Walking down the steep inclines of Ooty with Suresh, now my husband, I couldn't stop thinking about how I had imagined my husband to be. I thought how I imagined our afternoons to be. How we would talk aabout serious issues, about work, about how we wanted to do something for the poor,contribute to the society. Suresh cracked a joke. I smiled, just enough to not hurt him... The poor guy had been trying to make me comfortable for the three days that we had been married. He's so different than the guy I thought I will spend my life with... Suresh pointed towards the valley. He said something and laughed. I didn't hear what he said, I was too lost in myself. But his laughter was infectious. I smiled. This time, not out of mercy. I was lost in my thoughts as we walked downhill. Just then a state transport bus came screeching down the slope and Suresh pulled me towards himself. I looked at the bus that whizzed by, too arrogant to care about a girl lost in her thoughts. I looked into the eyes of Suresh. He held me by my waist. I could feel his heaving chest, his strong hands. This was the first time I was standing this close to a man. I felt safe. I meant something to someone...