I jerked awake, gasping for breath and covered in sweat.

"Fucking hell," I whispered as I calmed my uneven breathing.

I was thankful that Rohan wasn't awake this time, I didn't want to disturb him. I got out of the bed and made my way towards the kitchen.

"Shh calm down Monu, I'm right here," Sunil's voice came from Monica's room as I heard her cry.

I could see from the room as he hugged her and she clutched his collar. A strange feeling bloomed in my heart, almost like an ache and I decided to ignore it before I decided to walk away, deciding to give them privacy.

I was drinking warm milk in the kitchen when Sunil walked inside.

"Hey," he whispered.

He sat on the kitchen stool and laid his head on the counter as he closed his eyes.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"I am a light sleeper you know,"

"Mhmm,"

"And I thought I could hear two people having a nightmare tonight,"

"Warm milk helps me sleep better after a nightmare," I said as I focused on drinking the milk.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked hesitantly.

"No, but thank you for asking," I said.

I rose from my seat, washed the mug and placed it on the kitchen counter.

"You know you can trust him right?" Sunil's voice stopped me from leaving the kitchen.

"I know I can and I do," I said before leaving the kitchen.

As I walked inside the room, Rohan was up and as soon as he saw me, he sighed.

"Where did you go?"

"I just went to the kitchen, I had a nightmare so," I said as I quickly got under the covers and sighed in relief at the warmth they provided me.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"It was just a memory that keeps repeating over and over again so,"

"Have you--"

"Can we talk about it some other day? I'll tell you everything one day, please not today,"

"Of course Sanjana,"

"And I'm sorry you still have to sleep on the sofa because of me,"

"Hey, don't be sorry, my back is accustomed to this sofa now,"

"Good night Rohan,"

"Night Sanjana,"

°

"Yes ma we'll be there, ha na don't worry," I said.

"Okay,"

"Bye, I love you,"

"I love you too!"

I placed the phone inside my jeans pocket and walked inside Rohan's office.

"A family dinner with Shukla family, today at 8," I said.

"Okay," he said with a smile before focusing on his file.

Once it was 7, Rohan stopped by my office to inform me to pack up since the location mom had sent was a little far and with the traffic, it would take some time.

I dumped my bag in the back seat and slid into the passenger seat and stretched my hands and legs, I was tired and all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep. Plus, it was raining which was another reason why I was so lazy.

Mom had chosen a Chinese restaurant and even with the traffic we were the first one to reach there. As we sat there waiting for my family to show up, Rohan was busy analysing the restaurant.

"Rohan,"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I'm not easy to deal with,"

"Hey, where's this coming from?" He said as he turned his body a little so he was facing me.

"I mean I want someone to take care of me and I want to lean on someone too and someone who I can love and everything but it's not easy for me and I'm trying, I'm trying so damn hard to change a little bit every time I take one step forward it's like I go two steps back. I know sometimes I'm way too rude to you and that's not fair when you're so sweet but you need to know that I'm still adjusting to this new situation, this new way where I now I have husband who is a man who I don't hate--"

"Sanjana,"

"--and it's not like I dont--"

"Sanjana,"

"What?"

"What happened? Where's this coming from hmm?"

"I don't know I just feel guilty for being so difficult and harsh to you,"

"What if I said I liked you being harsh and difficult?"

"You would just be saying that to make me feel better,"

"Isn't that the whole point, you're amazing and I like you the way you are okay? Don't overthink, so what if we're taking things slow, I just want you to know that I'm here and I'm not at all leaving you," he said.

Before I could say anything, my family walked in and hugged and greeted us.

"My my jiju, you look stunning as always, and my Di, bland as always," Sonia commented.

"Sonia, give your sister some rest okay? It's not like she ever had a good taste in fashion," mom said.

"Wah! So much love you both are showering me with, I might tear up," I said.

"Don't mind them sweetheart, you know I love you a lot," dad said as he kissed my forehead.

"And I love you too,"

"Okay let's order, Rohan what do you think you would be ordering, I know what I and the rest of my family will be ordering," I said as I looked at him.

"Well then you don't need to ask me, I'm family too after all," he said softly.

Dad ordered the food and we waited for it to arrive as dad and Rohan chatted while I closed my eyes and leaned against the table, much to my mother's dislike.

"Sanju! Kitna ghanda hoga woh table!" She hissed reprimanding me about how dirty the table would be.

I pouted and sat up straight.

"If you want to lay your head, lay it on jiju's shoulder,"

"Sonia--"

Luckily our order arrived at that time and I immediately leaned in, smelling the soy sauce and the spices and letting the steam caress my cold cheeks.

I didn't bother that the food was hot, I immediately dug in.

"Sanjana, your hair is--"

Rohan held my hair and tied in a scrunchie. I choked on my noodles at the sudden touch and the soup went up in the wrong pipe and I started coughing frenetically.

Dad patted my back as Rohan offered me water.

"Thank you," I said as I recovered from the coughing fit, my eyes a little watery.

"Sorry," Rohan mouthed.

I just shook my head before resumed eating the soupy noodles.

After the main course, dad ordered ice-cream for us and soon it was time for us to go home.

"Bye beta,"

"Bye guys," Rohan said and received a hug from everyone before they drove away.

"I ate a lot today," I mumbled as we walked towards our car.

The rain had stopped and now it was only the cool breeze and the occasional lighting and thunder.

"Here," Rohan said as he offered me his jacket.

"Oh no,"

"Come on take it, I'm not feeling cold anyways, I was brought up in a colder place than this so I have a thick skin,"

"Okay, thank you,"

I put the jacket on and curled up inside the car as I leaned my head against the window.

"Not a fan of cold weathers I see,"

"I am, it's just that I'd rather stay under my blanket than be out in the cold weather,"

"Ah I see,"

I must have slept the whole ride because the next time I faintly remember is being tucked inside the warm blankets.

_______________________________

Another day, another update.

How's you guys?! It's been raining here a lot and it's so cold!