YOU NEVER WALK ALONE

39-I need you

A long chapter for my lovely readers:)
Do not forget to check out the author's note at last.

AUTHOR'S POV-

Later that evening, Rashvik came home earlier than usual, just before dinner. He couldn't concentrate on anything—the only thing playing in his mind were Aarushi's words. The thought of facing the next day churned his insides. The day he once celebrated with joy now filled him with dread.

As they settled down for dinner, Rashvik was unusually quiet. He participated in only a few conversations, his mind elsewhere. He clung tightly to Pichu, a comforting habit he had developed ever since Pichu was born. Pichu had become his safe place, the one constant he turned to whenever life overwhelmed him. Somehow, his mind always managed to link every painful situation to his worst fear—losing Pichu.

Sarakshi noticed his silence and the melancholy etched on his face weighed heavily on her heart. She kept glancing at him, trying to gauge his emotions. The whole dinner felt unbearably subdued, despite the occasional exchanges. There was a heaviness in the air that none of their words could lift.

Sarakshi assumed his mood was due to their earlier conversation, unaware of the significance of the next day—a day that always seemed agonizingly long for them.

After dinner, as per their usual routine, Sarakshi and her kids sat together working on their projects while watching the latest episode of a drama. Rajiv rested in his room, exhausted from a hectic day at the office. Rashvik, however, had retreated to his room with Pichu.

Later, when Sarakshi finished her work, she decided to check on Rashvik. She quietly opened the door to their bedroom, not wanting to disturb him if he was asleep. She peeked inside and saw him lying on the bed, lost in his thoughts, gazing at the ceiling. Pichu lay curled up on his chest, sleeping soundly.

Stepping into the room, Sarakshi moved toward her study table to pack her things, glancing at Rashvik from time to time. He seemed lost in thought, his hand resting behind his head while the other held Pichu securely, gently stroking the little one's back.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, Sarakshi decided to break it. She walked to his side, maintaining some distance, and leaned slightly forward to rub Pichu's back.

"Should I lay him down properly?" she asked softly.

Her voice jolted Rashvik out of his reverie. He looked startled to see her so close, her delicate side profile clearly visible to him.

"When did you come?" he asked, trying to sound casual, though the surprise in his tone betrayed him.

"When you were lost in your thoughts," she replied with a small smile, still focused on Pichu. She reached out carefully to pick up the sleeping toddler and tuck him properly into his blanket.

Seeing her struggle, Rashvik leaned forward to help. But in his haste to sit upright, his elbow accidentally bumped into her forehead—not too hard, but enough for Sarakshi to flinch and mutter an "Oww!" under her breath.

Startled, Rashvik immediately sat up straight, his eyes wide. "Oh no! I'm so sorry—sorry, sorry, sorry!" he stammered, panicking. Without thinking, he encircled her with one arm to steady her while holding Pichu securely in the other. Gently, he began rubbing her forehead, the back of her head resting against his chest as he fussed over her.

"Sorry," he muttered again, his voice low. "Did it hurt a lot? Are you okay?"

"No, Mr. Singh, I'm fine" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, her cheeks warming. The unexpected closeness made her heartbeat quicken—a reaction she wasn't sure she wanted him to notice. His usually cold hands felt surprisingly warm against her skin at that moment.