SIX MONTHS LATER

"Get this checked up Mr. Sehgal! We would love to work with you.", I hid my smile and handed the document to my PA.
It was a huge deal we bagged today.
One of the biggest.
"Thank you Mr. Roberts! I hope you love working with us.", I said and exited the meeting room.

"Aiden! Narrate my schedule!", I commanded as I settled in my cabin.
He began, "Sir there's a lunch with Lockwood's CEO. Then you've to meet Mr. Harrison about your indian branch. Then..."

I interrupted, "Aiden will I be free anytime soon!?"
"Uh..!", He gave the schedule a brief glance, "After 10 sir!"

Damnit!
It's way past her bedtime.

"Aiden I haven't talked to her in the past two days!", I exclaimed.

He made an apologetic pout, "Sorry sir! I'll try to take time sir.", and left.

I huffed in annoyance and then began my work.

Two hours later, I was in a meeting discussing the six months graph with my investors and associates.
The meeting was going well and everyone was pleased with my performance.

But I got interrupted when my laptop screen, that was also connected to the presentation display showed an incoming video call.

I frowned as every person in the room became curious seeing the sudden change in the screen.

I was about to disconnect when my eyes fell on the name, 'Bela'.
Does it take a second thought!?
No!
Not at all.

I connected that very second only for the whole meeting room to chime with a loud and chirpy, "Daddaaaa!"

There she was, wearing a cute bunny frock, sitting before the laptop, with a huge grin on her face.

God! Why so adorable!

"Mahira!", I addressed her smilingly.

"Dadda mumma is ou! Says dadda in a meetin. Don distulb!", She said and I heard gasps from the people beside me.
I smirked proud on my daughter's excellence.
{Dadda mumma is out! Says dadda is in a meeting. Don't disturb}
She's not even two and she can speak so well. They must be shocked.

"Okay but you called me!?", I cooed her and she grinned again.

From the time I started living here, video chatting has been something very frequent between us.
So frequent that even Mahira now knows how to call me. But I am afraid she'll soon become a technology freak. That's not good for her eyes.

"Dadda mumma says she won gimme chocolae...!", She complained frowning. {Dadda mumma says she won't give me chocolate}
I was amused yet maintained a frown, "Why!? What did you do!?"
She pursed her lips and then said with a pout, "Said no fo foots!"{ Said no to fruits!}

"Foots!?", One of my associates questioned.
I turned to him, "Fruits! She means fruits."
"Oh!"

Okay! She got that from me...But still...She's in her growing years.

"Mahira! If you're not going to eat fruits, I will not talk to your mumma for chocolates...!", I said with a strict face.

"Daddaaaa!", She whined making an almost crying face however I knew that's a facade.

"No Mahira...Mumma is right. You should listen to her!"

"Dadda! Foots are ewwww!", She made a constipated face..

I would have burst out laughing but father's duty call!

"Baby fruits are healthy...And when you eat fruits, you will become strong!", I said and in reply she narrowed her eyes at me.

"You baddd Daddaaaa! Mumma is bad! You are bad!", Another trick.
Emotional game!

"Okay....I will send you chocolates but first go and eat some fruits."

"No!", She said folding her hands over her chest.

Someone giggled behind me and I turned to saw one of my lady investors, taken away by my daughter's charm.

I turned back to Mahira.

"Mahira call mumma!", I said and her eyes widened.
"No!", Then she kept the finger on her lips, "Shh! She's ou!"{She's out!}

"Mahira.....!", Before I could complete another voice from the other side interrupted, "Mahira!"

Bela.

"Haww!", Mahira kept both hands on her mouth afraid of being caught.

She looked here and there on the bed she was sitting and then crawled over to the blanket hiding her face in it.

Yeah! Just face for everyone of us, could see whole of her except her face which was now under the blanket.

I heard Bela again, "Mahira! Where are you!? You didn't touch your fruits!"

"Mumma Maiyyaa is not here!", Mahira yells back.

The whole meeting room burst out laughing at her antiques and I myself was utterly amused even when I have seen this hundred times.

Suddenly Bela comes in front of the laptop.

Dressed in red top and blue jeans, her colour with mine.
God! She looks so hot!
I mean we both are nearing thirty...But she's becoming sexier day by day.

My dreams were interrupted by her, "Mahir!"

I smiled at her, "Yea!"

"You're in a meeting! Oh! I am extremely sorry...!", She glanced towards the other people behind me.

She forwarded to disconnected but I stopped her, "Bela..!"

I signalled towards hidden yet not hidden Mahira.
She looked at her and shook her head.

But then I said a bit loud, "Bela! One who'll eat fruits will get chocolates and icecream as a prize! Okay!?"

I see Mahira peeking through the blanket, "Okay dadda!"

Bela shook her head in disapproval, "You're spoiling her. She'll get a cavity soon!"

"One of my friends is a dentist!", I pointed out and heard people laughing behind me.

She tried to hide her amused smile but failed miserably.

I muttered a 'i love you', before she disconnected.

"Such an adorable family!", One of the associates remarked.
"Thankyou!", I smiled back and resumed the meeting.

****

I laid down on my cold bed. It's so hard to stay alone with your family miles away from you...

It was already past 12 and I looked at the digital calender beside my bed.

13th Feb, 2019.

Something clicked in my mind.
Tomorrow is 14th Feb.
Our wedding anniversary.
That wedding!

It was just last week when I was in India. But it feels like I will never get enough of the two.

I was sleepy yet picked my laptop to clear my schedule. If I want to see her on our wedding anniversary, nothing can stop me.

Six months ago, I left India as per plan.
Yes, that wasn't easy but I don't regret my decision.

I feel better now, when I see Bela.
I don't instantly remember the ruthlessness I showed to her.
Whenever I go to india every third week, they welcome me with spread hands. And I too love them with the same intensity, without any ounce of guilt.
Many things are required to repair yourself, but time is hell needed.
I know Bela didn't realize in the beginning that we both need time.

In the ninth part of 'MY HEART SPILLS', she said that-

"My trust from this species called 'men' was completely shattered."
And I know that included me too, at the time she wrote it.

She may know me. She may know how much I love her. She may know how much she means to me. But in course of the two years, we spent hurting each other, she lost her trust in me.
By 'trust', I don't mean she doesn't trust me with Mahira or her own self.
It's just she wasn't trusting me with her heart.

I never got the 10th part and only god knows how much I yearn to read that one.

Just feel it. Your favourite writer. Your favourite story. You're at the edge of your seat. But she isn't updating!!
And I had to wait for six months!!
My heart aches for her heart isn't spilling the 10th part!!!

She would have wanted to reconciliate things with me. But she would have surely hesitated, even if for a single second. I know her.
Instead of saying this openly to me, she would have hid that dark cloud of doubt in her heart.

And God knows, I don't want my love to live with the burden of depressed feelings.

But now, I notice when she often says out her heart. And this time not for an illusion, but for me.

I was getting back the Bela who would say out the worst thing to me, not careful if it may hurt me or disappoint me.
The girl I fell in love with was not a calculated speaker, in front of me. Only in front of me.
Instead she was the one, who would at once question my extra friendly advances towards her.

"My tongue met with an accident today, in the morning.", She said to me on our second meeting after getting a shock by the revelation of my fake relationship with her sister.
Then, I thought she's just straight forward..

But instead as time passed, I learnt she opens up to me.
While being selective and careful to the world, about what words she said, she used to dump all the things in her mind on me.
But this is why I loved her.

I broke her walls, and she took me in.
That's how we were.

Six months ago, even being so near I always missed that about her. Thankfully, I now see a scope of improvement.

My phone started ringing, and I saw her name on the screen.

"Bela!", I greeted.
"You aren't sleeping..."
"I should ask you that..", I argued.
"Mahir it's early in the morning here..."
"Okay but you should sleep properly. Mahira won't let you take a nap during the day..."
She sighed, "She got that from you!"
"Okay let me guess. You had a dream about me.", I declared.
She became silent for a while but then said, "I hate to admit it, but you're right."
I laughed, "Missing me already huh!?"
"So what!? You won't come even if I am missing you...You always do things according to you. Your convenience. Your wants.", Now that hit hard.
"Bela just say it. I will!", I argued.
"No you won't!", And she ended the call.

Okay. I accept. This last six months have been a hell for her. They had to be.
Otherwise the way she complained right now, without thinking twice was never possible when it came to the Bela, I met after divorce.

This is what I have been working for.
And now when we have got that phase of our life back, I won't let her go.

****

19 HOURS LATER

I open the main door with the spare key I have.
I made sure the door doesn't make any sound.
Because I won't be amazed if she's still awake writing in her study.

Keeping aside my luggage, making sure no voice comes out of my movement, I unpacked the box in my other hand.

As the stuff was arranged, I removed my shoes and saw the wall clock showing 11:59 pm.

I went upstairs and saw her bedroom's door not locked as usual.
I peeked in only to find her sitting on her study table, engrossed in her books.

Mahira was sleeping on the bed, quite peacefully. And my heart simply melted seeing her.

Still with silent steps, I headed towards her.
She was facing the other side and hence it was not possible for her to see me.

I took baby steps and in no time reached her.

Just as the clock donged, I whispered in her ears, "Happy anniversary Love!"

She gasped audibly and turned immediately to have a look at me.
But if I haven't slammed my lips on hers, she would have yelled in shock and woke Mahira up.
However, she wasn't less shocked by what I did.

Her voice muffled in her mouth as I kissed her fiercely. She grabbed my shirt in shock but in turn, I intensified the kiss.

Eventually, she gave up, and kissed me back.

Her hands went around my neck and I safely kept the cake in my hands on her study table.

I leaned more and held her by her waist, not breaking the kiss any soon.

She was now standing caged between my arms.

Our hearts were beating like parade drums.
It was not the kiss of comfort.
It was not to drive our pain away.

It was something familiar yet we tasted it after a long time.
It was the kiss we shared on our wedding night. When happiness of the world were bestowed upon us. It was the kiss that said our Love won!
And I am feeling every bit of it.

Five years of wedding, including two years of divorce, but not once, I felt the distance between us.

Our love was back, all over again.

She drew back once breathless. But our eyes never left each other.
"You came...", She whispered.
"I did...I guess.", And then leaned forward again.
But this time instead of kissing her, I bite a little below her ears, "And you're not dreaming!"
She giggled at the gesture I used to do years before to in my language, 'seduce her'.

But when I retreated, I saw her eyes wet..

My body suddenly became stiff, "Bela..."
"You don't know how much I have waited for you Mahir. Every year, this time, I used to cry my heart out for you like before, didn't bring your midnight cake.", She glanced towards it, "...With 'Happy anniversary my love' written on it."

I wiped her cheeks, "Because I didn't think I have the right. Now I do....Even if you haven't given me, I will take the right...I want you back Bela!"

As soon as I said the last words, her hold around my neck loosened.
Don't tell me she's going to reject me.

She retreated back more and her back touched the edge of her study table, "You know what you said Mahir!?"

"I know! And I stand on it. I want you back, in my life. I love you and you love me. I am no more guilty and you are yourself again. There just this void, I want to fill with your presence Bela! I WANT TO MAKE YOU MINE AGAIN. AND I WANT TO BE YOURS ALL OVER AGAIN."

She stayed silent but her eyes never left mine.

I expected her to say something instead she just smiled at me and there was nothing but love behind her smile.
Love I would kill to see.

She turned and signalled towards the cake, and then like we used to do, we cut it together.

"Bela! I have a gift for you...", I said in her ears as we laid on the bed, with Mahira between us.

I swear she will jump in the morning after seeing me. Thankfully, I made sure my bag has enough chocolate which would fit to her heart's content.

"What is it!?", She leaned forward and shoved her hand in my pocket.

Like mother. Like daughter.

I helped her pull out her old bracelet from my pocket..

When she looked at it, she became silent.

"You left it back at the penthouse....", I didn't complete.

She looked up at me, "Keep it back for now. I will tell you when to give it back to me."

"Huh!?"

"I will tell you Mahir!"

And with that, we called it a night.

****

When I said Mahira will jump on me, I never knew she'll give so much meaning to my thoughts.
Because she literally did.

And God forbid! She's getting heavier.

"My back is paining Bela!", I whined as she refused to pick Mahira up.

"No! You need to see how much you spoil her...", She said and left the room.

After a lot of struggle, I managed to bring Mahira in front of me, away from my wrecked back.

And then I was showered with kisses.

Now please tell me, how I would prevent myself from spoiling her...

After our long love exchange, we came down only to find our breakfast waiting for us.
We were done in an hour as we had a lot of bickering to do.

I went to meet my dad because he was not well, and came back in the late afternoon.

Not finding the two in the bedroom, I went towards the study to find Bela writing.

And this time, air knocked out of my lungs when I saw
the title- MY HEART SPILLS- 10.

I had to swallow my shock because Bela spotted me and thus, immediately closed her work keeping it back in her desk.

Things proceeded then and the day went well, but my mind was stuck to that one thing, I wanted to read anyhow.

And thus, at the night, when I was sure Bela is fast asleep and won't wake up any soon, I got out of the bed.

Once out of the bedroom, I literally ran to the study room.
I opened the desk and there it was, MY HEART SPILLS-10

I picked it up immediately and heaved a sigh.

Finally, I got it.

I sat down on Bela's chair and started reading, but instead of seeing, I heard something.

"Mr. Donor"

****

Reactions awaited!
Thanks for reading.
I delayed the update because I wanted to give the effect that it's already been six months, so you could feel the story😂.