Neither of them talked about it until the next day. 

Srish took an off the next day. He knew he wouldn’t be able to work knowing that his princess wasn’t well. Plus, a sick Vrishti was cranky as hell and needed her papa all day long. Even now, she was clinging to him, not letting him move.

Srish saw Jiya moving around the kitchen preparing food for Vrishti. She was taking small portions of fruits that went well with each other and creating a pulp of them for her to feed.

Srish had been noticing her since the morning. She was avoiding him and he knew why. He had seen her looking at him from the corner of her eyes the whole morning. But she wouldn’t talk to him about what she felt.

He sighed and finally got up. Vrishti whimpered and he patted her softly and hummed into her ears making her relax against him. Jiya was mashing the fruits in one bowl when Srish came to stand beside her.

She stopped for a moment and again looked at him from the corner of her eyes before continuing with her work, hyper aware about his gaze on her. Just like she had been avoiding him since morning, he had been staring at her since morning. 

She was already so nervous and shy after that earth shattering kiss they shared and his constant gaze on her wasn’t helping her condition much.

“Hi.”

He said making her freeze again. Her eyes finally met his and she blinked.

“Huh?! Uhhh…hi?”

He smiled at her confused state and inched closer towards her.

“I think we should talk.”

Her eyes widened and she quickly looked away. 

“We…umm… we are talking.”

She whispered and he hummed.

“We should talk about what happened yesterday.”

He clarified and she felt her heartbeat rise. No! She didn’t want to. 

“Wh-what happened yesterday?”

Why did she think that pretending to be clueless would help her case? It definitely did not because Srish wasn’t letting the topic go. He knew her well enough to know what she was thinking.

“You want me to speak it aloud? Fine! Let’s talk about the ki-”

Before he could, she thrust the bowl of freshly mashed fruits against his stomach, making him hold it in reflex and said loudly.

“Ye Vishu ko khila do! Mai itne baaki ke kaam dekhti hu. Baad mai baat krte hai, ok?”

(Make Vishu have this! I will see the other things till then. We will talk later, ok?)

Without waiting for any response she ran away from him, trying to busy herself with some work.

She managed to avoid him until night. Or well, he let her avoid him until night. When Vrishti finally slept, he decided it was time to corner her and talk to her. As soon as he entered the room, Jiya sprang up from the bed.

“So gyi? Give her to me. I’ll tuck her in. Tumhe kaam hoga na. Mai hu iske saath. Tum apna kaam krlo.”

(She slept?...You must have work right. I am with her. You do your work.)

She mumbled while carefully tucking Vrishti in. She had just secured pillows around her and stood up straight when he held her hand and yanked her to himself.

She gasped and kept her hands on his chest to mitigate the impact and looked at him wide eyed.

“Done running?”

He asked in a low whisper which sent shivers down her spine. She bit her lower lip and looked away. He held her chin firmly and made her look into his eyes. He was done with her trying to hide herself.

He wanted to know what the kiss meant to her. Did she feel something too or was it just the heat of the moment?

“I’m not…I’m not running.”

She whispered back and he raised his eyebrow at her audacity.

“Really? Because I think you are.”

He said and brought her face closer by holding her chin, making her gulp. Something in his gaze changed and his expression hardened. He clenched his jaw and asked.

“Did I force you?”

“Huh?”

She was confused. Where did that thought come from? She thought he understood that she was shy. Was he taking her running from him as her being uncomfortable? Oh God! 

“Jiya, I’ve wanted to kiss you. I was so into the moment that maybe I didn’t realise I was forcing you into it. Did I force you?”

She sighed and slowly melted against him. He left her chin and she rested her forehead against his chest. His heart thudded into his chest waiting for her answer. Fearing her answer.

“You did not. I am just…too shy to admit that I…liked it too much.”

She whispered the last words and his heart skipped a beat. She felt it and smiled. She then round her arms around his torso and looked up at him with a smile. 

“You didn’t force me, Srish. You could never do that. I wanted that…it to happen.”

She blushed thinking about the kiss and he smiled at how she didn’t say the word ‘kiss’. Then, another thought stuck him and his smile vanished. He sighed and spoke.

“Don’t give me hopes, Jiya. I know you still love Arnesh.”

He had said that deliberately. He wanted her to deny it. Or at least accept that she felt something for him too. 

“I won’t deny that. I do love him. He was the first man to show me what love was. He was my first everything, Srish and I cannot change that. But the things that you make me feel…I…I’ve never felt those before. Not even with Arnesh.”

She spoke and his throat clogged. His eyes filled with tears of hope as he gazed into her eyes and waited for her to continue. 

“I know I shouldn’t compare but I can’t help it. Tumhare saath sab kuch bhut different hai, Srish. Sab kuch achha hai. Bhut achha hai. Wo hug krte the toh achha lagta tha. Kyunki wo husband the. Tumhari baahon mai sukoon milta hai. Safe feel krti hu. Aisa lagta hai jaise apne ghar hu. Safe, sab pareshaaniyon se dur.”

(Everything is different with you, Srish. Everything is beautiful. Very beautiful. It felt nice when he hugged me. Because he was my husband. I get peace in your arms. I feel safe. I feel like I’m home. Safe, and away from all the stress.)

He round his arms around her tighter and kissed her head. She sighed and melted against him.

“Unse ghanto baatein kr skti thi mai. Pr tumhare saath mai ghanto shaant reh skti hu. You are my peace, Srish. Ek lambi ladai ke baad ka sukoon ho tum. Mai duniya ki badi se badi ladai lad skti hu bas issi aas mai ki ye sab khatam hote hi tumhare paas aa jaaungi. Tumhari baahon mai sama jaaungi.”

(I could talk to him for hours. But I can stay silent with you for hours. You are my peace, Srish. The peace after a long day’s fight. I can fight the biggest fight of my life in the hopes that when it ends, I will come to you. Lose myself in your arms.)

He gazed into her eyes with so much love that she wanted to cry out loud. How did she get so lucky to get this man to love her like crazy?

“If he showed me what love sounds like, you’ve shown me what love feels like. He’ll always be my first love, but you…you are my true love, Srish. And I am done denying it and running away from it. I love you, Srish. I love you.”

He pulled her off her feet and hugged her tightly. He kissed the side of her head multiple times and she smiled so wide while hugging him back that she felt like her face would split into two.

“I love you, Jiya. I love you, forever and ever and ever.”

6 months later

It was Vrishti’s birthday. The little girl had turned one today and she was so happy and excited seeing all the decorations around the house.

The girl was too smart and knew that it was her day. She had started walking recently and was unstoppable now. And as if that wasn’t enough, her constant rambling was enough to make Srish and Jiya want to tear their ears off.

She was a super active baby and this was the reason that they kept her occupied in different activities throughout the day.

“Aur ho gyi meri gudiya ready! Mera bacha! So pretty!

(And my doll is ready! My baby!)

Jiya gushed and kissed her chubby cheeks. Vrishti giggled and enjoyed the attention.

“Mumma’s right! My princess is the prettiest!”

Srish joined in, placing kisses on cheeks making her laugh wholeheartedly. The girl was a sucker for compliments from her father.

“Vishu pretty! Mumma shundar!”

(Mumma beautiful!)

She complimented and kissed her mother just like Jiya had. Jiya laughed and hugged her daughter.

“Princess is right too! My wife is the most beautiful!”

He whispered in awe and leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Her eyes widened and she looked at Vrishti who was smiling at them.

Unlike other babies who got jealous seeing their parents being affectionate to each other, Vrishti loved to see them being affectionate. Seeing their smiles and listening to their laughs.

“Srish! She’s right here.”

Jiya pushed his chest but when did he ever back away from loving her? Vrishti carefully descended down the bed and waddled out of the door. Both of them knew where she was going.

Her toys room. The girl was inseparable from her toys. But they never complained because that left them with plenty of time with each other.

Srish pulled Jiya over his lap and squeezed her waist. He started peppering kisses down her neck making her breath heavily.

“Srish! Sab log aane wale honge. We need to stop!”

(Everyone must be reaching.)

She whispered but clutched his hair pulling him closer. He smiled against her skin and nipped at her neck.

“We’ll be quick!”

He whispered and started tugging at her saree pallu. She held his shoulders and bit her lip to control her moan.

“You’re never quick!”

She commented and he smirked at the ego boost. It was true! The man had incredible stamina. 

“I can make it quick.”

He whispered and caressed her bare waist. He knew all the weak points in her body and used them to his great advantage.

“Srish! Vrishti can barge in anytime. Achha nhi lagta. Please!”

(It doesn’t look good.)

Her words and her actions were not matching at all. But he knew that was right. As much as he knew that their daughter loved to see them being all cute and clingy, he definitely didn’t want her to catch them in any awkward position.

He kissed her shoulder repeatedly and scratched her back lightly. She sighed and melted against him. 

“You know…mujhe aaj bhi kabhi kabhi lagta hai ye sab ek sapna hai. That I’ll wake up randomly and you’ll not be my wife.”

(You know…I still feel sometimes that all of this is a dream.)

He whispered and she looked at him with a smile. She kissed him passionately and pulled back before he could deepen it more.

“Believe it now? I’m yours, Srish. For life now.”

She promised and he smiled. He kissed her wrist and whispered.

“Yes, meri jaan. And I'm yours for life and beyond. Forever and ever and ever.”

(Yes, my love.)

She loved when he said that. And she loved how she fell in love with him a little more every day. The day was spent very well. Vrishti was giggling and laughing all day, basking in the attention and love she was receiving from everyone.

“I wish Varsha was here to see how beautifully her daughter is growing up.”

Jiya whispered and Srish smiled. Seeing Vrishti reminded him of Varsha a lot. 

“I’m sure wo jaha bhi hai, she’s happy seeing her daughter being loved and taken care of.”

(I’m sure wherever she is, she’s happy seeing her daughter being loved and taken care of.)

Srish whispered and right at the very moment, Vrishti’s head turned to their direction and she smiled warmly as if agreeing with them. It was at that moment, when the two realised that maybe, Varsha was truly reborn as her own daughter.

The trio truly was inseparable❤️.