It was a hot midday and Sanskaar had been lounging in the shade of palm tree littered along the quite beach. It was one of the quite corner of Mumbai coastline. Unlike Juhu or Aksa beach, this little sandy outcropping on the border of sea was secluded and unpopular. Only few select people, mostly elderly couple, could be seen in the evening. The perfect place of Sanskaar to play and frolic, without sending his mother or his wife into panic.

He had learned it hard way. Few days back his mother almost hyperventilated when he went out without informing them. Swara had been upset afterwards. Most of the time he did not care if anyone was upset, but this was not just anyone. It was Swara. That could not be allowed to happen. He had held his ears for an hour (that was totally boring and painful after 15 minutes) and promised that would not happen again. It was not as if he was out doing something dangerous, he was just building a Sand Castle for Swara. A princess needed a castle, right?

He thought with a huff.

He missed Swara. Its not as if she was out of town. No, she was here, but still not here. Yesterday, she had been gone for whole day. She had gone out in the morning and came back late in the evening. And he definitely didn't like that. While they had lived at the big house, She was his shadow. She would be his playmate. Her day was full of him. She used to feed him, take him to the park or mall. She used to find his dress for the day. She would play videogames with him. She would either sing a lullaby or read a bed time story for him. She would wake him up from his nightmares and cradle him back to sleep later. And He would wake up to her everyday. That was how his days were supposed to pass.

Its not as if he missed that big house. As long as his Swara was with him he wouldn't miss the world but nowadays she was rarely home. He definitely did not miss that big house. They had tried to hurt is Swara in that house, why would he miss that house. If it was possible, he would have set fire to that house. Just like they had wanted to burn his Swara.

He glanced around curiously. It still felt early. He guessed it wasn't evening yet. And it was not as if he was roaming around the Sand and doing dangerous things around. He had Bruno and Ace.

Bruno laid behind him. His larger frame curled around on the cool shade of trees. Making himself the perfect pillow. Sanskaar had leaned back and sprawled relaxingly. Ace had taken a home on his chest, purring everytime she breathed. Stroking her forehead, he thought back to the day he met her.

He had gone to the park like usual, and played alone like usual. Other kids said he was too big to play with them. And then his mom came to take him home. But where would the fun be if he went home complacently. He had given the cheeky grin and dashed for the slide. That was where he had met her.

In his mad dash out of his mother's grasp, he had crashed into her, send her tumbling on the ground. She had been severely pissed and rebuked him thoroughly until his mother had appeared out of thin air and apologised on his behalf, while his own eyes had been clouded with unshed tears.

The first meeting had been a disaster but the second was not much so. He had tentatively offered a muffin as peace offering. Swara had accepted it somewhat astonishedly but had not protested. Thats when they had struck a hesitant friendship, which had only grown with time. However little was that. Within a month, she had been a permanent part of his day. Park-time had started to become something he looked forward to and he wouldn't forgo it for anything.

And then something happened. In whirlwind of flashy & festive like activities, Swara came home. Not just for day time. In fact, she moved into his home, into his room. It was absolutely confusing. Why would his bestie move in? Though not unpleasant, it was confusing nonetheless. And then his mother re-introduced her as his wife

-flashback-
(Two days into the marriage)
Sujata approached him with a wide and rueful smile.
"Sanskaar, k baat hai mera bachha?" She asked him.
"Mujhe aapse baat nhi karni," he huffed and pouted, "kal raat mujhe sulane kyu nhi ayi?" He asked going teary eyed and lying his head on her lap.
Sujata rubbed his scalp out of habit. It soothed her son.
"Abb se thare ko mhari utni jarurat nhi padegi mera bachha, Swara hai na. Wo thara khayal rakhlegi. Thare ko khailana-pilana, ghumane lejana, sulana. Thara pura pura khayal rakhlegi," her voice hitched thinking about the situation. Her son, who should have been out in the world showing his prowess, fall in love and marry a girl of his own choice was subjected to someone's help even to tie his shoelaces.
"Itna k sochraha hai tu?" She asked in her motherly fashion.
"Mom, Swara kyu ayi hai humare ghar?" He just could not wrap his head around that topic. Friends did not move into their friends' home like that. He did not have many friends but Lucky had. Her never went to his friend's house for more than a week or his friends did that. So what was Swara doing here? He knew, she was gonna be a permanent resident, she had tastefully unpacked and blended her belongings among his.
"Kyu k abb wo thari sirf dost na, Patni hai, Wife. Samjhe? Thari jeevansangini. Mane, jindagi bhar k liye thari dost. Abb jaise wo thara khayal rakhti hai, waise hi thare ko uska dhyaan rakhna padega. Thari dost thare khatir je ghar mein ayi hai. Dhyaan rahe, wo mayus na ho. Dil na dukhana uska," she explained, her hand still on his scalp.
-flashback-

That was a first of many small talks about being a husband. His mother was loving and firm woman. She explained in simplest of words how to be husband to his life long friend. True, sometimes he would be angry with Swara, but his mother would explain what was going on so that he would not be difficult to his ever loving wife. And in time, he grew to be more like how he thought his father was to his mother.

Sanskaar stretched his stiff muscles, tumbling Ace off of his chest. She hissed in displeasure of being woken up from her warm nap. And Bruno gave a lazy yawn and stretched himself.

He looked at the setting sun. It was late afternoon, Swara would be back soon. He better be back at home so that they could have snacks together. He was getting hungry anyway. And tugging along his company and dutiful guards, Sanskaar walked back to his HOME.
-----------
A/N: A little later for my promised weekly update.
But I think I compensated with my OS on Saturday. And readers, dont get your head dirty thinking about Sanskaar being loving husband. I'll cover that in later chapters. Now since I gave a longer chapter, I hope to see longer and tasteful review too.
Kudos