The Second Mother (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 6: Enchanted

Aanika had walked on footpaths all through her life, like any normal person really. She knew it was sometimes enjoyable, like in autumn when the trees shed leaves and you get to crunch your footsteps. Or in winter when there's light sunlight and you hold a warm coffee cup on your way to office.

The point is, walking on a footpath was simple. Sure, there was a beach on the side, the water sparkling in moonlight and the breeze softly ruffling her hair. But it was still walking. Just walking. But somehow with his hand in hers and his melodious voice recounting his adventures as a masked singer, it felt serene.

She could almost feel the clouds beneath the cobblestones. She could feel the warmth of his hand, tugging her body into a place with pure peace. She could hear his voice, sweet like honey and gentle like a feather caress. This felt perfect and it was.

Leaning her head on his shoulder, she slowly brought their joined hands up to her eyes, looking down with marvel at how his hand fit perfectly with hers. His gaze remained loyal to the back of her head as she slowly, untangled their fingers and then, interlocked them again, still in marvel of his long fingers.

He placed a delicate kiss on her head and she looked up, her head still resting on his shoulder. He was wearing a red mask now. It didn't fit well with the dark blue suit of his and she had suggested tying a red piece of handkerchief as a tie but he had shot down that idea with a scrunch of his nose.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she looked at his shaded eyes. She wished she could see his eyes.

"That's for me to lead and for you to follow," he said untangling their hands to wrap an arm around her shoulder.

"That doesn't even seem grammatically correct," she complained as she took hold of his other free hand.

"Good thing I can blame it on my third world country education." He chuckled at her annoyed expression. Her eyes really were the windows to her soul.

"How rude!" She narrowed her eyes. "I am sure you had the best possible education even in India."

"I did. Homeschooled by top tutors." He told her with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Do you miss home?" She asked with a smile as she turned her eyes away to the moon for a second.

"This is home now." He simply stated as he looked ahead at the road.

"LA?" She looked back at him with confusion. "This could never be home for me."

"Too busy for your lazy ass?" He asked with a chuckle as he wrapped his arm tighter around her when he saw her shivering.

She pushed his shoulder with her free hand. "I am never talking to you about my dreams of staying home, again!" She muttered in annoyance.

"Who the hell has that stupid dream? I mean as a workaholic, I can't imagine just laying around doing nothing."

"It is just a dream that gives me the power to be a reluctant hardworker. Everyday when I go to work, I go with the motivation that there is no work on Sunday."

He chuckled at her words. Taking his arm off her for a second, he quickly shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "I don't have an off day. I am either writing music, recording it or signing away deals."

She slinged an arm around his waist without acknowledging the jacket. Things weren't formal between them. "But music is a passion, right. You can just write it sitting on your bed!"

He clicked his tongue at her unawareness, "No. Never. Music is something that requires more of my energy than any complex deal could. I need to wait for inspiration, keep a dairy ready to note down the smallest of the new ideas and not to mention, I need a piano or a guitar before I even start brainstorming for lyrics."