Dahlia and the Moonlit Knight:

A Babe in the Night:

April 20th, 1971, a day fondly remembered by the Airavatas. Throughout the morning, the weather was hot in South Pasadena, California. The sun was beating down on the burning grounds. Even on that morning. It would stay like that until the afternoon when Mr.Airavata had gotten to his small, Pueblo-style home after a long work day.

Opening the front door, he is greeted with a kiss from Katie. "Hi, hon. How was work?"

"Dull...as usual. Basically did nothing. How 'bout you, love?"

"The usual; made some cakes for one guy, cookies for the other and having to clean up the messes made in the process."

"Couldn't have been too bad; you'd managed to beat me home."

"True.", Katheryn chuckled as the two went to the kitchen. "Speaking of food,", she goes on, "what do you think we oughta have?"

"Beats me. In all honesty I just want night to come already so I could go to bed."

"Work was that boring?"

"How could it not be when all you have to do is listen to everyone bicker all day for just one drawing?"

"It can't be all that bad, Rocky."

"I know, I know, but..."

"What?"

"There's just gotta be something more-what's the word? Exciting than this. You'd think graphic designing would be more invigorating.", his eyes look down at the table, "Maybe there's something wrong with me."

"Aw, honey", Katheryn's fingers go through her lover's long, black hair, "I know it's hard but it'll get better soon. I just know it."

He could not help but scoff at the words, "That's what they all say...and then nothing good happens. It's either the same boring mess or something that wipes you out with the stress it causes."

"Rocky..."

"Don't Rocky  me, you know it's true!"

With a solemn sigh, Katheryn goes to make dinner. Eventually Rakshak goes to put his arms around her. "I'm sorry.", he said softly, "I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"I don't blame you; you're in a funk right now."

"That no excuse."

With a smile, she puts her hands on his shoulders, "Hey, how's about after dinner, you can make it up to me?"

Mr. Airavata thinks for a second. Only to return a mischievous grin, "How about now?"

His brunette wife playfully bites her lower lip as she turns the stove off and races him to their bedroom. Resulting in some heated romance.

....

Night fell among the town. Once the Airavatas had finished their little playtime, they had gone on with dinner. Hours later, they were getting themselves ready for bed. Rakshak was watching TV on the mattress when Katheryn got out of the bathroom in a magenta, silk robe. After a double take, the young fellow could not help but grin. "Lookin' good, baby!", he winked.

"Oh stop...", Katheryn blushed as she gets herself under the covers with him following suit.

Turning the TV off with the remote control, Rakshak lied down with his eyes gazing at the ceiling.

"You ok, hun?", she asked with wonder.

"Yeah...just thinking..."

"About your job, still?"

"No. About where I've been. Figuring out who I am... where I had came from...everything." his voice was beginning to break, "Yet, I still have no idea where my folks are or if they're alive or not. Did they want me? Do they still want me? Who are they? Who am I?"

At her husband's terror, Katie cradles him in her arms. She did not know what to do; Rakshak had told her of these problems before even prior to their engagement.  So much she wanted to find a way to help. Yet, due to limited resources and how expensive the sessions were, the couple were at a lost. All Katheryn could do was to just comfort him. Following a kiss on his tear-ridden cheek, she spoke, "The human mind is a weird thing. Someday, somehow, they'll come back to you."

"You said that last time we had this talk."

"But, is it not true? I mean, come on, in this day and age anything could happen. And, now that we have the money, we could try the therapy sessions again."

Rakshak thought about it for a moment, "Perhaps we should. Should we?"

Katheryn nodded at her love's hesitant questioning. Resulting in his reply, "Alright, that settles it. We'll call the shrink tomorrow and take it from there."

"That's the spirit!", she joyfully hugs her beloved when there came a knock at the front door.

"Of course...", muttered Rakshak as he got out of bed, "I'll be right back, dear."

Down the stairs and to the door, he opened up to find a basket carrying a crying baby girl at the step. She had short, slick black hair, dark brown eyes and a fair, cinnamon-like complexion. Besides being wrapped in a soft white blanket, she wore a light pink onesie with matching booties.

Upon this discovery, a surprised Rakshak picked up the child and her basket. Going back inside to the living room, he called out, "Katie! Katie! Come down here, quickly!"

"What's the matter?", she inquired as she rushes down to the scene. Only for her to gasped at the cite of the infant in her husband's arms. "Oh my god..."

"Poor little thing was outside all alone. "

Katheryn gently gets the child, "Where did she come from?"

"Hang on,", Rocky said as he looks in the basket, "hopefully there's a note."

Fortunately, there was one. Unfortunately, it was not much help. Reading the small piece of paper, Rakshak spoke, " 'Daliah' ...well, at least we know her name."

"I like it; beautiful name for a beautiful girl.", Katie smiles as she managed to calm the babe, "But what should we do?"

"Well, the first thing we're gonna do is call a cop."

"You think they'll let us keep her...until her folks are found?"

"Uh...I don't know...", he looks reluctantly at Daliah who smiled at him, "Darn it, kid, how could I say 'No' to that?"

The couple laughed when a thought had occurred to Rakshak. "Yet what would this mean for the therapy?"

"I think we could manage for now...I'm sure we'll think of something."

"You sure you wanna do this?"

"I am if you are."

Rakshak grinned with reassurance as he gazes at his wife holding little Daliah. Following 2 years of police investigation, meetings with social services and dozens of paperwork, the Airavatas would legally take in the mysterious girl as their very own.