Hellooo my dear busy busy but lovely readers..

About my last question.. What is your definition of success.. I appreciate every one gave their opinion.. I loved every one's definition.. Most were all of the above..

Some get satisfaction when they get huge profit in money, some when they get affection and love from people, some when they help people, some when they get fame.. Actually everything is interlinked i mean if you get money, you will get fame, you can help people then you can get love.. So in this world word most people calculate people's success with money.

But you cant live peacefully just with money.. Yah u might get fame and love but fake love.. you cant get true affection without kindness and helping nature.

Even with all above, still if you are unhappy with what you are doing, there will be no peace of mind. With out peace of mind you can never live happily..

So ultimately with out happiness you can never think your self a successful person even the whole world says you are successful.

So my definition of success is living happily and peacefully with satisfaction.

I said alot right.. Anyways..

So lets get back to our story.

Swetha pov.

I was looking at the main door.. Waiting all the time.. But no one entered..

I heard some sound at gate.. I thought some one came for my rescue..

I tried to call for help.. But no one is there.. I tried to move but some thing is stopping me.. I couldnt shout.. I couldnt move.. There is weight on my chest.. Its suffocating me..

'Help.. Help... ' i was shouting.. But my voice is not audible..

There was a man whose back is visible to me.. He is talking to someone.. I dont know who he is..

Iam trying my best to move.. And runaway.. With fail.. I looked at the person whose back is facing me..

He slowly turned but i couldnt see his face as strong light is falling on my eyes..

He slowly moved forward..

'SRIRAM!!' i shouted with shock but my vocals are not audible

'Sorry swetha.. Iam responsible for your present state..' he said and took a knife and cut himself..

'SRIRAMM!!!'

I opened my eyes and breathing heavily.. My heart rate raised.. I looked around and realised i was in my in-law's house.. I looked beside.. Rakesh was sleeping peacefully..

Sweatings on my face even at 25 °C temperature..

I stood and went towards the side table took water bottle and gulped some.. I closed the cap of bottle and kept it on the table and came back to my bed..

I looked at bed..

I kept the pillows in between us.. But there are no pillows.. I searched for them.. I was shocked as i found them on the floor beside rakesh side of bed..

How come they came here??

Do u think they have legs?? Rakesh might have removed them..

But.. Why will he remove it?? May be he doesnt want anything which seperates us both.. May be he loves me??

Haha.. Do u think he loves you?? He dont.. U know pretty well.. Dont get high hopes.. He might have removed in sleep..

My lips turned downwards.. Sadness occupied me..

I took them and kept them on bed..

I sat on bed.. Suddenly i remembered my dream..

Why did i get sriram in my sleep?? After long time.. What does that dream mean??

Godd.. Please dont make anything happen to sriram.. I couldnt be at peace if anything happens to him.. He might not like me.. But he is my friend since childhood.. That fact doesnt change.. I dont want anything to happen to him..

I went to have bath and started praying..

After prayer.. I went and sat in balcony still remembering the dream..

I shouldnt be thinking about sriram.. But this feeling of something happening to him.. I couldnt bare..

"swetha beti!! Ohh you are here.. Iam searching for you" maaji came and said.

I smiled at her.

"you and rakesh both go to the lord balaji temple near by.. You havent went there since marriage right?" she asked..

"Ha maaji.." i said.

"you know.. There is a saying that Those couples who go to that temple and light the lamp will live together forever.. And it is really true.. " maaji said smiling..

I looked down unable to look at her smiling face..

May be that will become just a saying for us.. He and i are not meant to be together forever..

"i want you both to go there and lighten the lamp in that temple" she said.

"hmm.. Maaji.. He is not that.. " i said looking down..

I know he will not come..

"ohho...! Rakesh already woke up.. He is getting ready to go to temple" She said.

Is he..?? I mean.. May be he dont know about that saying..

"i asked him to not forget to lighten the lamp" maaji said..

I looked at her with shock..

May be he just nodded at her as she might taunt him continously if says no..

I nodded and left to our room.

He just came out of washroom completing his bath.. I looked at him and turned immediately..

"Ohh.. Sorry.. I.. I.. " i dont know what to say..

He is just in towel..

I heard him chuckle..

I was about to go out side..

"u forgot to give me dress to wear" he said.

I stopped and went to closet and was about to take a light grey checks shirt with black pant.

I kept it on the bed with out looking at him..

As i was about to go.. He stopped me by holding my hand..

I was confused and looked at him..

"maa asked us to wear our wedding dress.." he said.

"Ohh.. I.. I dont know.." i said looking down..

"you too need to wear that wedding saree" he said.

I nodded and went to get our wedding dresses..

I kept them on table and went out side..

I took a long breath.. I waited out side of our bedroom..

"Beti!! U didnt changed your saree.. Go.. Go.. Its getting late.." maaji said..

"Hmm... He is changing" i said.

Suddenly she started laughing..

I looked at her confused..

she shaked her head and went away..

I was still in confused state when door to our room opened..

I looked at him in our wedding dress.. He looked as good as that day but now more.. The difference from then and now is..

He is smiling??

Wah.. He is so handsome with smile on his face..

"its getting late" he said interrupting my thoughts.

I came to present world and nodded and went inside..

I took out my wedding saree.. It dark maroon kanchipuram saree..

I wore it and braided my hair and went out side..

"swetha beti!! Wear this necklace.." maaji gave a gold necklace full of white stones.

"Its from our ancestors.. My maaji gave it to me.. And iam giving it to u.. I hope you too will continue to keep it safe and maintain the tradition.. " she said

"Its very beautiful" i said.. I really liked that necklace instantly..

She looked at rakesh and said " rakesh tie it to your wife"

I looked at him with fear.. Will he??

No way he is going to make me wear it.

But to my surprise he came forward and took that necklace from my hands and came infront of me..

He is acting infront of his parents.. Nothing else..

He came too close to my comfort level.. Iam not complaining that his nearness is uncomfortable.. But liking his nearness which is not mine is making me feel uncomfortable..

He moved forward.. My face touching his chest..

I can feel his breaths on my neck which are giving tingling sensations to me..

Finally when he moved away, I released my breath which i held till now.

"Shall we go? " he asked.. I nodded and took the necessities for lightening the lamp at temple.

He took my hand in his hand while coming out of home.

We went to temple in car.

After darshan of lord balaji. We went towards the place where they light the lamps.

I took out the clay diya from bag, arranged cotton wicks on it.. And poured oil into that..

I arranged two clay diya for both of us to lighten it.. While iam arranging it, rakesh held the bag..

"heyy.. Noo.. You both have to lighten one lamp" some one shouted..

I looked at the person who shouted..

One aunty who is around 50 yrs old with large bindi on her forehead said

I and rakesh looked at her questioningly..

"if you both lighten single lamp.. You both will live together with happiness surrounding you like those two cotton wicks live together and give brightness surrounding the lamp" she said with smile and left.

I was afraid now.. Now as he knows, He will not come forward to lighten the lamp..

I looked down doing nothing.. He came forward and took one clay diya and kept it aside.. I was looking at him confused.

He took matchstick from bag and started lighting one cotton wick of diya and gave matchstick to me..

I looked at him with shock..

"Come on.." he said.. Tears formed in my eyes..

I took match box and lighten the other cotton wick..

I joined my palms and prayed god..

I dont know what is there in his mind.. May be he doesnt believe in this.. He just wanted to do it for his mother. But god, please let me be with him till my last breath.. Tears falled down..

" Heyy.. Are you okay?? " he asked..

I smiled and nodded wiping my happy tears.. He too smiled looking at me..

We came back home.. As we lighted the lamp at the temple, we were supposed to sleep on floor in seperate rooms that night.

I and maaji slept in one room and rakesh and pithaji slept in another room that night..

....

Next day i woke up early as usual and done prayer and went to kitchen to prepare breakfast..

Maaji came and helped me.

After sometime rakesh came and talking with pithaji who is reading news paper.

I gave coffee to both of them.

"No dad.. We need to go " rakesh said.

"But rakesh.. We want both of you to stay here for few days.. This is the first time you both came to our house.. " pithaji said.

"but dad.. There is alot of work for me in office"

"You will have work always.. You just came yesterday from london on your work.. Dont they think about personal life.. Always giving work.." maaji said while sitting on the sofa with a plate containing jasmines and thread.

"its not like that maa.. I was given a project and i need to finish that by the end of next week. I went to london to learn few skills for that project.. So i do Really have to go" rakesh said

"okay then.. You go.. Leave my daughter here.. After you complete your project come here by taking leave for 1 week." maaji said stubbornly while making garland of jasmines with thread.

He glared at her. But maaji is no less.. She is not even looking at him, she just doing her work of making garland.

After few seconds of glare he heaved a long breath and said "But.. Maa.. I cant go with out her"

His words made me surprised.. It felt so good that i wish those words are his true words and thats his true inner feeling.

"Its just 10 days rakesh.. U lived your most of life without her.. " she said still making garland.

He looked at me for help.

"maaji!! Its.." i was cut off my her

"dont you like to stay with us?" she asked with pleading eyes. I couldnt say no to her.

Its every parents wish to be with their children.

"I want to maaji.. But"

"See... Swetha wants to stay here with us.. " she said looking at rakesh..

"but maaji.. you people can come and stay with us right.. We all can live together in bangalore"
I said.

"But we cant leave all of these here.. This ancestral home.. We dont want to leave it like that. " maaji said looking around the room.

"Do one thing rakesh.. Complete your project and submit it as early as possible by doing hardwork.. Then come here early" pithaji said.

"yah.. Thats a good idea" maaji too agreed.

He looked at me and then at them and nodded his head.

He left to bangalore while i stayed at home..

Day ended asusual..

I was about to sleep..

I got a call..

Who will call me late at this time of night.??

I moved to get my phone and saw the screen..

I was beyond shocked to the unexpected event..

My husband is calling me..

But.. At this late night??

I sat on bed and in alert state..

Godd.. Dont say any bad news please..

I lifted call holding a hand on my chest.. Its making thud thud sounds..

"hellooo" i asked nervously..

"Hello.. " his  husky voice.. Yess my husband rakesh's voice.. Thank god.. He is fine..

"helloo.. Are u there..? Are u able to hear me? Hello.. " he asked.

"Haa.. Yess yess" i said..

"i just reached home" he said..

"hmm.. " i said.. I wanted to ask him whether he ate anything or not.. But iam afraid replaying his words..

'DONT IRRITATE ME.. U ARE NO ONE TO CARE FOR MY HEALTH.. DO U UNDERSTAND.. DO U UNDERSTAND THAT U R NOTHING BUT A STRANGER TO ME'

I closed my eyes tightly and clenched my jaw tightly.. to move away the pain in my heart.

"hmm.. Had dinner?" i opened my eyes suddenly.. Did i heard correctly..?

Shock was an understatement..

"Hello are u there? " he asked worried.

"hmm.. Sorry.. Ur Voice is not clear.." i said..

I still doubt.. He didnt ask me that what iam thinking.. He might have said something.. My stupid heart always thinks highly about our relationship.

"Had your dinner? " he repeated..

Seriously.. He asked me really..

My heart really jumping like bungee jump..

"yes.. Hmm.. You?" i asked. I hope he is still in his friendly state of mind.

"not yet.. Have to order it in swiggy" he said..

"dont eat outside food daily.. Its not good for health" i said but my heart beat is fast.. Its running faster than usian bolt.

"but you are not here to take care of my health" he said.. His voice felt like he is disappointed that i didnt went with him..

"do you want me to come?" i asked.

I cant leave him like that.. He is my first and foremost priority..

" no its okay.. Maa will be hurt.. I can manage.. Will eat bread and jam for breakfast, egg fry and rice for lunch and fruits for dinner" he said.

" daily??" i asked.

"yup.. Dont worry.. I will be coming as fast as possible.. I will try to come in 5 days" he laughed.

Hearing his laugh.. Its the first time hearing his laugh through phone.. That too while talking to me..

Its the first time we talk this much time and him asking about me.. Its all such a nice feeling...

"eagerly waiting for your return" i said but suddenly realised what i said..

Ohh shit.. Noo.. God.. Please dont make him change his behaviour towards me with my tongue slip..

"me too.. I really want to see you.." he said..

I felt so light.. I stopped breathing hearing his words.. Is he really want me to die due to heart attack.. Why so many surprises..

I was in my surprised state.. Unable to give reply.. I dont know how to react.. He wants to see me??

When i didnt gave any reply.. He said..

"uhh.. I.. I.. Mean.. You all.." he stuttered.

I smiled.. But this time no sadness.. Because he atleast want to see all including me.. Isnt it more than enough.. Him giving his friendly care? Its more than enough for me..

"We too.. " i said.

"okay.. Sleep well.." he said.

"Yah.. Okay.. But do eat for sure.. before sleeping" i said..

"Yahh.. Yah.. Sure.. Good night take care" he said.

"hmm.. Good night.. Take care" i said.

Call was cut..

I looked around my room and then at my mobile.. I pinched on the medial aspect of my arm..

"Ouchhh!!" i cried with pain..

"Ohh myy godd.. Its real.. Really real.. He.. My husband.. My rakesh called.. And he.. He talked to me so friendly.. " i murmered..

I kept my mobile beside and slept on bed..

'i really want to see you'

I smiled and closed the duvet fully covering my face..

'Had your dinner? '

i smiled.

I removed the duvet from my face..

'But You are not here to take care of my health'

i pouted remembering..

'Good night take care.. '

His voice is everywhere.. I covered my face with duvet again..

That was the first peaceful sleep i got after marriage..

Finally our swetha got peaceful sleep..

There is nothing like that lighting clay lamp by both husband and wife will make the couple live together as far as i know. . I just made it.. Correct me if anywhere its like that.

Guys.. If you know hindi.. I wrote two lines.. Just correct me if iam wrong..

'bachpan se mai hu teri

Tere man me kisi aur thi'

Is there any meaning to that.. I mean do you understand or not..??

So now dedications part..

Sasanka54 its not for you.. 😂😂😂😝😝😝

It goes to..

Nicemoon96

PariSehar

vcanusha92

Doraemon458

kritikaraj111

Meet u all in next update

Till then

Bybye❤️❤️❤️