Adhyay's POV

I looked at my wife who had fallen asleep in the car while I was driving back home. She was scrunched in the passenger's seat like a child, and I smiled capturing her sight in my eyes.

This mother and daughter love to sleep in my car.

I chuckled at the thought and remembered the day Adhvita fell asleep in the car when I brought her home for the first time. After parking in the driveway, I called Yash to open the door. I moved to her side and picked her up in my arms to carry her inside.

"Where's Adhvita?" I asked Yash in a low voice to avoid waking up my wife as soon as he opened the door.

"She's sleeping. Everything's okay," he informed me, and I nodded.

Walking up the stairs and into my room, I gently placed her onto the bed. Sitting by her feet, I took off her shoes. I then covered her with a blanket and kissed her forehead. As I was about to walk away, I heard her mumble something in her sleep. I turned around to take a look at her and noticed that her lips were quivering.

"Maan," she called out my name cryingly in her sleep. I frowned looking at her tensed condition and neared her, kneeling down on the floor by her head. Her eyes were closed shut and a single tear slowly rolled down her cheek. I rubbed it off with the pad of my thumb when I heard her mutter something again.

"Maan don't leave," she murmured, making me worry. "Mar jaayenge aapke bina."

(I'll die without you.)

I moved my hand on her head to calm her down, but it just escalated her condition further. She began moving her head from side to side as more tears came out of her closed eyes.

"Shhh Anvita. I'm right here," I said taking her hand in mine and kissing the back of it.

"MAAN," she screamed opening her eyes in urgency and suddenly broke into cries. I stood up and made her sit up quickly against the headboard. Seeing me, she clung onto my torso while I was standing, and she sobbed more as her breathing heightened. I caressed her hair getting all concerned.

"YASH," I yelled couple times, and he came running into the room. He panicked seeing Anvita in this devastated state.

"Yash get some water, hurry up," I ordered and he ran downstairs to fetch some water for her.

"Calm down jaan," I said sitting down next to her on the bed as she wasn't ready to let go of me. I rubbed her back to soothe her, but it wasn't helping her much. I wrapped my arms around her tightly and she eventually calmed down. Yash came back with a glass of water and handed it to me. I forwarded it towards her mouth, and she drank some of it. Putting the glass on the side table, I encased her in my embrace again and reassured Yash who was appearing as tensed.

"I'm here Yash. You can go back to sleep."

"I'll stay here in case you need anything," he replied worrying about the condition of his sister.

"I'll call you if I need anything," I said, and he left after some persuasion.

I cupped Anvita's face to make her look up at me. Her forehead had some sweat beads while her cheeks were flushed and covered with tears. I cleaned her face off and she hid it back in my chest.

"What happned jaan?" I questioned tightening my hold around her.

"I—I—Maan—I," she tried to form a sentence but failed.

"Shhh, it's alright," I whispered against her head and laid her down on the bed after adjusting the pillow underneath her head properly. I was about to move to the other side of the bed to lay next to her when she held my wrist to stop me.

"Mat jaiye please," she mumbled again, and I freed my wrist from her hold, quickly moving to lay on the other side. I pulled her in my arms as I soon as I laid down and she rested her head over my bicep, fisting my shirt tightly.

(Don't go please.)

"I'm not going anywhere jaan. I'm right here. With you, within you," I said pecking her crown. "Did you have a bad dream?" I questioned and she nodded while sniffling.

"Come let's sleep," I said and patted her for some time until she drifted into asleep again.
My heart stopped beating for a moment seeing her in this state. I understood that she was feeling fearful of going away from me again after spending four painful years apart. I have been noticing this change in her demeanor since I've mentioned Tej and it is an obvious reason behind feeling this way. He was the reason my Anvita and I had to suffer so much, and he crossed his limits by coming after our daughter this time. My anger was rising thinking about him but then my eyes fell on my wife who was peacefully sleeping in my arms now. It died down instantly as I captured her serene face.

I stayed up the entire night dozing off for only a few minutes in between to make sure she doesn't wake up again. I kept looking at her while admiring every beautiful thing about her. Her eyes were now swollen due to excessive crying and her nose had turned slightly red. But even in this state, she was the most beautiful woman to me. Her red nose just enhanced the grace of the silver nose ring that was circling her nose and leaning in, I gently kissed it. I then kissed her eyes that were full of tears just a while ago and it pierced my heart several times.

Only my heart and I know how I managed to stay apart from you.

____________________

Couple days later

Anvita's POV

Maan had left for office early this morning and was supposed to stay there till late to finish some important work. I kept myself busy the entire day by either playing with Adhvita or calling Suhana and apologizing to her for the thousandth time. I felt like she was enjoying tormenting me now and liking the attention I was giving her.

Eventually, I called her over and we decided to go out for some shopping. We were out for about an hour or two to buy a dress for her to wear at the event and I also got some outfits for my daughter. After all, my bacha needed to good look to attend her father's first event.

Over the few days, it felt like life was getting back on its track. My husband and I didn't leave any chance to spend our time together. The only person who was somewhat facing difficulties living with us was Yash bhaiya. He kept trying his best to avoid the awkward encounters of my husband and I having a romantic moment but somehow failed because my husband refused to keep his hands off me even outside our room.

It was late at night, and Yash bhaiya had fallen asleep already. I came out of Adhvita's room after putting her to sleep and went into our room to take a shower. After wearing a purple blouse, I began draping the saree around me. I made a low messy bun out of my hair and left a few loose strands on either side of my face. Settling in front of the mirror, I filled my partition with vermilion and wore my nuptial chain that beautifully rested on my neck. I was shying away from my own reflection in the mirror today because I couldn't stop thinking about how Maan would react seeing me like this.

Shuffling down the stairs in joy, I took out white, vanilla scented candles and began lighting them around the house. Soon, their aroma spread in the air, making me feel even happier. I had spread some rose petals on the ground starting from the main door from where he would walk in. It now appeared like a red carpet and the house smelled ambrosial. As soon as I heard his car park in the driveway, I cheered up and turned all the lights off. The house glistened with warm candlelight, creating a romantic atmosphere.

I opened the door with an ear-to-ear smile on my face before he could unlock it himself. His eyes widened as soon as his gaze fell on me. He was holding his coat in his hand and hurriedly came inside closing the door behind him and putting the coat around my shoulders.

"What's this Maan?" I frowned at his action.

"If someone sees you like this, they'll surely die," he said and bringing the lapels of the coat together at the front, he pulled me into him. "And today, that someone is me," he whispered in my ear, making me blush hard. Lifting his gaze up from my face, he scanned the house with amazement.

"What's all this for? Anything special?"

"There is," I replied, and tucking the strand of hair behind my ear, he kissed my cheek.

"What?" He questioned and moved to my other cheek to leave a kiss there.

He began advancing towards my lips when I said, "I'm not telling you."

Pushing him away, I ran away bare feet on the carpet of rose petals, and it made the coat fall off my shoulders. Standing at some distance from him, I turned around to find him slowly advancing in my direction.

"Tell me," he said in a deep voice and I shook my head in a no.

He eventually reached near me and moved closer as I began taking steps backwards still facing him. My back hit a cold wall that made me shudder. Nearing me, he put his one hand on the wall by my head and leaned in closer to my face.

"Tell me," he repeated. Putting his other hand on the side of my waist, he pulled me in closer to him and my front collided with his.

"Tell me," he whispered without breaking eye contact.

"Fine, but I'll tell you in your ear," I said, and he tilted his head slightly to position his ear near my mouth.

"Vo Maan," I whispered, and he hummed in response. "Vo na," I said again.

"Yes love I'm listening," he said rubbing his knuckles on my bare side waist.

"NAHI BATAUNGI," I screamed in his ear. Releasing me from his hold, he put his hand over his ear, and I took that chance to run away.

(I'm not telling you.)

"Oh you are so done now," he growled and ran towards me. I tried to run up the stairs, but he easily matched up my pace and picked me up in arms from behind. 

"Where you'll escape now huh?" he said raising his one eyebrow, making me feel timid. He kept moving up the stairs carrying me, eventually reaching our room. Putting me down on my feet he asked, "Are you going to tell me now?"

I circled my arms around his nape and looking at him with love filled eyes said, "It's my husband's birthday today. Happy birthday Maan."

Saying this, I took him in a slow kiss. Detaching my lips from his, I adjoined our foreheads and chuckled.

"How did you forget your own birthday?"

He abruptly turned me around and placed his chin over my shoulder while wrapping his arms around me.

"Aapke ilava kuchh aur yaad rahe tab na," he said, and I giggled at his response.

(I don't seem to remember anything else except you.)

Coming out of his hold, I went towards the table in our room. Picking up a small cupcake that I had kept on it earlier, I inserted a candle in it and lit it. I came back to him who was watching me do all this. He held me in the same position with my back against his chest and his chin over my shoulder. Lifting the cupcake slightly up towards his mouth, he blew on it over my shoulder. I removed the liner from one side and forwarded it towards his mouth. Taking a bite, he took it from my hand and fed it to me and put the remaining cupcake on the bedside table near us.

He kissed my temple, and I placed my hands on his that were wrapped around my waist.
"Seriously though, how did you not remember your birthday?"

He took a deep breath and said, "I have not celebrated anything since you had left. It felt meaningless to do anything without you. So, I eventually forgot when my birthday even was."

My eyes had turned teary listening to this. "I'm sorry Maan," I said in a breaking voice. He realised that I was on the verge of crying, so he instantly turned me around to face him.

Cupping my face he said, "Aye jaan, itna achha tohfa dekar ab humein dard dengi?" He cleaned off a lone tear that had rolled down on my cheek with his thumb.

(Hey love, so you're going to hurt me now after giving me such a good gift?)

I shook my head vigorously that was still between his hands. He took my hand in his and began to drag me behind him.

"Where are you taking me Maan?" I questioned being all confused, but he didn't answer and kept dragging me. He took me towards the garage and letting go of my hand, he removed the cloth off his bike that was parked in the middle of it.

"Let's go for a bike ride," he declared.

"At this hour?" I asked and he nodded.

He settled himself on the bike and as I was about to sit behind him, he took my hand to stop me.
"Come sit at the front," he said and pulled me forward. I adjusted myself at the front, facing him, with both my legs hanging on one side.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked feeling a little nervous about sitting here and he nodded placing both my hands on either of his shoulders. He moved his hand behind my head and unpinned my bun, letting my hair fall on my shoulders.

We soon hit the road and it was all so silent as the roads were empty. The night sky with several stars appeared even more beautiful today as the moon lingered in a corner watching over us. My hair was flying in the air and my gaze didn't budge away from my husband's face even for a moment. His hair was dishevelled now as the wind was constantly hitting them and it made him look even more striking.

His eyes kept shifting between my face and the road, making me smile every now and then. My head fell on his chest as I circled my arms around him and listening to his heart, my eyes closed extempore. He pecked my crown and my hold around him tightened.

The fresh breeze kept hitting us, adding solace to this moment. It suddenly began to rain without any warning, making me come out of his chest. We looked at each other, who were now completely drenched due to the heavy rain and broke into laughter fully enjoying this moment.

Spreading my arms, I welcomed the raindrops and Maan's eyes stopped on me. I slapped his cheek lightly to make him look towards the road instead of me. Leaning in closer to him, I opened the top few buttons of his shirt and kissed his neck deeply, removing some water droplets with my lips. 

"Now you're making it harder for me to keep my hands on the bike," he said. "Should we return back home?"

I nodded and he turned the bike around.