"Have you considered it carefully? Marriage is a big step.. it is not something you can do half-assed. Not in our family!" Anand asked once calming down.

Akash's eyes did not flicker as he answered determined, "I am sure about it!"

Anand just nodded his head and exited his study with Akash on his trail. They reached the living room and found both Madhu and Bhagya laughing and giggling away. Both the men warmed up instantly as Akash went and sat beside Madhu while Anand sat beside Bhagya.

Madhu greeted Anand very respectfully.. But somehow Bhagya breezed through the conversation very naturally.

Bhagya did not close her mouth even for a second. Even the conversation on the dinner table just flowed naturally thanks to Bhagya.

Anand interrupted and asked something here and there.. but he did not make it awkward to Madhu. He did not ask anything embarrassing or tough.

Once the dinner was done, Akash did not heed to Bhagya's complaints and whining as he dragged Madhu away from her and to his room. He could even see Madhu's reluctance to part away from Bhagya.

"Don't worry. I am going to marry her home. Then you can talk to her all day long!!" Akash said to his mom before disappearing into his room along with Madhu leaving behind a surprised Bhagya.

Akash did not take even a single step into his room when he felt someone hug from behind. Small white hands wrapped around his torso and held him in place with a firm grip.

He did not move from his place as he caressed Madhu's hands softly and asked, "Hey, are you okay? My mom did not scare you, did she? I mean, I know she talks a lot but she means well.." But his explanation stuck in his throat when he felt something cold drip on his back.

Akash instantly pulled Madhu away.. or at least, he tried to. But Madhu did not let go. She just held him in place and soaked him in her tears. He helplessly let her be for a minute. But when he saw that she was not calming down, he used some force and pulled away.

A pair of teary vulnerable eyes met with his. Akash dragged her to his couch and sat down with her on his lap.

He used his thumbs to wipe the tears away but then she shed some more.

"Are you trying to get me beaten by my mom? Because I will get nicely from her if she knew I let you cry as soon as we are alone!!"

Madhu tried to calm down.. she kept wiping her tears away repeatedly but in spite of her efforts, they just kept tumbling down her eyes.

"I'm sorry.. it just.. it just is not stopping." Madhu whimpered. But her anxiety to stop crying just made it so much worse..

Akash helplessly pulled her to him and let her nuzzle over his neck as he whispered comfort right beside her ears.

It took a while to calm herself down. Akash waited patiently. Even when he did not know why she was crying her eyes out exactly, but he could already guess it wasn't because she was sad. She looked scared if he was any good at judging her moods. Akash figured she was probably venting all her suppressed anxiety about meeting his parents.

If he had known she would be so scared, he probably wouldn't have made this meeting so official.. maybe he would have done it with Shreya and Bhavna around.. But what's done is done.. so, all he can do now is to ride it through.

Madhu diligently wiped all her tears and snot on his shirt completely until they left a big patch of a mucky wet blotch behind.

Akash just shook his head helplessly but did not comment.

"The crybaby, at last, calmed down I see," Akash teased when Madhu looked up.

Madhu blushed red.. her eyes were already red. So, her whole face was red now.

"Sorry.. I just.." Madhu mumbled but then nothing came after that.

"You want to tell me why you were crying as if someone was threatening to take your favorite doll or something?" Akash asked arching his brows.

"Can I.. c-can I be here? I mean, Can I really be w-with you? B-be with y-your family? B-be a part of this f-family?" Madhu stumbled around her words a lot as she whispered the questions plaguing her.

Akash looked at her steadily as he asked, "Why are you asking me this?"

"C-cause I won't know how to go on if I started having expectations.. so far I never had a family before.. I never had any expectations. So I knew how to cope with myself. But with you and your mum, dad and sister.. I cannot really help myself from having this 'hope' that maybe I can have one too.. maybe I can have someone warm come home to. Maybe I can have maternal protection.." Madhu paused taking a deep breath.

"And if for some reason this is all going to be taken away from me after experiencing it.. because we had a spat.. because you got bored of me. Because you found someone.. more than losing you, losing them all together- it would ruin me completely. I do not want to take that kind of chance.. At least not without being terrified about it."

"When it was just you, I can jump in with a leap of faith.. because I had the confidence to get over you if you decide to turn your back on me. But after meeting your mother, I do not have that confidence.. I am in all absolute sense am terrified to accept that kind of warmth!!" Madhu mumbled and looked at him with expectant eyes and asked further,

"So, you are going to have to tell me clearly.. c-can I? If you have doubts, please just say so.. I won't blame you.. after all, I was the one who proposed. You never made any promises.. I will handle myself!!"