The black car had long since disappeared from the street, but the tension in the flower shop remained thick enough to cut with a pair of gardening shears.

Her maasi sat on a wooden stool, her face buried in her hands, while Mehak stood by the window, staring at the spot where Aditya's car had been parked. Her hand still felt warm from where he had held it.

"Mehak, tu hosh mein toh hai na?"

(Are you in your sense?)

She finally spoke, her voice cracking with a mixture of fear and frustration. Mehak turned around, her eyes bright but calm.

"Haan maasi, main ek dum hosh mein hoon."

(Yes maasi, I am completely in my senses.)

"Nahi, tu nahi hai!"

(No, you are not!)

She stood up, pacing around the small space between the bucket of flowers.

"Wo koi sadharan aadmi nahi hai, Mehak. He is a man with blood on his hands. Log unke naam se bhi kaampte hain. Tu uske saath apni zindagi bitane ki soch rahi hai? It's like jumping into a fire, beta. Wo tujhe jala dega."

(He is not a  normal man, Mehak. He is a man with blood on his hands. People tremble just from his name. you are thinking of spending your life with him? It’s like jumping into a fire. He will burn you.)

Mehak walked over to her aunt and took her shaking hands.

"Maasi, log unse darte hain kyunki wo unhe waisa dikhate hain. Par kya aapne dekha nahi wo yahan kyun aaye the? Ek mafia don ko kya zaroorat thi ek chhoti si flower shop mein aake apni feelings explain karne ki? He could have just ordered his men to pick me up. Par wo khud aaye."

(Maasi, people are scared of him because he shows it like that. But did you not see why he came here? What was the need of a mafia don to come to a small flower shop to express his feeings?....But he came himself.)

Her maasi looked away, remembering the way Aditya's voice had softened when he spoke to Mehak before leaving.

"Maasi, he loves me."

Mehak said, her voice dropping to a soft, sure whisper.

"Aur main bhi unse pyaar karti hoon. I know it sounds crazy. I know he is dangerous. Par jab main unke saath hoti hoon na, mujhe darr nahi lagta. Mujhe aisa lagta hai ki main unki duniya ki wo roshni hoon jo unhone saalon pehle kho di thi. Did you see his face today? He wasn't bluffing. Wo sach mein darr rahe the ki kahin wo mujhe kho na de."

(And I also love him….But when I am with him, I am not scared. I feel like I am that light of his life which he lost years ago…..He was really scared that would lose me.)

Her maasi sighed, looking at the stubborn set of Mehak's jaw. She had raised this girl, she knew that once Mehak made up her mind, even a mountain couldn't move her. She looked into Mehak's eyes and saw a spark there, a fierce, protective love that she had never seen before.

"Mujhe abhi bhi darr lag raha hai tere liye, par main ye bhi dekh sakti hoon ki tu uske bina khush nahi rahegi. Bas apna khayal rakhna. Wo gusse wala hai, sambhal lena."

(I am still scared for you, but I can also see that you will not remain happy without him. Just take care of yourself. He is short tempered, take care.)

Mehak hugged her aunt tightly, a tear of relief escaping.

"Don't worry, maasi. Unhe handle karna toh mera favourite kaam hai!"

(Don’t worry, maasi. Handling him is my favourite job!)

3 years later

Aditya sat up in bed, his back against the headboard. He didn't need the light to know that his wife was already awake and up to no good. He could hear the soft rustle of paper and the muffled giggles coming from the foot of the bed.

"Mehak, what are you doing?"

He asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Shhh! Quiet, Mr. Husband! Main ek bohot important research kar rahi hoon."

(I am doing a very important research.)

Mehak's voice chirped from somewhere near his feet. Suddenly, he felt something soft and cold being pressed against his cheek. He reached up and felt a flower petal.

"Ye kya hai?"

(What is this?)

"Rose petal. Maine suna hai ki agar aap isse cheeks pe ragdoge na, toh aapka blush aur bhi pink dikhega. Not that you need it, aap toh bina kuch kiye hi tamatar ban jaate ho."

(I have heard that if you rub them on your cheeks, your blush will be pinker. Not that you need it, you become a tomato without doing anything.)

Mehak teased, crawling up the bed until she was sitting right next to him, her shoulder brushing his. Aditya caught her hand, pulling her closer.

"Teen saal ho gaye shaadi ko, Mehak. Tum kab sudhrogi? You are still so naughty."

(It’s been 3 years to our marriage, Mehak. When will you stop?)

"Sudhar gayi toh aap bore ho jaoge na, Hot Hubby!"

(You will get bored if I stop, Hot Hubby!)

She laughed, poking his dimple.

"Waise, aaj aapka schedule kya hai? Phir se wahi boring meetings? 'Vardhan Sir, wo land deal cancel ho gayi', 'Vardhan Sir, Shetty ko thikana laga diya'...ugh, so boring!"

(By the way, what is your schedule today? Again those boring meettings? ‘Vardhan Sir, that land deal is cancelled’, ‘Vardhan Sir, Shetty is dealt with’…ugh, so boring!)

Aditya chuckled, pulling her into his arms.

"Actually, aaj koi meeting nahi hai. I told Khanna to clear my day. Hum bahar ja rahe hain."

(Actually, today there are no meetings….We are going out.)

He said, kissing the top of her head. Mehak pulled back, her eyes wide.

"Sachi? Date pe? Oh my god, Aditya! Aap toh bade romantic hote ja rahe ho. Kahin mujhse seekh toh nahi rahe? Waise sirf dinner ya aur bhi kuch krne ka irada hai?"

(Really? On a date?....You are becoming romantic. Are you learning from me? By the way only dinner or something else?)

Aditya felt the familiar heat rising to his ears. Even after three years, she still knew exactly which buttons to push to make him lose his cool.

"Mehak, stop it."

He muttered, turning his face away.

"Aww! Look at that! The legendary Aditya Vardhan is blushing again! Look at your ears, they are like red light signals!"

She squealed, hugging him tighter.

"I am not blushing. Room mein garmi hai."

(The room is hot.)

He lied, though his heart was racing with joy.

"Haan haan, sure! Garmi hai."

(Yes yes, sure! The room is hot.)

She teased, kissing his cheek. They sat there for a while, just enjoying the quiet.

Aditya reached out, his hand finding her face with practiced ease. He traced her jawline, her nose, and then her lips. He couldn't see her, but he knew exactly how beautiful she looked when she was happy.

"Thank you, Mehak."

He whispered.

"Kyu?"

(Why?)

"Meri zindagi mein itni bak-bak bharne ke liye. For being my light."

(For filling my life with your nonsense.)

Mehak's playful expression softened. She leaned her forehead against his, her voice becoming uncharacteristically gentle.

"Main toh hamesha rahungi, Aditya. Aap bas blush karna mat chodna, okay? It's my favourite view in the world."

(I will always be there, Aditya. Just don’t stop blushing, okay?)

He pulled her into a deep kiss, the silence of the room filled only with the sound of their shared breath. 

Mehak pulled away just a little, a mischievous glint back in her voice.

"Vaise, Aditya...aapne notice kiya? Aapki chest muscles pehle se bhi zyada hot ho gayi hain. Gym zyada ho raha hai kya? Biwi ko patane ki koshish kr rhe ho. Hmm, Hottie?"

(By the way, Aditya…did you notice? Your chest muscles are hotter than before. Did you increase gym time? Trying to impress your wife. Hmm, Hottie?)

"MEHAK!"

His roar was loud, but his face was the reddest it had ever been, and Mehak's laughter rang through the mansion, proving that some things, the best things, would never change.