously.

"Nope." Nithya replied with a teasing smile.

"Then where is this smell coming from?"

"You checked the kitchen, but did you check the microwave oven?"

Raghav went and checked the oven and found pizza cooking inside it.

"Is this for real?" He asked her, surprised.

"Haha yeah! I'm baking pizza tonight."

"That's really a great surprise for me, Nithya." Sharadha told her impressed.

"I know athai. You go and get refreshed. I'll set the table." Nithya told her, and Sharadha went inside her room.

After making sure that his mother was not there, Raghav went inside the kitchen and hugged Nithya from behind.

"Idiot leave me!!" Nithya told him but he didn't listen to her words.

"Why should I?" He asked back, offended.

"Because your mother is home. And from now on you should behave well in this house, because she will also be here." Nithya warned him.

"Huh!" Raghav sighed and placed his chin on her shoulder.

"Now come, let's set the table together." Nithya said, making him smile.

She gave him the plates and sauce, while she carefully took out the pizza from the oven.

"I'm trying this for the first time, so please adjust the taste by adding the sauce." Nithya said, making the mom and son chuckle happily.

They started having it and the pizza tasted really good.

"This is so yummy, Nithya." Raghav told her to chew the pizza happily.

"Yess da. It tastes so good!! We should have pizza parties more often." Sharadha said and Nithya hified with her.

The family reunion ended happily with their small pizza party. They slept with a contented smile on their faces.

Time flew faster, RagYa had successfully completed six months of their married life.
It was Sharadha's birthday too. So they decided to double up the celebration by having a get-together at their home.

Nithya baked a chocolate cake. Her interest in baking had grown manifold of late. She started baking whenever her mood strikes, and sometimes every week too.

"Nithya, come and get ready." Raghav called her for the nth time.

"Five minutes Raghav. I'll finish decorating the cake and come." Nithya said the same reply.

"Nithya, how is my saree?" Sharadha asked her as she came out from her room. She was wearing a beautiful peacock green saree and small necklace.

"Woww! You're looking gorgeous athai. You're getting younger day by day."

"Haha. You go and get ready da. It's already six. Yazhini informed me that she had started." Sharadha's told her.

"Amma... I've been calling her for so long. I'm tired !" Raghav said and walked to his room to get ready.

"The cake is perfect da. Enough of decorating it. Your parents will also be here in some time." Sharadha said and Nithya agreed to it.

Nithya went inside the room and found Raghav getting ready with a frown. Her eyes reached the bed, where he had kept the dress that he had selected for her.

"Nice selection, Raghav." She said and went inside the washroom to change her dress.

"Nice selection, raghav." He imitated her and combed his hair.

She came out after ten minutes wearing a beautiful baby pink anarkali. Raghav was also wearing a matching shirt tucked in perfectly.

"Let's go?" Nithya asked him with a smile.

He went closer to her and tucked her hair behind her ear. Nithya blushed and held his hand shyly.

Raghav held her hand and they both walked out of the room happily.

Nithya's parents were waiting for them in the living room.

"Ammaaa." Nithya ran towards her mother and hugged her.

"How are you doing, Nithya?" Subhash asked her as he caressed her hair.

"I'm fine pa. Looks like you've been skipping your workouts?" Nithya asked her dad.

"Haha. Usually I'll go for a walk with my friends. They are busy now... So I didn't go." He shrugged his shoulders and Tharani frowned on seeing him.

"You have to exercise for yourself. Not for your friends." She told him.

"Yeah pa... From tomorrow you should not skip it."

Sharadha joined them and everyone started chatting. Soon Yazhini and Aravind reached there to celebrate the evening.

Everyone sang the birthday song and Sharadha cut the cake happily. Nithya and Raghav stood beside her.

"Did you really bake this cake, Nithya?" Tharani asked her curiously as she couldn't believe the fact Nithya cooked this well.

"Yeah ma... You can ask athai too."

"Tharani, Nithya is cooking really well. You should definitely taste her food." Sharadha supported her daughter in law.

"Hmph! I'm asking her to come home and stay for a week... But she says that she is busy."

"Even I am saying the same." Sharadha added.

Raghav held Nithya's hand tightly indicating her not to go.

"Let me see my schedule maa... Raghav is also busy, athai cannot manage everything alone."

"I've been looking after my son for many years. Can't I manage for a week? And you're gonna stay in the next block only na?"  Sharadha asked her and Nithya looked away embarrassed.

Nithya started serving dinner for everyone, except for her. Raghav noticed that and asked her why silently. She said she wasn't feeling hungry and she would have dinner later.

Nithya's parents and Yazhini left for their homes. Sharadha also went to sleep, but Nithya was still doing something in the kitchen.

Raghav went looking for her and found her eating the leftover chocolate cake secretly.

"Oh, is this why you skipped your dinner ?" Raghav asked her as he sat on the kitchen slab.

"Eeee.. when Athai fed me the cake, it tasted so yummy. So I decided to loot it tonight itself." Nithya replied cheekily.

"Can I taste some?" He asked her cutely but Nithya hid the plate behind her.

"No.. this is for me!! If you want you can order online." She replied . 

"This is too much Nithya.! And this much of Coco is not good for you at night." He said but she ignored his advice.

"I'm a doctor! I know everything. Can you please leave me alone?" She replied, licking the cream from the cake..

Raghav sighed and went to their room. After a few minutes, Nithya went there, she went near him and burped loudly just to irritate him.

Raghav looked at her for a moment and held her waist, making her fall on the bed.

The next morning, Raghav heard Nithya's voice coming from the washroom. He went closer and found her throwing up everything that she had the previous night. He gave her water and held her head to ease her pain.

Once she emptied her stomach, they both came and sat on the bed.

"I told you not to eat so much. Did you listen to me?" He asked her and Nithya looked down.

He touched her forehead and it was a little hot.

"You're having a fever too." He frowned at her.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled softly.

"Don't go to the hospital today. Take a rest. I'll ask Amma to make something healthy for you." He said and Nithya hugged him.

"You must be tired... Sleep for a while." Raghav said and Nithya lied down on the bed.

After making sure she was feeling a little better, Raghav left for his office. He kept calling his mother to check on Nithya. She had told him that Nithya became normal towards the afternoon. Raghav thanked God and started his work peacefully. He completed his work and left home early.

"Hi ma!" Raghav smiled at his mother.

"Hi da. You're early today?"

"I couldn't work peacefully today ma.. she was looking so dull in the morning." He said and looked around to spot Nithya.

"Aww.. I told you that she is fine.." she said, shaking her head.

"Is she sleeping?"

"Actually Raghav... Don't get mad at me... Nithya has gone to the hospital." Sharadha replied and Raghav's eyes widened.

"What?? How could you leave her Amma? She is sick." Raghav asked her angrily.

"Relax Raghav. She said there was an emergency and she would return soon."

"How long has it been since she left?" He asked her to get restless.

"She left an hour ago..."

"Okay I'll go to the hospital to get her back. If she calls you, just ask her to wait there." Raghav replied as he grabbed his car keys.

Soon Raghav reached the hospital entrance. He found Nithya waiting for him there.

Nithya got into the car and grinned at Raghav. He didn't even look at her, but he started driving the car. Nithya played Raghav's favorite playlist to claim his mood, but he didn't care about it.

They reached the apartment in fifteen minutes. Raghav parked the car and was about to open the door, but Nithya held his hand. He turned towards her curiously.

Nithya took his right hand and placed it over her stomach.

"Say hello to our love"

She whispered softly.

To be continued.
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