With Leena’s pregnancy, the dresses, accessories were almost taken care of by Heather and Evelyn. Everything came to her doorstep. Also, Devin, on the other hand, was treating her like a delicate creature. He changed the floor into a cushioned carpet. He would not let her use the stairs, and at some point, Leena’s saturation point reached and lashed at him. Only then did he slow down a little.

On the weekend, Devin went out to see the wedding sanctuary. Leena and Nick listed the guests to invite for the wedding, and as they did so, her phone ringed with an incoming call. ”It’s uncle Pumpkin!” She exclaimed. 

”Mr. Condom?” Nick laughed. ”What a weird surname for a man, isn’t it?”

”Whose surname?” Aunt Jalapeno came out of the kitchen with fruit juice in her hand.. As Nick was about to grab, Aunt Jalapeno swatted his hand away and handed it to Leena. ”Go, and make for yourself.” She said and went inside to prepare the lunch.

”Double check the guests. I will take this call.” Leena went out, and a couple of minutes later, she came back. ”Uncle Pumpkin is nearby. He is coming to meet me.” 

”Alone or with his boyfriend?” Nick asked.

”Alone because he is interested in you. Probably, he wants to woo you.” Sticking her tongue out at Nick’s scowling face, Leena turned to the kitchen. She informed aunt Jalapeno to prepare lunch a little early. 

”Who is the guest, dear?”

”You will know him soon.” If uncle Pumpkin were straight, she would have paired him with aunt Jalapeno. Both are crazily insane in one way or the other.

Aunt Jalapeno nodded. ”Alright. Take some rest. I will prepare the lunch.”

Since the guest was important to Leena, Aunt Jalapeno prepared them cautiously. As she was arranging the dishes on the table, she heard the doorbell ring. Moments later, she heard a familiar voice of a man, which was odd to her. She was sure it was not Nick’s voice.

Washing her hands, she made her way to the living room. She found a man talking to Leena. His face was not visible, but she can never forget the familiar v-shaped butt she squeezed numerous times during their intimate moments. Aunt Jalapeno’s mouth slowly dropped open. ”Pumpi!” She rubbed her eyes to make sure he was real.

Uncle Pumpkin’s finger twitched unconsciously. Only one person close calls him pumpi. He turned around. Eyes went wide instantly. ”Jalapi.” He whispered her nickname. Why is she in Leena’s house?

One’s eyes clouded with anger, and the other one’s in surprise. Pumpi, and Jalapi? Slowly but surely, Leena connected the dots. Aunt Jalapeno caught her husband cheating on her. Leena doesn’t know if it’s a rumor but heard uncle Pumpkin divorced his wife. Oh no! But she needed confirmation. Leena glanced at the raging woman. ”Is he…your…husband?”

”Ex-husband.” Aunt Jalapeno corrected. ”Ex-husband who cheated on me.”

”Jalapi..” Gritting his teeth, uncle Pumpkin softly called her name. ”Behave decently_”

”Decency my foot?” Aunt Jalapeno raised her brow. ”Where did your decency go when you were banging your ‘keep’ behind my back. Not once. I caught you twice, shame on you, bummer.”

Uncle Pumpkin’s face crumpled like a twisted paper. Is she going to spread his affair to the whole world?

It was hard for Leena and Nick to suppress their smile after witnessing uncle Pumpkin’s lips puckered as if he ate a bunch of gooseberries. 

”Ummm..Let’s have…lunch.” Leena suggested clearing the awkwardness in the air.

Meeting a proud mother-in-law for the first time was better when Leena compared uncle Pumpkin’s case. 

He ate in silence. Not once did he lift his head, and if he did, he knows he would be screwed. Had he known Jalapi was staying with Leena, he would have met Leena somewhere outside to annihilate this awkward talk.

”How is your condom company doing?” Aunt Jalapeno sarcastically questioned, drinking a sip of water. He doesn’t know to rip it, grip it, roll it, and dip it, and yet he is the owner of a condom company. What an irony, aunt Jalapeno thought. 

”Good.” He whispered. The condom always reminds him of their first night.

”What’s that one-word answer? Anyway, I heard your new manager is very efficient?” Aunt Jalapeno questioned. ”A rumor that you have given him a promotion. Is he that good at serving you..I mean your company.” 

He is not dumb to know the meaning behind her statement. Who the hell has leaked the news of his relationship with his new manager? He can’t stay in this place anymore. Placing down the spoon on the plate, uncle Pumpkin looked at aunt Jalapeno. ”Jalapi…I have urgent work at the office. Can we meet next time?”

Before she replied, uncle Pumpkin fled away without even informing Leena.

”Half-baked pumpkin.” Aunt Jalapeno grumbled in annoyance. ”I need some peace of mind, Leena after meeting this bummer. Can you send me coffee to my room?”

”Sure, Aunt Jalapeno. Please take your time.”

As she left, Nick and Leena stared at each other, for they didnot know it was time to laugh, but they burst out laughing.

…..

Durning night, after dinner, Leena explained the conversations that happened during lunch to Devin. Patiently, Devin listened, his one hand caressing her stomach, which had become habitual. ”I never expected they would have a history.”

”I know, right.” Leena giggled. ”I have one more good news to tell you. I am penning down our love story into a book. Though, I will change the names and places. Ultimately, it’s our story. How is the idea?”

”Are you for real!”

”Of course, yes.”

It’s not new to Devin that Leena every day would come up with weird hobbies after her pregnancy started. He knows she would drop the idea in a week or so. ”Don’t add your toddler poems into the book. The readers who read your book will go mad.”

Leena hit his shoulder. ”Want me to throw you out of the bedroom?”

”You are greater than Shakesphere” He pulled her into his embrace to coax.

”I love that.” She appreciated his comparison.

”What’s the name of the book?”

”I have two in mind. Still thinking.” The bullied husband? The title sounds like it tones down Devin’s character. The Devil’s Corazon? Leena thought. 

I am the devil, and Devin is my Corazon. The Devil’s Corazon is a good choice, but something lacked in the title.