Beyond the Past

Quicksand

Preeta and Abir's room, 2 days later

Preeta was retching in the bathroom, Abir soothingly rubbed her back. "Are you feeling better?" he asked as she gurgled to remove the awful taste. " How come your morning sickness got so bad?"

"I don't know," Preeta heaved, "I even took the medication. But it seems they aren't having any effect." Her first trimester had been pretty manageable; however, after travelling and being active her morning sickness had gotten worse. "I will get an appointment with Risa, maybe a stronger dose will help."

Abir nodded and helped her to bed, "I think you should stay in the room and rest. You look very pale." He pointed at the belly and said, "little rascal, what did I tell you? No troubling mumma!"

Preeta smacked his arm, "Who are you calling a rascal? If I am suffering then it's because of you. Don't scare my child."

"How am I the reason? Also, this is my child as well," Abir argued, "would you have had it without..." His eyes widened in realisation, causing Preeta to laugh. He bent down, and kept his hand on her lap as she sat up on the bed, "You have gotten better, Mrs Raishinghania."

Preeta looked into his eyes and smiled brightly, running her hand through his head, "I have a good tutor."

"Really?" he perked up and sat on the bed, "who is he? How about you introduce me?"

"Shut up," Preeta said. After a while of comfortable silence, she once again rubbed her chest in discomfort while gulping her saliva.

"What happened?" Abir asked in worry.

Preeta sighed, "I feel nauseous. Honestly, at times I am okay with vomiting. At least it ends quickly, but this... Being nauseous is the absolute worst." Abir nodded and rubbed her back.

"Wait, I will go get the dried amala for you," he said, and ran downstairs.

Preeta smiled, it was a little crooked due being nauseous, "See baby? Your dad takes such good care of us. When you come out, you must learn to be like him, okay? Whether girl or boy, I want you to be like him so that you don't suffer like I have."

She suddenly remembered something. Her doctor once had told her, during her first pregnancy, that distracting yourself might help. "Baby, do you wanna listen to the story of how your dad and I got together? I will start from the time I met him.

" He was running away from your Dadi, as she was forcing him to drink milk. Despite me being there," Preeta laughed, "he gagged the entire time he drank the milk. Then we started on discussing my hospital's proposal. He was so strict. However, he agreed in the end. After that, we met often. Your King chachu? He is your dad's best friend, hence your dad almost always stuck to his house as he didn't like your Dadi's cooking. Because he was always around, it was tough to not get used to him. We became friends soon, mostly because your Nani forced me to.

"I don't know why, but your Nani loved him. Despite him being an absolute crackhead. Just like that six months passed by, both of us becoming each other's confidants. But one day, one day our relationship changed..." Preeta said in a thoughtful tone.

"Maa!" Preeta called out hurriedly, "I am going to the hospital."

"Aaj, par aaj toh teri chutti haina?" Sarla asked.

Preeta kissed her cheek, "Ha, par I have a regular check-up today. Plus, for the citizenship documents, I need a complete check-up. Moreover, I told you about..."

"I know," Sarla interrupted, "but why today? I thought I will get to spend time with you. King and Pragya are always busy, and Kiara is so small. I get bored at home."