Swara cleaned the house, put garland on her grandmother's photo and lit the diya when Sharmishtha stepped inside with a bowl filled with Dida'a favourite rasgulla and Ayush in her embrace. 
Both mother and daughter joined their hands in front of Dida's picture. 
"Ayush, join your hands. She is our Dida." Swara taught her 9-month- old brother.
Later, mother and daughter settled on a nearby couch where as Ayush was playing surrounded with his toys on the floor.
Swara observed her mother and brother. Ayush has started to stand on his feet with support. And looking at his activities she for sure knew her brother would be one of the naughty kid, they would be facing soon.
"Ayush, what are you doing? Sit here and play." It was the 10th time Sharmishtha ran behind him which earned a small giggle from Swara. "This boy makes me run after him for the entire day."
"Ayush please don't trouble our Ma. Look at her, she is so tired now." Swara took her brother in her laps. Meanwhile Shekhar gave a call to Sharmishtha.
After the call, Swara asked her mother about her father, "Baba is doing grocery?" It was more of a question than a statement. 
Earlier she had observed all household chores were her mother's responsibility. But a recent conversation between her parents surprised her.
"Yes, after Ayush, Shekhar started helping me a lot in routine household work." Sharmishtha provided her with additional information. "Infact, thanks to Ayush, because of him, now Shekhar backs me whenever your Dadi tries to plough a seed of misunderstanding between us. Because now he knows we have a responsibility to Ayush. If there is a rift between the family it will affect our son. Our son has binded us in a strong relationship." She kissed her son's forehead lovingly.
"Shona, you and Sanskar should think about the baby now." Sharmishtha broached sensitive topics carefully. Annapurna had already passed on responsibility to her.
"Ma?" It was not expected for Swara to face confrontation from her own mother. 'Doesn't she know what has happened between me and him?'
"Shona I know you and Sanskar are going through a tough time in your relationship but think about it. The news of baby will bind you together in a closely knit relationship. Your marriage will flourish in this new phase. Just take mine and Shekhar's example. With Ayush's entry in our life, our relationship has become more stable and balanced."
"I don't think so Ma." Swara nodded her head in negative after a long thought.
"Shona think about you as well, how could you forget? Because of you only me and Shekhar could unite. Our child brought her mother and father together." 
"Ma it's not like we don't want a baby. Yes, we both want a baby but this is not the correct time. If you think the relationship between me and Sanskar will flourish because of the presence of a baby, then that relationship will become a canker sore for both of us." Swara cleared her stand.
"Shona, trust me. Because of the urge you had to unite your mother and father, today I and Shekhar are together." Sharmishtha put all her efforts to convince her daughter.
"Ma I don't want my baby to step into this world with a huge responsibility to keep his or her parents together from day one. It will be harsh for that little life. Our baby should step into this world with joy as a blessing. Our baby will come into this world as a symbol of his or her parents' strong bond, our unconditional love instead of shouldering any burden to keep them united." Swara's voice turned determined, somewhere she could relate her own lonely struggling childhood with the current scenario. Nobody knew the craving her little innocent heart had for family in her young age.