Marriage In The Pink City

Chapter 22

Namaste
Chapter 22 ( Long Chapter. Expecting many comments and votes pretty people.)

Abhimaan sat on the couch, swirling the whiskey in his glass, lost in thought. Across from him, Rohit leaned back in his chair, nursing his beer. He noticed the tension in his friend’s face—the way his shoulders were tight, his brows furrowed.

“You good, mate?” Rohit asked, raising an eyebrow. “You look stressed.” He took another sip before adding, “Everything okay with the missus?” 

Abhimaan ran his hand through his hair, exhaling deeply. “Yeah… no… I don’t know.” He rested his head against the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling. 

“What happened?” Rohit pressed, setting his beer aside. “You’re already dressed for the party, but you look like you’d rather be anywhere else.” 

Abhimaan let out a long sigh and took a big gulp of his drink. “Tanu’s pregnant.”

Rohit’s eyes widened. “What? Already? Man, you work fast.” He gave a small laugh, but it faded when he saw Abhimaan’s expression hadn’t changed. “Wait... isn’t that good news?” 

“I told her to get an abortion,” Abhimaan admitted, his voice low.

Rohit blinked, stunned. “You what?”

“I can’t do it, Rohit,” Abhimaan muttered, rubbing his face. “I’m not ready to be a father. I’m all messed up in the head. How can I raise a kid when I’m not even... right?”

Rohit stared at him for a moment, then scoffed. “Man, nobody’s ever ready to be a parent. It’s not something you figure out beforehand—it’s something you grow into.”

Abhimaan shook his head. “No, you don’t get it. I want to be mentally and emotionally present for my child. Not just... there. I’ve seen what it’s like when a father isn’t around properly. I don’t want to screw this up. And I don’t want Tanu to go through that either.”

Rohit leaned forward, giving him a serious look. “Bro, listen to me. I get that you’re scared. But kids? They’re a blessing, man. They’re not some ‘perfect time’ thing. Life’s messy. You’ll always think you’re not ready, but that’s just fear talking.”

Abhimaan sighed again, running a hand through his hair. “But what if I mess everything up?”

“And what if you don’t?” Rohit shot back, smacking him lightly on the back of the head. “You think all dads have it figured out from day one? Spoiler alert: they don’t. They just do their best. And you—” he pointed at Abhimaan, “—you’ll do your best too. You’ve got a good heart, man. You care. That’s all that matters.”

Abhimaan was silent for a moment, staring into his glass.

Rohit clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Look, don’t be that guy who throws away something good just because he’s scared. You’ve got a wife who loves you, a kid on the way. That’s a hell of a gift, bro. Don’t ruin it because you think you’re not good enough. You are.”

Abhimaan swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Rohit’s words settle over him.

“Man up,” Rohit added with a grin, leaning back. “That kid’s gonna think you’re a superhero.”

Abhimaan chuckled softly, though it was laced with uncertainty. “A superhero, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Rohit said, raising his beer. “Even if you mess up, that kid will still think the world of you. Just show up. That’s what matters.”