5 years later
Taarini opens her eyes with difficulty. She looks at the clock. It shows 6:45am .
She bunches the duvet on her bare chest and gets up from the bed. Her stomach churns up. She immediately covers her mouth and rushes towards the washroom.
After half an hour, she comes out of the washroom. A white towel is wrapped around her wet body. She goes near the wardrobe and opens its door without making any noise. Her husband doesn't like when his sleep is disturbed.
Arjun is still sleeping. He came home yesterday evening after two weeks of party meetings and travels . There is a lot of pressure on him. Even though he is the younger son, his father made him as his political heir. His elder brother Ankit is the true mastermind who works behind the scenes.
Taarini dresses up herself and silently leaves the room. She comes downstairs where her in laws lives.
"Tara." Her mother in law calls her with a bright smile as usual. She is one of the best human beings Taarini has met in her life. Bhavna loves her like a mother.
"Good morning, Mumma" She goes close to her.
"Good morning baby" Bhavna opens her arms for a hug. Taarini always loves to start her day with this gentle affectionate hug.
"See pandit ji has come. I hope your husband knows that it's your fifth wedding anniversary. Did he wake up?" Bhavna questions her
Taarini smiles sadly for fraction of a second but manages to cover her emotions.
"He is tired mumma. Please let him sleep." Taarini shows her puppy eyes and pouts her lips as she knows that Bhavna cannot ignore her antics.
"You are spoiling him" Bhavna shakes her head and started giving instructions to the staff.
*************
Loud cries of a child is heard. His mother runs behind him and tries to drag him.
"Hey.." Arjun catches him off guard and picks him in his arms.
Ankit's wife Neha signs in relief.
"Chachu" The little boy pouts his lips.
Arjun looks at his sister in law and raises his eyebrows.
"Ji.. he doesn't want to drink milk" Neha tells him softly. Though Neha is elder to him in relationship, she has immense respect for arjun. Not just her, everyone in the family gets intimidated by him and his brother Ankit. Sometimes bhavna feels it's easy to deal with her husband compared to her sons.
"You should drink milk.Don't make your mother run behind you." He tells the cute little one sternly.
Boy nods his head still pouting his lips.
"Words"
"Ok" Anmol hugs his chachu and place his head on Arjun's shoulder. Arjun takes the glass of milk from Neha's hand and walks away from there.
Neha smiles as she knows that now arjun will make him drink it.
***********
Pooja starts in the Chauhan house. Everyone is seated in their respective positions. Taarini is seated beside Ahaana and Arjun. Ahaana is her husband's daughter from first marriage. She is 9 years old.
Pandit ji chanted mantras and did hawan.
Taarini clenched her fist as she felt nauseated. She gets up from her seat and goes to the guest bathroom close to the living space.
Arjun notices his wife's movements and frowns wondering why she got up in the middle of the Pooja. Before he could also get up, his daughter caught his hand and interlinked her fingers with his. His eyes constantly looked out for Taarini as she took more time to come back. She appeared pale when he saw her in the morning. Maybe because he didn't let her sleep last night. He was slightly rough on her.
Inside the bathroom
Taarini caresses her lower belly. Her eyes are filled with tears. She looks at her image on mirror. She is tired because of the morning sickness.
"I'm sorry baby. Mumma couldn't eat anything because of the pooja." She bites her lower lips and closes her eyes.
She remembers her husband always making sure that she doesn't get pregnant. They consummated their marriage within two months after marriage. But since then they are taking protection.
"How can I tell your father about you?? I'm afraid about the consequence." Though arjun has never said anything against her getting pregnant, she always felt that he doesn't want another child.
"Tara?" Neha calls her from outside
Taarini panics and wipes her tears.
"Ji di" she manages to sound normal
"Are you ok??" Neha got concerned as she also felt something is wrong with Taarini since few days.
"Di , I'm coming. Just a second" Taarini exhales and makes herself presentable before opening the door.
Neha cups her sister in law's face and softly asks her " If you want go and take rest . I'll tell mumma."
Taarini's stomach growls interrupting their conversation.
"Are you hungry?" Neha smiles and softly pats her cheek
Taarini smiles and nods her head.
"Ok then , come with me"
"But di.."
"It's ok Tara. You didn't eat much last night also. Don't think that I'm not noticing your carelessness these days" Neha fakes a stern tone which makes Taarini smile. They come out of there and walks towards the kitchen area.
Arjun notices that but signs a relief as she is accompanied by neha.
Thank you❤️
