“Good evening, Mr. Singham.”

Abhay gave the receptionist at the Arundhati hospital a brief nod of acknowledgement. “Is my wife busy?”

“Dr. Singham is taking rounds. But she must be finishing up. Should I get her for you, Mr. Singham?”

Whenever anyone saw him at the hospital, they always stayed in an attention mode. Abhay didn’t know why they behaved that way since he kept visiting the hospital quite often. Anika had teased him with that fact many times. She said that even in his most relaxed mode, people found him intimidating.

“Let her finish. I’ll wait for her in the office.”

He walked past the long hallway of the hospital floor. Unlike, five years ago, the polished marble floors were now filled with people who came from many places for treatment because Arundhati hospital was now one of the best super specialty hospitals in the country.

His mother and grandmother would have been proud.

With that thought, he strode into Anika’s office. While he waited, his eyes took in the familiar decor of the room that suited the woman he was married to. Pictures of him and their children along with rest of their extended family adorned the walls.

His eyes fell on the latest picture they had taken. Anika’s eyes sparkled in it as she hugged him and their two children.

Each time he saw Anika’s face, his heart burst with happiness and pride. And most importantly, he felt a deep, abiding love.

Falling for Anika hadn’t taken much time. However, it definitely took a lot of courage from his end. He wasn’t the kind to easily let his guard down, but Anika broke through the walls and pushed her way in. And once he acknowledged to himself that he loved her wholeheartedly, he discovered something spectacular.

She filled his world with laughter and smiles. She was happiness personified. She even gave him two adorable children who along with her became his entire world. Anika brought in several other changes in him as well. He no longer needed to take a life to save lives. Dev’s and Rana’s marriages also helped a great deal to maintain peace within the three provinces.

People in the Singham province call her as a goddess. She was indeed one with her kind and generous heart. She was his goddess, too.

Abhay looked away from the picture when he heard the sound of the code being entered. Soon, the office door opened and Anika’s bright and cheerful face came into view. As soon as she saw him, her smile brightened even more. “Hi! What a surprise. Why didn’t you send someone to get me? I was done a while ago, I was just chatting with a patient.”

“That’s okay. I didn’t wait long. Are you done for the day?”

“Yes.” She came closer and hugged him before pulling his head down to kiss him softly on the lips.

He held her tight and returned the kiss. “I wanted to give you a ride home since I was visiting the hospital anyway.”

She smiled. “Yup. I had a long day. But I’m too excited about Sabitha’s and Narmada’s visit to feel tired. The children have been bouncing with excitement, too, to meet with their cousins.”

“Let’s go, then,” he softly said and led her out.

Raidu and Ravi drove them home. Raidu had once again become a part of the Singham household. Abhay wasn’t willing to forgive him at first, but as usual Anika with her gentle heart asked Raidu to be given a chance to prove himself. Which he ultimately did. He became the grandfather figure for the children and took care of them very well.

As soon as they entered the gates of the mansion, Anika sat up straighter. “Oh my God!” she burst out.

Abhay smiled at the look on his wife’s face.

Before even the car stopped completely and the door was opened for her, Anika sprang out and rushed up the mansion steps. “Mom! Dad!” She hugged her family who had been waiting for her.

A few minutes of tearful reunion with her family and Anika rushed back to Abhay. She hugged him tightly. “Thank you so much for this wonderful surprise!”

Abhay kissed the top of his wife’s head. “You are welcome.” Anika met with her family only once or twice and mostly in San Francisco. Her family visited the Singham Mansion once or twice a year. And since they had already visited the previous month, Anika was definitely not expecting them to be there for the occasion.

“Where’s Myra? Did she come, too?” Anika asked.

“Yes. She’s with the children,” Anika’s mother replied with a smile.

Anika hurried inside. The decorations were already put up in the main hall. The entire place was sparkling, and looked warmed and inviting at the same time.

“Mummy! Daddy! Look what Aunt Myra got for us!” Jay shouted. He held a big toy truck with flashy lights in his hands.

Jay—shortened version of Dhanush Vijay Singham—was born five years ago and hasn’t stopped shouting since. He was loud, cheerful and overall an adorable attention-seeker. Everyone fell for his charm easily.

Jay’s sister, three-year-old Dhruti was setting up the toy medical kit neatly on the floor. Dhruti was a silent thinker and her father’s pet. She followed behind Abhay wherever he went. And Abhay always catered to his little princess’s every wish, especially since she had very few.

Abhay and Anika sat on the floor next to the kids and listened to them as they showed off their brand new toys. The spent the next few minutes, packing the gifts for the rest of the family.

Dinner that night at the Singham Mansion was a noisy affair. Abhay knew it would get even noisier from the next day when his brothers along with their families and people would visit them.

He couldn’t wait for it.

 

***

 

Anika spent a long evening catching up with her parents and sister. Even though they spoke regularly, they still had a lot to talk. She still couldn’t believe Abhay planned such a wonderful surprise for her.

With a silly smile stuck on her face, she went up to the master bedroom suite. The kids did not want to sleep in their own rooms that night. They were sleeping with their Aunt Myra who told them scary but thrilling stories.

As soon as she opened the door, she heard Abhay’s voice.

He was frowning. “I’m less concerned about the yield than the chemicals they might possibly use,” he said over the phone. Then he paused to listen what the other person was saying. “Well, with the water and naturally rich soil, I know yield won’t be a problem. So don’t worry about it. Just focus on the how natural they can keep it. And—” He broke off when he saw her. His face softened and a small smile covered his rugged, handsome features. That smile never failed to make her feel the fluttering inside her stomach. “Let’s talk about this later,” he told the person on the phone before hanging up.

Getting up from the office nook, he came closer and pulled her into his arms. “Happy?” he asked, kissing her forehead.

She looped her hands around his neck. “Very, very happy,” she said, and then a sparkle entered her eyes. “Now, I want to make you very, very, very happy,” she teased.

He laughed softly. “You always make me happy, sweetheart.” He picked her up in his arms and laid her gently on the bed.

Anika was touched by his statement. Over the years he has told her the same. Even when they sometimes disagreed on something, she never doubted his love and respect towards her. Neither of them ever took each other for granted.

She let out a soft moan when he opened the buttons on her shirt and kissed her exposed skin. As usual, Abhay was always sensitive to her mood. That night he made slow, deep and passionate love to her in a way that never failed to draw out every sensation. He body was strong and hard, but his movements were controlled and gentle.

Her heartbeat hammered in her chest as she felt the need to explode. Finally, she let go completely, and buried her face in his shoulder to muffle her pleasured cries. He continued moving languidly within her, drawing out delicious shudders from her body for a while.

When she calmed down, she looked at his tensed face and smiled alluringly at him. Then wrapping her arms and legs around him, she held on to him tightly as he lost control. She made him gasp out her name again and again into her neck like it was a prayer.

Much later, when both their breathing calmed down, he rolled away and pulled her on top of him until she lay on his chest.

“God, I love you so much,” he said, holding on to her tightly. “Sometimes, I keep wondering if this is all a dream. If I really have you, Jay and Dhruti or whether I’m hallucinating.”

“I am real. And I just proved that to you a couple of minutes ago,” she teased.

He laughed softly. “Did I tell you that the day I decided to make you my captive bride was the best decision I ever made?”

“Several times, Mr. Singham. And I told you I’m glad as well. Although, initially I had thought I ended up with a beast, what I actually got was a prince.”

“I highly doubt if I’m a prince material, but you Dr. Singham are my miracle.”

Anika smiled and kissed him. “You are my prince,” she insisted.

She hugged him harder and let out a deep content sigh. “God, I love this time of the year. The ceremonial table is once again going to be filled with family and friends.”

“I know.”

Despite the excitement and eagerness for the upcoming visits, Anika’s eyes drooped and she fell asleep in her husband’s arms listening to his heartbeats.