Rk and Madhu were stretched on the water bed as they gazed up at the glass ceiling.

Ruhi sat in between them eating butter croissant.

Rk had taken his two girls to an Italian restaurant, as Italian cuisine was Madhu's favorite, for dinner. There expect Ruhi both Rk and Madhu enjoyed the delicious pizzas and pastas. So now little Ruhi was silently eating some choco chip cookies and a croissant much to her parents delight.

She looked funny holding them in both her hands and taking one bite of cookie from one hand and next bite of croissant from other hand.

"Feeling better now that she is eating something?" Rk asked Madhu as he smoothed Ruhi's hair aside from falling over her forehead almost covering her eyes. She looked up at her daddy, smiled and then went back to eating.

"Yep!" said Madhu and turned to lie on her side so that she can face him.

"Where is Bittuji?" she asked. "I wonder why he is taking so long to come home. Where he has taken Roma for their first date? Do you have any idea?"

"I don't know where exactly. Probably he would have taken her to some cozy restaurant. I just hope he don't mess his first ever date."

"I blame you, Rk... you should have pestered Bittuji to get married long back. He wasted all his life devoting to you."

"Look, I didn't stop him from getting married or why even seeing a girl. He just wasn't interested I think" Rk shrugged not willing to take the blame on his head.

"You kept him busy. You didn't let him think about having his own family." Madhu argued.

"Agreed! I kept him busy but that can't be the reason for him being single for this long. It's just he didn't find his soul mate before and he found her now I suppose."

"Is he planning to propose Roma?"

"How do I know?" Rk asked.

"You are his best friend cum brother right? So he would have told you nah?"

"No, he didn't. He is getting outrageously shy whenever I ask him about Roma.”

Madhu laughed. “Can’t blame him though, he is experiencing this love feeling for the first time.”

“Even I am experience this love feeling for the first time but I am not hesitant like him to ask you to marry me!” Rk said with a cheeky grin. Madhu snarled.

“It’s not the same for him Rk… they both hardly know each other… they need some bonding time.”

“You are right! That’s why I clearly told him not to rush things and scare her off. Asked him to take 'baby' steps”

“Haan, papa” Ruhi looked up at Rk thinking her papa called her 'baby'

“Not you darling. You carry on.” Rk said with a fond smile and Ruhi recommenced eating her cookie. 

"He sure would have planned to propose her down the line as he is so keen about his feelings for her… but definitely not tonight, not on their first date he will take any such big step I think.”

“Hmm…”

“Mama, finished” Ruhi showed her empty plate proudly.

“Good girl” Madhu said and brushed some biscuit crumbs from the corners of her mouth and from her dress. “Now, drink your milk”

“Mama…” she whined not wanting to drink milk.

“Ruhi!” one stern glare and slight change in Madhu’s tone from soft to gruff was enough for Ruhi to oblige her momma’s words. Ruhi clamped her sipper bottle with both her hands and leaning her small back on her Papa’s torso; she latched the sipperto her mouth and drank the milk from the bottle. 

“Don’t scare this little one, Madhu” Rk said draping his hand gently around Ruhi’s tummy and kissing the side of her head.

“I’m not!”

“Yes, you are. The goggle-eyed look you give her often…” Rk literally shivered. “It scares the living day light out of me, Madhu then think about her?” he pitied his poor daughter.

“You are exaggerating.” She rolled her beautiful big eyes. “Baby, are you scared of momma?” she asked Ruhi as she scooped her up from the water bed and placed her on her belly and propped her knees up for Ruhi to lean back.
“Tell me, sweetie, are you scared?”

“Lil, mama. Lil... ” Ruhi said honestly. Madhu’s face fell in sadness. She never wanted to scare off her daughter. “... but I love you, mama" she fell on top of her momma and hugged her neck tightly making Madhu cry in joy.

"I love you too" Madhu took Ruhi's head between her hands and soundly kissed her cheek.

"No kiss for me?" Rk piped in poking his finger on his cheek pointing to kiss him there.

"No!" Madhu laughed and pushed his face away.

"Why? You don't want to kiss on my cheek? Cool. Then kiss me here" Rk puckered his lips. Ruhi clamped her hand across his lips and pushed him back just like her momma did. Rk pouted at Ruhi and she pouted back.

"Because my baby doesn't want her momma to kiss her papa. Right baby?" Madhu asked. Ruhi nodded her head and launched herself back on her momma and laid her head on the crook of Madhu's neck.

"No!" Rk denied but he didn't pester her to kiss him, at least not in front of their daughter.

"Madhu, I was thinking of taking you and Ruhi to Disney Land. What you say?"

"Rk, Ruhi is just two... Let her grow up little big... May be when she's 6 or 7 we will take her there so that she will enjoy and also remember the trip"

"Hmm... Okay. But shall we plan a short trip to some other place? Since we relocated to France we didn't tour around"

"Hmm... We will think about it later."

"Okay" he flopped back and looked up at the night sky through the glass ceiling.

"I am thinking of joining Ruhi to some pre-school..." she started but he didn't let her complete.

"What the?" Rk sat up shocked and picked up Ruhi from Madhu and held her closer to his chest startling Ruhi. "School? She just turned 2 yesterday and already you are thinking of joining her school. Are you gone out of your mind, Madhu? She can't even walk or talk properly"

"Exactly. She can't talk properly and she is not socializing with anyone. You saw how she behaved in her birthday party so its wise to join her preschool where she will improve her language, vocabulary development and social skills."

"Schooling in France is mandatory only from age 6, Madhu, so only then I will join Ruhi in school. Hell if I wish I can even home school my daughter. I won't let her go away from me... Not even for a minute." he hugged his daughter tightly minding not to crush her. Ruhi patted her papa's chest to calm him down and that help him to some level in easing up.

"Rk, you are overreacting... See, it's just pre-school... It's hardly for an hour or two daily... She will get a change of atmosphere... She is always cooped up in this huge mansion with no one to play of her age. If she goes to pre-school it will even help her brain develop. There they will keep her active and she can mingle with other kids. Oh and also she can start learning French" she tried to reason him.

"No! You are being unreasonable, Madhu. it's not the right age. Parents put their kids in pre schools only at 3 or 4 yrs. Not at 2. She is still a baby and you don't forget that."

"Rk..."

"No, Madhu... If it's not the right age for her to see Disney land then it surely is not the age for her to join pre-school as well. So you better drop this idea."

Madhu sighed audibly. "You are going to spoil her rotten. I will blame you if she grows up to a manner-less brat!"

"She won't. She is such a darling." Rk retorted and kissed Ruhi's head. "And you, stop being a hitler mommy to her."

Ruhi giggled finding something funny about her parents argument.

"You little lady stop giggling. You didn't even get what we were arguing about." Madhu warned her trying to keep a straight face but failed and burst out laughing when Ruhi poked her tongue out teasing her momma.

"One more year. Then we will put her in school, okay?" Madhu asked in a serious tone to Rk.

"Hmm... we will think about it later" he gave an evasive answer just like she gave for his holiday trip idea.

"Chief! Chief!" Bittuji called as he frantically made his way to the living room.

"What's it Bittuji?" Rk asked as he stood up from the water bed leaving Ruhi on the bed with her momma. "Where is Roma? Is there a problem?"

"Roma went to the staff quarters."

"Why you are sweating profusely? Did you mess up your date?" Rk asked worrying whether they had any fight or something that didn't go well with them.

"Well I didn't mess anything... I only made her happy or she said so..." Bittuji scratched his forehead and took a deep breathe "Honestly our first ever date really went well before he showed up."

"Who?" Madhu asked.

"Peter" Bittuji said looking at Madhu.

"Roma's ex-husband?" Madhu asked. Roma had mentioned about her ex-abusive-husvand to her sometimes back.

"Yes" Bittuji nodded.

"What he did?" Rk asked.

"He created a scene in the restaurant. He verbally abused her. When I tried to shut him up he punched my face." Bittuji showed his right side cheek which was turning purple.

"Sorry bittuji you have chubby cheeks nah so I didn't notice this swell" Rk chuckled.

"Rk!" Madhu scowled at him for making fun of someone who just got punched by a rascal.

"Sorry... I will handle this matter, Bittuji. I will make sure he pays for hurting my brother. So you don't worry." Rk said in a furious whisper because his little girl was watching his every action with so much interest.

"Well I know you will fight for me... But that's not the actual problem here... "

"Then what it is?" Madhu asked curiously.

"Roma... She said something to her husband and I am worried about that."

"What she said?"

"She introduced me as her fiancé to her ex-husband and said we were getting married coming Sunday." Bittuji slumped down on the water bed making Ruhi bounce up and land safely back on it.

"Uncie Ittu gain" Ruhi wanted to bounce again.

"Not now Ruhi" Madhu shook her head to keep quiet. Ruhi hung her head down obediently.

"You love her and wish to marry her right?" Madhu asked.

"Yes, of course..." Bittuji agreed. "But marriage in a week? Is it possible?"

"Why not Bittuji? We sure can make this happen... Well only if you guys really want to get married. I suggest you to talk with Romaand know how serious she's about marrying you. I dont want her to say that she just said that to make her ex-husband jealous or to prove him that she has moved on. I want her to love you..."

"You are right, Chief. I really want her to love me... I never thought she will go with me on a date in the first place but it happened surprisingly and from there things took turns to a different notch. I didn't expect this day to end this way. I only thought we will have a pleasant dinner and share few things like our likes and dislikes... Well of course we did share all that for a bit and we were really enjoying our dinner date but from nowhere this idiot jumped in to spoil things." Bittuji said with pure hatred in his tone for Roma's Ex-husband.

"Well, you better think he did something good for you. Only because of him you got promoted to be Roma's fiancé." Rk said and burst out laughing earning another glare from Madhu. "Can't you be little serious Rk?" Madhu asked and Bittuji noddes with Madhu. Even he didn't like his Chief making fun of his life. "Hey I am just lightening up the mood, right Ruhi baby?" he asked her because she was the only one in the room who joined him laughing whenever he laughed.

"Yeah, papa" she said with an adorable laugh.

"Well, first thing in the morning you go get one engagement ring and slip it in Roma's finger so that doubts won't arise to her ex-husband if he ever gets a chance to see her again. Oh and also talk to her about your marriage and let me know so that I can make arrangements for it... I am very much positive she will agree to marry you." Rk said confidently.

"I hope so, Chief"

"Okay Bittuji we will discuss about this matter further tomorrow. Now go and have a good night sleep"

"Sure, Chief" Bittuji nodded and gave a brotherly hug to Rk. "Good night, bhabhiji." he turned and wished Madhu.

"Night, Bittuji" Madhu smiled and this time she didn't bother to correct him not to call her 'Bhabhiji'. And of course Rk didn't miss to notice that. He grinned and winked at Madhu making her blush slightly.

"Good night, cutie pie" Bittuji kissed Ruhi's cheek and headed to his room.

"Papa, me want apple pie" Ruhi demanded. Thanks to Bittuji for reminding her about apple pie, her favorite, by calling her cutie pie.

"Do we have apple pie at home?" Rk asked Madhu. She shook her head in no.

"Ruhi, if you are hungry you will eat fruits or momma will make you your favorite pasta." Madhu offered.

"Nah.. Me want apple pie" she asked stubbornly.

"Alright, I will go and get her apple pie" Rk said. Though he wanted to just go and hit the bed he was willing to go a mile or so to get apple pie for his darling daughter who can be a little devil at times.

"Rk, we will also come with you. And we will walk instead of taking our car. What say?"

"Sure, darling" he pecked her lips and quickly scooping up Ruhi in his arms he walked ahead of Madhu. Madhu trailed behind them touching her lips with her fingers where he kissed... Well, pecked her. She loved his lips on hers.

... To be continued!

Next update for this story will be only after 13th May, after my exams.
Till then please wait patiently guys.

Note to HILY readers - I will try my level best to finish HILY before my exams. I wrote the epilogue LOL... but the final part isn't ready... Lol! Please wait little longer guys. Thanks!

Vote!
Comment!
Share!
Thanks!