Standing outside the RAJA BOJ AIRPORT in Bhopal, I prepared myself for this new phase of life. I had a very clear idea that things won't be simple and easy for me and the difficulties would be far beyond my imagination. But I had to do this. For me, for HIM, for them. There was no backing out. Even if it costs my life, I would not regret. With this determination, I took the cab to reach my destination.

"Yes, whom do you want?" A man in his forties asked after he opened the door for me. I was right outside my destination.

"I want to meet Mr. Saxena." I replied humbly but the man was still uncertain.

"Come in." finally after thinking for few minutes, he let me in and I made myself comfortable on the couch.

"Whom should I say has come?" that man asked me breaking my trance in which I went after seeing the whole wall opposite to me filled with lovely family pictures.

"yeah..Manik..Manik Malhotra." I answered him and he went away. I didn't spared a minute and walked close to the wall to have a closer look of the pictures. Such a sweet family. Their inner happiness were reflecting in their smiles and laughter which were easily reaching their eyes, making them sparkle shine. How I wish, these smiles should always remain there.

I was carefully observing each picture when my eyes suddenly landed on one picture which made everything else worthless. Such a beauty. How can someone look so beautiful and innocent at the same time? My hand unintentionally raised to the level of the picture and was about to caress it when a voice stopped me doing so.

"Yes." a voice came from my back and I turned towards it only to find the same beauty of the picture standing in front of me. Am I dreaming?

"Excuse me?" She said frowning a bit when I didn't said anything for minutes but kept looking at her.

"HI. I'm Manik. Manik Malhotra from Delhi. Ummm... I'm .... I'm .... I'm Harshad's friend." I spoke a little unsure and stammered. She shook her head a bit on the information she received from me and gestured me to sit.

"would you like to have something?" She asked keeping a strict formal tone and I nodded in a no.

"Nothing. Thanks. I just came here to meet Mr. Saxena, I mean, Harshad's father." I told her and she looked confused.

"For?" she asked keeping her words her precise as she can.

"To apologize." My heart screamed out loud but I couldn't say it.

"for some business purpose." I blurted out the first thing that came in my mind but her expressions told that she wasn't satisfied.

"I'm sorry Mr. Malhotra but I never heard about you from Harshad. Since when you know him."? I gulped down the lump in fear. What if my truth comes out. I panicked for a moment but composed instantly to answer her back.

"Not much, it was just six months back we became friends. His simplicity and honestly touched me deeply." I sounded genuine because he actually affected me. His words still ring in my hears and motivate me in every path of life. Strange but its the fact. A simple guy whom I met six months before had changed my life into 360 degree. Some people are actually special.

She kept on staring my face, may be trying to read the genuineness of my feelings and averted her gaze after a while.

"Harshad's father is not in a condition to meet anyone. You can talk to me if you want." She replied keeping her gaze on her hands that were constantly fiddling with her fingers.

"What happened to him and who are you?" I further tried to get my required information and she looked at me.

"He is in ICU." She responded after taking a heavy breath and simply ignored my other question. I was too shocked with the new information about his father that I ignored my unanswered question.

"What happened to him?" I managed to ask in a low tone with the fear of my assumption getting true. I hope what I'm thinking is wrong.

She too looked uncomfortable to answer and her breaths were now uneven.

"He got a heart stroke." She uttered with difficulty and I just wanted to drown myself in the ocean. It happened. He was suffering.

I was too lost in my thoughts to look at her. Nothing seemed to be right. Everything was suffocating. Suffocating to death, but I knew I didn't deserve that too. I needed to live. Live to bear the punishment. There was no escape.

Before I could register my thoughts I heard a sound and looked up to see the source.

"Nia..." That girl screamed in fear and ran inside towards one of the rooms.

I stood up immediately and after a few rational thoughts, I too ran behind her to check if everything was ok.

She hastily walked inside the room where as my legs froze at the entrance looking the condition of the room. All scattered and a complete mess. Middle of the room, on the bed, stood a little girl, holding a giant teddy and crying incoherently.

"Nia...what's wrong baby?" That girl asked her holding her arms and making her sit on the bed.

"You will send me to boarding? Am I that bad?" That little girl asked her in between her cries and hiccuped and that girl was taken aback.

"No baby..never. You are my lifeline. How can I send you away from me? Who said this?" She asked sweetly wiping the streams of tears flowing from the girl's eyes and took her in her embrace.

"Mickey" she replied a name and the girl was more confused.

"But why did he said like this? She asked that girl wiping her face and stroked her hair back from her forehead.

"Because I know you will." I heard a voice which made the two girls snap their head towards the direction of the voice and I too turned back to see a boy with fierce yet teary eyes walking towards them.

"Mickey what's wrong with you? Who told you this rubbish? Why on earth I will send you both away? And that too from your own house?" This allegation was absolutely unacceptable to her and she raised her voice a little on that boy.

"I heard someone talking. So does that means you will not?" That boy asked with innocence and this time she embraced him and kissed his hair.

"Not until till I'm alive." That one statement was more than enough to justify her words and understanding the depth of her words, the two kids hugged her as tight as they could.

She separated them from her after sometime and wiping their tears she spoke to them, "Listen you both carefully, I'm not sending you both anywhere. Never ever. You will not listen to anyone. You both are my life and I can't live without you both. You will stay here only. Do you get me?" She asked both of them strictly and both nodded with teary eyes. Both hugged her tightly and she lovingly held them till both calmed down.

"Kaka, aap ye sab theek karwa digiye par pehle inhe kuch khilaye." She referred the servant and again turned towards them, "have something and rest in my room. Don't worry about anything ok." She kissed on the heads of both and went out of the room.

All this while, I was only the mute spectator. After her, the kids and servant too left the room leaving me alone in the there.

My eyes once again wandered in the messed up room and realised the fear and anger that was filled in those kids with the mere mention of going away from their home. I made my way out but a sight stopped my feet.

A photo frame was hanging from the wall which had a beautiful picture of Nia, Mickey and... Harshad. I just couldn't take my eyes off from that picture. Such a peaceful smiles they had on their faces.

"What have I done?" I thought to myself and briskly walked out of the room.

I walked back to the living area and found that girl standing near the window that opened towards the lawn. Winter wind was flowing outside and sending chillers to our body. Slowly I went near her and noticed tears kissing her cheeks. Her hair flowing because of the wind and with those tears and red cheeks, probably due to cold, she looked even more serene.

"It's ok." She said politely when I offered her my handkerchief and wiped her face with her hands.

"Kids are like this. Very easily get affected with the talks of others specially when they are emotionally drained out. I'm sorry you had to see this." She spoke slowly still looking out of the window.

"It's ok. I understand." That was only I was able to say. My vocal chords were ditching me and for the first time in my life I was feeling so miserable, so disgusted.

"You were here to talk about business right? Let's discuss that." She stated turning towards me.

"That's ok. I don't think it's the right time. Will discuss later." I too was unable to discuss anything.

"It's ok. You can say it. I'm fine." She said and I nodded to continue with the talks. We occupied the couch and I started, "Harshad told me about his family business of soft toys. Six months before, when I met him and told him about my offer and he said he will surely think about it and talk to his dad as the final decision would be his only." I stated in a professional tone and she gave her ears attentively.

"What offer?" She asked and I kept few papers in front for her from my bag.

"My mom runs a chain a NGOs across the country and I too assist her in this. One of our NGO produces soft toys that are purely hand made but they do not get their deserved price due to the lacking of a brand name. Our workers need a brand name and "Smilez" needs more products because of the excessive demand. I suggested him to sell the toys made by our NGO workers under his company name and can have 10% of selling price for each toy. It had profit for both." I finished with my words and waited for her to respond. I knew this will be accepted but still I need an affirmation.

"Mr. Malhotra, I hope you are aware of the market condition and speculations. There is a lot going on around. Are you sure you still want to give into this? I mean , I can see that you are doing this for the NGO people but are you sure that you are not taking any risk with them while dealing with us?" She had her own set of doubts which were otherwise not wrong.

"I know what I'm doing." I stated in a firm tone and she nodded thinking about the offer probably and replied looking at me, "there are few people with whom I need to discuss things. You can come to office tomorrow. We can talk there."

I too nodded and prepared to leave. "Sure. I'll be there." I stood up followed by her, "Ok then, I will see you tomorrow." I said and she faintly smiled at me and with that I moved towards the exit when suddenly I realised something.

"Excuse me." I bothered her again and she raised her head from her phone which was in her hand.

"Yes." She answered back and I moved few steps closer to her. "Sorry I forgot to ask your name." I said and she smiled.

"I'm Nandini, Harshad's wife. She replied making my heart skip a beat and giving a faint nod, I rushed out of the house.

It was choking me now.