Everyone in the family thought Ahsaas and Neil had the perfect marriage.

They arrived at every family function together. Neil always knew what Ahsaas wanted. Ahsaas always knew when Neil needed something.

Her cousin secretly envied her.

“She is so lucky,” she thought. “Her husband actually loves her.”

What she didn’t know was that their marriage hadn’t started like that.

In the beginning Neil barely talked to Ahsaas. Their conversations were short and awkward. Ahsaas often wondered if they would ever feel like a real couple.

But slowly things changed.

Neil started asking about her day. They began talking late at night. They started understanding each other.

Love didn’t happen all at once.

It grew between small conversations. Silly arguments. Quiet apologies and little things they did for each other.

Two years later they looked like they had always belonged together.

At a family function her cousin finally said,

“You two are so perfect. I wish my marriage was like yours.”

Ahsaas smiled.

“You only saw the part where we became happy.”

Her cousin looked at her.

“What do you mean?”

Ahsaas glanced at Neil.

“We weren’t perfect from the beginning. We just didn’t give up on each other.”

Her cousin stayed quiet.

For the first time she realized something.

She had been comparing her life to someone else’s chapter without knowing their beginning.