*Jhanvi Pov*

"I will be a little late today." He mumbled finishing his breakfast while I stared at him.

"Okay!" I said, thinking he will glance up, but he didn't.

"Bye!" he whispered to Lakshmi hugging her and walked off while I sat at the table staring at her smiling face.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked and she looked around as if thinking before saying, 'Ball'.

"Ball? That you play with your Dad because he is good at it." I said smiling.

I played all that with Harsha wishing everytime his father was there to do it instead of me. Now, I will not do the same and let Jay play with her.

"Doll?" she asked now and I smiled nodding.

"She wants to play ball with you. Will you be here early tomorrow?" I asked him while having dinner starting the conversation.

He is so calm from yesterday morning and it must be because of him, letting out his emotions that night. I don't want to bring it up and make him feel more awkward.

"Okay!" he said again, not glancing at me.

Well, he can get lost in his thoughts when I have too much to think myself. That day with his words, I didn't have time to think the incidents before that.

Everything happened as I wished, but I felt like there was something missing which I couldn't point out. I don't know why I feel like that, but there is something else! I thought, remembering the incident.

"Mom!" Harsha said, moving near to me the moment they both walked inside the house.

"How are you, Harsha?" I asked, but he just hugged me tightly.

"Where is Lakshmi?" he asked and I gestured him the room where she is.

"But I need to talk to you first." I said and he nodded before sitting on the couch beside me.

I glanced at the door, hoping Jay comes but seems like he can't. Maybe he has some important work at the office.

I glanced at Ali, who is still standing away from us and looking at us. Then I turned to stare at Harsha, who is already looking at me.

"Harsha! You are very important for me and you will always be. You know that I love you, right?" I asked, placing my hand on his head.

"I know, Mom!" he replied smiling.

"I would wish nothing more than to stay with you always. But you have something with you now which you always wished for. You like being a prince, right?" I asked and he nodded.

"I can't take that away from you and I also can't come with you. Now, I have someone else to take care of. I don't know how to explain everything but I can't come with you." I said and waited for his pleads or anger for my words.

"Okay, Mom!" he mumbled surprising me.

"You are fine with it?" I asked and he slowly nodded.

"Can I... can I come here during holidays? Can I meet Lakshmi and you in between?" he asked and I hugged him to me before glancing at Ali.

"He can!" he replied and I nodded sighing in relief.

"You are not angry at me, right?" I asked Harsha releasing him.

"No, Mom! I understand." He replied, smiling and I frowned at his words, but immediately smiled back hoping I am not doing a mistake.

"Do you want to stay with me completely?" I asked suddenly and he shook his head.

"I will go and meet Lakshmi." He said getting up and walked away.

"So, this is your final decision?" Ali asked and I glanced up before getting up from the couch.

"These few days I thought about your words too much. I am still feeling the sting thinking about the reason you married me. But I don't have any regrets because the result was Harsha. However, I wish you never returned. Then again, I would have stuck myself to your name may be life long. I wish so many things didn't happen, but again, something nice resulted. It is my mistake too for doing everything you asked after all these years, even when I knew I didn't love you, but portrayed like I did." I replied walking towards him before holding his hand.

"You did something and I did something. All I want now is forget everything." I said while he just nodded before moving to give me a hug to which I stiffened but allowed him.

"I wish... I wish everything was different. But I know what you are doing is best for you." He mumbled while I frowned.

"It is best mainly because Lakshmi will never be near him." He added before moving away.

"Why do you fear so much about your father?" I asked him frowning.

"Because I know him! He will not think twice before hurting his own son." He stated while I frowned more, but then turned back hearing a scream.

"Mom... mom... Lakshmi... she..." Harsha stuttered and I rushed to her room to see her shivering.

"Lakshmi!" I whispered, feeling fear and just stood still.

"I will call the doctor." Ali said while I stared at her with Harsha hugging me with tears in his eyes.

"Jay!" I whispered and immediately called him knowing well he knows what to do at these situations.

All these days he was the one who took care for any emergency and he will again! I thought, but he is not lifting his phone.

"Don't worry, Jhanvi! The doctor is checking her." Ali said, but I didn't leave her hand.

"She just got a little fever. It is better to keep an eye on her and if it happens again with her shivering like that, then bring her to the hospital." The doctor said leaving the room.

"Will she be fine?" Harsha asked, holding Lakshmi's other hand while she is sleeping peacefully.

"Yes! If you had not been with her, then I don't know what would have happened. You saved her, Harsha." I replied, hoping he will come out of his fear.

"I will be a good brother." He said nodding.

"You will always protect her, right?" I asked and he nodded, holding her hand tightly before leaving it.

"We will leave today only, but we will come again once before his school starts." Ali said and I nodded getting down from the bed and hugged Harsha.

"Always remember that I love you, Harsha." I said kissing his forehead.

"I love you too, Mom." He said smiling and walked away along with Ali.

Then Jay called and I immediately assured him before walking to the kitchen to prepare dinner which I stopped when Ali came.

Finishing it, I moved to the living room, but then heard a sound in Lakshmi's room. I walked towards it to see him kneeling beside her bed and holding her hand. He must have been worried even after my assurance.

I came out of my thoughts hearing a laugh and glanced at the two people before me making me realize that Lakshmi woke up and reached the dining room and now sitting on his lap.

"She slept off some time back." I said smiling at her.

"She always wakes up after you leave." He said smiling at her too while she just hugged him.

"Really? What does she do?" I asked in a surprised tone.

"We both used to watch some cartoons or play until she decides to sleep again." He replied and then finally glancing at me with a smile only to get it froze.

"You can go and sleep. I will look after her." He added and I stared at him before understanding his behavior.

He thinks I am leaving him taking her away with me, right? Well, what should I tell him now and how? If he asks me the reason, then what should I give?

It's not like he wishes my stay, but he wishes for Lakshmi's stay. But if Lakshmi is staying then I have too, right? What if he will not like it?

Well, I will not leave her if that is what he will wish. But he never showed like he wants me away or something. Then there is no need to think of that.

"Even I want to join your troop." I said, shrugging and walked to the couch along with him.

We three sat on the couch while he changed the channels until Lakshmi tapped his hand to stop. I would have watched what they are watching, but I was more engrossed in the way they both behaved.

It's like watching two children enjoying a moment at the same time. I smiled at them and then realized he is reliving the moments he missed.

Didn't he say that he ignored everything he missed with his mother always busy with something else? Which mother behaves like that? I thought and realized that she never thought herself as one.

"Good night!" he whispered, bringing me out of my thoughts to see him wishing Lakshmi that kissing her cheek.

"Good night!" I mumbled hugging her pressed my lips to her head.

"Good ni... Maa!" she said smiling and then glanced at him along with me.

I saw his eyes holding a sad expression, making me frown but it turned to shock when she mumbled, 'Paa!'

He just sat there stunned even after she walked off and then glanced at me while I gave him a curious look.

"Did... did she called me that?" he asked in a hurry.

"Yes! What else should she call you?" I asked him frowning.

"But... Ali..." he trailed off and I gave him 'are you kidding me?' look.

"What does Ali have to do with any of this? Didn't I tell you that she will never accept him? You are her Dad since the day she was adopted." I said, shaking my head and leaned back closing my eyes while he stayed silent.

"So?" he finally asked after a few minutes, but I didn't open my eyes.

"So?" I asked back and he sighed before I felt him leaning back himself feeling his shoulder touching mine.

"Is there anything you have to say?" he asked but I frowned.

"About what?" I asked, feeling tired with his indirect questions.

"About your husband." He replied and I rolled my eyes with my eyes still closed.

"What about you?" I asked and stilled realizing what I said along with feeling him freeze.

"Jhanvi!" he calmly said, but I immediately moved away getting up from the couch.

"I am feeling sleepy. Have a good night!" I said, smiling tightly at him before rushing to my room, but can hear his steps behind me.

"You can't just say that and run away." He said, pushing the door before I can close and walked inside my room.

"Well, I just did. And I am really sleepy." I said, moving back, but he continued to walk near to me.

"From the past few days I am living in hell and I don't want it to increase with more confusions. I just heard my daughter calling me with that sweet name which I thought you taught her to call Ali. Then you suddenly accepted me as your husband." He said, pacing before me while I sat down on the bed feeling it behind my legs.

"Well, she is your daughter and so she called you with that name. You are my husband and so I said that." I said, shrugging and he glared at me.

"That's it?" he asked and I nodded.

"What else should I say? Look, I want to give a chance to this marriage." There I said it and sat still waiting for his response either a laugh or anger or anything but he just stood before me in a frozen form making me think whether he is breathing or not.

"You... I... marriage... really?" he stuttered and I don't know why but I suddenly burst out laughing.

However, it seems to be a wrong move before he turned around to walk away. I immediately stood up and held his hand before he can open the door.

"I am sorry that I laughed, but I did it seeing your shocked expression. Was I really that bad to you that you can't believe I am saying these words?" I asked in a guilty tone and he turned around holding my shoulders making me leave his hand.

"You are not joking?" he asked still frowning.

"No! Why would I joke with you? But let me tell you something. I don't love you and I still can't forget some things about you. But I like you I mean I like the way you are with Lakshmi and you are my savior literally. If I feel I am lost, these days I have this feeling like you can bring me out of it. If I feel I am alone, by thinking about you that feeling goes away. I thought you were my friend all these days, but I don't know at some twisted point, I want to work this marriage. I am not saying we will be wonderful because I don't know about it and I am very bad about such assumptions. So, all I am saying is just we will give this a chance. I know you don't love me and I am not asking you to. But will you be okay with this change?" I asked and waited for him to say something hearing my babbling, but he just stared at me before slowly smiling at me.

"Jhanvi!" he mumbled, shaking his head while I frowned, but screamed when he suddenly turned me around to push me to the door.

"You don't know what a precious thing you are giving me." That's all he said before pressing his lips to mine and started kissing me with a vigor that shocked me to the core but I kissed him back with the same passion.

"Thank you!" he whispered after we both moved away to stare at each other.

"So, now, sorry got replaced by this word?" I asked and he laughed hauling me to him with a tight hug while I hugged him back with a smile.

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finally hah... but the drama is not over... nope not at all... :P

how is the chap???

comment plz and vote...

p.s- maybe kalpana entry in the next one or maybe the next one to next :D