When I married Shivya and entered this family, I had no idea how lonely it would feel. My grandmother and his dadi (grandmother) were best friends, so our marriage was arranged long before we even had a say in it. From day one, dadi has been my constant support, always encouraging me to keep trying in my relationship with Shivya.

This morning, like every morning, I greeted her warmly as I entered the dining room with breakfast—freshly made aloo parathas for the three of us: me, dadi, and Shivya.