She would be our daughter ,
I'd fall in love with.

Nandini's pov

The sound of bells , the fragrance of flowers and the music of early morning birds creeping around was giving the best feeling ever , clutching Aaru's hand in my hands I started climbing the stairs with a peaceful heart, smiling to all most everyone who are just looking at Aaru with so much of admiration in their eyes , she was indeed looking so beautiful in her cute white coloured salwar kamiz with her head covered by a baby pink coloured dhupatta, this is her attire matching along with me  Everytime when we visit temple.  

" There is so many stairs mumma " Aaru exclaimed while climbing the stairs with a big pout on her face.
" I know baby but chlo jldi jldi we are getting late for aarti " I replied and smiled at some aunties who lives in our building .

"I will ask papa to come with us next time then he will pick me up in his arms and I don't have to climb so many stairs " Aaru said and I smiled in response, I wish Aaru's every small n big dreams comes true .

There was a long  queue in front of us when we finally reach to the top , everyone was carrying hopes and some wishes to be fulfilled , when I was about to join the queue a girl in her twenties came with a volunteer card hanging in her neck towards me and blocked my way .

" This way ma'am " she said and lead me the way in Garbhagreha (where the God is placed ) through the VIP entry gate.

"Excuse me , but I m not some VIP nor I need this VIP treatment " I said to the girl and in response she smiled.

" I know ma'am but we got orders to lead you the way before anyone , let's go we r getting late " the girl replied and the puzzled look over my face erase knowing that who must have given her the orders and why .

I joined my hands and closed my eyes , praying for well being of my love once which surprisingly included manik too , I was busy praying to God when the peaceful aura changed into a chaotic mess many voice could be heard around me , but when I was just about to open my eyes the noice stopped and again the silence prevented.

"Papa" Aaru's voice bring me back to reality and hearing her sudden voice I opened my eyes just to see manik standing beside me and winking at Aaru with his mischievous smile, his presence did affect me , when our eyes met he winked at me and closed his eyes but the smile remained on his face. I looked at Aaru , she was also closing her eyes and a big smile on her face. I again closed my eyes but this time my smile was more bright and big.

"So , how's the surprise ?? " Manik asked being excited when we finally started exiting temple , rubbing his palms together.

"Amazing!!  I love you papa "saying this Aaru hopped into his arms were he smiled to the broadest . " Papa loves you more " manik replied and hugged her tight.

"So miss murty ready to face media ?? Actually I tried to keep them away but don't know how they always manage to.." manik said but I cut him in middle only.

"Why are you here ?? You very well know I hate these attention but still" I said and tried to take Aaru in my arms but he hold my hand and entwined his hands with mine.

"You are not alone and I promise you never will be , cause I will always be there for you ,for us forever..., hold my hand and let's face this together " tighten the grip over my hands he replied and gave me a million dollar smile which automatically removed the stress marks over my forehead bringing a smile on my face, nodding my head I followed him with his one hand he was carrying Aaru and the other hand was Tangled with mine hand.

The sudden flash of lights made me uncomfortable so I moved more close to manik and tried to cover my head with the dhupatta wrapped around my head with one hand , the sound of flashing lights and voice of many people made the situation more worse for me.

"Just ignore them nandini " manik said and I nooded my head following his orders and moved forward but suddenly the guards controlling the media persons got out of control , it felt like everyone is jumping on us and making the situation more worse I felt manik's grip over my hand loosing and suddenly it left me  , the horror stuck me , I never faced this type of situation before the cameraman jumped on us with their cameras and suddenly I was dashed with someone but before I could overcome I felt a familiar hand sneaked around my waist taking me in a protective hold .

"Sorry" manik mumbled near my ear and clutched his kurta in my tight grip. A black BMW came near us and manik opened the door,  in next second I was gently pushed inside the car and manik closed the door , I felt a hand kept on mine and realized Aaru was sitting beside me and giving a beautiful smile to me , manik came running and opening the door set beside Aaru.

Manik's pov

After three weeks finally I managed to wrap up my schedule , 3 weeks without my love , it's been such a hectic month for me traveling from one country to the other , but between all this I somehow managed to call nandini for talking to Aaru. I must tell you they  are the most understanding person u will ever meet. Not for a single second they came between my work cause they know what my work means to me, It's my identity .

Getting up early I informed nandini that I will spend the day with Aaru but only I know, I wanted to spend the day with both of them. But I got to know they already left for temple. So I decide to pick both of them, so here I m holding a sleeping nandini in my arms and a overly excited Aaru on my lap.

Life can change in small span of time now when I think about the Manik Malhotra three months back was such a hopeless soul , a person who lost his everything but pretended like he owns the world, a man who wasn't even able  save his marriage who let down his child ,his wife his mother and himself, but now look at me I got my hope back may be I could make our ending memorable.

I just want a simple life me nandini and our little bundle of joy Aaru , that's my family and I m not letting them go away , I want them back in my life which is now lifeless and I know they too want us back but this time for forever.

"Hum kha ja rhe Hain ??" Aaru asked pocking my shoulders and I took her more close to me, "jha Meri princess bole , so tell me where you wanna go ?? " I asked and she smiled at me.

"Sir kidher jana Hain ??" The driver asked in very low voice knowing that nandini is sleeping beside me.

"Ghar" Aaru exclaimed and my face turned pale , I so wanted to spend the day with them but Aaru wants to go home, " but we can go for shopping or ice cream even a movie why you want to go , don't you want to be with me " I asked making a baby face  seeing me like that Aaru chuckled.

" Are buddhu Malhotra I wanna go home our home " Aaru said and with her forefinger give a little smack over my forehead , I looked at her being perplexed did she just smacked me ?? 'kaliyug ghor kaliyug ' I mumbled in my head. But then realization knock my senses , Aaru wants to go home our home ?? I looked at her and she gave me a big toothy smile.

" Take us home , Aaru's home " I said to the driver and he nodded his head. "So what you were saying me ?? Buddhu Malhotra ?? Hunnhh?? " I asked her rising my eyebrows and she again smacked my head " yess buddhu Malhotra " she said and laughed on her own jock making me smile too.

" Sir we reached" driver said and I nooded my head , I looked at nandini who was still sleeping may be she didn't sleep last night I thought  , that's why she is sleeping till now. " What about your dear mumma ??" I asked Aaru when driver come over our side and opened the door for us.

" Use your muscles " Aaru said coming out of the car and winked back at me , I was about to come back with a solid reply but she run away with full excitement , I saw the driver trying hard not to laugh on me but shrugged the thought away.

" You go " I said to the driver and he left,  placing Nandini's head properly I came out and reached to her side. Gently picking her up in my arms I started walking in the house. When I was about to enter the house my steps came to a halt , realization drown over me , what will be nandini's reaction this would be the first time after our separation nandini is stepping in our house , Should I wake her up ?? The guilt and so many questions were roaming over my head when my eyes landed on Aaru who is happily laughing around the living room , looking at her I got my answer , it's not for me or nandini but it's for Aaru , we need to make her present and future better and for this if we have to face the reality or fought with each other we will do it.

Bringing nandini more close to me I took the first step in the house for a better future, the day when I took nandini first time in the house after our marriage , when I took her in my arms after the grih pravesh ritual and the way she hide her face in nape of my neck out of shyness  came in front of eyes they were the beautiful memories I had. Suddenly I felt nandini's hot breath near my neck the same way she did during our marriage , a big smile came over my face.

Gently placing her on our bed I covered her with a blanket, closing the windows so that she didn't wake up cause of sun rays, giving her a forehead kiss I came out of the room looking for Aaru.

Subhratri.