“Well, what’s cute about that?” I asked, and he nuzzled his nose below my ear.
“I don’t know. Your rigid opinions on everything,” he replied, and I inhaled sharply, turning my head to look at him.
“Rigid opinions?” I asked, arching a brow.
He nodded.“Yeah, your beliefs are very rigid. It might come from your trauma, but you tend to judge people really quickly,”
“No, I don’t judge people. I mean, I don’t!” I tried to protest and added,“And my beliefs aren’t rigid; they’re based on personal experiences.”
He placed his chin on my shoulder.“Every person, every experience in life is new, Suman,” he said.“You cut an apple, and if it turns out to be rotten, that doesn’t mean all apples are rotten. You ignore it and pick another one.”
I bit my lip.“However, if you find a rotten apple, you’re much more careful when choosing your next one. That’s what experience teaches you.” I reasoned, keeping my voice low.
He nodded.“But that doesn’t mean you should hurt the other apple by judging it and pointing fingers at it. In life, people aren’t apples. Sometimes, like you, they’re holding their traumas too. And when you point fingers and question them, they feel nothing but more broken. It’s like no one trusts them, and that hurts,” he said, and I inhaled deeply, caressing the back of his hand gently.
“Did I say something that hurt you?” I asked, looking at the cottage in front of us.
“Um… not much,” he replied, and pulled the horse’s reins to a halt.
I was unaware, but his words made me realise that something I said had troubled him.
“We’re here,” he stated, dismounting the horse. I smiled when he effortlessly held my waist and put me down.
“How are you so strong?” I inquired, and he grinned.
“Children who grew up without parents are strong,” he said nonchalantly.
I furrowed my brows, shaking my head.“No, I mean, physically,” I clarified, watching him tie Ashwait’s rope to a tree.
He chuckled.“Oh, my dinner keeps me healthy.”
I rolled my eyes, and he held my hand.
“Come with me, love,” I giggled softly at the endearment.
“Love?” I echoed, and he nodded, biting his lower lip.
“Your name is Suman, and if I give you a nickname like Sumu, Suma, or something else, kids will tease you. So,‘Love’works well,” he explained, as he opened the door, and we entered the cottage.
“Which kids?” I asked, peering at him.
“Ours.” He said, like it was such an obvious thing.
I felt a blush creeping onto my cheeks.“Our kids? I didn’t expect that,” I said, removing his shawl and hanging it on the rope in the cottage.
“Oh, you didn’t see us coming into this cottage?” he teased, and my eyes widened in disbelief.
“No, but that doesn’t mean it’s for children,” I protested.
He laughed and pulled me closer, pressing his lips to mine.
“How about a change of plans?” he whispered against my lips.
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22. Agastya
Her cheeks turned crimson under my playful gaze, and she nudged me away.
