Only You....

Moments of truths..

Weeks have passed since Arnav left, and he hasn't reached out to me even once—no call, no text, nothing... I couldn't shake off the worry gnawing at me. Where was he? Was he doing ok? It didn't matter what I said to Arnav, I was feeling worried and bad for him... One day, I overheard him talking to Akash on the phone. Akash seemed suspicious, asking Arnav if he had really gone for any work as he claimed.. I heard Akash telling him he hadn't checked his company for the past few weeks, which was very unusual of him... I didn't know what Arnav had told his family about his absence, but it made me feel guilty because, before I reentered his life, he had a business to look after, which he made with his hard work and had a little family, but now he didn't even have that anymore...

Little Vihan kept asking about him, wondering why his "chachu" wasn't playing and talking to him like he used to... Payal told me that Arnav bonds a lot with Vihan, and he loves Vihan a lot; during Vihan's birth, Payal was in a critical condition, and Arnav saved her and Vihan's life by giving blood to her... That's why she asked him to name her son and hearing that confession brought tears to my eyes...As I listened to Payal's words while she was telling me stories of Arnav and Vihan, my hand instinctively went to my stomach, where a part of me and Arnav was growing... I couldn't help but wonder, if Arnav loved his nephew so much, how much would he love his own child? The thought overwhelmed me, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably... I started thinking was I doing a mistake by hiding my pregnancy from Arnav, not for me or him but for the child, wasn't it unfair that its arrival was hidden from his/her father!!!

Maybe I shouldn't have returned to Arnav's life. I should have let him live the way he was living, without me... But I didn't come back on my own, I wanted to leave the first day I saw him on his office.. It was Arnav who insisted that I stay with him.. Despite everything that happened between us - the work contracts, his jealousy over Dhruv, his tears when I got engaged to NK, sending Shyam to threaten me, saving my life risking his own,even our forced marriage - it's clear that Arnav wants me to be with him... He can't seem to bear the thought of being without me...And now, after all this time, I realize something... Despite all the pain and confusion, Arnav would never have hurt my mother. I know it now, seeing how he cared about our wedding and how he brought my mother to live with us. It's become clear to me that his intentions, no matter how misguided they may have been, were always rooted in a desire to have me with him but again is it enough to forget and forgive all his deed... Well no and it's a complicated situation, filled with mixed emotions and uncertainty and now with a baby on the board..

I didn't want to share my pregnancy news with anyone yet, but some things just can't stay hidden... So, one morning, I was having breakfast, and my mother had made my favorite dish, aloo puri... As soon as I took a bite, I couldn't keep it down and ended up vomiting. My mother and Payal followed me to my room, and coming out of the washroom, I saw their concerned faces..

'Are you ok, Khushi?.. I have noticing from past few days you are always nauseous and you look pale..' my mother asked, her voice filled with worry..

I nodded weakly, still feeling queasy... 'Its nothing Amma, I am absolutely fine.. Maybe I ate something bad..'

Payal placed a comforting hand on my shoulder... 'Do you want me to call the doctor, bhabi?'

I shook my head.. 'No, I'll be fine. Maybe I just need some rest..'

They exchanged glances, clearly not convinced, but they respected my wishes and left me to rest.. That night, as we sat down for dinner, Arnav walked in... His face was pale, he looked thin, and he had dark circles under his eyes... I felt sad seeing him like this after not seeing him for weeks, my heart skipped a beat... I couldn't take my eyes off him, and he was looking at me too... I could see worry in his eyes, and I felt worried too... Even though we didn't say anything, our eyes were speaking to each other, silently crying for the time we missed each other... It was like we were talking without words..