Mumbai
Feb 7th

If she reckons that winter night gives her a chill around her husk more than any other season, then she was wrong, absolutely! Because right now, the thoughts around her head giving her more chill. As she thought about it, her gaze went to the sky and the stars in the sky. The twinkling stars are the best definition of her life, at the moment.

She - Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada, a happily married woman is a twinkling star in the sky, a sky called her husband. Her husband is her sky who didn't let her made a falling star. Instead, made her alive when she was becoming a falling star after being tired of searching for the perfect part of the sky. He made her a hummingbird again. Not at an instant, but he did with the passing time, definitely!

But, the problem is, she didn't let any other newly-born stars enter in the Sky, in his life. Newly-born stars named as her - their children. And the reason is not much of a complicated one, at least according to her.

Having sex and children are not the objectives of Love, is it? This was her belief. This was the exact reason why she couldn't able to let newly-born stars enter in the sky. What to do? Her heart is prohibited from such thoughts. At least, that is what she used to think, a year ago.

But, now she is ready to let her heart smash the wall around it. And let the newly-born stars enter in the sky. But, again, she doesn't have enough strength to enlighten her sky, her husband about the same. Blame her self-confidence! Blame the incident which destroyed her self-confidence.

It's not that she didn't gain enough self-confidence from whatever her husband tried to give her. He did, more than what could she ask for! But, a little part of her heart is still under the effect of the nightmare. And guess, a small part is enough to break the little strength in front of someone whom you admire. Definitely, when she had gone through the phase that broke her self-confidence.

But, Sky did definitely warn his star to not breakdown and be a falling star. And whenever she is near to be a falling star, grip the sky hard and let the Sky know.

She decided to do that. After all, she doesn't want to be a falling star.

Her belief changed now, not because she is a 21-year-old woman and is married for a year now. But, because she gained enough reasons to think that, "Yes, she can believe in the love where sex and children are PART of the word called love."

Her husband gave her enough reasons, enough time and more than enough comfort to change in her belief, slowly, with the passing time.

But, she didn't have enough strength to enlighten about it to him. Guess, she needs closure before starting her life with new terms.

She is going to do needed for it.

Her thoughts came to halt when she sensed a warmth around her waist.

Her warmth in the winter chilled atmosphere. Her husband- Arnav Singh Raizada.

" Don't you think it is too cold here? It's not good for your health to stand for a long time in a chilled atmosphere, love," she can sense his concern. She couldn't help but take a deep breath, for having him in her life. Her soaring chest is proof of having him in her life, a proof of pride. He is the one who had a belief in her, a belief which has no sex and children in love which are everything to a man.

" Hmm..." she hummed and wanted to say more but couldn't. Maybe, the chillness around her making her nervous. Even though she knows, there is nothing to be nervous about.

" Come inside, dear. Want me to take a break and serve you all day and night or what?" she snorted a laugh at him hearing him say that and nodded her head at him turning towards him.

"Maybe," she whispered, tongue in her cheek and he glared at her. She bit her insides to avert her laughter.

Guess, He sensed her trying to avert her laughter, as he glared at her more.

Oh, Lord! She didn't find any other man this cute!!
Not that, she did observe others. She didn't, but even if she did, she is sure she may not find anyone cute better than him, her husband.

After a few seconds, she burst out into peel of laughter and if she remembers, she stopped laughing after a dreadful incident.

She remembered how her life used to be before that incident, a happy life with her mother, father and a brother.

"Khushi and Manik, drink your milk!", Khushi heard her mother yell at her and her little brother who's a 3-year-old and is two years younger than her.

She looked at the milk glass in front of her, with her attractive almond-hazel orbs. She took her glass to drink it while her brother is busy playing with the milk with his small-small hands.

She's busy drinking the milk and after a few seconds, she sensed something wet on her head only to realise that wetness in nothing but milk.
Guess, her naughty brother dumped the whole milk on her head, again! As soon as she realised it, she started crying hard.

" Mummy!!", Garima ran outside the kitchen hearing her daughter cry and sighed in exhaustion, looking at her son's mischievousness, again. This is her son's daily work. He'll just dump the glass of milk on his sister's head instead of drinking it. No bullying, No pampering would work on her little son. He'd grab her hair if she does. And after some time, would go and eat vegetables with his little and ripening teeth.

Garima couldn't do anything. It was sure that Khushi has had her share of head baths, every other day.

At that time, she didn't know that it was LOVE. The love between siblings. The love between the parents and their children.

She missed the moments, moments of affection and love.

"Arnav?", she hesitated to say more. He turned around and looked at her keenly. She stood there with the end of the pallu around her finger, twisting it to left and right. This is proof of her nervousness. He understood there is something swirling around her cranium. After all, she is his better half, his soulmate.

He went towards her, took her in a comforting hug.

" Anything you want to say, love?" he was concerned and it is clearly visible in his chocolate orbs.

She nodded her head and his orbs gave her a gesture to 'go-ahead'.

" Arnav, hmm.. I've started believing in the love where sex and children are part of it." he was afraid he heard her wrong. He stood there like a tomb.

As she didn't get any response, she looked up to see his face. His face can represent a sculpture with the emotion called 'trance'. He was in a trance. She shook him up by his shoulders, and he came out of his spell.

"What did you say?" he was wondering whether it's true or not.

" You heard it!" it was a statement from her side.

" Though I started believing in love where sex exists, I can't help but to hesitate to carry out further," she rasped at him.

He was going to say something when she rushed to rationalize further.

" I don't know why I couldn't grab enough strength to carry out even though you have given me enough time and comfort to strengthen myself over my belief, emotions and confidence. I don't-" she was cut off by Arnav as he silenced her. His forefinger made its way to her lips stopping her from saying further.

"Don't say anymore. I can understand." he knew about her well and knew what has to be done in order to bring back the Khushi she was before.

He beamed at her hugging her close to his chest. After all, she is getting back to 'herself'.

Khushi loves this understanding nature of him. It's another of many virtues she likes err loves in him.

" Khushi, tell me about your dream boy?" a 16-year-old Sakshi questioned her in a truth/dare game.

A 16-year-old Khushi went into deep thinking tapping her finger on her chin. After a few minutes, she started reciting the points she wants in her dream boy.

"1) I want a man who holds me by my shoulders or by my hands whenever we walk beside each other.

2) I want a man who gives a peck on my forehead every morning.

3) I want a man who holds me in his arms while I'm asleep.

4) I want a man who scolds me if I neglect my meals.

5) I want a man who feeds me if I'm sick.

6) I want a man who carries me if I feel lazy.

7) I want a man who lets me spend my birthday with my parents.

8) I want a man who cuddles me if I feel cold.

9) I want a man who turns like a zombie if I don't pick up my phone for a few hours.

10) I want a man who demands nothing from me rather seek my comfort.

11) I want a man who trusts me enough to let me take control over myself." She completed her list of qualities she would want in her dream boy.

Little did she know that soon one more point is going to add in that list of her as topmost quality. And the quality is, she would want a man who doesn't believe in love where sex and children are objectives of it.

" Khushi, get up! Get ready. We are going somewhere," he shook Knushi who is sleeping in his arms as soon as he woke up. It was definitely a new morning for both of them.

Khushi frowned at the disturbance in the early morning and cuddled to the pillow leaving his arms.

" Khushi, it's 8th of Feb. Get up." he shook her again. But, she is too lazy to get up and listen to her husband. Blame the winter mornings!

To be continued...

Next part is the last one!

What happened? And Feb 13th is Valentine's Day for them?

-Bhavana:)