Love is such a delicate thing. We never realize how priceless it is until one day we wake up and realize we have no love left in our big world.
For love is like the wind, you can't see it but feel it.

As the school bell reverberates all over the school premises, a bunch of tiny students appears in the passageway of the school. Surrounded by the crowd, a little girl come into sight along with a pleasant tinkle, the moment her anklet's small silver bells were strung together. She flashes her toothy smile on noticing one known face at the one end of the passage alley. Dressed up in school uniform of one loose white shirt, blue tunic, a warm blazer with two hair plaits beautified with cartoon design hair clips. Carrying a small water bottle around her neck and a pink school bag on her back. The same girl fastens up her pace to get herself squeezed between a pair of arms. Excitedly, she squeals "Mumma".

The latter one also embraces her firmly who was waiting for the last 3 hours outdoors at the school building. "Mumma nahi, Papa. Jab dekho mujhe Mumma bulati rehti ho tum. Main kya tumhe Mumma jaisa lagta hoon." Sameer expressed while caressing her daughter. In response, she nods her head in confirmation and then chuckles. Taking off the bag and bottle from her, he clutched her tiny hand in his big one.

"Acha batayo School ka first day kaisa gaya?" While walking up the hill lane, he asked.

"Pata hai Papa, Teacher ne mujhe Toffee di thi. Maine ache se in...Instruction diya tha na."

"Instruction nahi baba Introduction." He explained and pinched her nose.

"Haan haan wohi wohi. Maine bola...My name is Inayat...Inayat Maheshwari. Phir Teacher ne mujhse mere name ka meaning pucha. Toh maine bataya ki Inayat ka matlab hota hai Blessing of God. Papa, main kya sacchi mein Bhagwan Ji ki blessing hu?"

"Haan...aap God ka bheja hua sabse pyaara gift ho. Aap ho, isiliye Papa hai. Acha batao, aage kya bola."

"Phir maine kaha...I am 5 years old. My favorite color is Pink. My favorite food is Aloo Parantha. My favorite person is my Papa."

Intervening her in middle, "Ek minute...Yeh itni tareef kyu ho rahi hai meri aaj. Kya chahiye?"

"Offo Papa...aapko pata toh hai I Love Ice Cream so much. Aur yeh bhi pata hai na konse wali."

A few minutes later, she made a sound of slurp-slurp while enjoying her favorite Ice Cream.

"Papa, goddi." She looks at him, pleadingly.

In the next second, he picks her up in his arms, rubs her mouth with his handkerchief, and cleans the remains of her favorite Ice cream.

"Papa, hum itni upar pahadi par kyu rehte hai? Main thak jati hoon roz itna upar chadke."

"Kyuki yeh jagah aapki Mumma ko bahut pasand hua karti thi. Aur phir meri bhi yeh favorite ban gayi."

"Papa Papa...aap bhi apna in...instruction, arey nahi kya tha...haan introduction do na. Aap mere Student, main aapki Teacher. Chalo do jaldi ab."

"Yes Mam. My name is Sameer Maheshwari. I am 37 years old. My favorite color is also Pink. My favorite food is Gobhi ke Paranthe. And, my favorite persons are Inayat and..."

"And?" She raises her brows and questioned.

"Inayat and...Inayat's Mumma," came the succinct reply from him.

"Aap mujhko zyada pyaar karte ho ya unko."

After silence for a few seconds, he said "Aapko...kyuki..."

Without listening to him further, she gets off from his arms and sprint towards another familiar face, "Briganza Aunty, aap mujhse milne aayi ho na yahan."

"Aur nahi toh kya. Par humari gudiya toh school gayi hui thi. Aapko pata hai aapki Mumma bhi usi School mein padhaya karti thi aur." Without even listening to her completely, Inayat goes inside the house as got remembered something.

Whereas Mrs. Briganza expressed rather asked Sameer, "Kitne badal gaye hai Sir aap. Pichle 5 saalon mein ek thehraav sa aa gaya ho maano."

"Mrs. Briganza, karwate waqt leta hai aur badal insaan jaya karte hai. Aur phir kehte hai na kuch badlaav ache ke liye hote hai. Aur yeh thehraav bhi usi waqt ki badaulat hai jo mujh mein tab aaya jab se is zindagi ki keemat jani hai."

"Aapka yeh safar bahut mushkil raha hai na."

"Aasan...Mushkil, kya hi fark padta hai usse, Mrs. Briganza. Kyuki na hi yeh safar aham hota hai, aur na hi us tak pahuchane wali manzil. Agar kuch ahmiyat rakhta hai toh bas woh hai...saath. Aisa saath jo safar ke har padaav par maujud rahe aur manzil tak bhi rahe. Aisa saath jo safar ko khushiyon se bhar de aur manzil ko paane ki khushi ko bhi doguna kar de. Aisa saath jo is zindagi ke safar mein beech mein haath na chodke jaye aur manzil pa lene par haath ko kaske bhi thaam le. Bas ek aisa saath."

On another side, Inayat was pacing back and forth across the whole house, filling the emptiness of the house with her anklet's melodic echo.

Dejectedly, she sat down there. But the next moment her nostrils were met with one accustomed aroma. She steps hurriedly towards the kitchen and hugs the person from the back standing near the cooktop, "Mumma".

Naina turns, bends down, and engulfs her daughter tightly in her arms. Placing a long kiss on her head, she said fondly "Aa gaya mera baccha. Pata hai Mumma ne kitna miss kiya apni Inayat ko aaj.

"Pehle yeh batao aap mujhe School mein lene kyu nahi aayi, main katti hu aapse."

"Ohh...katti ho." Bringing a plate of in front of her next second, Naina asked, "Ab batti hogi kya?"

"Aloo ka Parantha...mera favorite." She encircled her arms around Naina's neck and kissed her cheeks.

"Ek minute...mooh kholo zara apna, tongue dikhao."

"Papa ne toh saaf bhi kiya tha, phir kaise pata chal gaya." Inayat murmured slowly.

"Inayat..." Naina looks at her angrily.

Obeying her mother frightfully, Inayat at a snail's pace opens her mouth and flaunts her completely orange tongue.

"Phir se Ice Cream khayi na...aur woh bhi baraf wali. Pata hai ki woh khane ke baad gala kharab hota hi hai. Lekin nahi, phir bhi khayi. Theek hai ab Mumma aapse katti." Turning her face away, Naina bite her inner cheeks to suppress her laughter.

Watching her enraged mother, Inayat pokes her arm but didn't get any reaction in return. Next, she offers one toffee to Naina, "Yeh toffee Teacher ne di thi mujhe aaj, par ab aap rakh lo. Pata hai maine class mein bilkul waisa hi bola tha jaisa aapne seekhaya tha. Aur yeh bhi bola tha ki my favorite person is my Mumma."

"Oye, mujhe toh bola tha ki Papa favorite hai." Sameer interferes all of a sudden, who was earlier standing at the door, smiling and seeing the banter occurring between his two lady loves.

Inayat gestures to him to keep quiet, putting a finger on her lips. "Sirf Papa nahi bola tha, Papa. Mumma aur Papa dono mere favorite hai, aisa bola tha."

She stands up on the kitchen shelf to reach up to Sameer's height, and then whispers in his ears, "Mumma abhi mujhse katti hai na, isiliye unhe manane ke liye main aisa bol rahi ho. Baki mere favorite toh aap hi ho, Papa. Don't worry. Par Mumma ko mat batana yeh sab. Shh...Shh...Shh."

"Mujhe sab sunai de raha hai. Aur Sameer main bata rahi hoon tumhari beti ko makhan khana aur lagana dono hi bahut pasand hai." She rolled her eyes from them and puts butter on Parantha. Making Inayat sit on her lap, Naina loosens her daughter's tie, unbuckles her School belt, and takes away her socks and shoes. "Ab katti-batti ho gayi ho toh khana kha le."

"Papa." Looking at Sameer, Inayat only voiced one word.

Handing over the plate to him, Naina exclaimed, "Khilaiye Papa. Tumhare alawa kisi aur ke haath se toh khayegi nhi yeh, Mr. Favorite Person."

"Apni Mumma ki tarah." Sameer smirked. Eyeing Naina, he feeds her daughter, and in between feeds one bite to Naina as well.

After gobbling her food, Inayat demanded, "Mumma...meetha." Understanding her plea both Sameer and Naina kissed their daughter's cheeks.

Later on, Sameer came to pick up Inayat who was snoozing on her mother's lap. "Sone do Sameer ise yahin par. School ka pehla din tha, thak gayi hogi."

"Madam, main ise utha nhi raha hoon. Bas apne liye bhi thodi si jagah bana raha hoon. Woh kya hai na main bhi thak gaya hoon." He also laid down on another side, keeping his head on her lap. Naina keeps threading her fingers into their hair locks until they both fall asleep. Then staring at the wall filled with photographs in front of her, she didn't realize when a single tear began to slide down one of her cheeks and dripped onto Sameer's face.

"Abhi bhi inki jagah hai?" He wipes every drop of her tear from her eyes.

"Nahi hai, par yeh wale khushi ke the. Maine toh umeed hi chod di thi Sameer ki main, tum, aur humari yeh pyaar ki nishani kabhi ek saath ek frame ka hissa ban payege. Par dekho aisa hua, un sanjoyi hui yaadon ko, un bitaye hue lamho ko roz dekh sakti hoon main, roz jee sakti hoon. Yuh toh ek Maa apne bacche ko zindagi deti hai, use apni kokh mein 9 mahine rakhke har din use bada karti hai. Par mujhe toh meri beti ne zindagi di hai, mere andar rehke mujhe hi roz maut se durr aur zindagi ke kareeb lekar gayi hai woh." Her voice still choked up.

Placing his palm on her daughter's head, Sameer said softly, "Inayat...yuhi thodi bulate hai ise. Aur isne sirf tumhe zindagi nahi di hai, mujhe bhi di hai, Naina. Jo kaam Doctor, dawai, surgery nhi kar paye the woh is nanhi si jaan ne kar diya tha. Meri zindagi ki zindagi ko bachaya the isne."

He reminisces that unfortunate or to say fortunate day, "Koi surgery ki jarurat nhi hai...matlab kya hai aapka. Doctor, aapne toh kaha tha na ki Naina ki delivery ke baad aap..."

The doctor explained, "Mr. Maheshwari, aap ise koi miracle samjhiye ya medical science ki advancement. Unborn baby ka umbilical cord blood mother ke liye life saver ho sakta hai...aisa researches mein bahut baar likha paya hai. Lekin aisa actual mein hona one in a million case mein dekha jata hai. Simple words mein kahu toh kaise ek Mother 9 months tak apne womb mein pal rahe apne unborn child ko life deti hai, use sab woh cheezein deti hai jo us child ki growth ke liye jaruri hoti hai. Usi tarah wohi unborn child bhi kahin baar apni mother ke liye wohi function karta hai. Aapke child ne bhi apni mother ki life kuch aise hi bachayi hai. Naina ke damage ho rahe heart cells ko ya kahiye poori tarah se damage ho chuke Naina ke heart ko 9 months ke Pregnancy period mein regularly repair kiya hai aapke child ne. Naina ki har ek suffering, har pain ko, har impairment ko aapke is child ne anjaane mein poori tarah se khatam kar diya hai. Usually hum sab kehte hai ki Maa banna ek aurat ke liye nayi life jaisa hota hai. Magar is baby ne toh vakai ek nayi life di hai Naina ko."

"Agar us din tumhe kuch ho jata toh main..." His voice breaks.

"Shh...kuch nahi hua, Sameer. Aur hota bhi kaise, tumhari beti jo thi meri pass. Aur phir sabse zyada pyaar bhi toh yeh mujhse hi karti hai."

"Oh hello Madam, shayad tum bhul rahi ho...uske Papa hi uske favorite hai."

"Honge, par pyaar toh woh apni Mumma se hi zyada karti hai."

"Inayat apne Papa se zyada pyaar karti hai." He argued.

"Ji nahi, Inayat apni Mumma se zyada pyaar karti hai." She debated more.

"Papa se..."

"Mumma se..."

"Papa..."

"Mumma..."

"Offo..." Inayat awakens from her deep slumber, rubbing her eyes. "Aap dono kitni fight karte ho ek dusre se. Ab aap dono ko punishment milegi."

"Kaisi punishment?" Both said in unison. In reply, Inayat grins.

Soon after, they all went for a picnic at the highest mountaintop of Nainital, with an enthralling view of the sparkling snow-loaded Himalayan range on one side and a bird-eye view of the lake of Nainital in its full grandeur on the other. Sameer lifts Inayat in his arms. And, Naina fixes Inayat's tresses. They kept walking. Their hands brushed. He held her hand to stop her. All three sat down at one edge of the peak. He feels so enchanting to be with his love, sitting on an empty hilltop in the sight of a sunset, gazing at each other, and having the best time of his life. She believed that usually, conversations build connections. But with him, even the silence has something. That silence gently touches her and sends some whispers in her ear, the tickling sense of the silence builds the connection she has with him.

"Acha suno Naina, bahut waqt se ek baat kehna chah raha tha tumse. Main janta hoon ki ab woh baat kehne ki koi jarurat nahi hai because you already know that. Par phir bhi kehne dena mujhe aaj."

But she intentionally intervenes him, "Lagta hai is baar sardi bahut zyada padegi, Sameer""Toh kya hua...sardi ke saath-saath main bhi toh rahuga apni baajuon ki garmahat lekar." He clasps her within his arms.

"Tumhari beti ko makhan aur tumhe cheese kuch zyada hi pasand hai na. Kitni cheesy line thi, Sameer. Waise mere pass bhi hai ek line. Yeh pal kuch is tarah thehar jaye, ki tumhare kandhe par hi poori raat guzar jaye." Resting her head on his shoulder, she got the relief she ever felt. And, the next moment, she starts humming their favorite song.

Ajib dastan hai yeh,
Kahan shuru kahan khatam.
Yeh manjile hai kaun si,
Na woh samajh sake na hum.

Sameer clutched Naina's hand as if nothing else mattered in this world, and then pecked her daughter's head, who was resting on his lap, watching the sky adorning with the colors of sun. "Naina, vakai bahut ajeeb hoti hai yeh dastaan. Kahan shuru hoti hai aur kahan khatam. Magar ek baat toh samajh aa gayi ki ek bure padaav ka matlab yeh nahi hota ki aapki kahani wahin khatam ho gayi. One bad chapter doesn't mean your story is over. Jaise humari kahani."

"Jis kahani mein barso ke inteazaar ke baad pyaar ek din achanak laut kar aaya, darwaja khatkhataya, aur dil mein bas phir se daakhil ho gaya. Kabhi kwaab dikhake jeena seekhaya, toh kabhi khwaishe muqaamal karke ishq jataya. Apne usi pyaar ki nishani dekar ek zindagi ko phir maut se bacha laya. Aur phir usi pyaar se ek khushiyon ka jahaan sajaya. Isiliye toh kehte hai is pyaar ko kabhi kum nahi samajhna chahiye."

"Never Belittle Love, Right."

"Offo...kitni baatein karte ho aap dono. Mujhse toh koi pyaar hi nahi karta." Inayat spoke in between.

"Sameer, humari rooh ki ruhaniyat kon hai?" Naina raises her brows.

"Aur is kudrat ki kainaat kon hai, Naina?"

"Humare ishq ki ibaadat jo hai."

"Yani khuda ki bheji humari inayat." They both hold their piece of heart tightly within them.

However, suddenly Inayat places her hand on her mother's tummy; a pregnant belly. "Toh phir yeh kon hoga."

Sameer and Naina again expressed all together, "Humari Mohabbat." Both look at each other with love, a part of it manifests in his eyes and the other part beats inside her womb.

"Arey, meri baat toh adhuri hi reh gayi Naina. Jo main kab se kehna chah raha tha tumse. Jo aaj tak kabhi nahi keh paya tumko. Janta hoon bahut pehle hi keh dena chahiye tha, par bahut mushkil hota hai yeh baat apni biwi ko hi kehna."

"Konsi baat, Sameer?"

"I Love You, Naina." He utteres in one go.

This time, both Naina and Inayat slapped her forehead, and then giggles. Seeing them smiling wholeheartedly, Sameer clutches all two more tightly, in fact, all three.When one falls in love, the heart blossoms its flowers, the sky shines brighter, and when eyes meet... the heartbeat syncs and creates its rhythm. The soul lightens up and gets lost in a world where there is no coming back. How strange, that once a random person gets you through all the uncomfortable things into your comfort zone and eventually becomes your constant, becomes your home. A home where you live without thinking about tomorrow, living in today. Even the universe also bestows its magic by falling snow over them, rejoices in the tranquility of the moment, because the universe always come to know if love is real, it finds a way. And that's why never belittle love.

Apne dil ki har dastan aaj tujhe sunana chahte hai,
Yehi zindagi...zindagi bhar ke liye chahte hai.
Teri baaton mein zikr ban ho jaye hum shaamil,
Tere mera kuch aisa hi ishq ka fasana chahte hai.

Teri yaadon mein ek yaad jud jaye meri bhi,
Kuch sukoon ke lamher bas tere saath bitana chahte hai.
Yeh hai maloom sabhi ko main hoon tera,
Magar tu hai mera yeh bhi toh sabhi ko batana chahte hai.

Gile shikwe kabhi na darmiyaan humare aaye,
Teri sohbat mein yeh zindagi hum guzarna chahte hai.
Har din mera...bas tera hone se hi ban jaye,
Tujhse hi apna har vaada nibhana chahte hai.

A true love story never ends. Because a love story that always begins with an end, always ends with a new beginning. And this is their beginning.Thanks a lot for your support, love, and time you invested in this short tale of love.

♡Never Belittle Love♡