"Mama, I'm feeling hungry."

Anuradha turned to face Nila. Great, I should have just given you that mug of porridge instead. At least, you would have drank it. Anuradha frowned a bit. Wait, she ate dinner well earlier. Why is she hungry now? "Hungry? Now? Are you sure, baby?"

Nila nodded a yes.

"What do you want now? Mama made porridge for your Papa earlier. I'm sure he wouldn't have drank it. If you want, shall I give it to you?"

Nila shook her head from side-to-side.

"Then, what do you want, baby?"

"Milk. When Nila feel hungry at sleepy time, Mommy heat one glass milk for Nila. Nila drink milky and sleep."

Anuradha smiled a bit. "So you just want milk now?"

Nila nodded her head eagerly.

"Okay, you wait here. Mama will get it for you, baby."

Nila grinned as soon as Anuradha left the bedroom to go to the kitchen. She watched the clock as the time ticked for two whole minutes before running over to the kitchen.

"Mama!" called out Nila, rubbing her eyes as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Baby, you came here? There, your milk is ready. I'll just pour it into the mug for you." Anuradha turned off the stove and took the saucepan containing the warm milk and was about to pour it into a mug when she paused, hearing Nila speak, "I'm not feeling hungry now, Mama. I don't want milky. I'm sleepy now."

Still holding the saucepan and empty mug in her hand, Anuradha glanced at Nila with a slight frown. "It's okay; you can drink this milk and then sleep." Anuradha poured the milk into the mug anyway and stretched her hand with it towards Nila.

"No, Mama, I don't want. Please, Mama. Nila feeling very sleepy."

Anuradha's frown creased deeper but she remained silent.

"If Mommy heat milk and Nila don't want, Mommy will close and keep milk inside that." Nila pointed to the saucepan immediately.

"Okay." Anuradha eyed Nila as she strolled out of the kitchen, rubbing her eyes again. She does not look even a little sleepy. There's something fishy here.

Anuradha turned back and poured the milk in the mug back into the saucepan. She closed the saucepan and left it where it was. Anuradha scanned the kitchen once to ensure everything was clean before switching off the light and returning to the bedroom. Nila was not there. And that's how sleepy she is! Anuradha turned back and stepped out of the bedroom to call Nila from the living room.

Meanwhile, after leaving the kitchen, Nila had crept into the living room and ran over to Narain.

"You haven't slept yet, baby?" asked Narain, lowering the mug of porridge after drinking the remaining contents in it.

"No, Papa. Mama heat one glass milk for Papa and kept in kitchen. Papa have lot of work and sleep late today, right Papa? That's why Mama kept milk for Papa. So, if Papa feel sleepy later, then Papa can drink the milky and work without sleepy. Okay?"

Narain glanced at Nila, quite stunned by her words. That's surprising. Anu has never done anything like that for me before. She wouldn't have done that.

"Mama don't tell Papa; Nila tell Papa. Papa drink the milky, okay? Nila go sleep. Goodnight."

"Night." Narain glanced at Nila for a moment just in time to notice Anuradha step out of the bedroom.

Narain watched as Anuradha called Nila towards her and the two of them retreated to the bedroom together. Perhaps what Nila said is right. Anu must have been thinking I wouldn't drink the porridge so she heated milk as well and made Nila tell me about it. Wow, what a change in her. That's weird. What has gotten into her today?

"You said you're feeling very sleepy. Where did you go in between?" asked Anuradha to Nila as the child lay in bed.

"I went to tell Papa goodnight."

Didn't she already tell him earlier? Whatever. "Okay, sleep, baby. I thought you said you're very sleepy."

"I'm very sleepy, Mama." Nila quickly squeezed her eyes shut and hugged Anuradha's arm, with a wide grin still playing on her lips as she was feeling very pleased with herself and what she had done to bring her Mama and Papa together a little at least.

Later that night, Narain's eyes started to droop and he started making mistakes in his work. He drank some water, and even tried washing his face and taking a break and walking around a bit but the drowsiness refused to leave him.

After an hour or so of struggling with his work, he picked up his water bottle again to take another sip of water when he found it empty.

Heading to the kitchen to refill his water bottle, Narain noticed the saucepan containing milk placed near the stove just like Nila had told him. Still finding it hard to believe, he decided to drink the milk anyway. Thanks, Anu, this is really quite nice of you.

Narain refilled his water bottle after drinking the milk and returned to his laptop, feeling refreshed. It took more than a few hours to finish his work after which he fell asleep on the couch in the living room.

His alarm rang within two hours after he had slept and he woke up instantly as usual.

After getting ready to leave for work later, Narain stepped into the kitchen while Anuradha was having her breakfast.

"Thanks." Narain flashed a thin smile at Anuradha.

Thanks? For what? Anuradha glanced at him, quizzically.

"I had the porridge you gave me last night and the milk you had kept near the stove later at night too." Narain answered her unspoken question.

Anuradha was utterly puzzled. I heated the milk for Nila only, not for him. Anyway, since Nila didn't want it, it doesn't matter that he drank it. "It's okay, don't mention it."

***

The next day evening, Narain returned home early again. After returning from the park later in the evening, Nila was talking to her parents on the phone about the elderly couple's golden wedding anniversary the next week.

"Shall I make dinner for us tonight?" asked Narain as Anuradha stepped out of the bedroom.

"Yeah, sure, if you wish."

"Alright." Narain headed to the kitchen and began preparing dinner.

About fifteen minutes later, the three of them seated themselves at the dining table and ate their dinner in silence before Nila declared, "I'm going to wear my fairy dress to the Grandma and Grandpa party next week."

"Fairy dress?" asked Anuradha, trying to recall which dress Nila was talking about.

"Yup, fairy dress Daddy bought for my birthday! Mommy asked me which dress I'm going to wear to the party. I said I don't know. Mommy said, there are few dresses in my cupboard, I can choose what I want to wear. One of them is the fairy dress I like very very much. So I told Mommy I will wear fairy dress. Mommy said nice. Daddy also said Daddy like very much when Nila wear that dress. So Nila said Nila will take selfie with Papa and Mama at party." Nila flashed a cheeky grin.

Anuradha and Narain smiled a bit seeing Nila's excitement about going to the party next week.

"Mama, Papa, did you choose what dress to wear for party?"

"Yeah. I mean, no. I'll just wear one of my formal suits. I think that should be enough." Narain answered first.

"Mama, Mama choose dress already?"

"No, I almost forgot about the party." Anuradha spoke.

"Mama! Mama have to play piano at party, don't forget." Nila reminded sternly.

"I won't forget that, baby. But you have to help Mama choose a dress to wear to the party."

"You're asking her to choose a dress for you? She's still a kid." Narain raised his eyebrows, glancing at Anuradha.

"So what if she's still a kid? She knows more about the trends and fashions these days. Didn't Shiva tell you that he brought Nila to the shop to help him choose a saree for Shalini on her birthday?"

"Oh, right. I forgot that. So I guess you two will be going shopping this weekend to get you a good dress to wear for the party?"

"Shopping? Just for this party? Of course not. I'm not that kind of girl who will jump to go shopping for a new dress to wear for every small party and function like this. I'll just wear a dress or any grand salwar from the ones I already have in hand."

Narain watched her, quite taken aback by her statement. "I thought all girls like shopping like that." You are quite weird.

"Not all girls, there are some different ones like me who like shopping but don't bother to go shopping for each and every occasion. And if you're thinking we must be weird, we are not. I guess you could call us just different. Or maybe special." Anuradha grinned impishly.

Narain froze. How did she know I had thought she was weird? Well, I didn't think weird in a bad way. It's just I was quite used to Swetha's ways and she used to love shopping till she could drop. Anu is different from Swetha. Very different. And no, she is not really weird. Just a little. But I guess the correct word would be special, not weird. What are you thinking, Narain, for God's sake? No, Swetha is the one you love and she's the one who's special to you. That's it. Narain abruptly stood up and strode away to the kitchen without uttering a word.

Anuradha noticed him leave with a straight face. What happened to him? One second, he seemed fine; the next second, he doesn't. He's such a moody fellow. Why should I care? Let him be moody.

***

The next day night, Nila made a fuss like usual and dragged Narain to the bedroom to tell her a bedtime story. After the story, the three of them fell asleep quite soon. Just like the few nights before, Narain and Anuradha had their backs turned towards Nila, who was lying in the centre, hugging their closer arms.

A short while later, Nila awoke from her sleep with a start and jumped up to go to the bathroom. The moment she had stepped away from the bed, Anuradha turned and shifted a bit in her sleep. Feeling the empty space next to her, Anuradha searched with her hand for Nila on her right, without opening her eyes.

Her hand stopped by Narain's chest, feeling a warmth that reassured her of Nila's presence. Believing the warmth to be Nila's, Anuradha turned towards him and inched closer without opening her eyes.

When some of her hair brushed against his face, Narain assumed that it was Nila cuddling up to him as usual and hugged her with his arm while sleeping.

Nila returned to the bed and stared agape in wonder upon seeing the development over the short span of few minutes she had been away from bed. Where do I sleep now? There's no space for me in the middle! Papa and Mama hugging and sleeping happily like Daddy and Mommy.

Nila smiled for a moment. Mama and Papa so cute. I won't disturb today. I'll sleep in my bed like a good girl. Only today. Nila stuck her tongue out at the adults who were sleeping before going to her small bed near the side wall of the room. She curled herself up in her bed against a pillow and hugged it before falling asleep.

***

Sunlight streamed into the room through the gaps in the curtain at the window. As the light fell on Anuradha's face, she blinked and smiled a bit, feeling warm and content after a good night's rest. She froze, feeling a protective yet gentle arm lying over her waist. It was too large to be Nila's arm!

Anuradha gasped as she looked right to find Narain's face buried in her neck. She was lying on his chest in the embrace of his arms with her arm over him. Narain opened his eyes at that moment with a content smile before skipping a breath as Anuradha's face was just a few inches away from his.

There was a tension in the air for a long moment before they tore their gaze away from each other, still feeling alarmed. Anuradha withdrew her hands from over the side of his well-toned body and Narain withdrew his hands from Anuradha's waist in lightning speed.

The two of them practically jumped out of bed and stood at opposite sides of the bed, still reeling in shock.

Narain scratched his head, glancing from the floor to Anuradha and back. What in the world have I done? What was she doing on me? How could that have happened? I had been hugging her waist! How could I have done that?

Anuradha glanced from the bed to Narain and then to the floor. How had that happened? I had slept in my side only at night. What was I doing in the centre of the bed and that too in his arms with my head on his chest and his head at my neck? Oh my God, how could I have let that happen?

"I'm hungry. I want milk." Nila's voice startled them.

Anuradha and Narain spun around to see Nila sitting up in her small bed with a frown and her eyes half-closed. What is she doing awake already? We usually struggle to wake her up every day.

Oh, shoot! Their eyes shifted to the clock on the wall. It was past the time Anuradha usually had her breakfast while Narain was getting ready for work.

Anuradha panicked. I am so late for work today!

Narain could not believe the time that appeared on the clock in the bedroom. I have never woken up so late since the past few years. I seriously have to rush today!

Without speaking a single word to each other, both Narain and Anuradha rushed to get ready to leave for their respective works in a hurry.

There was only a single bathroom in their apartment and both of them were late to wake up and have their turns to use the bathroom to get ready. Narain got quite annoyed as Anuradha had her shower first while he was getting late.

A short while later, Anuradha was brushing her hair in front of the mirror in the bedroom in a hurry. Narain walked over towards the dressing table before the mirror but Anuradha was standing in his way. Standing a little behind her, Narain adjusted his tie first before stepping forward and trying to reach for his comb, which was on the dressing table.

Subconsciously, Anuradha handed her brush to Narain before checking her mobile and slipping it into her handbag. Narain spontaneously began combing his hair using her brush without realizing that it was not his comb she had passed to him.

In a second, Narain and Anuradha froze on the spot. Anuradha glanced up at Narain's reflection in the mirror. His face was too close, so close she felt his breath stir the hair tucked behind her ear. She could even sense the warmth of his breath on the side of her cheek.

Narain stared at her reflection in the mirror as well, feeling stunned for a moment while he was still holding her brush near his hair like a statue. Anuradha spun around to face him apprehensively.

There was merely an inch of space between them. Anuradha and Narain were shell-shocked and rooted to the spot.

A moment of silence followed as their minds were concentrated on the proximity between them. It did not take the two of them even a fraction of a second to realize that the proximity between them honestly did not feel awkward as the thought of being so close to a stranger would have. This felt warm and pleasant instead.

Indeed, silence speaks when words cannot....

The silence did not last long as Anuradha went into defense mode. "Don't try to take advantage of this situation."

With a jolt, Narain stepped back frowning and closed his eyes for a moment, turning his face away. "I'm not the kind of guy who would take advantage of such a situation with a girl like you. And you're not the kind of girl I would like to take advantage of the proximity between us." He strode towards the door instantly.

Anuradha pondered over his reply. It's good that he's not the kind of guy who will take advantage. But was he insulting me when he said I'm not the kind of girl he would like to take advantage of?

Anuradha stepped forward as Narain reached the door of the bedroom. "Hey, wait! What did you mean by I'm not the kind of girl you would take advantage of?"

Narain paused by the door. He glanced at Anuradha before answering, "I would only think of taking advantage of the proximity with a girl if she's the one I love and I know she loves me in return and she's comfortable with whatever I even think of doing." Narain averted his gaze. "And that has been only my wife and always will. That's why you're not the kind of girl."

Narain stepped out of the bedroom without wasting another second.

Anuradha stared at the direction he had gone out the door. Wow. He's not bad. Not at all. I wish I was....

Grab a hold of yourself, girl! Unnecessary thoughts again. You're late for work, remember?

Why do I feel like I wish I was his wife?

To be continued...

A/N: Hey peeps! Hope you liked the chapter.

How was Nila's idea of asking Anu to make milk for Narain? How were the unwanted romantic moments in this chapter?

Hope the moments in this chapter were worth the wait! So sorry for the delay with some problems cropping up over the last two days. Please drop down your comments on this chapter. I would really appreciate it.

Please note, some very brief moments in this story are inspired from the tamil movie Thaandavam.

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