Last Valentine's Day, my husband gave me a gift.

I wanted a second child and we had been arguing about it for ages.

"Give me one good reason to rock the boat," said the husband. Justifiably so; with a home (albeit with a loan attached), of our own, careers that were on an even rise and our firstborn, Aman, well on his way to independence after having made his advent into senior kindergarten and having moved to his own room, alone (most of the time anyway)!

I didn't have a good reason. But I did know I was not done being a mom.

"How will you manage?" questioned my sensible love's voice of reason.

"I will manage," I replied, peaceful smile determinedly pinned on my face (any murmurs of hesitation firmly quashed).

I would have done it sooner. But I had no support then. Now, with a full time, very dependable housekeeper to back me up, (it maid a difference, but we'll save that for another story), it would be a breeze!

So, over a romantic candlelight dinner at the Hyatt Regency, Mumbai, with our son snoring in the shadow of the champagne glasses, my husband capitulated.

We signed up for a second round on the dance card of parenthood. At least I did (my husband maintains it was the champagne that made him give in).

A few weeks later, a sudden urgent craving for prawns hit me right in the middle of this Wine Society of India do at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. Delicious bites were doing the rounds. But, for some inexplicable reason, I -- who usually ate prawns under extreme duress -- just had to have the prawns!

There I stood, flanked by two extremely vegetarian companions, each holding a couple of spicy succulent Thai-style prawns on standby, while I devoured the two in my hands. I thought to myself, something was decidedly -- fishy!