M/G OS: Their Sandcastle

"Yay Daddy, we are here", a six-year-old Mahi clapped her hands with excitement as her father Maan Singh Khurana parked the car at the beach close to their house. Maan looked at her with a full grin sharing the same excitement as her.

"You know the drill sweetie.", he said and held his hand for a high five and his daughter smacked her hand against him.

"You bet", she said back with a grin. This was daily routine for father and daughter. No matter how busy Maan Singh Khurana was running Khurana Constructions; he always made it home in time to take her to the beach to see the sunset. Just like her mother, she loved the beach and it's sunset just as much. For him, beaches, and this beach in particular held a close place in his heart. He had met her, the love his life, his wife, Mahi's mother for the first time twenty years ago at this beach. Their memories together couldn't be relived in a better place; this beach was theirs in every way.

Walking over to the other side, he opened the passenger side door for Mahi to step out. Tucking her small hand in his firmly, he picked up her pink handbag filled with all sorts of sand toys, and light jackets (one for himself and one for Mahi) as the evening would turn cooler. As they walked towards the sand, Mahi looked up at her father with questioning eyes, "Daddy, do you think today will be the day?"

Maan sighed at his daughter's question. He stopped in his tracks and bent down to caress her soft cheek, "I hope so, I really hope so sweetie."

Mahi squeezed his hand gently to pass encouragement and Maan couldn't help but think that she was just like her mother; trying to keep him strong at every step of the way.

The beach was filled with people on this warm September day. Taking her bag from him, she ran slightly ahead of him to the spot she liked to build her sand castles on. Maan kept a close eye on her as he leisurely followed her as memories had already started flowing him. Maan bend down as he reached his daughter's spot where a sand castle was already in the making. He lightly ruffled her hair, "Have fun sweetie and stay at this spot. And be safe."

"I will Daddy."

Maan began to walk to the rocks by the shore to his usual spot when Mahi called out to him, "Good luck Daddy.", and blew him a kiss with her clean hand.

"Thanks baby", he said catching the kiss and holding it to his heart before blowing her one too. He began to walk to his own spot where he could keep a watch on her but he knew she would never do anything reckless or unsafe because she didn't like worrying him.

As he reached the rocks, he saw her sitting at one of the rocks closer to the shore dressed in a beautiful pink sleeveless sundress with small white flowers with her tresses left open to let the breeze play with them as she sat with her knees drawn to her chest grazing at the water with a small smile on her lips. He marvelled at the simple beauty she was, so beautiful that he couldn't tear his graze from her. If he could, he would watch her all day. Then, he saw running her hands down her arms trying to warm herself against the cooling wind. Thankful for the jacket he had brought along, he jumped from rock to rock to get to her spot. She didn't even notice his jumping or even when he stood next to her just a few feet away from her as she stared at the water lost in her own world.

"Umm Miss, would like this?", he asked holding out the jacket to her.

She slightly jumped at his voice as he startled her with his sudden appearance. She placed her hand on her heart, which was probably beating faster than usual. She always got startled easily. She looked up at him with her eyes; her soul piercing hazel pools of emotions and Maan felt himself getting lost in them.

She finally broke his trance after a few moments as she spoke, "No thank you, I am fine."

She then turned her eyes towards to the endless waves as if silently dismissing him. He wasn't bothered at all with it. Keeping the jacket in his arm, he sat himself right next to her careful to maintain distance so their shoulders wouldn't brush. He smiled at her as he let his legs dangle. She looked at him with 'what the hell' look. He just shrugged at her with a smile as he turned his attention to the water.

"Excuse me mister, who said you could sit here?", she questioned angrily.

He looked at her with a warm smile, "And who said I couldn't?" He didn't wait for her to answer as he continued, "Do you think you should be nice to a person who was a kind gentleman to offer his jacket to a beautiful lady like you?"

She was baffled at his carefree behaviour and friendliness. She was pretty sure she didn't know him. "Are you trying to flirt with me?", she asked openly as she angled herself slightly towards him so she could see him better.

"Clearly, I am glad you noticed.", and laughed richly as he saw her mouth open in shock. Not knowing what to say, she ignored him as she looked out to the water again.

"Daddy, look at my sandcastle", Mahi called out to him excited.

Maan grinned and gave her thumbs up at the progress of it. She smiled and sat back in the sand to continue.

"That's your daughter?', she asked looking at the smiling little girl.

Maan nodded proudly, "Yup, that's my Mahi."

"She's beautiful."

"She takes after her mother in the beauty department, a simple beauty just like her mother.", Maan said with a slight trace of longing.

They watched her quietly as Mahi sat in the sand dirtying herself and her pink sundress and her two pigtails swung back and forth and she dug in the sand.

"Wouldn't your wife mind you sitting with a woman like this? Especially attempting to flirt?", she asked suddenly looking at him intently as if taking in his appearance.

Maan shrugged, "She probably would kill me but the killing would be worth if the beautiful lady would at least give in to my flirting."

She laughed lightly, and it had a sweet, heavenly ring to it. Maan closed his eyes just for a second to savor the sweet sound of it.

She smiled easily as she let her legs next to his, "So where is she?"

"Who?", he asked with confusion.

"Your wife.", she said. "I should know if she comes charging towards me for stealing her man.", she exclaimed dramatically showing a fearful expression.

Maan couldn't help the laugh that came out at her childish antics. "It's kind of a long story.", he said brushing it aside.

"I have lots of time, I am always here till the sun sets."

"I know ", he whispered so quietly that even she couldn't hear him.

She angled herself once again so she was facing him fully patiently waiting for him to begin. Maan sighed to himself as he prepared himself for the roller coaster of memories; again.

"It all began here; at this beach about twenty years ago. I was ten and she was eight when I first met her."

Flashback

Maan tugged on his mother Savati's hand to walk faster to the sand so he could make the biggest sandcastle possible with his friends. From when he was five, his mother always brought him here as the day turned cooler so he could play with his friends as she relaxed with the moms of his friends.

"Bye Mommy.", he said as she bent down so he could peck her cheek.

"Okay baby, be safe.", she said handing him his bag of toys and he nodded dutifully. She walked to the benches where the moms were sitting and chatting.

Maan ran to his crowd of his friends: Yash, Romeo and Adi and noticed a new girl standing next to them.

"Hey guys"

"Hey Maan", they said in unison with excitement.

Geet smiled at him brightly. "Hi Maan, I am Geet.", she said holding out her palm.

"Hey Geet, are you new here?"

She nodded, "We just moved to block 12 yesterday."

"Oh, the Handas. We live on block 14. My dad was talking to your dad yesterday. So do you want to make a sandcastle with us?"

"You bet"

Flashback end

Maan felt warm to his heart at the old memories, "And that was the start of our friendship at this beach. We bonded everyday over making sandcastles and our moms became fast friends in that time too. Over the years, the bond grew so strong that we ended up doing everything together. We had other friends too but everyone knew that Maan and Geet were the best of friends and no one could ever break their friendship.

She drew her knees close to her chest wrapping her arms around them as she let her face rest on them while she looked at him. "So when did the friendship turn into love for you?"

"Our friendship had unknowingly blossomed into love before we even knew it. But i was eighteen and she was sixteen when I had confessed my love to her. And I did that right at this beach."

Flashback

They walked over the sand holding our shoes in their hands as their feet slightly dug in the warm sand. It was about time for the sun to set and it was one of their favourite activity to do together; watch the sun give its final farewell. They hopped from one rock to the other to get to their rock closer to the water so Geet could dip her feet in it. Maan steadied her by the waist as she miscalculated the distance and was about to fall. Maan longed to keep his hands on her waist to feel her curves. It was one of the things he liked the most about his Geet. She wasn't like the other girls he knew who barley ate so they wouldn't gain a pound. His Geet was total foodie eating anything and everything. She always blamed and thanked her fast metabolism that she was healthy but not fat.

"Be careful Misiti", he said gently calling her the name his Bengali chef had given her. Nakul Kaka and Maan were the only two people allowed to call her that name.

Geet smiled at him and Maan could swear he had seen a hint of red on her cheeks as he touched her. Taking his hand in hers, she settled on the rock pulling her violet sundress just above her ankles so she could dip her feet in the cool water. A comfortable silence fell as they sat looking out at the water. Maan didn't know how to tell her how he felt about her, how his feelings for her grew to something more than friendship. The one fear he held in his heart that always stopped him for voicing his feelings was that what if she didn't reciprocate. Their friendship was too precious to him and he didn't want to lose it. But when she blushed or shied away from his gaze and touch, he could feel that she too felt the same way about him as he did about her.

"Geet, let's make a sandcastle.", he said suddenly.

"What? A sandcastle now?"

He nodded as he grinned.

"Maan, we aren't ten anymore.", she said with a laugh.

"Oh come on, it will like the good old days." He tugged on her hand to make her stand as he literally dragged her to the sand.

"But we don't even have anything to make the sandcastle with."

"Sure we do, Maan Singh Khurana is always prepared.", he said pulling a bag from his back. She laughed as he threw the contents: shovels and buckets, and other various tools onto the sand.

They both went down on their knees acting like they were kids once again digging in the sand. Geet shoveled sand into the bucket to fill it to the top and smacked it to pack the sand together before she placed in the sand to make the first pillar of their castle.

Maan looked at her with love as she played in the sand not giving a damn about how dirty she was getting. This was the moment he thought, now or never.

He began to fill his own bucket with sand as he asked casually, "Geet, will you make another castle with me?"

"Huh? We are already making one Maan. At least let's finish one first.", she said making another pillar of sand.

He placed his sandy hand over hers to stop her, and she raised her smiling eyes to his. The smile died in her eyes and lips as she saw the serious look in his eyes.

"I mean, make a real castle with me. Become the princess of our castle so I can be your prince charming. I want to be your prince charming in our fairytale. I love you Misiti I don't know when I started loving you more than a friend but I know that I want to share the rest of my life with you.", he confessed as he came forward to cradle her face.

Her eyes immediately filled with salty tears and Maan was alarmed. He was wrong; she didn't feel the same way about him. His heart sunk at the thought. "No please, don't cry. I can understand if you don't feel the same way. We will be friends forever, I will never ask for anything more, I promise. But please, don't cry." He reached out to wipe her tears but her words stopped her.

"No Maan, don't wipe these tears. I have been waiting for these tears of happiness for a long time." She paused. "And plus you have dirty hands.", she added with a laugh.

He was confused for a second but then realization dawned on him. He looked at her with wide eyes and she nodded, "I love you too Maan."

He literally screamed with joy as he engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug. People looked at the couple in love with smiles on their faces.

Flashback end

"Aww, that was so beautiful. The way you told her you want to make a real castle with her.", she said with a dreamy look on her face. Maan fought the urge to stare at her.

Maan smirked at her reaction, "Well, Maan Singh Khurana can be quite romantic when he wants to be."

"I wish a guy would say and do something special and romantic like that for me too.", she said with a sigh.

"I can, but like I said my wifey would probably kill me."

They both looked at each other and burst into an easy laugh. "So how did your girlfriend become your wife then?"

"It was pretty easy, our families had planned our wedding even before we could tell them our wish. Mom always wanted Geet to become the Khurana bahu. We were both married off in the next two years."

"Let me guess, you got married at this very beach."

Maan was shocked at her statement and looked at her intently, "As a matter of fact, we were. But how did you know?"

"How could I not know? You two are connected to this beach in every way. You two met here, you confessed your love here. It would only make it even more perfect if you tied the knot here too."

"Hmm, that's what my Misiti had said too. She felt like this beach has been our companion at every step of the way in our relationship."

"And you still bring your daughter here.", she said with a smile looking over at Mahi. "But what happened to your wife?"

"Life was sheer bliss for us for the next four years, then Geet got pregnant and we had Mahi. Life couldn't get better; I had everything I ever wanted.", he said with a smile but then the next wave of memories clouded his expression. "But then, destiny played a cruel game with us."

Flashback

"Geet, Geet, where are you sweetheart?", Maan called out to her as he came home. His parents had gone on trip to Rome, which meant Maan, and Geet could spend some time together; of course with their one-year old angel Mahi. The house was relatively quiet, as the servants had gone to their own quarters. Maan looked around the living room thinking Geet would come any minute with Mahi in her arms to welcome him home.

"Misiti"

Just then Nakul Kaka came from the kitchen. "Maan Baba, Geet beta is not home yet."

"What? Where is she Kaka?"

"I don't know Baba, she went to the mall leaving Mahi with the Nanny hours ago. Mohan came back a while ago when she didn't come back to the car even after the mall closed. He looked around the whole mall but he didn't find her anywhere.", Kaka explained with a worried expression.

Maan's heart constricted at the fear of his Geet somewhere, somewhere he couldn't be, and somewhere she could possibly be hurt. He tried to stay positive but his heart was hammering with fear. He ran out of the house looking around the street and then he pulled out his phone from his pocket to call the police. Just then he saw her walking towards her parents' house. He breathed a sigh of relief as he rushed towards her.

"Geet, where did you go sweetheart? I was so worried.", he pulled her into his embrace holding her close so his heart could be assured that she was indeed here with him.

"Excuse me? Who the hell do you think you are?", she asked angrily as she pulled herself away.

Maan was confused with her odd behaviour wondering what the hell going on.

"Geet baby, what are you talking about?", he asked as he moved forward to place his hands on her shoulders but she backed away looking fearful and angry at the same time.

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't know even know you."

Flashback end

"What? How could she not recognize you?', she asked with confusion.

Maan looked at his hands as he tried to control the tears that were threatening to overflow his eyes. "My wife, my Misiti was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease."

"What?"

"Yes, she was. There are days when she remembers me, remembers our love, and remembers our angel. And life seems beautiful again."

"And the days she doesn't?"

"The days she doesn't, I retell her our love story and the beautiful moments we shared."

"But you didn't know that today would be the day she would remember everything.", she said as came closer and reached for his hand.

"Misiti"

"Yes baby, your Misiti remembers everything today." she said lovingly as she placed her head on his shoulder and titled her head up to look into his eyes that had only love for her.

Maan wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. "I love you Misiti."

"I love you too Maan."

They sat in each other's embrace looking at the setting sun before they got up. Hand in hand, they stepped down from the rocks and saw Mahi running towards them. Geet opened up her arms as Mahi threw her arms her waist, "Mommy, you remember today.", she exclaimed happily.

Geet went on her knees to cradle her daughter's face, "yes baby, Mommy remembers everything today." She drew her into a tight hug.

With one hand in her dad's hand and other in her mommy's hand, Mahi happily walked towards the car.

Today was one of the lucky days Geet remembered their memories but then if tomorrow she didn't, then Maan would retell their entire story in hopes that she might. That's what his life was all about: retelling Geet how they made their own sandcastle.

Okay folks...sorta of a play on 'you, me aur hum' with my own Maaneet touch...So i hoped you all liked it...

And Aashu...u can believe that writing happy things is something possible with me...not my usual but definitely possible...

Remember to hit the LIKE tab and COMMENT 😃

Love,

Reya <3