"Hey, Madhu, come in." Trishna, Madhu's best friend & neighbor invites Madhu to her house.

"Why you called me, Trish? That too urgently?"

"I will tell you everything... First you come in." Trishna says & drags Madhu to her bedroom.

"I have a good news to share"

"What's it, Trish?" Madhu asks her bestie.

"Oh that..." Trishna starts blushing. "I guess I am..."

"you what?" Madhu asks with a frown.

"I guess I am pregnant!" Trishna says with a bright smile.

"How?"

"What is this stupid question?"

"Um... How many months."

"Not sure... may be 6 weeks if I go by my last periods."

"But you got married just around... Um... Exactly 51 days back right?" Madhu being good in maths makes a quick mental calculation.

"So?" Trishna asks her with a glare.

"Well... I mean... You both right away did it on your suhaag raat?"

"What's your problem, Madhu? Can't you just feel happy for me?" Trishna asks holding her hands on her hips"Of course, I am happy for you." Madhu says embarrassed for asking such awkward question & hugs her friend.

"Did you check with a doctor?" Madhu asks.

"No!"

"Then how do you know you are... Um... Pregnant?"

"I got the symptoms & also I tested using home pregnancy test kit."

"You know to use that stick?" Madhu asks in shock.

"I am not a bloody illiterate. I know to read the 'how to use' instruction besides its not rocket science to find hard to understand."

"Um... You are treating me like a kid at times, Trish."

"That's because you behave like a kid. Grow up girl!"

"Okay! You need to check with a doctor first. Come I will take you."

"You know a good gynaecologist?"

"Yep!"

"Who?"

"Dr. Rishab kundra"

"Oh! That guy who came to your house with a marriage proposal?" Trishna asks. Being Madhu's close friend & neighbor Trishna gets to know everything happening in Madhu's life.

"You like him right?"

"I like his daughter. She is a cute little thing." Madhu smiles remembering the cute baby girl Sana.

"Just his daughter but not him?" Trishna teases. Madhu turns her face away to hide her blush. She indeed likes him. What's not there to like? He is good looking, educated & rich. Above all he is an amazing father.

"You coming or not?"

"You were waiting for a chance to meet him nah?" Trishna grins at madhu.

"I didnt ask you to do it with your husband on the very first night & get pregnant this soon so that I can take you to my doctor, Okay?" Madhu shouts, annoyed.

"My doctor huh?" Trishna teases.

"Trish!" Madhu admonishes her.

"Okay" trishna holds her hands up as if surrendering.

"Come" Madhu says & drags her friend out.

"Hey slowly. I can understand your hurry... But show some concern to your poor pregnant friend."

"Oops... Sorry" Madhu says & pokes her lips out.

"Grow up, Madhu. Your antics are so funny." Trishna laugh & Madhu pouts prettily for that.

--0--

"May I come in, doctor?"

"Yes, please" Dr. Rishab says & looks up to see Madhu walking in with another lady.

"Hello, Miss. Malik... You here?"

"This is Trishna... My best friend... Um... She is expecting a baby... So we are here to do a proper test."

"Oh! Please sit, Mrs.?"

"Trishna Bhatia" Madhu answers before Trishna could answer him.

"She married my neighbor... She used to come to my house to do combined studies but some how she corrected that guy, they both fell deeply in love, got married & now she has become my neighbor... You should see her husband one day... he is such a nice funny guy... I m glad he is keeping my friend happy... See the result of their happiness? They just got married 51 days back but now she is pregnant..." Madhu stops when Rk starts laughing.

Trishna closes her eyes in mortification. She wants to dig a hole & bury herself in it for bring her lunatic friend with her for check up.

"Um... Sorry... I went little off track?"

"Little?" Rk asks teasingly. Madhu grins.

"Mrs. Bhatia, you please sit. I will just check your blood preasure &..." He stops & makes a quick call to his attending nurse.

"Susan, please take Mrs. Bhatia's blood sample & also get the sonogram room ready"

"Yes, Dr. Kundra" Susan nods & brings a syringe to take trishna's blood sample.

"Isss..." Madhu flinches & turns her face & that's when she notices Sana sleeping on her crib in the adjacent room. Trishna rolls her eyes for her friend's performance. She has the needle in her skin but she is calm while Madhu starts sweating & panicking. Then she notices her leaving her seat & walking away.

"Sana! What she is doing here? Doctor, you daily bring Sana with you to hospital?"

"Um... No."

"Then? Don't you know its not advisable to bring babies to hospitals? How could be so careless? What if she gets some infection?" Madhu starts ranting him.Rk hears everything with a pleasant smile as he felt an unknown joy in his heart when she showed so much concern for his baby girl.

"Why are you smiling? Answer me dammit?" Madhu asks angrily.

"Doctor, you don't mind her. My frined is pagal."

"No. No. I m actually happy she is showing so much concern for my daughter." He politely answers Trishna & turns to Madhu "Miss. Malik, thank you but dont worry she will be safe in my room. Usually one of us will be staying at home with her & look after her... Mostly I will stay home in the day times & by evening once Sana has slept, I go for my night shift leaving her to my parents... But today we three are so busy... My mom has to do bypass surgery for her patient... My dad has gone to delhi for a conference & I had to come here for an emergency so I brought Sana with me as I couldnt leave her alone at home."

"Oh! Can I take Sana with me?" Madhu asks suddenly.

"What?" Rk frowns hearing her question.

"But... Your have come with your friend & by the way where you will take her?"

"My friend has called her husband & he will be here shortly... So I thought I could take Sana with me to some movie..."

"Movie? She is just a year old... No! No, movie & all. She will get cranky with the loud noises & you won't be able to manage her."

"Oh! Then I will take her to the pizza hut just across the road & spend my time with her. Once your shift gets over you take her home & I will leave to mine."

"Madhu, she will be fine here... You don't worry..." Rk gently tries to deny her offer. He didn't want her to get attached with his daughter as he knows where it will ultimately lead to. He had seen her mother's reaction the other day & she will surely not appreciate her daughter getting so fond with his daughter.

"Please, doctor?" Madhu gives him a genuine pleading look. He sighs loudly.

"It will take another two hours for me to leave... Will you be able to take care of her till then? Rk asks. Madhu nods her head excitedly in yes. Once Sikky reached the hospital, Madhu leaves Trishna to him & went to the pizza shop with Sana. 

She is up by now & excitedly playing with Madhu's hair.

"Sit, here, my baby girl." Madhu settles Sana on top of the table. Sana sits comfortably by stretching her legs wide open.

"What you will eat?" Madhu asks showing the menu card to Sana. Sana tries to take the card in her hand & failing to do so she taps her hand on the card.

"You want lemon mojito? Nah! That you wont drink. I will order you chocolate mousse... & cheese pizza & chocolate lava for me." After placing the order, Madhu takes Sana's little hand in hers & asks her with a blush

"Baby, what do you say about your papa? Is he sweet? Or sweetest?" Sana grins widely.

"Okay! So he is the sweetest man in this world right?" Madhu kisses Sana's little fingers one by one while Sana intently listens to Madhu with a cute little frown.

"God! You are so lucky Sana... the way he pampers you... his love for you... you are his princess nah?" Madhu asks tickling Sana's little tummy & Sana laughs in merry.

"Sana, you like me?" Madhu asks. Sana looks puzzled not understanding a word of Madhu's blabber.

"Sana, will your Papa like me?" Madhu probes her. Sana yarns & gestures Madhu to lean closer. When Madhu moved closer to the table, Sana leans her head on her chest & hooks her two fingers in Madhu's shirt.

"Baby, don't sleep. See, chocolate mousse is here." Madhu makes Sana sit up & that sudden action makes Sana fall back on the table but Madhu quickly grabs her hand & steadies her. Sana laughs & Madhu giggles.

"You like it?" Madhu asks after feeding a spoon of chocolate mousse & Sana pokes her tongue out & shakes her head in negative.

When Madhu tried to feed another spoon she turns her face to the other side. Then their order cheese pizza & chocolate lava arrives. Sana looks at the dark brown thing in front of her curiously & pokes her fingers in it & melted chocolate oozes out of it. Sana takes her hand to her mouth & roughly licks applying the chocolate all over her mouth.

"So madam likes this? Okay, you eat this & I will eat you chocolate mousse" Madhu says grinning. Sana looks up at Madhu & then at the chocolate lava. She dips her fingers again in to the hole she had dug earlier in the lava cake & takes her chocolaty hand near Madhu's mouth to feed her.

"Aww... my Sana baby." Madhu pulls Sana & kisses her head & then opens her mouth a little & licks Sana's hand.

"Hmm... Yummy" When Sana tried to feed her Madhu asks her to eat & puts Sana's fingers in her mouth & she starts eating her pizza.

"Oh my darling!" Madhu looks up hearing Rk's outrageous voice.

Rk looks at the messy hands, face & dress of Sana in shock. Then he turns to look at Madhu & she is no less than to Sana. Her mouth is smudged with cheese, she is holding the pizza slice in one hand but still her other hand is also messed with cheese. Madhu grins cheekily & licks her ring finger which has a little bit of cheese.

"um.. er... you said you will take 2 hours? But you are here within an hour?" Madhu asks him accusingly.

"It's okay, sit. Join us" Madhu moves in & pats the seat beside her for him to sit when she notices he was about to sit on the opposite side.

Sighing Rk sits next to her & picks Sana from the glass table & places her on his lap & starts wiping her messy hands with a tissue.

Once Rk has completely cleaned her hands, he slowly starts wiping her mouth but the mischievous girl squeezes the cake & massages it with her finger again.

"Sana, baby... stop." Sana turns to her father & applies the chocolate paste on his neck & jaw line as she couldn't reach his mouth to feed him. Madhu starts laughing seeing Sana's play. Rk turns & glares at her.

Then Rk pushes the cake away from Sana's reach & again starts cleaning her. Sana sadly looks at Madhu. Feeling bad for Sana, Madhu slowly pushes the cake plate closer to Sana & she smiles widely showing her little milk tooth.

"What is this, Madhu?" Rk asks in irritation.

"I am sorry." Madhu tells looking down at her pizza.

"You want pizza?" she offers to cheer his mood.

"No, thanks!"

"So your work done?" Madhu asks.

"Yeah, I decided to leave early."

"Why? Were you worried for Sana?"

"I was missing her. I have never left her alone to anyone before..."

"Oh! We both had a great time... right baby?" Madhu asks ruffling Sana's hair. Sana bounces on Rk's lap excitedly.

"Yeah, I can see that." Rk smirks sarcastically.

What a mess these two have created yaar? Sana is just one year old so she is excused but Madhu? A 24 years old girl eating with both hands & licking the fingers? Eewww!

"She didn't trouble you right?" Rk asks her after a beat.

"Nah! We were happily..."

"Eating!" Rk finishes with a chuckle.

"Ah! This is my girl" Rk smiles at Sana once she was perfectly cleaned.

"Now clean me" Madhu orders. Rk looks at her in amused shock.

"C'mon, my hands are messy too." Madhu tries to reason & tips her chin up showing him to clean the smudges around her mouth.

Rk picks up Sana & places her in between them & turns properly to Madhu & roughly wipes her mouth with a fresh tissue.

Sana curious looks up at her Papa & then at her new friend Madhu, wondering what's happening between them.

Then Rk slowly takes Madhu's hand & gently cleans it, all the while looking straight into her eyes.

Even after cleaning her hand he didn't let it go but start squeezing it feeling her soft palm in his rough hand. Madhu blushes crimson, still didn't shy away but bravely matches his passionate gaze with hers.

Sana getting tired of their eye lock & slow movements, she pulls her Papa's shirt sleeves to bring him back to earth. Once their eye contact breaks, they turn away feeling embarrassed.

Rk feels Sana hugging his stomach possessively & looks down at her to see her resting her head on his side.

"Um... Madhu, I guess we should leave."

"Sure." before Madhu could take her purse to take money, Rk settles the bill.

"Thanks for the treat." Madhu grins. Rk nods & picks Sana in his arms. 

 --0--

"Hello!" Madhu says softly.

"Hello, Madhu. Wassup?" Rk says answering her call.

"Just called you to ask how is Sana. How is she? Is she awake or asleep?" Madhu asks little hesitantly. She didnt know why she called him but felt a sudden urge to talk with him, to hear his husky sexy voice.

"She is playing." Rk says smilingly as Sana plays with her toy sitting on top of Rk's torso.

"Oh yeah, I could hear her." Madhu smiles.

"So?" Rk asks not knowing why she called him or what to talk with her.

"Um... You tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Rk asks.

"Um... Could you send me Sana's first birthday pics?"

"I am actually watching her b'day photos only on my laptop." Rk says.

"Tell me you email id... I will send." Madhu quickly gives him her email id & adds "send me all the pics like Sana's solo pics, Sana with us &... Your Solo pic too."

"Okay" Rk wonders why she needs his solo pics but somehow felt nice to hear her asking that.

"I will go check the photos. Say good night to Sana & bye." Madhu says in a rush & hangs up. 

"I am back again... Just viewed all the pics. They are so super cute. I loved the one were we three standing happily like... A family" Madhu says.

Rk quickly checks the photos to recognize which particular one she was referring to.

"You found the pic?" Madhu asks.

"How do you know that I was searching for that pic?"

"I know you must be curious..."

"Yeah, its good." Rk says not taking his eyes off Madhu's face.

"I also liked the one were we two... Um... Kissing" Madhu whispers.

"Kissing?" Rk's eyes pops out from his socket as he scrolls down the pictures to check whether he had missed any picture to notice. But he is quite sure that they didn't kiss in the party. Then which one she is mentioning?

"We both kissing Sana's cheeks on either side." Madhu clarifies him.

"Oh that." Rk tells, a little disappointed & pissed that she was teasing him by talking in puzzle & also inflicting romantic feelings in his mind.

Now he won't be able to sleep as he will be imagining of kissing her luscious lips all night.

"Well..." Madhu hesitates to ask a question which was hounding in the back of her head for quite a sometimes now.

"You wanna ask something to me?"

"Yes!"

"What?"

"Your mom... Is she still finding a girl for you?"

"No! I told her to stop all that nonsense."

"Why? Because my parents humiliated you?" Madhu asks sadly.

"No. Its not actually that. I have decided not to get married."

"Why?" Madhu almost shouts, sitting upright on her bed.

"Madhu... Its late. I need to put Sana to sleep. Bye. Goodnight." Rk hangs up without answering her.

Throwing the phone on the bed, Rk pulls Sana & made her lie on him.

He kisses her head & pats her back lulling her to sleep.

--0--

Madhu stalks outside Rk's house waiting to corner him when he comes out. She didn't dare to enter his house & demand an explanation for his decision to stay single.

Madhu watches Rk walking out from the main entrance with Sana in his arms & they two got into his car.

Madhu decided to follow them & talk with him at the place wherever he is heading to.

Madhu smiles when Rk parked his car near the beach.

He steps out of the car & picks Sana from the rear seat & strolls on the beach.

Madhu slowly walks behind them.

Suddenly Rk stops walking & slides Sana down letting her to walk on her own.

Sana taking Rk's index finger for hold, starts walking on the sand with her wobbly legs.

Madhu couldn't help but happily smile seeing them.

She slowly walks towards them & stands next to Sana.

Sana turns her gaze & looks up at Madhu.

Sana smiles her baby smile & holds Madhu's index finger.

Rk by gazing the horizon, gets lost in his thoughts and he didn't realise Madhu standing with them holding Sana's other hand.

Then Sana pulls Rk's finger to look down at her.

Rk with a smile looks down at her & then instantly looks up in surprise seeing Madhu.

"Madhu..."

"Um... Hi..."

"What are you doing here? How come you know we are here?" He asks. He was so sure it was not coincidence.

"I followed you." Madhu replies honestly.

"Oh! Why?"

"You come here daily?"

"No! Only on Sundays I bring Sana here. She loves playing in beach."

"Oh!" Madhu says.

"Rishab, I want to marry you." Madhu blurts out not even thinking for a minute.

"What?"

"I said I want to marry you. I want to be Sana's mother." Madhu says & picks Sana in her arms & kisses her cheeks.

"I heard you the first time itself. Well, I won't marry you."

"Why?"

"Go marry some nice man of your mother's choice."

"I don't want to marry someone of my mama's choice. You are my one & only choice. I want to marry you."

"Madhu... You are confusing yourself... your love Sana not me."

"Of course I love Sana... But I do love you. I won't be shamelessly stalking your house since morning to evening & following you here to confess my love to you."

"I love you, Doctor. I really do."

"No, Madhu..."

"Why? Are punishing me for the insult you faced that day?"

"No! Actually that day was a revelation for me. Your mother was right. Every parents want to give the best for their kids. I won't be letting Sana to marry a man with a child then how will I expect your parents to accept me & my child?"

"Rishab, please don't do this to me. I want to live with you & Sana." Madhu pleads.

"Madhu... I don't know how to make you understand. Today you love Sana... But..."

"Dare you doubt my love for her. I love her like how her own mother would have loved her & my love will remain forever" Madhu shouts at him & Sana starts crying. Madhu bounces Sana on her hips to stop her crying & finds few passerby staring at them with so much interest.

"What?" Madhu barks at them.

"Are we showing any movie here? That you are watching with so much interest?" Madhu asks irately. They shakes their heads in no.

"Then go. Now!" Madhu orders. They all scattered like rats.

"Where were we?" Madhu asks Rk in a rude tone. She hates pleadings & begging. She had never begged for anything before. She only knows to have everything in her way.

"Rishab, I know you like me..."

"Yes, I do. I liked you right from the moment I met you in the mall." Rk admits.

"I know I am beautiful." She self praises. Rk chuckles.

"So you just like me?"

"More than like."

"Ah! Good!"

"But then..."

"What?"

"Sana will be my priority."

"I know."

"Wife expect a lot & I dont think I will be able to compromise with my wife when it comes to Sana. Our marriage won't work. I am happy staying single. Just me & Sana!"

"We will make this marriage work, Rishab." Rk sighs not knowing what to tell her.

"Rishab, I fell in love with you not because you are handsome, rich & successful... But by seeing the love & care you shower on Sana." Rk looks at Sana who is now sleeping resting her head on the crook of her neck. Madhu feels something wet on her neck.

"She drools in her sleep." Rk tells her & take out his kerchief from his pants pocket & wipes madhu's neck first & then Sana's drooling mouth. Then he leans down & plants a kiss on Sana's cheek & Madhu plants a kiss on Rk's cheek.Rk jerks his head up to see Madhu shyly smiling at him.

"I have never found any man this adorable so I couldn't resist kissing you." Madhu tells, gently rubbing Sana's back when she stirs.

"You are one young sexy father. And now I want you to be my sexy husband too."

"You know you are stubborn."

"I know." Madhu grins proudly.

"Your mother won't approve me. Hell! She already rejected me."

"She is not going to marry u. Its me who is gonna marry you." She says.

"You know, she always cribs that I am so old fashioned, boring girl, not even capable of finding my dream man & bothering them to find a match for me. They wanted me to have a love marriage like them & now I am gonna fulfill their wish as now I have found the love of my life." She says with a hint of tears peeking out from her eyes.

"Madhu, I want to ask you something?"

"Anything." She smiles encouragingly.

"Why you love Sana, Madhu."

"What's not there to love? & who will not love this darling angel? Above all she is the daughter of the man I love."

"You love her because she is my daughter."

"Obviously!" She shrugs.

"You will still love her knowing that she is not my own daughter?"

"What do you mean?" Madhu asks as her heart starts thumping against her chest.

"I am not her biological father. I am her adoptive father."

"Omg! Are you an impotent? Is that why you adopted her? Is that what you meant to say when you said 'our marriage won't work'?" Madhu asks freaking out.

"Bloody hell! I am not an impotent. If I am so then why would I be talking about our marriage life?" Rk says through gritted teeth. Madhu heaves a sigh.

"I said our marriage won't work because I thought you will treat Sana invariantly once we have our own kids."

"We will have our own kids?" Madhu asks in shock.

"You don't want?" Rk asks.

"I have never thought of having babies before."

"You don't like kids?" Rk asks.Madhu glares at me & looks down at Sana who is clinging to her & sleeping peacefully.

"I am scared of the pain, so much blood loss, needles, medicines & stuffs" she tells shivering.

"Now I seriously doubt that our marriage will work out."

"Why?"

"You are talking to a gynaecologist & saying to him that you are scared of delivering babies."

"You love babies right?"

"Hell, yeah! That's one of the reason for adopting Sana."

"Then for you... I will have one child... May be a boy. Sana will be our first child & the baby boy, who we will name... Um... Shaan & he will be our second child. Just two kids okay? I cant manage more than two babies."

"Shaan?" Rk asks with a gentle smile, loving the way Madhu talking about their live ahead with their kids.

"Yeah! Sana & Shaan. You like it?"

"I love it."

"Okay, now back to the topic. So you are Sana's adoptive father? No adoptive mother?"

"Yes. I have never been married before... "

"What happened to her mother?"

"I told you right? She died in child birth."

"So you killed her while seeing her delivery and you feel remorseful & adopted Sana?" Madhu asks in shock.

"f**k!" Rk spits the word at her making her jump a step back.

"I am sorry."

"Sana's mom was a widow. She lost her husband just few days before Sana's birth. The grief & pain took a toll on her & she went into labor. She had complications. I could save only Sana but not her mother." Rk says sadly. Madhu rubs his arm to comfort him.

"What about Sana's family."

"Sana's grandmother was the only living family member of Sana. She was too old & sick so she decided to give Sana for adoption & I love Sana the moment I took her in my arms when she entered this world... So I adopted her & became her father. Now she is my world... I love her more than my life"

"You are such a lovely father... Really she is one blessed baby to get you." Madhu says with a proud smile.

"So you still firm with your decision?"

"Yes. my love for you & Sana has got tenfold intensified." Madhu assures him. Rk keeps looking at her beautiful eyes for second then minutes & finally takes Madhu's hand in his.

"I love you" Rk confesses & plants a kiss on Madhu's forehead & then kisses Sana's head.

"I love you too" Madhu says blushing.

"My girls!" Rk pulls them closer to him & wrap his arms around Madhu's petite waist cocooning Madhu & Sana in his protective embrace.

                                                 -------------------------------------------

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