Page 146 of Entangled Vows
“Oh, come on,” Mohit groaned from the doorway. “You two… this is a hospital!”
Ishika smirked beside him. “So does this kiss-fest mean all is well in marriage land?”
“You could say it’s more than well in marriage land.” Vikram gave a smug grin. “Right, Momo?”
Mahika laughed, her cheeks flushed. She noticed Suraj standing next to Mohit, both looking a bit awkward but amused.
“Right,” she said, wiping her eyes and opening her arms. “Come here, Mohit.”
Mohit stepped forward and hugged her tightly, muttering something sarcastic as usual. Suraj followed, offering her a quiet, relieved smile.
“We leave you two alone for two minutes, and you can’t keep your hands off each other,” Mohit grumbled.
“Two very important minutes,” Vikram said, slipping his arm around Mahika’s shoulders.
Suraj grinned. “Looks like you’ve finally figured out what we all knew since years. You two were always meant to be.”
“Well, it’s none of your business, Sunny,” Vikram muttered.
“Sure it is. You only married her because I left,” Suraj teased, and the room erupted in laughter.
“Shh. This is a hospital. The nurse will kick us out,” Ishika warned.
“When you’re around, there’s always going to be noise,” Mohit shot back. “You might as well start your own loudspeaker service.”
Ishika punched him in the arm, and they began bickering as usual.
Vikram leaned towards Mahika, his hand caressing her belly. “What do you think about that honeymoon in Tokyo?” he whispered.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” she said, smirking. “As long as you don’t cancel on me this time.”
He smiled before kissing her forehead, and she sighed in contentment. As Mahika glanced around the room, her heart swelled. She was surrounded by love. This was her life now. Messy. Loud. And finally, brimming with the very love she had waited for all along.
Epilogue
Four Years Later
Byron Bay, Australia
“Kiara, no… put the glitterdown!”
Mahika’s voice rang through the sun-kissed beach house, chased by the delighted giggles of a three-and-a-half-year-old whirlwind dressed in a pink tutu and jelly sandals.
Vikram looked up from his lounge chair on the deck, his tablet forgotten in his lap. The Pacific Ocean sparkled in the distance, but the real storm was brewing inside. A flurry of glitter had just whooshed past the sliding glass doors, signalling what was coming.
Life had taken a complete turn the day he confessed his love for his wife, Mahika. Mumbai was their forever home now, but this beach house in Australia had become their happy escape, their all-time favourite vacation spot. Over time, it had turned into a grand holiday home for the Khuranas and their closest family friends.
“It’s not even ten, and it already looks like a unicorn exploded in the living room,” he muttered, pushing himself up and heading inside.
Mahika stepped out of the open kitchen, barefoot, her long hair twisted into a messy bun. A smear of flour streaked her cheek, and the delicious aroma of banana bread trailed behind her. “Because your daughter thinks glitter is sacred,” she sighed.
“Ourdaughter,” Vikram corrected, smirking, as he lifted Kiara into his arms despite the glitter now coating her dress, his T-shirt, and pretty much everything. “And you’re the one who told her that the colour pink and glitter are powerful.”
“Theyarepowerful,” Mahika retorted, planting a hand on her hip. “But I didn’t mean she should launch it like missiles at war.”
Kiara grinned at both of them, completely unbothered. “I draw pwetty card for Mama’s book launch!” she announced, glitter sparkling on her fingers as proof.
Mahika’s smile softened instantly, that fluttery feeling she always had when she was caught off guard by something so pure and innocent.
