(Unedited... So excuse the mistakes)

Madhu woke up even before the alarm could go off. She checked the time in her mobile phone and it showed two minutes to strike midnight.

A smile formed on her face seeing her angel sleeping soundly beside her daddy throwing her left leg over his torso and left hand tightly wrapped around his neck.

"Rk" Madhu gently patted his cheek. "Wake up" she whispered.

"Hmm..." he groaned sleepily.

"It's time. Get up"

"It's still dark, Madhu. Let me sleep." He grumbled cuddling his "cuddle bear" daughter.

"Rk!" she whisper yelled not wanting to walk up Ruhi. "Don't you want to wish Ruhi? It's her birthday today."

"Oh yeah! I wanna wish my baby girl." Rk sat up in a jiff taking a sleeping Ruhi in his arms. He gently rocked her to sleep when she stirred and then he placed her on Madhu's lap.

"You wish her first." Rk said to her with a smile.

"No. Let's wish her together." She smiled back.

"Okay." Rk scooted closer and caressed Ruhi's hair.

"Happy Birthday, love" they both said in unison. They both were momentarily surprised for saying the same. They didn't use "Ruhi or Angel or Darling or Sweetheart" but "Love" they shared a smile and leaning forward they kissed Ruhi's cheeks on either side.

Ruhi opened her beautiful doe eyes she inherited from her mother which had a hint of sharpness just like her father's eyes and blinked sleepily.

"Go back to sleep, sweetie." Madhu cooed but Ruhi had other plans. She sat up on her momma's lap and rested her head on her bosom as she looked at her daddy and cutely yawned before smiling.

"Now, that our angel is up why don't we wish her again?" Rk suggested. Madhu nodded her.

"Happy birthday, Ruhi" Madhu said holding Ruhi's head and kissed her forehead.

"Happy birthday, Ruhi darling" Rk too kissed her forehead just above where Madhu placed her kiss.

Ruhi frowned at her parents wondering what they were saying but she knew they were surely saying something good and nice to her so she decided to wish herself. "Happie bith-hay, me" she said to herself placing her hands over her chest. Rk and Madhu laughed in merry seeing her adorableness. Ruhi too joined them laughing.

"Get the cake you baked for our daughter, Madhu."

"Oh right. I forgot. Thanks for reminding me, Rk." Madhu quickly scrambled out of the bed and rushed to the kitchen.

"Papa, mama?" Ruhi asked.

"Momma will be coming in a minute, sweetheart."

"Okie" she said and asked her daddy to take her velvet elephant from the floor and give it to her so that she can play with it and Rk did as he was told. He watched his daughter talk incoherently to the velvet elephant with a smile.

"I'm back" Madhu squealed holding the chocolate cake she specially made for her daughter with two candles lit on it.

"Mama, cake" Ruhi started jumping on the bed abandoning her elephant. Rk quickly placed a hand behind her so that he can prevent her from falling down from the bed.

"Ruhi, stop jumping and sit baby so that you cut the cake and eat it." Madhu instructed as she placed the cake in the middle of the bed.

"Okie, mama" Ruhi obliged and sat on top of her daddy's lap instead of sitting down on the bed. She leaned closer and looked at the yummy cake in awe. She took her hand to grab the cake but Rk held her hand and shook his head with a grin.

"Blow the candle and cut the cake, baby" Madhu handed the plastic knife to Ruhi.

Ruhi cutely frowned at the knife in her hand and then looked up at her daddy to help her.

"Just do 'Uff... Uff'..." Rk acted showing how to blow the candle by making the mouth "O" shape and blowing air. Ruhi tried but she couldn't blow the two candles as she did the process in reverse... instead of blowing out the air she just sucked in. She looked up at her momma with her puppy eyes. She was upset that she couldn't blow the candles.

"It's okay, baby. Momma will blow the candles for you." Madhu said with an encouraging smile and blew the candles not before making a wish on behalf of Ruhi. "Dear God, please bless my Ruhi with long and happy life" That was the wish made by Madhu.

Ruhi clapped her hands spontaneously when the candles were blown. Rk and Madhu clapped too with contented laugh.

Ruhi stood up from her daddy's lap and wobbled on the bed to get her elephant soft toy closer so that he can celebrate her birthday too. Ruhi held the trunk of the elephant and dragged it closer and then she sat on the back of the elephant. Rk and Madhu watched their daughter's antics silently.

"Now, cut the cake, princess." Rk held Ruhi's hand to help her cut but she protested to cut the cake on her own so Rk let her hand go. Madhu giggled at her daughter's stubbornness and started singing softly "Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to dear Ruhi..." as she took a video in her camcorder.

Ruhi leaned forward to cut the cake but the damned velvet elephant on which she was sitting ditched her by lying flat on the bed making Ruhi topple over and her face slammed over the cake.

"Uh-huh" Rk shook his head.

"OMG" Madhu whispered still shooting the video. Rk quickly lifted his daughter up, her face out of the cake. He searched for tissues to clean her face.

Ruhi looked at her momma with cake smashed face waiting for her to scold her. By now Ruhi had realized that her papa will never scold her for whatever mischief she does.

Madhu got the puppy look Ruhi was giving her, pleading her not to scold her. Madhu couldn't help but smile at Ruhi's cute worried cakey face. "God! She is scared of me and my scolding I guess. I should really go easy on her like Rk says, always but then I don't want my daughter to grow up a spoilt brat. I will bring her to line when she does any wrong. That's what mothers are there for. To guide and guard their kids, isn't it?" she thought.

Rk was worried that Ruhi will start crying for spoiling the cake but to his utter surprise Ruhi started laughing because Ruhi was happy realizing her momma wasn't mad at her.

Ruhi found the cake disaster funny. Rk too laughed and pinched Ruhi's creamy cheeks and then licked the cream from his fingers.

Madhu captured all the sweet moments in her camcorder. She was so happy that her daughter finally got her father's love, care and affection.

Ruhi poked her tongue out and tried to lick the icing around her mouth.

"Aww... my baby is looking so cute." Madhu cooed. Ruhi messily ate the cake with both her hands.

"Our baby is always cute." Rk countered her. Ruhi squeezed some cake in her hands and offered to feed her parents. They happily let her feed them though there was hardly any cake but only the icing. Rk took some pictures of Ruhi and Madhu in his mobile phone camera for his memory.

"Shall we take a selfie?" Rk asked hesitantly. Madhu nodded with a smile.

"Ruhi, look up there." Rk said holding his phone at a distance. Ruhi looked up at her daddy first, then to where he was pointing and finally looked down at the cake.

"Ruhi, baby, smile" Madhu said smiling widely at the camera. Rk's heart skipped a beat seeing her beautiful smile. How he missed seeing her heart melting dazzling smile?

Ruhi had her middle three fingers in her mouth. She was busy eating cake and not interested in taking selfies. Rk quickly took few snaps though Ruhi wasn't looking at the camera just because he didn't want to miss out Madhu's sweet smiling face.

Finally, Ruhi graced the camera with her sweet baby smile after satisfying her appetite for the yummy cake made by her mommy.

"You liked the cake, baby?" Madhu asked. Ruhi nodded her head excitedly and kissed her momma's cheek with her slobbery mouth and Rk didn't miss to capture this "Mom-daughter" duo's lovely moment.

"Guess she needs a bath." Rk said looking at the mess Ruhi had created to herself.

"Yeah, you run her a bath. I will clean this place." Madhu said and took the left over cake and walked out of the room. Rk carried Ruhi to the bathroom.

~~0~~

"Bittuji, Roma, Rk... breakfast is ready." Madhu yelled from the dining hall.

"Coming" Rk called back as he descended down the stairs carrying Ruhi in his arms.

"Where is Sofia? You told her to have breakfast and lunch with us today, right?" Rk questioned Madhu.

"Sofia has gone to get the flowers for the flower vase. She will be joining us in a minute." Roma replied before Madhu could and took a seat on the dining chair. Bittuji sat next to her and said "Hello" with a polite smile. Roma returned his smile and started applying butter to the bread toast and placed the bread slice on Bittuji's plate instead of her shocking him. Then she made another one for herself. She even poured them orange juice for both their glasses.

Rk looked at Bittuji and shot his eye brow up accusingly. "You didn't tell me there is something going between you two?" Rk mouthed at him. Bittuji shrugged. "I don't know" Bittuji shook his head. Even he was surprised with Roma's sweet gestures. Then Bittuji tilted his chin up pointing to Madhu who was serving on Rk's plate. What a change? Rk wondered. Madhu had never served him in the entire period he had lived with her. She just tolerated to eat breakfast with him so far but now? She even served and smiled at him, sweetly and shyly like a newlywed bride. What the hell is happening? Am I really getting lucky here? Rk thought.

"Mama, cake?" Ruhi asked wanting to eat cake for breakfast.

"Ruhi, last night you had too much of cake so no cake now." Madhu denied and force fed her baby food when Ruhi turned her face away not wanting to eat the yucky tasteless breakfast.

"Papa..." Ruhi turned to her daddy asking him to recommend to her momma to give her cake. Madhu glared at Rk when he turned to her side and opened his mouth to talk in Ruhi's favour. Scared of her piercing glare Rk kept his mouth shut.

"Chicken!" Roma teased. Rk glared at Roma.

"Ruhi, baby, you will be cutting another cake this evening so you can eat then." Rk said to appease her.

"One more cake?" Ruhi's eyes went wide in glee.

"Yes, sweetie. A big castle cake for my princess"

"But why?" Ruhi asked with a frown. She forgot it was her birthday.

"Evening we are having a party to celebrate your birthday nah? You will dress up like Princess Rapunzel and cut a cake. Kids will be coming to play with you. All these decorations are made for you only, darling"

"Ohhhh" she said as if understanding everything he just told.

"Now, eat" Madhu thrust another spoon full of food in her little mouth.

"Mama, Ruhi full." Ruhi stopped her momma from feeding. Madhu tried to make her finish the full bowl of food but Rk took pity on his daughter and quickly went to her rescue. He lifted her up from the table and set her down on the floor and gave her a gentle swat on her bum allowing her to go and play.

Ruhi ran towards her playroom but stopped when she decided to play something else. She wobbled to the shoe stand where Madhu's dancing shoes and other party shoes were kept.

Ruhi took a pair of silver color stilettos and lipped her legs into them. She giggled when she looked talk wearing the high heels. She lowly inched forwards with the over sized shoes. The shoes were so loose for her small feet so she couldn't lift her foot up and take a step forward. She just dragged her legs on the floor and moved around in the hallway.

"Bonne Anniversaire (happy birthday), Ruhi" Sofia wished her happy birthday standing behind Ruhi with a bunch of flowers.

Ruhi turned around and looked up at Sofia and they Ruhi's wide eyes landed on her rounded tummy.

"Ahhh... Baby eawther" Ruhi screamed and started running but tripped on her footings and fell head long first before her hands and legs could touch the floor. "Maaa... Ahha.. Ahha" hearing Ruhi's ear piercing cry Rk and Madhu dropped their forks on their plates and rushed to the living room to check on their daughter.

"Ruhi... " Madhu knelt down on the floor and scooped Ruhi up in her arms."What happened baby? Did you get hurt? Where it's paining? Tell momma?" Madhu asked cradling her daughter closer to her chest. Ruhi cried inconsolably and Madhu too cried along with her daughter.

"Bittuji... Get some ice cubes..." Rk noticed a slight swell and redness on Ruhi's forehead and guessed she had fell down and hurt herself. "... and Roma, call the clinic and fix an appointment. I'm taking my daughter to check with the doctor." Rk shouted. He wanted to make sure his daughter was fine. He hoped she hadn't hurt herself badly or sprained her little weak legs. He angrily kicked Madhu's shoes far away.
"Sorry, Rk" Sofia said sadly. Rk didn't get why she was saying. He didn't know Ruhi actually got scared of her and fell down while running away from her. He thought she was apologizing for not preventing her fall. He reasoned himself that Sofia was pregnant so she couldnt help Ruhi.

"You wore momma's shoes, didn't you, Ruhi? You tripped over and fell down right? How many times I have to tell you not to wear my shoes? They are not your size baby"

"Madhu!" Rk placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "It's not the time to scold her. She is already crying."

Madhu gulped down her sob and nodded her head understanding his point. "Baby, tell me where it's hurting? Papa, will keep ice cubes on your wound and your pain will fly away."

"Mama... here... here" Ruhi cupped the right side of her forehead and cried louder in pain. "And here..." she pointed to her elbows. "Oh and here..." she stretched her legs and pointed to her knees. "Papa... It's paining" she whimpered

"Oh...oh... You will be fine, darling. You will be fine." Rk cooed and placed the ice cube over her swelling and gently rubbed it.

"Iss... Iss" Ruhi winced and pulled her face away not liking the coldness. "Nah, Papa." Ruhi hits Rk's hand when he tried to place the ice cube back on her swelling.

The ice cube slipped out of his hand and fell on the floor. Ruhi sneaked out of her momma's hold and went to play with the ice cube forgetting her earlier cry. She touched the ice cube with the tip of her index finger. She tried to take the ice cubes in her little hand but it was tricky. It kept slipping from her hand.

"Papa..." she turned back and looked at her daddy. Rk took the ice cube in his hand and placed it on Ruhi's palm knowing that's what she wanted him to do.

"Ohhh...it's cool" she put the ice cube in Rk's shirt pocket.

"My naughty girl" Rk tickled Ruhi on her ribs making her squeal and laugh.

"Papa...ah...nah... Papa, puh-leash" Rk stopped tickling her and soundly kissed both her cheeks.

Madhu stared at her daughter joyously playing with her daddy. "How easily she forgot her pain and moved on? Why can't I be like her? Forget my painful past and move on?" Madhu's reverie was disturbed by Rk. "Madhu, stop crying." Rk said noticing her silently crying. "She is okay." He held her shaky hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Look at her?" Rk moved closer to her side and Ruhi gently wiped her momma's wet cheeks roughly with her wide spread fingers.

Ruhi smiled at her momma and Madhu smile back and kissed her forehead.

After sometimes Rk had taken Ruhi to the clinic just two blocks away from their home. The doctor clearly examined Ruhi, he even took a quick scan to check there was no blood clot or internal swelling though he knew Ruhi was fine giving credit to her hyper activeness. All the reports came clear and he said there was nothing to worry and she was perfectly alright.

"Ruhi, don't wear momma's shoes again. You will fall." Madhu said softly combing Ruhi's hair with her fingers. Madhu was lying on the bed and Ruhi was sitting on top of her mommy's tummy. Rk was lying beside them on the bed watching the two talk.

"Okie, mama" she said playing with her momma's chain.

"And don't run, baby." Madhu instinctively massaged Ruhi's slender legs.

"Okie, mama" Ruhi was always good in saying "Okay's" but never good in keeping it.

"Don't ever go out of my sight. Always have someone with you when you play."

"You eathing, mama" she pointed out that her momma was eating when she went to play. Smart kid. Madhu sighed. "Sorry, baby. It was my mistake to let you go and play on your own when we were having our breakfasts in the dining room."

"No, its actually my mistake. I only let her go and play alone." Rk said regretfully.

"No. It's baby eawther's mis..mistake" Ruhi said.

"What?" Rk asked not getting her. Madhu frowned too in confusion.

"Woh, papa... Woh bad. She eaths baby"

"Who?"

"Soiee"

"What Sofia aunty did?" Madhu asked.

"There's a baby." Ruhi said in horrid as she patted her momma's tummy. Rk sat up on the bed and looked at Madhu in shock.

"No. Not me. She is talking about Sofia." Madhu didn't know why she rushed to give him explanation. May be she didnt want him to even think she would cheat on him and get pregnant with another man's child. She may not be so deeply in love with him but she sure as hell won't deceive him, after all he was her one true love. Yeah, it was love though it happened in her teenage she was sure it wasn't a mere crush or attraction. Well, initially it was. Just attraction and mad sex but she changed. Her feelings changed for him. She loved him with all her heart... As a result she got hurt so deeply... he just discarded her out of his life as if she was a piece of trash. Till date his deception was aching her badly and that's why she couldn't forgive him yet though she realized she was softening and trying hard to accept him back in her life. Trying hard to put the past behind and start a new life with him.

Sometimes, the loneliness... Loneliness of being single and unloved frightened her. Well, she wasnt all alone. Ruhi was there for her momma. Ruhi's love was enough, more than enough for Madhu... But still she craved for more. She wished to be loved by her man, this time truly. She can see the honesty in Rk. She can see the true love for her in his eye... "But he was a great actor." A voice said from the back of her head.

Her heart says he was truly repenting... But still something was stopping her... May be her brain was in denial mode to accept him... And stopping her from giving herself to him once again.

She wanted to be more sure this time. She can't take the risk of blindly trusting him. Her heart can't take the strain one more time. She will be destroyed if he'd ditch her again. So she will take things slow. She will try to rebuilt the bond, slowly and steadily. This time she will make sure he treats her with dignity. Make sure he respects her as his child's mother and also as his woman. Make sure he heals her wound and loves her unconditionally. She vowed to herself that she will make him do all that. Then they can be a family with the "Happily ever after" fairy tale kinda ending.

"Hmm...She said... She has baby in her... tummy... She... Um... " Ruhi acted as swallowing something big. "Soiee eath a baby" Uff, poor kid struggled hard to say one simple line "Sofia swallowed a baby and the baby is in her tummy now."

"She came to eath me, mama." Ruhi hugged her momma tightly in fear. "I ran... ran away... from her and fell down"

"Oh" Rk said hearing the actual story.

"She is bad, papa"

"No, darling. She is not bad."

"but she athe a baby... She will eath me too" Ruhi started crying covering her face with a pillow feeling upset that her parents were not believing her.

"Ruhi, Ruhi... Stop crying and listen to me." Madhu held her shoulders and made her sit straight and look at her.

"She won't eat you" Madhu said firmly.

"Promie?" Ruhi held out her puny hand.

"Promise. And she didn't eat that baby. The baby is actually growing in her tummy. Even you grew up here... Inside momma's tummy before you came out to this world." Madhu explained pattinf her belly. Ruhi stared at her mother fearfully for a second and slowly slid down from her and crawled to her daddy and hid her face in his chest as she sobbed down softly.

"What happened baby?" Rk asked in worried concern.

"Mama too bad... " Ruhi whispered with her trembling lips.

"She will eath me like soiee eath that baby" Ruhi said softly, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. "I... Nah.. Nah... Papa, tell mama nah.. to eath me. I don't want... to go inside her twummy"

Rk couldn't help but laugh at his daughter. Ruhi got so mad at him and she slapped her hand on his mouth to shut him up. Madhu subtly giggled. "Sorry" Rk made a cute face apologizing to his little girl. She kissed his cheek forgiving him.

Rk took Ruhi in his arms and showed the photo frames hanging on the wall behind the bed closer to Ruhi. "See, in this photo, momma's tummy is huge. You were inside her tummy and when you had grown up big and didn't have room to stay in her little belly she pushed you out..." Rk said bluntly. Madhu growled at him. "Um... I mean, momma couldn't wait long to take you in her arms... See, in this picture little Ruhi is sleeping in momma's arms."

"Me, papa?" she asked looking at her baby photo taken one month later she was born.

"Yes, darling." Rk nodded. Ruhi caressed her baby photo and giggled, clapping her hands.

"Look baby darling, once babies are born they can't get inside the tummy again. So don't worry, your momma won't swallow you."

"So I can play here?" Ruhi asked.

"Of course darling. You can play with momma, papa, bittu uncle, Roma aunty and Sofia aunty... "

"How the baby... um... Go... Um.. inside mama's twummy?" Ruhi asked pointing at Madhu's protruding belly photo. Gaining too much knowledge at the young age, are we?

"You will learn when you grow big, baby" Madhu chipped in.

"Papa... you tell?" Ruhi didn't ask but just ordered.

Rk looked at Madhu who shook her head.

"Papa... "

"Ruhi... It's time for you to take your nap. Come sleep. Then only you will look fresh in evening's party." Madhu tried to distract.

"Nah.. " she swatted her momma's hand when she tried to pull her down to bed from sitting on top of her daddy's torso.

"Papa, tell" she said adamantly.

"Okay, Ruhi... You wanna know how you came from your momma's tummy right?"

She nodded her head and placing both her hands on his chest she leaned forward to listen to him attentively. He thought for few good seconds how to explain to her without confusing her.

"Well, Papa fed momma some magical seeds and those seeds sprouted inside her tummy..."

"And became a baby?" Ruhi asked in awe. She found it fascinating that seeds turning to babies. Madhu's jaw hung down in shock. She can't believe he said that. "Feeding magical seeds to make babies?" OMG! She covered her mouth with her hand before some flies get into it.

"I am a seed?" Ruhi asked.

"No. You are a human being. A baby, now."

"Oh" Ruhi said looking thoughtful as Rk continued. "Your papa left your momma after seeding you in her..." he said in full of remorse. Madhu looked away from him but she placed a gentle hand on Ruhi's leg. She wanted to hold her and comfort herself. "Papa did know that those magical seeds worked and became a baby..."

"How?" Ruhi asked wondering how can her papa see what's inside her momma's belly. "Your momma told me..."

"Mama saw Ruhi?"

"No. She felt you. You were inside her so momma could feel you... "

"Mama I play there?"

"Yes" Madhu nodded with a smile remembering how hard her little girl used to kick her. "But still papa didn't want the baby..."

"You didn't want Ruhi?" Ruhi asked tears welling up her eyes.

"I do, now. I do, now, Ruhi. I really want you. Papa can't live without you. I love you, baby." Rk said in panic hugging Ruhi tightly against his ches and kissing her head over and over again. "Okie" Ruhi believed him.

"Momma left papa..." or I pushed her away? The latter will be so right. He concluded.

"Why?"

"Because I was bad."

"Nah nah... Ruhi's papa is nah bad." Ruhi denied which her mother failed to accept. Rk smiled a little. He knew Ruhi was a baby now and not understanding what exactly he did in his past. Once she got the maturity to understand things she surely will hate him. That time she won't be saying "Ruhi's papa is not bad"and that thought hurt him.

"Momma kept you in her protective cocoon till you were ready to come out of her. You infact made your appearance pretty soon scaring your momma. You always do that to your momma, Ruhi. You scare her to death but then you only bring back her life." Rk pulled Ruhi's cheeks playfully making her laugh.

"Then one day Papa met Ruhi and momma..."

"Papa"

"Yeah, you called me "Papa" for the first time... And that was the moment you stole my heart."

"PAPA!" this time she called him little louder. She was bored of his story as she didnt get mostly what he was saying.

"Yes, baby"

"You effeeth the hmp... Hmmagical seed to momma gain. (You feed the magical seed to momma again) I want a baby...to play." Ruhi asked cupping her papa's cheeks with her little hands.

"You will have sofia aunty's baby to play with, Ruhi." Madhu quickly said before Rk could answer.

"I want papa mama's baby. Nah soiee's baby" Ruhi declared and rolled off her papa's chest and stretched on the bed hugging her velvet elephant she went to sleep.

There was an awkward silence floated in the air. Rk and Madhu couldn't meet each other in their eyes.

"Um... Madhu... Ruhi... " before Rk could say further she cuts him off. "She doesn't know what she is asking for... Just lie to her something. Hmm... Tell her the magical seeds are over." she came up with a better lie.

"No, I have lots. Wanna try?" Rk asked in a teasing tone though he can't deny he had a hard erection already just by thinking about making love to Madhu.

It was shame he was jerking off his seeds for this long. He would love to sow his seeds in her and create one more miracle. Is that even possible? She told him she can't conceive again, right? But then miracles do happen, right?

She gave him a death glare. "Okay. Sorry. If you don't want... I can understand... After all you hate me with the every fiber of your being." he said sadly.

"No. Actually I am starting to like you I guess... But I am not sure. I still need time" saying that she ran out of the room leaving Rk dumbstruck.

... To be continued!

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