I'm All Yours

by Madhumitha Lakshamanan

  I pulled her out of my arms and looked at her sad face. "No buts, Maya! How many times have I told you that if you want something from the kitchen, ask me?"

  "You busy with Daddyy."

  "I'm never busy for you Maya! Never! I can't bear if something happens to you? Never!" I said and tears filled my eyes. It's all my fault! I shouldn't have lost it when Gautham touched me.

  "No cryy Mommyy! Please! Maya no do this again!" she said, wiping my tears with her small fingers. I took her fingers in my hand and kissed them.

  "Promise Mommy that you won't do this ever again."

  "Pinkyy promise Mommyy," she said and kissed my cheek and made me smile.

  "Why did my princess want candies suddenly?" Gautham asked, looking at us.

  "Candies for Ria and my new friends at school."

  "You are not going to school today!" I said and put her slowly down on her feet.

  "Why mommy?? I go!! I go to school!"

  "Mommy is playing with you! You will go to school today. My beautiful princess!" Gautham said, carrying Maya in his arms and took her to the hall.

  I was not going to allow Maya to go to school. I would teach her everything at home and make her the most brilliant student.

  "Don't be scared Shakthi," Gautham said.

  "But I am," I said, crashing in his arms. "What if I lose her, as well? I can't live if anything happens to her Gautham!"

  "Trust me Shakthi! I will always be there to protect her," he said.

  I came out of his arms and looked into his eyes. "Please Gautham! Let's wait a year more. What is the need for her to go to school now? Pre- kindergarten isn't a must."

  He smiled. "She has been so excited. Haven't you seen it? I can't see her heart broken Shakthi! Trust me! I won't let anything happen to her! Don't you trust me?"

  "I trust you more than I trust myself."

  He pressed a soft kiss on my forehead. "Then, let's get going and drop her at her school."

  This man can even bring the moon down on earth for his daughter.

  In the car she sat on my lap and was jabbering nonstop.

  It would have really hurt her if I had refused to allow her. But even now, I was scared.

  "Daddy!! Is this hot?" she asked, showing the bottle of heated water that I had boiled for her.

  "Let me feel it and tell you," he said and touched the bottle. "It is hot."

  "Why did you touch it?" she asked.

  "I can't tell you if it's hot unless I feel it, Princess," he said.

  "No Daddy! You can tell by looking at it."

  "No, princess! It's not possible," he said and ruffled her hair.

  "Why would you say that Maya?" I asked.

  "Daddy told someone looks hot," she said innocently sipping on the bottle of water. When did she listen to our conversation!

  The car came to a sudden halt. Gautham looked at me with guilty eyes. I pressed Maya's ears tightly and said sternly. "No explicit language around her Gautham."

  He accepted quickly without a word and ignited the engine again.

  "Look and tell, Daddy! Is this hot?" She held out her lunch box.

  And now, I couldn't stop laughing.

  The entire day flew by. We also had a busy day at Sharp and Measure since it was the last day for filing returns.

  When I went to pick up Maya from her school, she said that she wanted to spend the day with Ria. So Sri took both Maya and Ria to her home for the night. I would really miss her.

  "Ready to go home?" I heard Gautham ask me, as I was shutting down the laptop. It was almost a quarter past eleven and I was growing tired and exhausted.

  "Yes boss," I said, which earned a chuckle.

  "You are the boss here, remember?" he said, which made me roll my eyes.

  "Don't even get me started on it! Please!"

  "Aright! Let's go!" he said and we left.

  I felt so sleepy and tired that I dozed off in the car.

  A soft breeze caressed my cheek sending chills down my spine, making me wake up. When I woke up, I saw the sky with sparkling stars and a full moon. The place was so silent. Where was I? There was no one around me. It was an empty place.

  I got up from the chair and I lost balance since I was standing on something that was moving. I peeped outside the railing and realized that I was in the sea.

  This was a cruise! Oh my fucking God! How did I come here?

  And suddenly I heard a huge sound of a cracker bursting and the sky filled with the bright letters, 'Happy birthday! My Shakthi'

  "Happy birthday Shakthi," Gautham whispering in my ears.

  I turned to face him. He was in his khaki shorts paired with a casual white shirt and all of the buttons were open, revealing his gorgeous abs. His hair was messy due to the breeze.

  I checked my watch and it was exactly twelve. I didn't even remember that today was my birthday. I was so worked up with Maya's first day of school that I totally forgot about this.

  "You did all this for me?".

  "No! I did it for our neighbor," he taunted which made me giggle.

  "Thank-"

  "Thank you Shakthi! For coming into my life, turning it upside down, making me believe in love, for trusting me, for giving me a family, for giving me Maya, for all your efforts in our relationship. This is nothing compared to what you have done for me, by marrying this bipolar, mad man." He laughed.

  "I never knew that you could be this romantic! When I married you for the first time, I thought that you were a jerk, which still you are, at times." I chuckled.

  "But jokes apart! I don't know what I could have done in my life without you Gautham! Thank you for not giving up on me and marrying me again and-"

  "Are we going to keep thanking each other like this or are you going to fulfill your promise," he asked. He always gets pissed when I thank him for re-marrying me again. But at times, I really feel lucky to have him accept me in spite of all my flaws. He makes me flawless.

  "What promise are you talking about?"

  "You promised me that you would complete the deed that we left incomplete in the morning," he said with a teasing smirk on his face.

  "Oh! Mister millionaire! The birthday girl is not going to fulfill all your demands today!" I teased him by running a finger seductively over his abs.

  He grabbed my hand which I was using to trace his abs and looked at our engagement ring.

  "Did you have a look at this ring?"

  "Of course! This is the one which you gave me when you proposed."

  He smiled and removed the ring and held it out to me. "Read the inside of the ring."

  'You and Me-Forever' just like the way I had it inscribed in his watch. When he first gave me this ring, these words weren't there. He was so good at giving surprises.

  "This is the best gift ever Gautham!" I said and tears filled my eyes.

  He claimed my lips for a mind numbing kiss. His lips smouldered mine in passion and love while his fingers wiped away my tears.

  I held on to his neck and kissed him harder. "Forever ,Gautham," I muttered against his lips.

  "Forever," he promised, but this time it would never be broken.

  --THE END--

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