Important: The second half of this chapter is inspired by 'Write It on The Ice', so credits to the original author who posted the prompts to 'A Way with Words'. :)

I repeat, it is inspired from there even though I have taken only the idea. Everything else is my take on it. If the original author/one who holds copyright for the prompts would like credit/removal, please DM. Please DM. I have had enough of 'copied from here and there' comments in the past and don't want a touchdown with it again.

Write It On The Ice.

" If you write it on the ice, what you write will be impermanent, or not to be counted on–the opposite of carved in stone. "

– A way with words,
Sound Cloud,
1391
7th March, 2014.

Manik

The next day:

"Dad, not fair!" Mia pouted at the breakfast table, making me long sigh.

"I know, baby love," I look at her, "I promise I'll make it up to you this weekend. We can have more chocolate cookies and even watch a princess movie. How is that?"

"No." She pouted, sinking in her chair further. "Today! Today! Today!"

"You have already missed school, but Papa has work today, love," Nandini tried intervening. Ever since Mia had gotten up, she wanted to spend the day with me. I didn't know what she had in mind or why, but she had been asking for the rigidly, owing to the fact that I missed spending the last weekend with her.

"Papa," she looked at me with puppy eyes, "Please?"

"Sweetheart," I sighed, looking at her the same way.

"Manik," Cabir softly called. "It's okay. I can handle work alone today. Take her out if she wishes."

"It isn't about that, Cabir," Nandini answered in place of me. "Mia is growing up. She has to understand that she can't be stubborn and expect everything to be handed to her."

My eyes flickered to my daughter who was just staring into her plate with teary eyes. The poor girl was only three and a half now. How does Nandini expect her to even understand what it means to be stubborn and what doesn't?

"But Nandini," Navya tried, "Ever since you and Manik separated, Mia has never done this. If she wishes to spend the day with Manik once, I don't think you should stop her."

"You're right." Nandini sighed, shaking her head to herself as she looked at me. "Whatever Manik thinks is correct."

I looked over at Mia. She looked back at me with the same wide teary eyes, and then hiccuped.

"Okay," I give her a smile.

A grin immediately spends through her face as she punches her fist in the air. "Yay!"

Even Nandini laughs as our little girl immediately gets up on her chair, hopping to me and makes herself comfortable in my lap.

"Best papa!" She giggled, and I held her tighter.

"So, what do you want to do for the day?"

"Papa... Ice Skating." She said.

"Ice Skating?" I knit my eyebrows at her. "I thought you wanted chocolate chip cookies and Disney movies."

She looked at me with mischief in her eyes. "No, Ice Skating!"

"I see," I say. "You are in luck, sweetheart. There is a carnival today, and it should have an ice skating ring too."

"I know." She answered.

"You do?"

"Mhmm." She nodded, "Divya told me."

Oh, damn Divya.

"So, do you want to go to the carnival today?" I asked her.

She nodded again.

"Alrighty then." I shrugged helplessly. "Whatever my daughter wants."

Mia giggled, looking at Nandini. "Mama, are you coming too?"

"Me?" Nandini was surprised. "I thought you wanted to spend the day with your Dad."

"Both." Mia's eyes flickered from Nandini to me.

Nandini seemed reluctant. Her hesitant eyes looked at me, but I just sighed. "I think you should come along too," I tell her, "If that's what Mia wants."

"Well, it has been a long time since you and Manik took Mia out as a family," Cabir added, smiling.

"You're right," Nandini said, looking at me for assurance and I just pressed my eyes in reply.

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" Mia shouted in the air, getting out of my lap and onto the floor. "Can we go now?"

I look around. We were done with breakfast anyway. Navya and Cabir gave me slight nods, as did Nandini.

"Sure, sweetheart." I tell her, "Why don't you go fetch your bag from Navya Aunty's room? I and your Mama will wait for you in the car outside."

"Okay Dad.." she said at once, running inside and upstairs.

I got up, and Nandini followed my lead. "Thanks for handling work today," I tell Cabir, who just shooed off my gratitude.

"Let my niece and sister-in-law have a good time. That'll be thanks enough." Cabir said.

My breath hitches when I hear the word 'sister-in-law' and I know Nandini's did too, yet we both pull casual smiles to our lips as we say our byes and walk out.

"Manik," Nandini says quietly when we reach the main door.

"Hmm?" I ask her.

"I wanted to ask you last night.. Uh, what about the divorce papers? Have you...?" She let's her voice trail.

I hadn't. "I have, yes," I lie, "In fact, you go ahead and sit in the car, I'll just call my lawyer and join you in a minute."

She nods timidly, going ahead and I deep sigh as I dial the lawyer.

Making the divorce papers seemed like an inevitable choice now.

* *

Nandini

"We are sorry Sir, the carnival is exclusive to weekends." The guard in front of the locked grounds tells Manik, and I hear Mia thump her foot and lean back on the car.

I and Mia were standing a few feet away from the entrance since Manik had seen the empty carnival and already doubted about it being closed.

"Oh love, it's alright," I pick Mia up in my arms. "I can ask Dad to get you back on Saturday-"

My voice was overlapped by Manik's. "Take all the money you want, just open it for the day for my daughter."

My lips fell apart as my mouth hung open. "Manik!" I call after him pointedly.

"What?" He looks back at me.

"We are not paying to open the entire carnival."

"You're right, not we... I am." He shrugged in return.

"No."

"But-"

"No." I cut him short.

He glared at me, but walked back to me obediently. "She just really wants to skate." He said.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you should rent out the carnival for the day.." I tried reasoning.

"Okay," he nodded. "I do have another place in mind. You cannot stop me from taking y'all there then."

"As long as it doesn't involve buying or renting an entire ice ring for Mia, you can take us anywhere." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could rethink them and I knew I'd regret it the moment a smug smile spread through his lips.

* *

A frozen lake.

That is where Manik took us.

The lake was ice white for as long as eyes could see and Manik didn't look as surprised by it as I did, almost as if this was exactly what he had expected when he told me he wanted to take us somewhere.

I gulp, my eyes finding it's way to look at him nervously as I held Mia in my arms closer. "This lake... it's frozen."

"Yes, Ms. Obvious."

I control the urge to roll my eyes at him. "Then why are we here? You said you were taking Mia to ice skate else where?"

"I did." A grin spreads over his lips as he steps ahead knowingly leaving me no option but to follow him to the edge.

I had to give it to him, this was beautiful. I'd never seen a completely frozen lake like this one before and as much as it terrified me, it was also wondrous, especially at this time of the day when the sun wasn't overhead and the sky was a light shade of blue with faded stars still overhead.

But before I could comprehend what was on my his mind, I saw him stepping onto the ice, which left me absolutely horrified with wide eyed. "Manik!" I was quick and loud to protest.

He seemed rather unfazed. "What?"

"Winter has ended!" I remind him sharply. "It's Feb end and even though it is still cold, the ice would be very delicate and unless you want it to thaw, and fall into the water I suggest you to come back-"

Before I could continue with my rambling, he pulled Mia beside him onto the ice and I clutched onto him for dear life. "I swear to God, if you want to willingly die you can go right ahead but I find nothing poetic in doing dumb things and dying together, and I will not let my daughter be a part of this-"

He quieted me with a finger on my lips, his touch as cold as what I'd imagine the ice underneath us to be and I instantly shut up, gulping. I felt a shiver pass through me, uncertain of it was because of the cold wind or because of the touch of his skin against my lips that cut me short

"The ice won't thaw." He promised.

"You don't know that," I still protested in a weak mumble, still holding one of Mia's hand while her other remained intact in Manik's.

"Actually, I do. Do you really think I would endanger yours and Mia's life if I wasn't sure?" He replies with a confident smile, making me leave Mia's hand slowly and I reluctantly do so, taking a step onto the ice myself.

The moment I do, he gently makes Mia grip my wrist mostly because he knew I would run to the safety of the shore the moment he leaves me.

"This lake remains frozen for most of the year until summer and then freezes in winter again." He tells me.

I blink my eyes dubiously.

He reluctantly makes Mia let go of his grip on me. "I promise." He adds. I was still hesitant.

"If you can't trust the ice, trust me, please?" He asks. Practically begs. I sigh, nodding wistfully.

His half-smile immediately shoots up into a grin as he walks ahead to the other side and I couldn't help but unwillingly follow behind him.

"Mia, do you like this?" He asked his daughter. Mia grins, clapping her hands as she gently jumps and every time she did that, my heart beat faster.

Manik still seemed unfazed.

"Come on, Nandini," he calls after me, "Loosen up a bit. You were the one who said you were up for anything as long as it doesn't involve renting a new ice skating ring!"

"That's no excuse to walk on ice." I grumble.

"Stop pouting."

I roll my eyes playfully. "I can not believe you brought us here. Where did you even find this place from?"

"I used to do a lot of very dangerous things back in school." He boasted.

"It's a miracle you managed to survive for twenty-eight years." I scoff.

His smile just gets more smug. "This was like our own ice skating ring back in school."

"Is it?"

"Yeah," he looks at me, "And do you know the best part?"

I raise my eyebrows in question. He goes on, "You don't need to have skates to be able to skate."

"What?" I knit my eyebrows, but he answers me by letting Mia go, who slides ahead gleefully and slips to a distance away from my hand's length which makes me uncomfortable and I reflectively follow her lead.

However, I wasn't as good at this as she was and the first thing I did was stumble and end up on the ground on my butt.

I groaned, half because I was going to get my pants wet and other half because I was afraid my weight had broken the ice like it should have but Manik laughed at me from a distance unfazed. He didn't seem bothered and much to my relief, I got up to see the ice just as it was.

Maybe I should trust the ice after all.

"See?" He reminds me, "You didn't fall, did you? And this isn't suicide?"

"I wonder which one of your stupid group of friends was brave enough to try this out first." I scoff, getting up to my feet more confidently this time.

"I cannot believe that you've grown up in America and never been to a frozen lake before.." He teased.

"I have been to frozen lakes before," I retaliate, "But in winter when it's perfectly safe to skate on them."

Before he could answer, Mia called out to us. "Mama! Dada! Look, I can skate."

Mia took ice skating classes, and she was good at it, unlike me. I watched my daughter with a smile on my lips as she gracefully danced through the ice.

"Wow." Manik calls out after her, and she bounces around faster, happy her father praised her.

I shook my head to myself. No matter what, Mia will always be her father's princess.

Manik hesitantly turned his eyes towards me. "So, how do you like this place?"

"I like it." I look around cautiously. Even as reluctant I was first, I did like this place.

"Just like?" He smirks, "I'll make you love it."

I look at him raising an eyebrow at his cockiness. "How so?"

"Not now," he answers, "Later."

"So what until then?" I squeeze my eyebrows, wondering what he had up his sleeves for 'later'.

"Mama! Papa! I can dance!" Mia called out again, looking at us. "Can you two dance too?"

"I can dance, sweetheart," Manik replied in a teasing tone, "Although I'm not sure if your mother can keep up with me."

"You asked me what until then.." He looks at me. "Let's dance."

My eyes widen. "Oh no.."

"Come on.." He 'skates' to my side.

"You can't make me do this." I cry but he holds my hand in his anyway and pulls me close to him. Taking the opportunity, I slip my hands underneath his jacket and manage to touch them on his bare stomach's skin, making him flinch by the cold and take quick steps backwards, losing balance and stumble down just like I had.

It was my chance to laugh this time.

"That was uncalled for." He groaned.

"Well, you laughed when I fell down," I reminded him, smirking, "And then you tried getting me to dance with you against my will. It was absolutely called for."

"Oh?" He smiles wryly and was up on his feet before I could blink, with his phone in his hand. He was doing something into his phone, leaving me puzzled until he drops his phone carelessly to the icy floor and skids it to Mia's side and I before realise what he had done, my daughter catches the phone and sits on the ice with a grin on her lips, her eyes fixed at both of us.

He'd just switched on some music.

"No." I whimper, taking a step backwards all ready to flee, except I forgot I was walking on ice. Thankfully, before I could fall again, he held me. Con: I was now in his arms and had no option but to dance.

"You know, Mia's watching," He tells me. "You don't have any option but to dance."

Huffing, I let him encircle his hand around my waist while one of mine reaches on his shoulder, the other interlocked in his.

"Smile." He mumbled.

I gave him a pointed glance.

"What?" He innocently shrugged in return. "Mia's watching."

"That seems to be your excuse for everything." I huff again but pull a half smile on my lips for Mia's sake. The smile on his face, however, was genuine.

'For every song, there's a song we're not singing;
For every step, there's a step we're not taking,'

"Just for a minute," I condition icily. "I don't like dancing. I can't dance." I tell him, but he knew. Of course he knew my hatred towards dancing.

'So let me know if there's something I'm missing,
'Cause this is all I need...'

He doesn't answer me, instead, sways me to the right. I flinch, afraid of falling with him, but instead, we effortlessly glide on the ice, making me smile wider as Mia laughed looking at us.

His eyes remained focused, smiling looking at Mia giggle.

'So say we'll be always, always,
Say it will be
you and me
to the old days'

"Step on my feet." He instructs me.

My eyes widen. "No."

"Just do it."

Looking at him hesitantly when we pause, I keep my toes on his as gently as I could, but he doesn't seem to mind. He just holds me tighter, careful to not make me fall I grip onto his jacket. I gulp, looking at him nervously but he seemed confident in taking a step.

'Let us be always,
always
Through the highs and the lows,
we'll be always.'

"Don't let me fall." I practically beg.

"I'd never."

He takes a step to the side, making me take the step upon him. My eyes were wide, wondering if he'd be able to pull it off but he swayed us like we were some royal couple in the 19th century ball dancing in a palace in vintage gowns and prince suits.

This was crazy.

This was more than crazy.

We pull away only in the end when I stumble in the end and even then, he makes sure to hold my back and not let me fall, holding me until I manage to hold myself on my feet.

And then, I giggle.

"This was crazy." I laugh of happiness which just makes his smile widen.

"Really?" He says.

"Yes." My eyes glimmer. "I mean, this wasn't just normal crazy. This was the a fairytale kind of crazy."

"So it's safe to say that you liked it?" He asked.

"Lots." I whisper shout, almost excited enough to run to him on the ice and place a kiss on his lips, and it took me every ounce of strength to stand in my place where I was.

The smile on his lips was smug. "And this wasn't the part that was supposed to make you love this place either."

My eyes widen. "Then what is?"

Smiling, he digs his hand into the pocket and picks out two marker pens.

"Are we going to draw?" I tease.

"Yes."

"Really?" My smile flatlined upon realising he was actually serious.

"Yes." He simply repeats and throws one of them to me and the other to Mia.

While my daughter catches it effortlessly, I, being the bad catcher I was, flinch, but somehow manage to hold it in my hands.

"Write something." He tells me.

I look at him in disbelief. "On the ice?"

"Yes." He says, "Why are you so doubtful about everything?"

"Excuse me if it's my first time walking and dancing and drawing on frozen water." I pout. I could swear this was him pulling off a prank. What could you possibly get from writing on ice?

He chuckled. "Are you going to do it or not?"

"No?" I scrunch my nose.

He blinks his eyes and my eyes flicker to Mia, who was still sitting on the ice crossing her feet and was already busy drawing whatever she wanted to.

"You first." I tell him.

"No." He whines in return. "How am I supposed to show you magic if you don't participate?"

"Just the way it is." I tell him with a smug face. "Please? Please?"

"Nandini...."

"Please?"

"Agh!" He groaned, and then kneeled down on the ice, opening the marker pen. I smirked. Whatever his prank or plan was, seemed like it just backfired. If this was supposed to be a joke, jokes on him.

His eyes flicker from the light sky overhead to me. "What do you want me to write?"

"Just the first thing in your mind?" I propose but it comes out as a question. This was his idea. How was I supposed to know what he should write or draw?

"Alright." Sighing, he gets to work.

I tap my foot on the icy floors trying to get a peak but was covered by his back. A minute later, even when he was done and got to his feet moving away, whatever he had written was too blur for me to read, which was kind of expected. You couldn't write on ice. That's a fact.

"Papa," Mia pouted from the other side. "Whatever I drew went away! I can't see it anymore."

I look at him, stifling a smile. "So, the magic?"

"Patience, darling." He seemed unfazed as he called out for Mia. "Just give it a minute."

My eyebrows knitted but I kept quiet, carefully watching as Mia ran towards us with Manik's phone secured in her little hands, and stood beside me, one of her hands wrapped around my index finger.

I watched the ice and everything seemed blur until just as suddenly, everything aligned.

Whatever he had written was impermanent since he had written it on ice, but because he had written it on natural ice, giving it a moment made the letter's align and my name was written across the slippery ground.

Because what he wrote was my name.

'Nandini'.

"You wrote my name.." I mumbled under my breath in a whisper, dazed.

"You asked me to write the first thing that was on my mind." He answered in an obvious tone, making my eyes glisten.

Without caring twice about anything, I slid to his side without stumbling this time, putting my arms by his neck and hugging him. Being startled, he tumbled backwards but didn't slip and managed to put his hands around my waist reluctantly, holding me so close. I pressed my eyes close, feeling his touch and his warmth again after so many years, the tranquility of being in his arms and I knew those were the same thoughts on his head because he kept pulling me closer until there were no spaces left between us anymore, and he held me that way until his phone vibrated on the ice, breaking the small moment.

My cheeks flushed red upon realising what I had done, and I let my hands fall back, retracing my steps backwards to stand with an amused and excited Mia while Manik picked up his call, his eyes not quite meeting mine.

The conversation was short, but whoever it was had managed to pull the smile off Manik's lips, and  making me worried. I found myself hoping it wasn't Cabir and stealing Manik away from his office on a work day had not taken a serious turn.

The moment he disconnected his call, he took a deep breath before turning to me, his eyes still only barely meeting mine. "What's wrong?" I asked in a whisper, afraid.

"The divorce papers," he paused, and I felt my heart drop, "They're ready."

*

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P.S: Have you ever been to a frozen lake?

Important: The second half of this chapter is inspired by 'Write It On The Ice', so credits for the original author who posted the prompts to 'A Way with Words' in March of 2014. :)