5 years later...Drishti was exhausted. There wasn't really another word to describe the state a woman was in immediately following childbirth. The messy business was over. The doctors and nurses had cleared out, and the family went home. Now it was just Drishti and Shravan in a quiet hospital suite. Well, make that just Drishti, Shravan, and the brand-new Master Dhruv Maheswari in a quiet hospital suite. Dhruv made her arrival at 4:53 p.m., weighing three kilograms, plus a hundred grams, and shrieking with the finest set of lungs to ever debut at Sunrise Hospital, Mumbai.It had been a long day filled with excitement, nerves, joy, and pain. And now, she was enjoying a private moment she would remember for her whole life. Shravan was beside her in the reclining chair. Dhruv was bundled up in a white blanket with pastel stripes. He is perfect, tiny, and pink with Shravan's features. Dhruv had fallen asleep with her small hand clutching Shravan's pinky finger, content, warm, and sa
Drishti glared at her husband with her hands on her hips.Shravan was too busy typing on his laptop to see the furious glare coming his way."I swear I will throw that bloody laptop one day soon, into the sea," Drishti said angrily."This is waterproof, Drishti," Shravan said without looking up from the screen."For heaven's sake, it's the Diwali season. I hate when you work during Diwali," Drishti complained."I am leaving behind my laptop as you demanded when we go to the island, Drishti. Let me finish off the pending work before we leave," Shravan said, and Drishti huffed in annoyance.They heard some movement from the baby monitor."He's awake," Shravan said with a soft smile.Dhruv Maheswari was born eleven months ago after Drishti found her footing in the business field.Now she is working in the Bangalore branch of the Malhotra empire, after training under Shravan Maheswari for a year immediately after her studies were over.Dhruv, being the first grandchild in both the familie
Little Dhruv certainly had a decent set of choppers on him.Drishti winced as the emerging teeth grated on the sensitive flesh of her breast as he hungrily fed.She shifted on the comfortable swing chair on the verandah, with the sunshine sprinkling down on them.Definitely time for solids.That would disappoint the little man in her arms.But she knew an older one who would be delighted to have exclusive access at long last. Drishti thought mischievously.Drishti looked across at sixteen-year-old Damini pouting at her brother-in-law, who refused to let her go for a night party at some pub.Drishti and Shravan had shifted to a two-storied house with a backyard after Dhruv's birth.Damini had come over to stay with her older sister after finishing her tenth-grade public examinations.Much to Damini's dismay, Shravan had started to tutor her with her eleventh-grade syllabus.Ten days after being tutored by Shravan, Damini was begging for permission to go to some college party held by he
"Drishti, are you ready yet?" Shravan called out loudly for his wife from the living room of their house."Five minutes, Shravan," Drishti called out in return, and Shravan rolled his eyes in irritation.She has been saying the same thing for the past hour.Why does she even take this much time to get ready? She is a naturally gorgeous woman. She could walk out in a sack and still stop the traffic without even trying. Then what is the need for wearing makeup? Shravan thought in wonder."Come on, Drishti. Don't delay anymore. I told you it is a very important day for me. We are signing the first international deal today. I can't be late," Shravan said, walking into their bedroom."Yes, yes. I am done. Zip me up, quick," Drishti said and turned around for him to zip up her dress.The sight of her smooth skin brings goosebumps for him, even after having a child.The desire for her never abated. It is still flaming as ever."Shravan, zip me up," Drishti said again."Yes, yes," Shravan sai
"Ava Verma?" Drishti exclaimed happily."Yes. Oh my god! It's been so long, Drishti," Ava squealed happily and bent down to hug Drishti."Yes, yes. Never met even once after I left for the boarding school," Drishti said."Well, you cut ties with me. You refused to stay in touch," Ava said dryly, and Drishti huffed."That's because you cheated me," Drishti said accusingly, making Ava roll her eyes."I didn't cheat anyone," Ava said."You did. You said you would join the boarding school with me. But you didn't," Drishti complained."I said I would try," Ava defended."You didn't try hard enough," Drishti said.Ava let out a sigh."You never let me explain, Drishti. You just hung up the phone and never took my calls again," Ava said.Now when Drishti thinks about it all, it seems all silly. Her ego had come in between and ruined the beautiful friendship she had with Ava."I was just too angry back then. After Mom's death, that was when I first met Maa. I was finally becoming happy again,
"Good morning, Sheikh Ahmed al Zidra. Please make yourself comfortable," Shravan said with a polite smile."Just call me Basim," the young Sheikh said with a dismissive wave of his hand."Sure. Tea or coffee?" Mithran asked."Neither. I have heard that there's something called lassi available here. Haven't tried one yet. Didn't know where to get the best one. I would prefer that," Basim said cheerfully."Sure. We will arrange for the best lassi to be served," Shravan said and informed his assistant to make the necessary arrangements."We were informed that Sheikh Zayed Ahmed would be attending the meeting," Mithran asked curiously.Basim paused for a moment and then raised his eyebrow in query."Any problem in discussing the deal with me?" Basim asked."Of course not. I was just curious," Mithran said with a shrug."There was some emergency political issue which needed immediate attention from both my brothers. So they sent me here for business," Basim said vaguely, without revealing
Shravan stopped the car in the parking lot of the apartment block where Drishti's parents live when they are in Bangalore.He unbuckled the car seat and took out the baby bassinet before they walked into the apartment elevator.The elevator took them directly up to the penthouse suite owned by the Malhotras."Paa, Maa," Drishti called out as she walked into the apartment."Don't scream, Drishti. He will wake up," Shravan said, peeping into the bassinet to make sure that little Dhruv wasn't disturbed by his momma's screams."Uh, sorry. I forgot," Drishti said sheepishly."Drishti, baby. Where's my little one?" Diya came towards them with a sweet smile on her face."He's sleeping," Drishti said, rolling her eyes playfully.She still gets jealous when she doesn't get the attention of her parents like before. Now their priority seems to be little Dhruv.How cruel!"Shravan, it's been so long," Diya said softly."Sorry, Maa. I have been quite busy with the international deal," Shravan said
"Hey, D!" Siddhu waved his hands as he approached where Drishti was waiting with little Dhruv."Finally! You found some time to spend with me," Drishti said, making Siddhu roll his eyes."It is you who is always busy. For the last three times, it was me who came to your home for a visit," Siddhu pointed out."And all you did was mooning over my son. You didn't even talk to me for five minutes," Drishti complained."Now, now! Don't be jealous of your own son, D," Siddhu teased, making Drishti huff."So? What's happening? Did you finally confess? Or are you still in the pre-relationship stage?" Drishti asked.Siddhu grinned and pointed behind him, and Drishti saw a very excited Shreya standing there."Oh em Gee!! You guys are official now?" Drishti squealed, and the other two bobbed their heads in agreement."When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me? You used to tell me everything before. Nowadays I am the last one to know about your life," Drishti complained, still miffed at hearin