The Virgin

Epilouge

10 years later...

As I pulled out the tray from the microwave, a strange smell welcomed me.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and placed the tray on the platform.
Hours of hard work.

I put the lasagna aside to cool down, I thought what a difficult task it is to cook?
After a minute, I took a spoon and stir it from the side.
OMG! Burnt.

But I didn't.....Hugghhh.
I threw the cooking manual on the floor.
I am not able to cook a simple dish. What kind of wife am I?

Wait! don't jump to conclusions Becky. Let Micheal taste it.
No, he won't tell the truth. Everything that he has ever said after any of my dishes is:
"This the most delicious thing I have ever consumed. I want to kiss the hands of the cook."
Not his fault. All husbands do that.

Once it happened so that I cooked potato salad, the most easiest dish in the world.
When I gave it to him, he said that it was delicious and after that when I tasted it, the potatoes were still hard.

It would be better if this Lasagna just goes into the dustbin.
Maybe I should get cooking lessons. But only if I had time which I never had except on Sundays. 

I put the tray aside, pull off my apron and walk out of the kitchen.
After a minute, I reached the living room.
I told Mike not to buy this big house. A palace would be the right word to describe it.

As I enter the living room, I saw that the mini theatre was turned on and nursery rhymes were being played on it.

I went straight for the remote and turned it off.

Then I turned only to see that Micheal was sleeping on the sofa with his head placed on the handle and on  his lower chest was sitting Mini, my 3 years old daughter, fiddling with her book.

On seeing we, she smiled and said "mommy".

"Wake him" I whispered to her.

She smiled again, climbed to his face and shouted "Dhhhaddy...".

Mike hurriedly got up saying "What happened? You okay?" 
Then he turned his face and saw me standing there.

"Oh no. Better close your ears, Mini." he placed his hands on her ears.

"Put her down" I said boldly. 

He did as said and placed her on the ground. She placed the book on the table and disappeared behind the sofa.
At home, I was the boss.

"I told you to make her learn from the book. Not to pile her up in front of TV." I said while picking up toys which were scattered all over the room.

Mike came to give me a hand and said
"I was tired and exhausted..."

"Stop making excuses. You have to learn to take responsibilities." I said.

"I am sorry" he made his puppy eyes.

"Say sorry and then repeat" I said in a low voice, getting back to normal.

Only then Mini emerged with two pom poms in her hands. She smiled, came to me and said
"Mommy, dhaddy says you chee..chee.." she said in a broken sentence.

"I told you never say that to her" I whispered to Mike.

"You should see how good she is at it, Mini show her that move I thought you" he smiled and said.
Mini shot her hands in air and started jumping.

"Wait! Mini...come here." I said.
She listened and ran to me. 
"Not now. You are to young for this" I said and took the pom poms from her.

"Mommmyyy.... I want..." she shrieked started crying. Why was she so loud?

"Here... see teddy is calling you." I said and gave her the stuffed bear which I had in my hands.

She smiled and I wiped off her tears.

"And sweetie, mommy was not a chee..chee.." I smiled and said.

Mini turned her face to her father.

"She was a chee...chee. Your father never lies." he said.

"Yes your father never lies. But you know what? He kicks and talks in his sleep." I said.

"Never..." said Mike.

"Oh puhlease! last week was the 45th time you pushed me off the bed in four years of our marriage. And two days ago, you woke me up in the middle of night while you were sleeping and asked for a glass of water. Now what kind of a person does that?" I said.

Mini giggled. Though she didn't understand what was going on, she enjoyed her parents having an argument.

"Well..." Mike didn't had a reply.

"Too much work is killing you Mr Smith." I said.

"I can take a day off for Mrs Smith" he said as both of us got up.

He smiled pulled me closer to him.

Only then the voice recorder hanging on my waist cracked and loud crying was heard.

"I will get him changed" said Mike, he planted a short kiss on my forehead and disappeared out of the room.

Ben  Smith was my eight months old son.
Mini was standing near the glass wall of the room, placing both her hands on the wall, she was looking at the beautiful view of the city.
Half of the room was made of glass walls, which wasn't safe for children.
"Not too close to the glass, young lady." I said and lifted her in my arms.

As we stared at the New York skyline, my mind wandered to the past.
How difficult life had been for Mike and me.
Everything went smooth till our college got over and then Mike's father wanted him to continue the family business but he didn't wish to do so. Both of us decided to switch the business into an IT firm. It took lot of hard work and patience to gain success. Three years wasn't a less time. 
And only after everything was set, we decided to get married and grow our family.

Now when I look out at the beautiful view of the city from this palace and the line of expensive cars standing in the parking area, I think that our hard work didn't go in vain.

Mike on the other, even after being the founder and CEO of world's one of the most famous IT firm, was a family man.
His family was everything for him.

Three years ago we were gifted with Mini and then Ben. Both of them had Mike's blue eyes. Ben was a perfect copy of his father.

Only when I came out of thoughts, I noticed that Mini was fast asleep.
I turned around and looked at the wall clock.
Still an hour for dinner, I let her to sleep on the sofa and went to search for Mike.

I found him quietly coming out of Ben's room.
After that both of us went to the terrace. A cool breeze welcomed us.
We sat on the swing. I placed my head on his chest and he wrapped his hand around my waist and we both stared at the endless sky.

No matter we fought and argued but every next day we turned the page to write a new chapter in our Book of Love.

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