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When Rhea started waking up next morning she couldn't help but feel nostalgic, inhaling the aroma of food that was coming from downstairs. Quickly getting off the bed, she slipped into her comfy Disney slippers and ran downstairs.

"Shraaaa...." she squealed excitedly upon seeing her in the kitchen, making her favorite chocolate chip pancakes.

"Rheee..." Shraddha picked her up and squeezed her tightly, returning the same enthusiasm.

"God... I missed you so much munchkin!!!" she said showering her with kisses before putting her down on the floor.

"Lie... You didn't miss me at all!" she huffed, crossing her little arms in front of her chest.

"Huh... How can you say that, Rhea?" Shraddha frowned at her behavior. "You know how much I love you na?"

"You don't. You left. I was alone. You're a bad girl." she started scolding her as shraddha held back her laugh.

"I'm sorry Rhee... But you see, I had many important works to do that's why I had to leave." Shraddha said as she knelt in front of her.

"What's more important than me? I should your first poetry." Rhea said, rolling her eyes in a dramatic way.

"It's priority baby!" Shraddha shook her head with a chuckle as Rhea gave her a 'whatever' look.

"I'm sorry naaa... I promise I won't ever leave you again... Not until your daddy piss me off..." she said, mumbling the last sentence.

"Fine, you're forgiven. You may continue your services as my official crime partner." the 6-year old said giving her a pleasing smile. Shraddha let out a light chuckle before pulling her into a tight hug.

"I love you, shra!" Rhea whispered in her ear before burying her head in her neck, inhaling her scent which she had missed.

"I love you more, baby!" Shraddha replied, pecking the top of her head.

"Aww.. So cute! Stop it y'all... I don't wanna cry!" Varun said wiping away his fake tears before entering the kitchen.

"Shutup you, idiot!" Shraddha said smacking his arm slightly.

"Yeah, what an idiot!" Rhea said shaking her head and Varun looked at her with wide eyes whereas shraddha chuckled.

"See, you're already a bad influence on my daughter." Varun said earning a glare from shraddha.

"Actually, I came here to tell you that Sara and Kartik have just arrived so you may need to make more pancakes." he told her.

"Kartik is here?" Rhea asked excitedly before running out of the kitchen and into the living room. Shraddha again got engrossed in making the pancake batter.

Varun approached her with slow steps and stood behind her so close that his hot fanning breath was reaching shraddha's neck making her shiver. His hands snaked around her waist pulling her into him.

"Varun... Stop it..." she told him as she tried to get out of his grip but failed.

"So I'm an idiot, huh?" he whispered in her ear. She closed her eyes as a shiver ran down her spine causing her to clutch the spatula in her hand, tightly.

"I-I didn't mean that..." she tried to explain but her mind was so lost due to him being so close to her. He always had this affect on her. He could make her forget her surroundings with ease.

"Oh really?" he asked, pressing close to her and nuzzling his nose in between her neck and shoulder.

"Varun, please..." she pleaded as he started planting soft kisses down her neck. They both got startled upon seeing Sara leaning against the kitchen door.

"Hey there, love birds." she gave them a teasing smile and Shraddha elbowed varun in stomach causing him to drift apart.

"Don't you have any manners? You should've knock before entering." Varun said sounding irritated.

"Oh hello... This is a kitchen. You should've take your romance to the bedroom." Sara replied back.

"I can't even have privacy in my own home!" he mumbled while leaving the kitchen and both the ladies chuckled at his behavior.

"So, how's everything? I mean I don't know the whole thing but I could tell you and varun were having differences." Sara asked her as soon as varun left the kitchen.

"It's good. We're all good. Yeah, he's a little pain in the ass and he drives me nuts sometimes... most of the time." she chuckled and Sara smiled.

"But I can handle him. Because sometimes it's not about what you desire, it's all about what you need. Varun... might not be an ideal man, a man that I dreamed of but... he is all I need and I'm all he needs." she looked up as tears started forming in her eyes but she refused to let them slip.

"And most importantly Rhea needs us. Our relationship just doesn't revolve around us. It started with Rhea and she's still the main focus." she completed her statement.

"So, you're trying to say that you both are together but at the same time you're not? Because as far as I know he's crazily in love with you. And you've been in love with him for a long time shraddha." Sara questioned her.

"And I'm not denying it Sara. The thing is that a relationship doesn't only need love. Surely, love is a big part of it but that's not it. You need trust in it, you need understanding in it. And it's just the start of something new for both varun and me." she stopped for a second and inhaled a deep breath.

"We both need to heal completely before we take this relationship to the next level...so that there'll be no bruises left. There'll be just pure love. And with time we'll be stronger than anything." she completed with a smile.

"I'm glad varun found someone like you. But it's gonna be one hell of a ride for you since he isn't that easy to handle." Sara told her with a smile and she nodded.

After the breakfast, the group of friends dropped Rhea at kartik's home with his family and went for the remaining wedding shopping. In between all the wedding stuff, Rhea grew a great bond with kartik's parents. They treated her like their grand-daughter and like this one more void got filled in her life.

It was almost night when varun and Shraddha picked Rhea from kartik's home and the family then headed towards their house.

Upon reaching, Rhea immediately ran upstairs to her room, dragging varun along with her and Shraddha frowned at their behaviour. By the time the duo head back to the living room, shraddha was peacefully sipping her tea while watching one of her favorite soaps.

"Ehm..." Varun cleared his throat as he sat beside shraddha and Rhea on her other side. They both were grinning and Shraddha was looking at them skeptically.

"We have something for you!" Rhea chimed up and Shraddha looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Let's not get so eager, Rhea!" Varun glared at her before forwarding an envelope towards shraddha which she took it after hesitating a little.

"And this is from me?" Rhea said handing her another pink-colored envelope.

"You guys... What's going on? It's not my birthday or anything." she looked at them both.

"Just open them will you?" Varun told her and gave her a glare.

"Okay... So which one should I open first?" she asked.

"Your choice." Rhea replied with a smile and Shraddha started opening up the pink envelope that Rhea gave her.

"No.... Don't open this one!" rhea exclaimed before shraddha could open her letter. Shraddha looked at her and she smiled sheepishly. She then started opening up the one that varun gave her.

She unfolded the paper and it looked like something official due to all those stamps and signatures. Both varun and Rhea observed her quietly as she finished reading the paper.

"I... I don't get it... How? But... Why are you giving this to me?" she turned to look at varun.

"I couldn't believe it either. But it's true. Tara has given up all her rights as Rhea's mother. She has nothing to do with Rhea now." he told her.

"I get it but... Why are you giving this to me? And that too like this?" she again asked him.

"And that's when you open the second letter." Rhea told her and she looked at her before opening up the other letter and unfolding it.

"Dear shra...
First of all.. Bear with my bad handwriting. You're beautiful. You're sweet. You're all I need. I know you're too young to be a mother of 6-year old but... Will you adopt this not so innocent child so I can call you maa?
I love you,
From Rhea!

By the time she finished the letter, there were tears in her eyes and this time she didn't hold them back. She folded the letter and turned to look at Rhea who had a hopeful and fearful look on her face.

"You wrote this?" Shraddha asked her.

"Daddy helped with the spellings." she replied innocently making her chuckle.

"You know rhea being a mother is a really really big responsibility." she told her.

"Does that mean you don't want to be my mother?" Rhea asked and Shraddha could feel tears forming in the little girl eyes.

"I don't know whether you've realized it or not but I've always loved you like a mother. And the title you're giving me is something I'll cherish for my whole life." she told her with a smile.

"So that means I can call you maa from now on?" rhea asked with hope and Shraddha nodded with tears in her eyes. Rhea jumped from her position and pulled shraddha into a tight hug.

"I love you maa!" Rhea confessed making shraddha's heart flutter.

"I love you more baby!" she hugged her back.

"And I love both of you the mosttt!!!" Varun said hugging the both of them from behind and they all chuckled.

No matter how many voids you have there will always be someone who's gonna fill them. No matter how many bruises you have there's always be someone who's gonna heal them. It's all just the matter of time and the right person.

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