Marriage In The Pink City

Chapter 20

Namaste
Chapter 20

Tanushree anxiously paced the bathroom as the minutes crawled by, her heart pounding in anticipation. When the timer on her phone buzzed, she took a deep breath and slowly walked toward the three pregnancy tests resting on the sink.

Her hands trembled as she picked up the first stick. Two red lines stared back at her, bold and unmistakable. She glanced at the second and third tests-they all read the same: Positive.

For a moment, she stood frozen, letting the realisation sink in. Then, a wave of pure joy washed over her, and a radiant smile spread across her face, wiping away every previous worry. Unable to contain her happiness, she jumped up and down in excitement.

Ever since she turned 19, Tanushree had imagined how it would feel to become a mother, and now, that dream was coming true. She placed her hand on her belly, her heart swelling with warmth at the thought of the tiny life growing within her.

Her thoughts drifted to Abhimaan. He might not have wanted a baby just yet, but things had changed. He was making efforts to grow closer, to be better. She was certain that once he knew they were expecting, joy would replace his reservations.

"He will be happy," she whispered to herself, a hopeful smile blooming on her lips. "He has to be."

Lost in her thoughts, she hugged the tests to her chest, basking in the happiness of the moment and dreaming of the beautiful future that awaited them. She couldn't believe that she would be holding a little baby in just 9 months.

After dinner, while Abhimaan sat on the couch, typing away on his laptop, Tanushree returned from her little shopping trip. She had spent hours roaming through the baby store, feeling giddy, and now, holding the small gift-wrapped box in her hands, her excitement bubbled over.

She sat beside him and slid the box toward him. "What's this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, a flicker of curiosity on his face.

"Open it," she said, her voice barely able to contain the excitement.

Abhimaan set his laptop aside and carefully unwrapped the box. Inside, nestled among soft tissue paper, was a tiny peach-coloured onesie. He pulled it out and read the words printed on it aloud: *"Hello, Daddy."*

For a moment, his expression remained unreadable as he sifted through the box again. His hand froze when he found three pregnancy tests. One by one, he held them up, staring at the double lines as if trying to process what they meant.

"You... you're pregnant?" he finally asked, his voice low, almost like he didn't believe his own words.

Tanushree nodded shyly, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Yes, Maan. I missed my pills when we were in Shillong..." she admitted, her tone apologetic yet hopeful.

Abhimaan sat still, his mind clearly working through the news. Seconds felt like hours as silence stretched between them.

Then, without warning, he stood up abruptly. "You're getting an abortion, Tanu," he said flatly, his voice void of emotion.

Tanushree blinked, her smile vanishing instantly. "What?" she whispered, as if she hadn't heard him right.

"I said, you're not keeping it," he repeated, already turning away. He grabbed his laptop and walked toward his study without looking back, leaving her sitting there-stunned, crushed, and alone.

Her hands, once trembling with joy, now fell lifelessly to her lap. The gift box sat open between them, the little onesie and tests staring back at her, mocking the happiness she had felt just moments before. A lump formed in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Tanushree sat frozen for a while, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. How could he say something like that so casually? Abortion? Just like that? No way. They were grown-ups-they had to act like it.

Determined, she got up and headed toward his study. She pushed the door open without knocking. "I'm not getting an abortion," she declared, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside.

Abhimaan stood by the window, a cigarette between his fingers. He didn't even turn to look at her. "We're not discussing this, Tanu," he said quietly, flicking the cigarette into the ashtray and crushing it. "I told you before we got married-I'm not ready for a child right now."

Tanushree crossed her arms, her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm not ready either, but we'll figure it out. We have each other, and our families will support us."

Before she could say more, Abhimaan turned around, and in a flash, he pinned her against the wall. His hand tightened around her throat, not hard enough to hurt but firm enough to make her freeze.

His dark eyes burned with frustration. "I said I'm not ready to be a father," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't you get it?"

Tanushree gasped, stunned by his sudden aggression.

"You're getting an abortion, Tanu. That's final," he bit out. "I've already booked the appointment for Wednesday. Today's Saturday-you have a few days to come to terms with it."

He released her and stepped back, leaving her pressed against the wall, her breath shallow and her heart shattered.

This wasn't how she had imagined any of this. Not at all.

Seeing the tears streaming down her face, Abhimaan groaned in frustration, dragging his hands through his hair. He exhaled slowly, trying to keep calm. "Tanu, try to understand. I have so many things I need to sort out before I'm ready for a kid. And you... you're only 22. You've got your whole life ahead of you. You start college next month. You've always dreamed of pursuing your education. This just isn't the right time to bring a baby into the world."

Tanushree wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked up at him, her eyes soft and hopeful. "I can manage both-college and the baby," she whispered. "I'll make it work. And you'll be there with me, right? You'll support me?"

Her voice was so gentle, so full of trust, that it made his chest tighten. Abhimaan stared at her for a long moment, searching her face, unsure of what to say.

But instead of answering, he took a step back, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he turned and left the room, leaving Tanushree standing there, her hope flickering like a candle in the wind.

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