"Hey! Your eyes look so tired. Didn't you sleep well last night?" she asked, surprised.

"Not really," I replied, shrugging.

"Why?"

"Mmm..! Actually, last night was the first time we were together while you were on your periods. I could not see you in that extreme periods pain. So, after few unsuccessful attempts, I, somehow, made you sleep. Thanks to that bedtime story. But the intensity of pain was so severe that you kept on waking up after every 2 hours. And again and again, I would somehow succeed in making you sleep. The whole night passed this way. You know, for the first time, I didn't care about my sleep. All I cared about was you and your sleep. May be this is how it feels to be in love."
She hugged me tight and said nothing.

Later, I slept for that entire day.

-

"Who is hiding in the kitchen?" I shouted.
Silence prevailed for a while.

"I know there is someone in the kitchen. I can hear the giggling."

"No. There is no one in the kitchen, Daddy," Pihu replied finally.

"I think Pihu is hiding in the kitchen. Is it you Pihu?"

"No, Daddy! It's mumma. She is speaking in my voice. I am hiding somewhere else."

"Oh. Your mom is so clever."

Her mother was standing beside me. We both laughed at her innocence.

"Okay! I can't find you Pihu. You win the game. Come out." I gave up.

This is how Pihu wins each time when we play Hide and Seek.

-

2 years have passed since we parted our ways, still whenever I walk past that ice cream shop where we first met,
it evokes nostalgic memories of our good old days. Our relationship days.

I am still trying to figure out why does it happen every time. Do you feel the same sometimes? Oh! No. You have moved on. But I have moved on too. The night and the morning no longer remind of you. I don't even remember your contact number. Isn't this enough to believe that I have moved on? Then why can't I stop relating to places which were once related to us.

You know, lately, I have started believing that moving on never happens. Truth is I have gotten used to living without you. And I know there will always be a part of my heart which will trigger my brain to induce the flashback of our good old days. Our relationship days.

-

We were making love when
she interrupted and asked

"Honey! Precaution?"

Getting a hold of her hand,
I gently kissed
the wedding ring.


She got her answer.

-

When we are in love, we are similar to a fish swimming under water.

What happens when a fish is pulled out of water? It perceives pain and fights for its life. After five minutes, the damage becomes irreversible. It starts suffocating and enters the state of paralysis. And after ten more minutes, it eventually dies. That's how breakup feels like.

When we are taken out of love, we suffocate. We try to call or text our ex. We feel the pain of heartbreak. But unlike fish we don't die in an hour when taken out of love. Instead we remain in that state of unfeeling, endless oblivion for months until we learn to adapt and live without love for some time.

-

-----

-

25 December, 2032

"Pihu! Stop making faces now. Cut the cake."
"Daddy! Look at the number on the candle. It says '7'. But I am 6 years old."
"No. You are 7. Stop acting like your mom does."
"Why? Mumma is 33. Still she says to everyone, she is 28. If mumma can do that, I can do that too."
"Arre..! Okay. My mistake. Girls can never change."

Her mumma entered.

"What? She is right. I am 28."
"Mmm..! Yeah..! I can never beat you two. Better I will go and buy a new candle."

-