Marriage In The Pink City

Chapter 30

Namaste
Chapter 30

Tanushree woke up at 8 in the morning, her body weak and aching. The first thing she saw was Abhimaan sitting by her bed, his face pale and drawn. His hands were clasped tightly, his usually composed demeanor replaced by something raw, almost vulnerable.

“You’re awake,” he said, his voice low and strained. He stood up, hesitant. “I… I’ll call the doctor.”

Before she could respond, he left the room quickly, Tanushree’s eyes followed him, but her face remained expressionless. Slowly, she pushed herself up, her arms trembling under her weight.

The doctor soon arrived, her voice calm and professional as she approached.

“Good morning, Tanushree. How are you feeling now?”

Tanushree hesitated, her voice soft, almost a whisper. “I… I feel weak. My head hurts… and there’s this heaviness in my chest.”

The doctor nodded, her tone gentle. “That’s expected after such a high fever. Are you feeling any pain in your stomach? Any cramping?”

Tanushree shook her head slightly. “No, not now… but last night there was some pain.”

“We’ll run an ultrasound to check everything,” the doctor assured her.

“And have you eaten anything since yesterday?”

“No… nothing,” Tanushree murmured, looking down.

“That’s alright. We’ll start with something light. But you must eat regularly. It’s very important for your recovery, and for the baby.” The doctor turned to Abhimaan, her gaze steady. “She needs rest, proper nutrition, and most importantly, no stress. I hope you understand how crucial this is.”

Abhimaan gave a small nod,“I’ll… I’ll make sure of it.”

Once the doctor left, silence fell over the room again. Abhimaan sat down beside the bed, his movements stiff and uncertain. He watched Tanushree for a moment, gathering courage, before speaking.

“Tanushree…” His voice faltered. “Let me take care of you. Please, come back home.”

Tanushree didn’t look at him. Her fingers played absently with the edge of the blanket. When he reached out to touch her hand, she pulled it back gently, her fingers trembling.

“What did you gain by breaking me like this?” she asked softly, her voice devoid of anger, only pain. “Maine aapka kya bigada tha? (What wrong did I ever do to you?)”

Abhimaan froze, his hands dropping to his sides. He opened his mouth but no words came out. He looked away, his expression one of guilt and helplessness.

“I… I don’t know,” he finally said, his voice hoarse. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Tanu. I…”

Tanushree let out a shaky breath, her fingers brushing against her belly. “You’ve left me helpless,” she whispered. “Kahan jau iss bacche ke saath? Kya karoon main? (Where do I go with this child? What should I do?)”

Abhimaan clenched his fists, his knuckles white. He looked at her, his eyes pleading. “Tanu, I know I’ve failed you. I didn’t want to… I just… I wasn’t ready for this. For being a husband. For being a father.”

Tanushree’s gaze was steady, though her exhaustion was evident. “Toh shadi kyun ki aapne? (Then why did you marry me?)” she asked quietly. “Why make promises you couldn’t keep? Why did you promise to protect me and then break me instead?”

“Kya mila ye sab karke?” she asked, her voice soft and broken. (What did you gain from all this?)

“I thought… I thought I could handle it,” he admitted, his voice cracking. “After… After Sophia, I didn’t want to get close to anyone. She… she cheated on me, Tanu. With someone I trusted. It destroyed me. I didn’t want to feel that kind of pain again.”