Echoes of MaAn: Love beyond Separation

||74|| The Regret Starts

Aadhya felt different. At first, she chalked it up to the post-camp exhaustion, but as the days passed, she noticed something more concerning. She felt nauseous in the mornings, her stomach often cramping and twisting uncomfortably. She had also started craving odd combinations of foods, something she never experienced before. The last thing she wanted was to think about what this could mean, but she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something was off.

"Mom, I'm fine!" she insisted, waving off Anupama's concerned glances as they sat at the breakfast table one morning. "Just a little tired from camp."

"Are you sure?" Anupama asked, her brow furrowing. "You've seemed a bit out of sorts since you got back. Maybe you should see a doctor?"

Aadhya forced a smile, her heart racing at the thought of her mother discovering the truth. "Really, Mom, it's just a phase. I promise I'm okay."

As she glanced at Aadhymaan, who was babbling happily in his high chair, a wave of guilt washed over her. How could she explain to her family the tangled web of emotions she was feeling? She wasn't ready to face that reality, especially considering the kiss with Aarav. It had been a mistake, she kept telling herself. A momentary lapse in judgment. It didn't mean anything... did it?

Meanwhile, Anupama couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Aadhya. She decided to talk to her daughter about camp, hoping to gauge how much Aadhya was willing to share. Anupama knew about the crush Aadhya had on Aarav and felt a mother's instinct to protect her daughter from any potential heartbreak or missteps.

Later that afternoon, Anupama found Aadhya sitting on her bed, scrolling through her phone. The room was filled with the scent of lavender from the candle Aadhya had lit earlier. It was a cozy atmosphere, but Anupama could sense the tension beneath the surface.

"Hey, sweetheart, do you have a minute?" Anupama asked gently, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.

Aadhya looked up, her heart racing. "Sure, Mom! What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about camp," Anupama began, settling beside her on the bed. "I know it was a big experience for you. How did everything go? Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it was great! Just like I told you before," Aadhya replied, trying to keep her tone light. "We did a lot of fun activities. The talent show was a blast!"

"What about Aarav? I know you two spent some time together. Did anything happen?" Anupama pressed gently, watching Aadhya closely.

Aadhya felt her heart thumping in her chest. "Oh, we just hung out. It was nothing big, Mom. You know how it is with friends," she said, her voice betraying her as she forced a casual tone.

Anupama raised an eyebrow, sensing the lie. "Just friends, huh? I saw how you looked at him in the pictures you posted. It seemed like there was more there."

Aadhya hesitated, feeling the weight of her mother's gaze. "I mean, yeah, he's cute and all. But we're just friends! Really!" she insisted, forcing a laugh to downplay her anxiety.

Anupama studied Aadhya's face, searching for signs of truth. "Aadhya, it's perfectly normal to have feelings for someone your age. But I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. If something happened that made you uncomfortable, please tell me. You don't have to hide anything."

Aadhya's mind raced. She wanted to tell her mother everything—the kiss, the moments shared with Aarav—but the fear of disappointing her was overwhelming. Instead, she shrugged. "Honestly, Mom, I promise everything's fine. We just had a good time. It was camp! I mean, it's not like I'm going to marry the guy."

Anupama's expression softened, but there was still a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Okay, sweetheart. Just remember, whatever happens, I'm here for you. I want you to feel safe talking to me."

"Thanks, Mom. I know," Aadhya replied, feeling relieved yet anxious at the same time. As her mother left the room, Aadhya exhaled slowly, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind.

For the next few days, Aadhya continued to feel unwell. The nausea intensified, and she became increasingly irritable. Each time she walked into the kitchen, the smell of food would send her stomach churning. She was too embarrassed to tell her family what she was going through, fearing that they would draw the wrong conclusions.

When Aadhya couldn't take it any longer, she found herself Googling her symptoms late at night when everyone else was asleep. As the pages loaded, she read about everything from stomach viruses to food poisoning. But the moment she saw the word "pregnancy," her heart sank. Panic gripped her as she closed the laptop, feeling a wave of nausea wash over her.

"No, it can't be," she muttered to herself, trying to shake off the thought. She remembered the kiss, the thrill of the moment, and how carefree it had felt. But now, the reality of her situation was crashing down on her. What if she was pregnant? She wasn't ready for any of this. Not now, not ever.

The following morning, Aadhya reluctantly joined her family for breakfast. As she sat at the table, Anupama and Anuj chatted animatedly about their plans for the weekend while Sushma and Madhav discussed their recent trip to the market. But Aadhya could barely focus on the conversation; her stomach was in knots, and she felt completely detached from her surroundings.

"Are you okay, Aadhya?" Anuj asked suddenly, breaking through her thoughts. "You've been awfully quiet this morning."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Aadhya replied quickly, forcing a smile. "Just a bit tired."

Anupama's eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't look fine, sweetheart. If you're feeling unwell, you should tell us."

"I said I'm fine, Mom!" Aadhya snapped, the words escaping her before she could rein them in.

The table went silent, and she immediately regretted her tone. Anupama looked taken aback, and Aadhya's heart sank further. "Sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"It's okay, honey. Just let us know if you need anything," Anupama said softly, her expression a mixture of concern and disappointment.

Aadhya nodded, her guilt weighing heavily on her chest. As she picked at her food, she felt like a storm was brewing inside her—a mix of confusion, fear, and regret. She couldn't bring herself to admit to her mother the truth about her symptoms or the kiss with Aarav. The fear of how they might react kept her trapped in a web of lies, even as her reality shifted beneath her feet.