“Aaru! Aaru! Where are you? Papa’s home. Come on now, show me your sweet face. Don’t tease me, sweetie!” I was starting to get a little anxious.

“Frenny, come here, buddy.”

The small, round, fluffy Pomeranian wagged his tail and trotted over to my feet. Frenny’s fur is so blonde that even the models would be envious.

“Where’s Aaru, Frenny?”

He glanced toward my study room. I had already checked there, but I went again and knelt down. That’s when a smile spread across my face. My daughter had climbed onto my back and wrapped her arms around me from behind. I’d been away for a week, and now we played and laughed together. Nothing compares to the joy of seeing your daughter laugh and sing after a long absence; no treasure in the world could rival that feeling. Even a tiny scratch on Aarvi’s skin makes me uneasy.

Aarvi—yes, that’s my sweet girl. She’s thirteen now, but it feels like we’ve shared lifetimes together, and I hope for many more.

I scooped her up and carried her to the living room, with Frenny happily licking my feet the entire way.

“Papa, I have a surprise for you.”

She always found ways to surprise me, whether it was through dance, drawings of our family, or little plays she would perform. Whatever it was this time, I couldn’t wait. I loved that she always wanted to make me smile. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of plates being placed on the table. To my surprise, there were sandwiches, beautifully arranged, waiting for me. Aarvi stood by, her head lowered, nervously twisting her fingers. It was a heartwarming moment—the first time my daughter had cooked for me. I stood up and kissed her cheek, and she sighed, smiling shyly. I couldn’t have been prouder to be her father at that moment. The sandwiches tasted like the best thing I’d ever eaten. She then went off to feed Frenny.

I knew I’d made the right choice in breaking my vow of “NO WOMAN IN MY LIFE.”

After being deeply hurt by a woman, I never thought I’d want to be around one again—until eleven years ago. My circle was small, with Frenny being my only companion. He had been by my side for two years, and we understood each other completely. When you have a broken heart, love, and care are the only things that can heal you, and I needed that badly. But I was determined not to let another woman disrupt my life.

I still vividly remember the day it all changed. I had stopped at a roadside tea stall on my way to the office when a little girl, her face bruised but still sweet and angelic, approached me asking for food. Her smile, slightly crooked to the right, instantly reminded me of my father—it was just like his. A sudden wave of emotion hit me. I bought her enough food to last several days, hoping she wouldn’t need to beg again anytime soon.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of that little girl consumed my mind. I found myself returning to that same tea stall every day, hoping to see her again. After a week of searching, I finally spotted her, clutching a broken toy. I walked up to her and asked if she liked toys. She nodded enthusiastically. When I asked if she wanted more, her eyes lit up excitedly, and she followed me without hesitation.

That was the day I became a father. I named her Aarvi, meaning “the soothing, the pacifying.” Since that moment, she and Frenny have been inseparable from me.

Aarvi has been everything a father could hope for in a daughter. She fills my life with joy, shares her world with me, and constantly finds new ways to make me feel loved. My love for her grows deeper with every passing day. When I’m stressed or down, she comforts me like a mother would. When I’m disorganized or in a mess, she cares for me like a wife. But above all, she is the perfect daughter—the only woman I need in my life, complete in every way.

My thoughts were interrupted by Frenny, who jumped onto me, having finished his meal. Aarvi sat beside me, hugging him tightly as he wagged his tail and licked my face.

“Papa, where’s my gift? You did bring one, didn’t you?”

I always brought her something whenever I returned after being away.

“Aaru, beta, I’m so sorry. I was so busy that I forgot to give you a gift,” I said playfully.

“Papa, that’s an old trick! I’m not going to get mad. Just hand over the gift.”

“Alright, I’ll give it to you. But first, look behind you.”

She spun around, and I placed a pair of beautiful dresses in her hands. Her face lit up with joy.

“I knew it! You even brought one for Sakshi, didn’t you? I knew you would, Papa. You’re the best.”

“And you, my dear, are the best daughter.”

Sakshi is Aarvi’s friend from the orphanage in our neighborhood. After receiving her gift, Aarvi went to visit her.

Frenny was lying on my lap, sound asleep. He’s fourteen now, and his age is starting to show. He’s been with me for thirteen years. My mind wandered back to those days.

It had been a tough time. For two years, I barely spoke to anyone, and I looked pale and withdrawn. My five-year relationship with Sheetal had cost me my friends. One day, I was out walking and passed by a pet shop. A small, adorable dog caught my eye, its head tilted toward me. Tears welled up as I realized how much I missed everyone. Unable to hold back, I rushed home, grabbed some money, and returned to buy him. He was a Pomeranian, and I named him Frenny. He quickly became my closest companion, and I shared all my feelings with him. Gradually, I started to feel better and went back to work. When I brought Aarvi home, Frenny’s eyes sparkled with joy. From that day on, we’ve been a family.

“Oh, Frenny, I love you so much,” I whispered.

I kissed him on the nose, and he responded by licking my face.

I had found a family that no one else could ever have. It was complete—a mother, father, daughter, son, brother, sister, and friend, all rolled into one.

The darkness that once enveloped me had been replaced by the light of two precious gems—my two sapphires. It no longer felt like I was a man haunted by a terrible past.

Aarvi soon returned from the orphanage, and we spent the rest of the evening playing together before heading to bed. She curled up in my arms, and within moments, her eyes were closed. My thoughts drifted again.

It all began twenty years ago. I was twenty-one then, fresh from passing my senior secondary exams with a solid 92%. My father never pressured me about my grades or studies, but I never wanted to let him down. He had gone through some tough times, and his health had taken a turn for the worse.

My mother had left early. I didn’t know how or why; my father never talked about her. He was the one who raised me. He was my ideal, the person I looked up to. He even gave me a sapphire stone that had been passed down through generations.

“Aman, where are you going for your further studies?” he always asked.

And I would reply, “Father, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always stay with you.”

He would look disappointed by my answer, but he was happy with the love and care I showed him.

I enrolled in an engineering college in my hometown. That’s where I met Sheetal. She liked me from the start and always tried to be around me. After her persistent efforts, I finally accepted her as my girlfriend. It was a new and joyful feeling for me. I was glad she wasn’t demanding. But after a few months, I realized that I didn’t truly love her. She became more possessive, and I couldn’t handle it. She would get angry whenever I disagreed with her. I didn’t leave her, fearing she might harm herself.

Two years passed like this. Our relationship had deteriorated. While I accepted her, I couldn’t love her how she wanted. My studies were suffering as a result. I received poor grades, but my father said nothing. He knew something was bothering me. Our arguments escalated, and I became more frustrated and angry with myself. I feared it was the end of me. The thoughts of my father kept me in check.

Sheetal began avoiding and ignoring me, and I became suspicious. Eventually, I found out she was talking to another boy. Strangely, I felt relieved, thinking my troubles were finally over.

But then she did something I didn’t expect. She went to my father and told him everything about us. She accused me of doing something so heinous; my father was devastated. He didn’t speak to me for a year. His health continued to worsen, and as he lay on his deathbed, he called me. By then, I had become emotionally numb, a living statue.

He said to me, “Aman, I gave you a sapphire. My last wish is that you don’t keep it with you forever.”

Those were his final words.

Tears filled my eyes as I remembered the past. But I realized now was the right time to move on. We all live with our past. We all let it shape our future. But some of us learn to rise above it. That’s who I’ve become. Aarvi and Frenny shaped my future, not my past.

“Good morning, Papa.”

“Good morning, Aaru.”

She kissed me on the cheek, and I kissed her back.

“Aaru, beta, I have a gift for you.”

“But you already gave me one yesterday, Papa.”

“This is something different.”

I went to my study and pulled out a briefcase. I reached into the innermost pouch and took out a beautiful, clear blue stone.

“Aaru, come here and take your gift.”

Aaru looked at it and asked, “What is this, Papa?”

“It’s a sapphire, Aaru. My father gave it to me, and now I’m giving it to you.”

“But then you won’t have the stone anymore, Papa.”

I remembered my father’s answer when I said the same thing. I didn’t understand it then, but I do now.

“HOW BLUE IS MY SAPPHIRE.”