The morning of the final day dawned bright and deceptively calm. Naila and Arjun woke to an apartment that seemed to breathe with history: the Legendary Gift still on its pedestal, the papier-mâché goat proudly perched in the living room, and all prior gifts—mugs, letters, sculptures, coasters, and envelopes—carefully placed according to their chosen categories. For a moment, they allowed themselves to savor the quiet. Then

The apartment had settled into what Naila began to call “ controlled chaos. ” The fabulous Gift dominated the living room, its atomic diorama landing the marriage in unnerving perfection, every detail reckoned for, every object eternalized. But as with all effects of extreme significance, peace was temporary. It arrived on a Thursday morning, delivered by a courier who looked noiselessly repentant. Naila opened the door and blinked. The package was enormous, high than the courier himself, and wrapped in metallic tableware paper that sounded to hum noiselessly. Arjun browsed over her shoulder. “ It’s big, ” he said. “ Yes, ” Naila

It was a Wednesday autumn, ordinary in every way, until the doorbell chimed and changed everything. Naila, perched on the lounge with a book, gave a conservative regard at Arjun. “ Who could it be? ” she murmured. Arjun signed. “ Another mug? Another shrine? Another philosophical quotation about marriage? ” They opened the door to find the delivery man holding a package that defied description. It was enormous, wrapped in glittery paper that ever managed to look both gleeful and intimidating. There was a note attached, scribbled in dramatic handwriting For the couple who has survived all differently, a gift good of legend. Naila and

A week passed, and life in the apartment had settled into a fragile meter. Naila and Arjun moved like seasoned mediators, precisely avoiding the TALK ABOUT pile, keeping the upkeep pile functional, and making sure the HIDE pile stayed retired. For a moment, they felt palm was theirs. also the first sign appeared a small envelope slipped under the door. Naila picked it up cautiously. It was from an aunt who had n’t attended the marriage. Inside was a hand- painted card with a single judgment We lament not being there to witness your meaningful day. Naila goggled at it. “ Meaning is sneaky, ” she said. Arjun jounced gravely. “ It noway

Just when Naila and Arjun allowed

they had recaptured control, the doorbell chimed. It wasmid-morning, sun streaming through the windows, the apartment eventually feeling like it belonged to them. Naila dithered before opening the door. It was n’t the neighbor. It was n’t a delivery. It was Rohit.

The trouble with sorting was that it created a new problem. Once the boxes were labeled and the piles made, once the apartment could breathe again, once the glass was turned to the wall like a froward child, commodity differently crept in still and sat between Arjun and Naila at breakfast.

The morning after the marriage arrived still, like it did n’t want to get involved. Sun slipped through the curtains and landed on cardboard, glass, fabric, wood, essence. It took a moment for Naila to understand why the room felt wrong. also she flashed back everything. Not just the marriage. The gifts. The explanations. The way meaning had piled itself into corners and refused to leave. She sat up sluggishly and incontinently banged her knee into the edge of the glass. “ Still then, ” she murmured. Arjun moaned beside her. “ Everything is still then, ” he said without opening his eyes. They lay there for a nanosecond, harkening. No music.

The marriage morning arrived without reason. It did n’t ease in or knock politely. It showed over loud, beforehand, and induced it was in charge. Naila woke before her alarm, eyes open, formerly tired, formerly mentally stepping around imaginary boxes. For half a alternate she forgot where she was. also she flashed back everything at formerly. The cleaner. The scapegoat. The glass. The word. Meaningful. She sat up sluggishly and incontinently knocked her elbow into commodity hard. “ Why is the timepiece in the bedroom, ” she asked no bone