Entering the room, Pihu sighed in relief at seeing both the little boys playing in the room.

"Mummy," screamed Riaan happily while rushing towards her in his little steps.

Pihu got down on her knees, removing her handbag to open her arms wide for her son. "Aww, baby. Did you miss me?"

Riaan nodded with a pout while hugging her and gasping, "Pizzaa?"

Rolling her eyes, she chuckled when Nihaar too got up from the floor and rushed for the boxes behind her. Her eyes went to the door where Meera was standing at the other door with her arms crossed across her chest.

Pihu giggled embarrassingly. "I am sorry, I felt like it's been days since I and Raghav have ordered. . ."

Meera shook her head, smiling goofily. "I know. I know. But then, you are the one who keeps educating me. Meera, we both are working mother's but we still have to look for our children's proper diet. No junk food, no bla bla bla."

Pihu laughed while getting up and guiding both the kids to the couch. On the table, she opened the Pizza boxes and gestured the boys to have the slices. Meera too came while bringing more ketch-up and cold drink for herself and Pihu.

"So, exams are coming up or what?"

Pihu shook her head, finally relaxing at seeing the kids eating. "Ah, it's just Annual function is coming up and I am chosen as the cultural in-charge. It's my responsibility to keep in check with the choreographers, dress designers, caterers, stalls and much more. It is already so hectic and now, for next ten days, I will even have to stay for evening there. You know, watching rehearsals."

Meera hooted at her, encouraging her with her sweet smile. "That's hectic but amazing. I know, you are enjoying it all nonetheless."

Pihu smiled while caressing Nihaar's chubby cheek. "Of course, I am. But I hate making you come here when it's your job that is more important."

Meera rolled her eyes, waving it off while eating her own slice. "Actually, it's not that difficult. These days, college students are trying to get their hands in internship so half of work is divided. About mine, which is to manage your husband's schedule, I have already done it for further two days. The appointments are all what I can do from home too. I tell you, that is how I will do it for our next baby. From home."

Pihu's eyes widened as she immediately looked at Meera in surprise. "Oh my God, are you pregn . . ."

Meera laughed and blushed slightly. "Not yet. Nakul has still not answered to me about it yet. He is thinking you know, coz he understands how much tough it is for us to handle our schedules with Nihaar in the picture."

"That's so thoughtful of him," Pihu told her with a sour face. "And there's my husband who always dreams about making a little army of Rathores, looking like me and him."

Meera burst out laughing, startling the kids who then continued eating their pizza slowly. She checked her nail paint and calmed down her laughter while saying, "That's not bad. I mean some people love kids so much. Me too and that's why, I too want another one. Rest through our going age, we can keep on with jobs. kids will get on growing and about taking care of them," Meera said while shrugging her shoulders.

Pihu listened carefully when she completed, "What are nannies for."

Pihu shook her head. "Oh, don't say that. I don't like the idea of it, you know. Some parents are desperate, I understand. But we can handle it, Meera. You know, I have my mother and mother-in-law to take care of my son and yours too. We are never in stress thinking like we have baby given to strangers. Today, so many things happening in the world, we can't trust anyone but our own family."

Meera chuckled slowly after taking a sip of cold drink. "That is why. These words of yours pull me back and I am back to this compromising. But it's okay. We can do it for our children until they are grown. We are all strong women. All rounders!"

Pihu smiled, thinking this was why she loved Meera. She was amazing, high-spirited all the time, so soft and bold at the same time. Encouraging when she needed her to be.

A sudden thought flickered in her mind as she thought that maybe she could share Sakshi's issue with her. She could help her or suggest her something. Not that Sakshi had told her to promise for not sharing it with anyone. She told the very thing so Pihu could break the news and Kabir's family could get offended.

"Meera." She breathed slowly while wiping her hands with the tissue and holding her glass of coke in it. "I needed some suggestion over what should I do with this little secret of Sakshi."

Pihu gulped at seeing raised thick eyebrows of Meera. "What about it?"

Pihu hesitated slightly but sighed and ended up pouring, "Actually, you know how mom is keen on setting her up with Kabir. Bhatia Aunty's nephew from Delhi."

Meera nodded. "Oh, right. I remember. He is handsome," she smiled. "What is the problem in there?"

Pihu swallowed. "Sakshi is not ready for the marriage thing. Mom is frustrated about it because Sakshi's mama ji, he has some boys in sight for her. But Sakshi is against it and doesn't care about it because. . ."

"Yeah," Meera interrupted. "She is not ready for it. I mean, she is just twenty or what."

"Twenty two. But that is not the real problem." Pihu grimaced as she told her, "Sakshi was angry before leaving for Delhi last week. With all that environment in the house. When I tried to talk to her, she told me that she is still in love with Shrey."

Meera who was chewing down the Pizza stopped her movements and looked at Pihu with wide eyes. "Oh my. Shrey Malhotra?"

Pihu gulped and nodded shakily.

Meera covered her mouth and didn't speak for a minute, as she drank her cold drink while thinking about it. She stared at her in great confusion.

"That can create a World War III, you know. Between Rathores and Malhotras?"

Pihu's lips parted as she felt her heart started beating faster. "What?"

Meera nodded as she looked at her. "Yes, Pihu. It's terrifying. The business deals have ended years ago. Since then, Malhotras have been trying hard to get the best business partner as best as Rathores were for them. The bitterness between Raghav and Rishabh ruined it all."

Not bitterness. I ruined it all, though Pihu while rubbing her forehead.

"One point is that. Other one is how heartlessly Shrey played with Sakshi. You can't just forget that. Can you?"

Pihu nodded embarrassingly. "I know. I can't. But there must be some solution to this."

Meera stared at the floor and then back at her. "What did she tell you? That she haven't gotten over him?" Pihu nodded her head, making her shut her eyes.

"How stubborn she is? Like brother like sister," whispered Meera, making Pihu blush. "Did she tell you that Shrey too loves her? Or it's the same like years ago. Is he still playing?"

Pihu shook her head. "No. I don't know. I mean, she told me that she hasn't seen him from years. She doesn't stalk him or anything. But she still can't get over him because it was her true love. She is ready to wait for him. Or a guy who can give her the feeling like Shrey used to make her feel. Not someone like Kabir."

Meera looked at her confused. "Not Kabir? And how Kabir is like?"

Pihu leaned ahead, loosening her scarf on her neck. Wiping her hands on jeans, she shrugged her shoulders. "He is quiet and disciplined. A mature one. He is a professor."

Meera raised her eyebrow. "Then, it's normal Pihu. Thoughts are getting modern. And maybe, Kabir's personality or his age is scaring Sakshi because she is maybe feeling inferior as she is of lesser age or much modern than him. By thoughts or dreams or plans."

Pihu nodded. "I understand. But still Loving Shrey? I am worried more about this phrase. You don't know what Raghav is like. And she is his sister. If they want something, they get it. Its in their blood, I tell you. Even my mother-in-law is stubborn in her own way to finalise Kabir for her."

Pihu's eyes fell on Riaan who was innocently munching on his Pizza. She smiled slowly while looking back at Meera. "Sakshi's heart made for Shrey. But she has no connection to him. Not that I want it to even happen. That will create a massacre. Raghav will start roaring, ready to kill. He will be needing just a word. A trigger."

Meera smirked. "Malhotra?"

Pihu nodded worriedly, making her think seriously about it. She did and pointed her finger at Pihu. "Why don't we just call Sakshi and tease about any guy? Her best friend or maybe she end up telling us what is going on? What if she is being with Shrey for real?"

Pihu pouted. "I don't think that she is lying to me. But I don't know. She is in love."

Meera chuckled and stared at her. "Look, don't worry. I think I can help you on this. I have an idea and I am sure it will work."

Pihu looked at her immediately. "Work in what way?"

To which, Meera smiled knowingly.

"All the ways. Just one blow is all we need."

________

Feeling amazing at what she did in the class room with that pervert of a professor, Sakshi opened the door. Smiling to herself, she thought how fine the day was spent. Shrey too had called her to inform about how they found some of the proofs.

She smiled understandingly recalling how he still sounded low in fear if that won't work. But she encouraged him and told him about how he should keep having faith and hope. The case would end soon, that even in his favor.

She removed her rubber-band, resting her hair which had been tied tightly all the day. Now, all she wanted to do was take a hot shower and sit in her blanket with a coffee and book.

But just as she started walking towards her room, she saw a box wrapped in a gift paper, lying on the table. She immediately remembered something as she recalled the date.

"Hey! It's her birthday tomorrow. Maybe, it's for Aditi," she whispered to herself while walking towards it with a smile.

"Aditi, there's a gift here for you." She chirped while holding it, and gasped when she saw her own name. "What the. . ."

She gulped immediately, thinking that it might be the professor again. Her jaws clenched at remembering how Mihir had acted all the way about it, pretending how it was a guy other than the professor. She bit her lip while breathing slowly, worried about what would be there in the box.

Their fish bowl could fit in it, she thought. But still couldn't grasp as to what was there inside, until she started unboxing it.

Removing the paper, she tore of the tapes and saw a beautiful velvety purple box inside. Her eyebrows raised as it looked as if someone jewellery was there inside. She had already made up her mind that she would return it to that creep the next day.

But what she saw inside had shocked her. There, lying inside, was an untouched beautiful scented candle in a glass jar, filled with sparkling red wax, with a note lying beside it.

Sakshi sucked in a breath, feeling bewildered by this. Never have someone gifted her something like this. Not even her best friends who would simply give her treats and books, all other things she loved and enjoyed. Her brother had given her branded watches and what not. Pihu always would come up to win her heart by her thoughtful gifts. But this was something that she couldn't make a guess about.

"A scented candle, for me?" She whispered in a daze.

Gulping slightly, she picked up the note and opened it to find a neat writing she had gotten used to seeing on her lecture halls' whiteboards.

"I want you to read this after removing the thought from your mind that this is too one of my tactics.

It's not."

She smiled, curling her toes while sitting on the couch.

"Sakshi,

I know it was very bad of me to ditch you on the date, even if there was a sincere reason behind it. I understand that all the facade I played using Mihir with you, was not at all acceptable. I too accept that you are not ready for this whole marriage proposal thing, our elders have put us into.

Being an introvert, shy guy since the beginning, I had never really learned how to approach a girl. Thought, I was doing what my family wanted for me. To know the girl and marry her. But you were a surprise to me. You caught my eye. You stopped my heart.

Since the day I saw you for the first time, I have been imagining you in my future. . ."

Sakshi gasped and bit her lip. The face of Kabir Nair flashed in her mind as she reread those words mentally, imagining them echoing in his voice only.

". . .I know, it scares you. I finally understood when I recalled all our words. I realized that I was wrong and I apologise for the same.

For making you feel uncomfortable all these times. For forcing you to give me your time. For my own mean motive, I had forgotten my own morals.

To make it up to you, I wanted to send you this little gift from me. A candle. For a novel lover like me, it has much more meaning than just being the source of light.

Peace.

I made you stressful. I made you worried for all these issues. Now, I don't want you to worry about it anymore. I want you to be free and fair, like the day I saw you for the first time in that cafe. When you will blow this candle, I want you to breathe in the soothing scent and relax because I can't see you hating me anymore for being a creep or a stalker, whatever you and your friends call me.

I am a simple professor, hoping for a future with you and having the heart to make it possible by waiting for you. You don't even have to answer me if you don't want me in the future. I won't disturb you anymore.

I admire you for the way you are. For how you care about your family and friends. For how bold and beautiful you are. For how passionate and dedicated you are to your future. For how much faithfulness and fierceness your dark eyes, captivates me every time I look into them.

But I want to change your thoughts for me which is why, I won't disturb anymore.

I won't.

And again, for whatever I did to make you hate me, I am sorry.

~Kabir."

Putting the note down, she sighed with a strange settlement in heart. A sudden patience was forming around as for the first time, Sakshi didn't feel angry at his act.

The small smile that curved her lips while she was staring at that little candle, showed it all.

______

"What do you think?"

Please vote and comment.

____

Today is World Happiness Day.

So why not write an update for a story that makes me so happy these days and also, make you happy by publishing it just now. 💖