Hello everyone,

It's been a long time since I updated and I genuinely want to apologise for it because being a reader I know how it feels.

As much you all miss reading, I miss writing. And I mean it.

I have some personal issues going on in my life and that is why I am not able to update regularly.

When I'll update I'll give a long one but I'm sorry that I can't be regular. I'll take time and write chapters near to 4000 words and publish it.

Hope to have your support even in this situation.

And as I said long chapters, this one is also a long chapter. I hope you don't get bored.

Words : 4654.

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"Finally!" I exclaim as we enter our room. Mishti throws herself on the huge bed in the middle as she switches off the lights on the nightstand.

"When Foziah called in the morning I thought we won't be able to make it to honeymoon even this time." I carefully keep the suitcase aside and walk to the window then close the curtains.

"Thankfully we had a flight in the evening else we would have missed the flight," Mishti mumbled sitting up.

"Please, pass me the chocolate." I nod at her as I grab her handbag and hunt for it.

"Don't you think it's weird?"

"What's weird?" I look at her for a moment before digging in her bag, the amount of wrappers she has makes it difficult to find the actual chocolate.

"Like we almost spend time with each other yet we were so excited to come to honeymoon..." She trails off and I sigh in relief when I take hold of the chocolate bar.

"Well, I guess, you needed my attention which I couldn't give as I'm busy with work." I walk towards her as I unwrap the chocolate and take a bite before handing her.

"Oh please, we both know you give me attention amidst your work. Like walking up and watching me while I'm working, staring at me while I'm getting ready, stealing glances in the car and looking up now and then from your laptop to me whenever you are working late and I'm busy chatting in the girls' group which Sara and Neha created and added me and Foziah." She took a large bite of chocolate and I smiled sitting in front of her on the bed.

"Besides, it's you who needs my attention!" She licks her lips making the click sound.

"I don't need your attention, I just have to remove my shirt or roll my sleeves up." Her eyes instantly fall on my half-bare arms.

"I suppose that is why you roll your sleeves up? To gain my attention?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Honestly? It has been my habit but when I noticed how you gawk at my bare arms I started doing it more often." She rolled her eyes though her cheeks turned a bit red. "Come on, I can't waste the hard work I do at my workout."

"You just love to flaunt your muscles! As if I have not seen how fashionably you walk in the corridors while rolling up your sleeves and running a hand through your hairs."

"I would just love to say that I'm showing off my hard work but no, I want to say that I'll do that often to see the jealousy side of my wife." I look carefully at her clenched jaw and tight grip on chocolate.

"Jerk!" She muttered throwing the wrapper on my face.

"So, you accept you are jealous." I inch towards her as I encircle my arm around her waist. She lifts her eyes to meet mine.

"I do! Tell me you don't get jealous when someone else eyes me?"

"I don't get jealous, it evokes my protective side for you," I reply honestly.

"God, you are so..." She gazes at me intently as she gives a dramatic pause, "Stupid! Yeah stupid!" She nodded to herself unsure.

"Why do I have a feeling you wanted to say something like cute, lovely and adorable?" I look at her with a grin.

She rolls her eyes yet her lips twitch up, "You really are stupid."

"Yeah, your stupid," I whisper as I hug her. The silence and darkness felt peaceful with my arms around her. She keeps her chin on my shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me. I don't think I'll ever get enough of her hugs, they are so comforting.

"Do you think whatever Foziah and Asad did was right?" She asked breaking the silence.

"They are adults, they know what they are doing," I whisper as I kiss the side of her head.

Today morning Foziah had called and asked us to meet her at the restaurant in the afternoon along with Neha and Kunal.

"Let's skip we will miss our flight," I whisper to Mishti as we head out after saying bye to our family.

"Neha and Kunal are already sitting in the car. Besides we can't leave just like that knowing she wanted to talk something serious." Mishti hissed back rolling her eyes.

"Be careful." Mom said as she stood few steps behind us.

"Yeah, mom." I tilt to look at her, Mishti just smiled at her.

"Don't romance in the water, you may suffer from fever." She gave us a pointed look. Considering we are going to Hawaii and booked our room on the beach side as per Mishti's wish this was necessary to note down but it is September and the temperature is going to be warm.

"Sure mom, please let us know where and how to romance!" I reply sarcastically. In return, she glared at me while Mishti slapped my arm.

"We will take care of ourselves." Mishti smiled at her before we got in the car and drove.

"Why do you think she is calling us?" Neha asked Mishti as they walked in front, Kunal and I followed them.

"God knows best." Mishti replied, "There they are!" She exclaimed as Sara waved her hand at us.

"What's up?" Sara cheered hugging Mishti, "I thought you will not come you are leaving for your honeymoon right?"

"We will leave after this conversation ends," I reply sitting between Asad and Kunal on the round table.

"Now, stop the nonsense and let me finish the conversation so that Mishti and Abir can leave for the honeymoon," Foziah spoke, her voice serious. "Apologies for you guys." She looked at me and Mishti. I shrug while Mishti smiled at her waving her hand asking to dismiss it.

"Just start already!" Neha and Sara said in unison then looked at each other and chuckled.

"Okay, the thing is..." She tilted to look at Asad beside her who gave a squeeze on her hand and smiled, she smiled back getting a bit lost in his eyes.

"We are paying for your lunch." She muttered tearing her gaze from Asad, "Order anything you want."

"What the fuck!" Sara groaned.

"You know there are a couple here waiting for this conversation to end so that they leave for honeymoon?" Kunal frowned at her.

"Just order! We will talk while eating." Asad rolled his eyes as he waved at the waiter.

"Let's take advantage of it," Neha mumbled as she orders a long list of her favourites.

"I swear if they miss their flight you guys are booking their next flight," Neha warned them.

"Are you guys really making a baby on this honeymoon?" Sara leaned in as she whispered. I cough and shift on my seat while Mishti shut her eyes. Foziah threw a half-filled water bottle on Sara which she ducked quickly.

"Hey!" She exclaimed in her small voice, "Neha said to me that I was just confirming."

"Can we please drop this? There is something called privacy." I fix my gaze on Mishti who left a heavy breath.

"Thank you." Asad smiled at the server and sighed in relief for distraction.

We all dug in the hot served food and ate in silence. If we miss our flight I'll make sure Foziah and Asad miss their flight too, whenever they will leave for their honeymoon.

"So..." Foziah started as everyone looked at her curiously.

"I and Asad did court marriage!" She exclaimed taking a deep breath as she showed her hand which had a ring.

"What?" I don't exactly know who who said it because I find myself asking the same.

"We are married." Asad declared as he kept papers on the table which had their signs.

"Why court marriage?" I tilt to look at Asad, "Everything is fine?"

"Fouzy, are you pregnant?" Sara's voice stopped Asad from answering my question.

"Same question!" Neha exclaimed with a shrug.

"What the actual fuck? Could you guys think of some serious scenarios rather than this stuff?" Foziah looked annoyed.

"Is everything fine?" Mishti looked on concerned.

"My in-laws asked us to do so..." Her gaze turned to Asad, "Apparently my sister-in-law is fixing my husband with her friend who is a complete pshyco."

"We just wanted to let you all know we will have a simple wedding soon after informing my sister and her friend." Asad looked at us with a smile.

"Okay... I would like to meet the psycho!" Sara leaned back on the chair, "And fix her with Kunal who has taken the oath to die single."

"And I'm fixing you with Neha's boyfriend's friend." Kunal rolled his eyes.

"Neha has a boyfriend?" I looked on surprised, Mishti doesn't look surprised at all which says Neha has been sharing everything with her.

"Guys, guys, leave my boyfriend! I am happy I'll be attending this wedding because honestly I badly wanted to attain a Muslim wedding and the part 'Qubool Hai' is so exciting!" Asad and Foziah chuckled at her excitement.

"Mishti and Abir hurry up I don't want you guys to miss your flight."  She said quickly remembering it. I roll my eyes, she acts as if our honeymoon is her priority. Yesterday night we had an argument over her excitement for which Mishti shouted at me and spend the night with her on the terrace with ice cream tubs. Though I'm glad they both acted normal in the morning.

I sigh in relief as I quickly stand up. Mishti stood up after me, she grabbed her purse and bid bye to everyone.

"Happy honeymoon!" Sara and Neha called behind us and giggled grabbing a few people's attention.

"Happy honeymoon!" Someone greeted us while eating, "We are on our babymoon." The lady smile, I notice her small baby bump and smile at her.

"Thank you!" Mishti greeted, her gaze flickering between the man, lady and the baby bump.

I drag her with me because in her daydreaming we will miss our flight, "We can always get you one if you want."

"What?" She asked confused as we sat in the car.

"Umm... some craving days for you?" I offer and chuckle seeing her heated up cheeks.

"It was only a suggestion," I add as I drove towards the airport.

Days went in a flow as we explored the place. The first day we stuck with the front beach and talked for hours about random things which I realized we don't do at home. She said all about her childhood and college funny and special days. While I shared my same days.

Somehow we reached a point where we shared the sad days we lived. The saddest day of her life was when her parents passed away. One thing I have noticed is she doesn't show her emotional self too much, the tears gather in her eyes for a moment and with a blink, she clears them.

The second day we went to random restaurants and ate the foods we haven't ate back in our country. Though she was making faces when I ate lots of desserts and shared my love for sweets. In the evenings we would walk back to the beach and walk barefoot on the sand holding each other's hand. Late in the night we would step into our room and snuggle in the bed. Mishti had briefly shown her love for balconies and fear for huge bathrooms. I had literally laughed at her face when late in the night she asked me to stand outside while she uses the washroom. I immediately felt bad when she looked embarrassed but she justified her fear by saying, "I always have this in the back of my mind that ghosts live in huge bathrooms." Well if we consider this washroom was twice than the washroom back in our home.

It had been a miracle we managed to watch sunrise and sunset from the balcony on the third day. I woke up at five to use the washroom and ended up sitting on the balcony. Mishti having the habit of waking up early joined me on the balcony at 6 with coffee. We spend the rest of the day sitting on the couches on the balcony and playing random games. From Truth And Dare - Twenty One Questions - Candy Crush - Riddles - Whisper Challenge - Singing.

One thing you must know Mishti is a terrible singer! She had thrown the entire milkshake on me when I said her that and her blabbering of 'I hate you' went on. I had given my cool reply, "Don't expect a 'Same to you ' from me." But the question is what does she get from my reply?

Did she figure it out whenever I say that I simply meant "I love you."

If she did, what does she think about it?

On the fourth day, that is today, we spend the entire morning arguing. She had asked me to get only snacks for breakfast and I didn't bring snacks knowing well she won't have breakfast. We ended up arguing and none of us had breakfast. She literally Googled few animal names to throw them on my face. Starting from A for Anaconda - Z for Zebu.

She sat silently on the balcony and I attended the online meeting with Mr Rayan Malhotra. Currently, we are having lunch in the restaurant and ignoring each other at our best.

Suddenly, I hear someone fart. " We need to leave!" I exclaim in a hushed tone. She looked up from the menu and raised her eyebrows.

"Someone just farted. " I whisper in a hushed tone.

She sighed as she raised her index finger, "Firstly, don't act as if you don't fart!" She raised her next finger, "Secondly, you don't have to keep your ears so sharp! It's annoying sometimes."

I shift on my seat uncomfortably not knowing what to say, these are the things I hate about public places. The serve arrives with our food, Mishti munched on her food hungrily while I heard someone fart again.

I can't just leave her and go. So I sit and watch as she eats, she promptly stops and looks at me questioningly. "I can't eat here," I whisper scrunching my nose annoyedly as I smell the surrounding.

"Suit yourself, the food is delicious, I'm not leaving any time soon." She rolled her eyes, "Someone shouldn't be this cleanliness freak!" She mumbled to herself while I chuckled.

Later, I ordered food for myself and had it in our room while she was busy reading some novel. We decided to join the bonfire in the evening. The nearby forest had a pool that shone bright with the lights around. The surrounding looked breathtaking. The sunset view looked astonishing as the surroundings went from warm to chill.

The breeze went violent. Few teenage boys arranged the bonfire as they laughed and smacked each other. I'm hit by my memories of where I was a teenager.

Mishti seems occupied with those teenage girls who keep jumping every two seconds. I watch as all of them giggle and capture photos of nature.

Then we all settle around the bonfire, the teenagers turn out to be a group of friends who have come to enjoy. All of us introduce ourselves and share our hobbies trying to mingle up. I am surprised how proudly Mishti introduced me, saying, "And this is my husband Abir Rajvansh, CEO of Rajvansh Corporations. He is a sweet idiot."

I shift close to Mishti who is sitting silently staring at the fire. Her gaze lifts to meet mine and her lips tug up in a smile making my heart flutter. She wraps her hands around my arm and keeps her head on my shoulder, I feel complete.

We sit there in silence watching the fire, there is warmth in the place because of fire but the warmth I feel is radiating from Mishti.

"This feels so peaceful." I break the silence, she tilts to look at me.

"I'm that awesome, huh?" Her eyes twinkle with a tease, I throw my head back and laugh.

"Oh, you are more than awesome." I flick her nose making her giggle.

"This does feel peaceful and surreal." She agrees looking around, "You know as I watch those teenage girls I see myself in them. I was happy as a child, had everything I want, a perfect family. It's not like I'm not happy with Badi maa, I'm happy. It's just I crave for some normal life not having the sadness of losing family."

I squeeze her hand not knowing what to say, no words can heal the pain of losing parents. "The only wish I have after being successful and independent is giving our children a completely normal life."

My lips twitch up at her words, "You know every mother has a different kind of love, Badi maa opts the sweet side while she knows how to make me choose what's right for me. She made me choose you. She doesn't force me she acts stubborn. While my mother was always hiding her sweet side, she would scold me if I did wrong but her sweet side came out when I used to cry. As a child, I used to wonder why can't she explain to me sweetly but as I grew I realized she wanted me to take it seriously that's why there was always a strict tone in her words." A tear rolls down her cheek which she doesn't care to wipe so I lean in and clean her tear.

"No matter how mothers behave their only motive is to bring the best out of us. Each of their punishment is only to keep us safe from other trouble. Many of the children, like me, would cry at nights thinking how cruel mother is being but I wish we would learn to give her a hug thanking her for saving us from other trouble. I wish, I had let my mother know how much I love her."

"What I am is because of her, if it was not for her I would never come to this world. She could choose to abort me thinking of the pain but she chooses to bring me to the world despite having the idea of pain. I wish, I had let her know she mattered to me the most. I wish, I had let her know I wanted nothing but to have her by my side even if all she does is scold me. I wish, I had let her know whenever I shouted in frustration I really didn't mean them. I wish, she had let me know this is her way of loving. I wish, I just wish, wish so many things."

"Hey, it's okay!" I pull her on my side as she sobs, her body shakes as she buries her face in her palms and cries. My heart clenches seeing her cry but I just realized how important it is to let someone know we love them. Maybe we will leave the world and take the love with ourselves without letting them know or maybe they will leave the world and we will always wish we could have told them.

We sit there silently as she cried, when she finally stopped she cleaned her face and looked at me with a flushed face and red eyes. "Sorry for being whiny." She smiled sadly, "The teenagers just reminded me of the old me."

"I don't mind," I shrug. "Unless you promise to hold me the next time I cry?"

She chuckled, "Though I would never want you to cry but whenever you did I'll always be there for you. We are humans and crying is common."

"Now that you have said, I'll cry for every small thing so that you hold me." I grin at her while she shook her head smiling.

I lean in and press my lips on her forehead. "Let's go to the room?" She nodded, we got up and grabbed our jackets and left from there after waving at the teenagers.

Maybe it's time I let Mishti know I love her, I don't want to be late. I am not asking for her to say I love you too, I just want to let her know I love her.

As we laid on the bed I turned off the lamp lights while she threw the comforter on us and threw her arm on my waist. I shift to face her, she smiles at me as I put my arm around her.

I let our lips connect since the first time after the fashion show, her lips move against mine in a slow rhythm and I think in my mind what I want to say to her. Her palm rests on my cheek as we deepen the kiss, my hand grips her waist as I pull her towards me trying to eliminate the non-existence distance between us.

We pull away feeling breathless, I kiss her forehead as I think to let her know about it tomorrow since it is, 12th September, my birthday but then I dismiss it. I don't need any special day to let her know I love her, I can say it now and make this day special for us.

She lets our lips connect again blocking my thoughts, "You are thinking something." She mumbled in between as she attempted to kiss me.

"I Love You,"  I whisper against her lips, she pulls away and looks at me with a blank expression. "I-- I mean it," I mumbled not knowing if I did the right thing by letting her know.

She burst out laughing making me frown. My grip on her loosens a bit as I wasn't expecting that.

"I am sorry!" She managed to say between her laugh as she placed my hand back on her waist. "I thought you could say that only by standing in front of the mirror." She bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing.

I look away embarrassed, two days ago in the morning while she was in the shower I was practising thinking I'll propose in some restaurant but all we did was go to random restaurants and eat. I didn't get the courage to do it.

"Thank you." She spoke softly when I look at her she has tears in her eyes, "For letting me know."

I smiled at her feeling glad about it, she cleaned her tears as she chuckled. "I need to pee."

I chuckle and let her go. I close my eyes for a moment but then Mishti wakes me up, "Get up." I blink my eyes at her she smiles at me cheerfully.

"Need to go to the washroom?" I ask as I see it's 12:5 and I slept around 10:30 something.

"If I wake you up after 12, it doesn't necessarily mean that I need to use the washroom." She rolled her eyes and pulled me up.

"Happy Birthday." She handed me a small box.

"Thank you." I look at her unsurely wondering when she bought this gift.

"Open it, open it." She waved her hand.

I pull open the wrapper suddenly feeling excited about it. There lay a chocolate bar. "What's this?" I chuckle as I take it out.

"Some quick gift to celebrate your day." She grinned at me as she gestured me to tare the chocolate wrapper.

"Happy Birthday, again." She smiled as she took the chocolate bar in her hand and put a piece in my mouth.

"Thank you." I feed her another piece of chocolate. "One minute." She raised her finger as she grabbed her phone from the nightstand and got busy for a moment. Just then my phone beeped with notifications. I grabbed it to see Mishti's message along with many messages from friends and family.

Carefully I open her message and look at her with a frown as she has sent me some recording.

She hesitates, "You might want to click the button and listen to it,"

I nod as I press the button, "Hey!"  Her soft voice echoed from it.

"This might be a stupid idea but since you are busy with your honeymoon shopping I thought to do this. This might be the only gift I want to give you on your birthday. Happy Birthday, Abir."

There was a pause and I look into her eyes.

"I don't know from where to start, maybe from the engagement day where you said me you're not afraid to let everyone know you're mine and I'm yours."

"Or maybe it was the times you tried to fix an ice cream date with me."

"Or maybe the way you let me win on all our stupid fights."

"Or maybe the way you introduce me to others, with proudness in your tone."

"Or maybe how you give importance to my every word."

"Or how you take the task of keeping jewellers back in the box after I remove them."

"All of these made me admire you but then a conversation with Foziah made me realize in all the types of love I was searching for Protective Love."

"From then I started noticing the protective side in you which was hard to ignore when I had realized what I needed. I noticed how you took hold of my hand in office and public places. How you would make sure I wore a seat belt before you drove the car. How you would throw glares at the men who looked at me. And then Mr Pandit's incident made me realize how much you mean when you say, "Nah, Protective much."

I look at her with an amused smile as she mimicked my voice. She simply shrugged and smiled.

"All of these made me comfortable with you. As much as you craved for my presence, I carved for yours. Unexpectedly I find myself wanting to hug you, wanting to adore you in the morning while you're asleep. I found myself trying to make you happy, I felt happy when you smile, I felt peace in your arms, I felt happy with you."

"Your every gesture meant a lot to me even if I argued with you, I may think of apologizing for being bossy but that's me and how can you expect me to apologize for being me?"

I chuckled at her words and she beamed proudly.

"I have read numerous cliché novels, lots of romantic proposals and I found myself doing awe on it but reality has nothing to do with those proposals. Going on one knee and proposing does sound fabulous but lemme go with something abnormally simple."

"If love means finding comfort with your partner,
 If love means smiling and crying with your partner without feeling awful,
If love means sharing food and hiding ice creams,
If love means arguing over silly things,
If love means throwing the fridge products on your partner's face,
If love means waking up in each other's arms,
If love means craving for presence than touch,"

"Then I'm in love with you Abir Rajvansh."

My gaze softened at her words, she simply leaned in and pecked my cheek.

"Though for me love simply means troubling the shit out of you and admire the way you still manage to give me a breathtaking smile."

"I Love You."

I keep my phone away as I inch towards her, my eyes roam on her face, everything about her is beautiful but her eyes stand out. I stare into her black eyes in which I found me, my hands fondle her cheeks.

"Thank you." I smile at her, "For letting me know."

She blinked at me as she leaned in and pressed her lips on my forehead.

Guess, my birthday somehow turned special.

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How was it?

I don't get sometimes if I'm dragging the past a little too much.

Keeping in my mind that there are readers who want the present I'll make sure to not drag the past too much than I already did.

That is the reason I managed to cover the honeymoon part in one chapter. We will be jumping from one week to another very quickly.

Considering they had a long past it's not easy to cover everything quickly maybe some 55 chapters the past will end.

However, even I'm excited to write the present scenes which will be having twists.

Thank you for all the love, patience and support in each chapter.

Do vote, comment and share your views.

Thank y'all.