AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hi, my dear readers,

Please show lots of love. Do comment about what you liked or even if you didn't. Suggestions are also welcome.

This is my first book and I'm excited to hear from you all. Hope you enjoy yourself

Happy reading ♥️✨

Aakriti was hurrying, trying to get ready quickly for college in the morning. This was an everyday occurrence, she couldn't wake up early to save her life.

She heard her mother from the kitchen asking for her to come have her breakfast. She quickly wore her jhumkas [earrings] and just put her hair in a bun deciding to comb them in the college. Then she came out of her room, carrying her bag while trying to wear her watch.

Her mother served her paranthas which she just rolled and ran out of the house while waving bye to her parents. She looked at the time, prayed like everyday that there won't be any red lights on her way and started her car.

The day at the college went well like always. She really took pleasure in her work.

In the evening, she was on her way back when she decided to take a detour and treat herself to an ice cream and spend some time in the district park. She bought an ice cream and found herself a bench in the corner to relax on.

She was savouring her ice cream while observing the nature around her when she heard a giggling voice from behind her. She turned to see a toddler walking towards her, his eyes on her ice cream. She melted on the spot, he was adorable.

"You want my ice cream, sweetheart ?", she asked him smilingly. He nodded his head and tried to reach for it. She pulled her hand away from the child while saying, "Oh sorry baby, but I have already licked it. I'll buy you one, ok ?".

A woman came running towards them and said, "Sorry, I didn't realise when he went away." Aakriti replied, "It's completely fine but he wanted an ice cream. Can I get one for him if you don't mind?"

"No, no, don't trouble yourself, he's just a big foodie" the woman said while picking the child up in her arms, " and very very naughty, aren't you?", she said while nuzzling and mockingly glaring at the baby. The child giggled and then again tried to reach for her ice cream.

Aakriti felt an intense longing in her heart while looking at the mother and son pair. She said, "No trouble at all, he's adorable, it would be my pleasure". The woman just smiled and nodded.

Then the woman looked back and said, "Baby, we'll be back in a few min." Aakriti looked in the direction and saw a man sitting on a mat. 'He must be her husband', she thought to herself.

Then they both started walking towards the ice cream stall. While walking they talked about the child and introduced themselves. The woman was named Kritika and the child was Aarush. She bought the child the icecream he pointed to, she asked Kritika to buy one too but Kritika refused. Then the woman asked her to join them. First, she politely declined but when she asked again she agreed.

By this time she was done with her ice cream and asked Kritika if she could carry Aarush. Kritika agreed and she asked Aarush if he would like to come in her arms. The baby readily threw his arms around her. And she couldn't stop herself from smiling. She loved children, always had.

They went towards the mat where Kritika's husband was sitting. Kritika introduced her husband to Aakriti. The moment they sat on the mat, Kritika's husband put his hand on her waist and pulled her towards himself.

Aarush noticed this and ran out of Aakriti's lap to sit between his parents. Kritika's husband grumbled and said to Aarush, You can't let me sit with my own wife?" And Kritika just laughed.

Aarush just replied, "Mumma" and stuck closer to Kritika.

"He never lets anyone come near me, not even Avinash( Kritika's husband)" ,Kritika explained.

Aakriti just chucked and ticked Aarush saying, " Possessive hn?"

While Aarush just giggled and continued feeding on his ice cream messily.

She looked up and saw Avinash mumbling something in Kritika's ears while she blushed and pushed him away while mockingly glaring at him. Avinash just chuckled and pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket to clean the mess his son was making.

Aakriti looked at the happy family and felt her breath hitch. She realised how she longed for this. There used to be a time when she used to actively dream and seek a life like this, with a loving husband and adorable, naughty children. After getting betrayed by the man she loved, she had given up on this dream of hers. But today while looking at this cute family before her, she felt an intense longing for a life filled with a husband who adored her and their children who they loved with their whole heart.

She felt her eyes getting watery and took a deep breath to control her emotions. She smiled at Kritika and then looked at her watch and said, "It's getting late. It was lovely meeting you all especially you Aarush." She pulled his cheeks and said, " I'll leave now. Bye "The family wished her well and waved her bye. She went to her car and started driving to her home.

But she couldn't take her mind out of this need she felt to have her own little family. The dream had returned to her and with much more intensity. Her parents had been asking her to get married and give life a chance again. She knew it was going to be difficult for her to trust a man as her lover again. But she wanted to do that hoping for a life like Kritika's or her own mother's.

She decided she was going to be brave. She was not getting to give up on her life or her dreams because of an asshole. She reminded herself that she was more mature and she won't fall for a loser this time. 

She also reminded herself that she would have her family helping her choose a man this time. With the decision made she felt relaxed and more excited then she had felt in years. Her heartbeat was rising. She felt like she was living again and not just letting life dragged on.

Before she realised, she reached home. She was excited till now but now she felt nervous.

 'How does someone tell their parents to find a groom for them ?', she thought. This was going to be one nerve-wrecking task. She just hoped her parents would bring up the topic by themselves tonight like they often did and then she could just nod her head and be spared the task of asking them herself.

Excited and nervous, she rang the bell of her house. Her dad opened the door. She greeted him and went inside. She sat on the kitchen table with her parents while her mom brought her water. Unlike other days, when she would have gone inside her room by now, she tried engaging her dad in a conversation hoping for the marriage topic to come up.

She asked, " Papa, Sonakshi's wedding is on Saturday, right?" ( Sonakshi- Aakriti's cousin)

Her dad just nodded. Disappointed, she went inside her room to change. She came out of her room to help her mother. Her dad was cutting the vegetables for the salad while sitting on the kitchen island. Her mother was making chapatis. She decided to set the table and again tried to bring up the topic of marriage in the conversation. 

"So, we'll be going on Thursday or Friday for Sonakshi's wedding?", she asked. Her mother replied, "Thursday".

She grumbled thinking, 'Pehle toh shaadi ki baat shuru hote hi mujhe shaadi ke liye kehne lagte the aur aaj jab main chah rhi hun ki kahe tab dono chup hai' [ Earlier they would ask me to get married every time the topic of marriage came up, but today when I want them to, they won't]

She tried again saying,"You know, Vanshika ke ghar rishte waale aa rhe hai iss Sunday" [ You know, a family is coming to Vanshika's home with a marriage proposal on Sunday ] 

"Who Vanshika", her mother asked. Now she was tonguetied.

"Uhm.... Vanshikaaa" she said assertively. As if that would be enough.

Her mother just arched her eyebrows in reply.

'How can a 27 year old be so bad at lying and concocting stories', she thought to herself. " My college friend", she replied, finally coming up with a lie.

"Oh really, never heard of her.", her mother said. 

"Ofcourse you have mumma, you just don't remember.", she said.

"Hmm nice, well at least some parents are getting this happiness" her mother muttered.

'Aapko bhi mil jaaegi, puchho toh' she thought exasperated. [ You'll also get it, if you'll just ask ]

She continued to talk about marriages hoping for the question which irritated her till today but she wanted to hear desperately today. Sadly, she returned to her room frustrated.

'Can't they get a hint?' She thought annoyed.

'It's okay Aakriti. It's just a matter of time before they ask you themselves. Just be patient.', she tried calming herself.

But patience was never her strong suit, once she had set her mind to something she needed to take action to make it happen.

She took a few breaths and decided that tomorrow will be the day her parents will ask her THE question.

Excitedly, she went to sleep. Not before messaging her best friend Vanya to meet her tomorrow evening. She needed to update Vanya about her life. That was a must. And this update required a meeting, call wouldn't do.

She went to a sleep with a smile on her face, pumped for the next day. 

To be continued..