Eternally Yours

Chapter 1

As the sun rose over the horizon and the chirpings of birds echoed as they rose high above in the sky, Murmurs and laughter of people filled up the arena as they woke up for morning walks on the sidewalks, accompanied with the usual honking of a school bus as it awaited for the youngsters. The occasional horn of a bicycle could be heard as the newspaper man delivered the papers from house to house rapidly.

The witness of a new day, a new beginning by the world was accompanied by that of the Malhotra household. The clanking of utensils along with the rich aroma of tea filled up the entire household with occasional shouts at one another as they made the required preparations for the naamkaran ceremony of the Manik and Nandini's baby to be held.

The noise disrupted the sleep of the baby boy peacefully sleeping beside his father, Manik Malhotra. His eyes drowsily opened, peeking at the familiar man with his baby eyes beside him yet the absence of the comforting warmth of his mother resulted in his shrill cries, startling Manik from his sleep.

Manik drowsily opened his eyes, staring at the small infant, the culprit for his sleepless nights. The moment he raised his hand to pat him while his eyes closed back on their own accord, it felt like the cries grew louder prompting Manik to turn his head the other way as he shouted, "Nandini! Tera bacha ro raha hain."

A minute passed before the door to the bathroom opened as Nandini stepped out, freshly showered. She rushed to the baby, picking him up in her arms and tried to calm him down by patting his back and cooing, "Mera nona puttar uth gaya."

As her familiar voice and warmth surrounded the 12 day infant, he immediately calmed down and his eyes closed back, lulled back in a peaceful slumber. Placing him back on the bed and covering him with a comforter, Nandini gritted her teeth in irritation, staring at her husband, sound asleep.

Moving to his side of bed, she sat down beside him and moved closer, her lips pressing against his ear before she shouted his name, startling him. He stared at her with wide eyes, his heart beating rapidly as he snapped, "Pagal hai? Heart attack aa jata abhi mujhe."

"Nandini tera bacha ro raha hain," Nandini mimicked him before she snapped, "Mera bacha? Akela maine peda kiya hai?!"

"Uss raat shayad main thaka hua tha. Toh maybe," Manik joked, making her glare at him in a way that if looks could kill, he would have been dead. Manik sighed as he rubbed his eyes and grumbled, "Toh yaar woh chup ni ho raha tha mujhse. Usse tu chahiye thi toh hua na tera bacha."

As Nandini fretted over in silence, Manik's eyes widened as he took in his wife. Dressed in a pink churidar, highlighting her every curve that she gained post pregnancy in a delicious way, with her hair flowing past her shoulders. She had minimal make up for the ritual with a pinch of vermilion in her hair partition but it beautifully enhanced the glow of happiness on her face.

"You look beautiful, baby," Manik said as the back of his fingers grazed her cheek gently.

"Just stop joking," Nandini said, her throat closing up while she eyed him and her fingers fidgeted at the edge of the suit in anxiousness. She had become wider, her breasts enlarging and skin loosening while a small belly protruded out. Then there was the hair fall that wouldn't stop and the stretch marks which marred her entire body, not looking like they would fade away anytime soon.

"I'm not," Manik replied with sincerity before he sat up with a frown as she looked distressed. His hand cupped her cheek and turned her face towards himself, shocked when he saw the sheen of tears lining her eyes as he asked, "What is it, hmm?"

When she refused to speak, he pressed a kiss at the side of her face before he was taken aback as her arms wrapped around his torso as she laid her head on his chest. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he kissed her head as her voice muffled, at the verge of crying as she murmured, "I'm–I'm not how I was." His hold on her tightened, "I have grown so–so heavy. There are dark circles under my eyes and my skin doesn't even feel like my own. Whenever I look in the mirror I–I feel, look so ugly, Manik."