A Heart of Stone with a Coat of Gold

No Smoking

Note-

Yesterday I was distressed by being harassed by some readers(I have now deleted that post, Sorry) But today as I was once again reading my book, I realized, Wattpad is just a small world, where the good and bad coexist. Yesterday I grumbled about the bad, so today let me recount the good out here. And the good outnumber the bad.

@thatonevoice - One of the kindest persons and her writing is akin to a flowing river. She has guided me so many times. And one of the most patient persons out there

@SHADOWS-OF-BLUE - a confident young lady who is really funny and a good friend

@SsoniN - I had once almost given up on writing and this graceful person once again rekindled my spirits. Fun fact- I constantly pester her with stupid queries

@CEDIS_XVI - sadly I think she has left wattpad. But her initial pieces of advice were eye-opening

@Bilondagaga - once again, one of the few people who supported me at the start. I think she has stopped wattpad too

@Kimayaa - I asked her for advice out of the blue and she helped me so kindly. Not many people will do that. Also a great writer.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you guys, but if you guys feel that this mention of your profile on the book creates any issues for you or is a breach of privacy, please inform me. I will remove it.

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It was a hot sultry day. The whole room had the humid smell of lethargy hanging all around, which was not  helping Anu the slightest. She yawned, as she held the one-year-old tiny creature in her arms. Unfinished sleep ruled her senses; she felt drowsy and dead-tired. The night had been long, and she had forced herself to stay up till late, filling out the long lengthy forms, which basically wanted to know all about her in a mere 2 pages of questionnaire; an arduous and monotonous feat to achieve.

Honestly, she would have liked to stay in a bed for a while longer, but Neel had violently shaken her in a fit of frenzy, and had practically flung Aryan in her arms. Then he had run to the door, pulling Reema behind him by her arms. She was a bit slow to realise; he too had woken up late.

So now she held the blue-eyed kid to her shoulder, slumped on the sofa, the queries she had answered last night falling like snowflakes ahead of her half-closed eyes, akin to a surreal reverie. Yes, the snow, shaped like letters were falling all over her, slowly melting into slush, dripping over her neck, slowly, and slowly, making it wet...

She opened her eyes and glanced swiftly to the side. There he was. The little puppy-eyed devil, who had his mouth stuffed with a stray lock of her hair, as his chin rested on her nape, drooling all over it. She sighed and tried to pull it out, but he clenched it tightly in his fits, or as tightly his little limbs had the strength to. "No, that's not healthy." She chided him gently. He was still unwilling to let go, but she finally succeeded.

A mere minute later he had it back again. "You are as bad as your dad." She told him. He giggled, and gargled. Anu couldn't help but grin too.

She had hated doing this at the start, almost repenting asking Neel to take care of Aryan. Who knew taking care of a year-old kid could be so gruelling and downright back-breaking? She often wondered how Neel managed it after his long day at the office. He was even older than she was.

When she had made the offer, she had thought of it just as an escape. Having moved in this huge mansion, the days had been torturous with the rest of them gone, submerged in their own lives. Only she was left alone.