‘Of course, I will! She’s been my best imaginary friend. She stood by me on days when I was lonely and had no one to call home,’ I admit. There’ve been times in the last few months when I could not believe how lonely I’d once felt in my life. And that I was finally past it.

‘You know, here I was thinking that I’d be the one to surprise you, but you’ve pulled a much bigger surprise than mine.’

‘What? You’d planned something?’

‘Yes, I did. Let’s walk to Ricky’s Beach Shack. It’s this amazing little place right at the end of the beach.

‘Okay, let’s go.’

We reach the beach shack in a few minutes and I see that it’s a charming place that’s a little like a portal to another time. More than half of the tall wooden structure is covered by a hot pink bougainvillea tree. Yellow fairy lights have been strung all over, adding a touch of romance to the place. The rustic wooden shutters are painted in a turquoise blue that mirrors the hues of the Arabian Sea.

In the outdoor seating area, mismatched chairs and tables lend a bohemian vibe that invites guests to linger. The air carries the myriad scents of the delicious delicacies that must be getting prepared in the kitchen inside; my nose has been overly sensitive these days, and guess what hit me here? The fact that I won’t get to have even a sip of alcohol for quite some time now!

There’s soft acoustic music drifting in from somewhere inside. The owner of the place, an old man with a warm smile and sun-kissed skin, greets every guest as if they are all old friends.

‘Hi! I’m Ricky,’ he says as he takes my hand in his and ushers us in. ‘I’m your host for tonight. Would you like to be seated by the beach?’ he asks politely

‘Yes, please!’ I say with a lot of excitement in my eyes.

‘The artist who’s playing the closing act for us tonight, he’s waiting to sweep you off your feet. Thank you, Mr Nirvaan, for helping us with that!’ He winks and leaves, giving us the time to figure out what we want to order. But wait, how does he know my husband’s name already? Maybe the surprise Nirvaan had mentioned is waiting for me right here!

‘What have you done, Mr Entrepreneur? What’s the surprise here?’ I ask him.

‘Nothing big,’ he says dismissively. His answer doesn’t pacify my curiosity.

Having placed our order, I look around the place and spot a beautiful little girl with curly hair making a sandcastle on the beach. Our eyes meet for a second and I’m drawn to the strange allure of her innocence. She must be around five or six.