Hi Maahira-A Failed Promise○

3. A break

"Abhira,Abhira beta aankhein kholo. Abhira please " Manisha frantically rubbed Abhira's palms as she passed out in the midst of her outburst. The poor soul had had enough on her platter lately-A child whose turmoil she couldn't cure,a packed schedule at the court leaving no gaps between and the load of being an almost single parent,leaving no time for her to look into the disoriented state of mind she was in. As Madhav sprinkled water on her face and she flinched,both of them heaved a sigh of relief. The last time this happened two weeks ago,Abhira had been motionless for more than half an hour,scaring them to the extent of calling the ambulance. 

"This is getting frequent bhai sa. Mujhe chinta ho rahin hain. What has happened to her? Nazar lag gayin hain hamari Abhira ko" Manisha muttered,as she anxiously bit her nails.

"She needs a break Manisha. Poore din kaam mein busy rehti hain, ab woh Kamras ke case ki wajah se overnight research bhi karni pad rahin hain use,pichle chaar maheeno se. Shaam ko aake yeh baat zaroor ensure karti hain ki Maahira ke liye time nikal paaye,chaahe kitna bhi kaam kyon nah ho. Apni bachchi akele hi paal rahin hain woh. Phir Maahira ke saath pichle chaar maheeno se joh ho raha hain,woh baath Abhira jaan nahin paa rahin hain,aur woh is baat ka doshi khud ko thehra rahin hain"

As Madhav voiced out his feelings,Armaan walked downstairs after putting Maahira to sleep,and with a tear stricken face,picked his now conscious wife up and carried her towards the gate,only to be stopped midway by Manisha. Abhira knew that not only she,but even he needed a break,and her heart knew what he was upto,so she didn't bother rebuking. Even if the break meant spending time with the same husband of hers who had contributed in rendereing her this helpless. 

"Kahan le ja rahe ho isseh" Manisha asked curtly. She knew that at this hour,it could only be Armaan's special place,both Abhira and Armaan's solace. 

"Papa sahi keh rahein hain Chachisa,Abhira ko break ki zaroorat hain. Din bhar usseh time nahin milta hain nah.Toh aaj le jaa raha hoon is samay. Mai-"

"Huh! Gunehgaar hi marham laga raha hain. Chaliye bhai sa,baath hi kyon karni Abhira ke pati se. Firr safaai dene baith jayega!"

.

"Armaan,I-I wish things were different", Abhira whispered as she ran her fingers over the photoframe on the table and smiled at the memory it held- the merry memory of the day they had got the news of their baby's arrival. Armaan had arranged for an immediate photoshoot,not wanting to miss capturing even a single moment of his daughter's life,starting from the day she came into existence. The gazebo under which they sat,was the only construction that had been done in his special place,his first gift to his to-be-born daughter's mother. Life was perfect then,wasn't it?

"Me too, Abhira",Armaan replied as he refilled their glasses for the fourth time. As the next sip of the alcohol loosened their inhibitions, they began to talk,this time dreamily.

"Remember,how happy we used to be? 4 saal pehle? Yaadh hain nah tumhein. Kaise bandaro ki tarah poore ghar mein koodh rahe the tum,jab Maahi ke aane ka pata chala tha! Poore ghar mein chilla rahein the ki ab main bhi Papa banooonga. Jab dadisa ne gender neutral baby shower ka theme rakha tha,tab tumne zabardasti sab ko Cinderella theme ke according dress-up karne ke liye kaha tha."

Armaan sighed,"I know. Remember your second trimester? Your hormones were as if jumping on the trampoline. Your dirty little desires at any moment and those weird pregnancy cravings!"

"I remember everything Armaan. Bas shayad tum hi sab kuch bhool gayein ho. Hamein bhool gayein ho. I miss us,I miss you"

Armaan reached out and took her hand in his,"I miss us too, Abhira"

Fueled by the alcohol and the longing they had been suppressing for so long,they finally gave in. They leaned in and kissed, and with each passing second,the kiss grew more intense, more passionate,more desperate. Her hands slid down his chest, tracing the well-toned abs beneath his shirt. He groaned and pulled her closer, inhaling her scent as he buried his face in her supple bosoms. They stumbled onto the carpet, their clothes discarded in a heap nearby. Their bodies moved in a rough rhythm, in a desperate need to feel something and escape the emptiness that had consumed them.

They lay there until the next few hours,their bodies entwined but their hearts still distant. 

"I love you, Abhira" Armaan whispered.

"I -" Abhira replied. Her incomplete reply,was more than just a reply to him. It was a reflection of his actions,rather blunders,he has been running away from being confronted by.

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Hello dear readers,Maahira mentioned a boy in the previous chapter in her conversation with Armaan. Any guesses who is he?