His second wife (#SaRaj)

25) Savi, sai and Rajat

Rajat stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie for what felt like the hundredth time. He was already running late, and he knew that Sai's school wouldn't tolerate tardiness. Just as he was about to head out, his mother, Bhagyashree, walked into the room with a warm smile and a tray laden with breakfast.

"Good morning, beta," she said, setting the tray down in front of him. "I made your favorite omelette and toast."

Rajat smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards his mother. She had always been his rock, supporting him through thick and thin.

"Thank you, Maa," he said, taking a bite of the omelette. "This is delicious."

Just as he was finishing up, he called out to Sai in a firm but gentle tone. "Sai, beta, come out! We're getting late for school."

Sai emerged from her room a few seconds later, her pigtails bouncing with each step. She was wearing her favorite yellow dress, and her backpack was slung over her shoulder. Rajat's heart swelled with love as he picked her up and swung her around.

"Okay, baby, let's go!" he exclaimed, setting her down and taking her hand.

On the other side of the street, Savi was sipping her morning coffee and staring at the photo of Ishaan on her mantle. She smiled wistfully, feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over her.

"Ishaan, be my strength today," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm going to take one more step in my life without you."

With a newfound sense of determination, Savi set her coffee cup down and headed out the door. As she emerged onto the street, she caught sight of Rajat and Sai walking towards her. For the first time, Savi felt a spark of joy as she looked at them. She smiled, feeling a sense of connection that she couldn't quite explain.

Rajat, too, caught sight of Savi and felt a jolt of surprise. He hadn't expected to run into her, especially not after their awkward conversation the night before. But as he looked into her eyes, he saw something there that gave him pause. It was a spark of warmth, of connection, that he hadn't seen before.

For a moment, the three of them just stood there, frozen in time. Then, Rajat smiled and nodded at Savi, feeling a sense of awkwardness dissipate. "Good morning," he said, his voice a little softer than usual.

Sai, too, smiled up at Savi, her eyes shining with curiosity. "Good morning, Savi teacher," she exclaimed, waving at her.

Savi's smile faltered for a moment, but then she smiled back at Sai, feeling a sense of wonder. "Good morning, Sai," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rajat's eyes locked onto Savi's, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. He whispered, "Savi, you texted me to meet you, remember?"

Savi's eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment, as if collecting her thoughts. Then, she nodded, a soft "yes" escaping her lips.

Rajat's eyebrows rose, expecting her to elaborate. But instead, Savi glanced at Sai, who was watching them with wide, curious eyes.

Savi's smile returned, and she said, "Let's talk at 3, okay? At your office"

Rajat nodded, feeling a sense of anticipation build within him. "Not my office," he said, his voice low and gentle. "I'll come to pick up Sai from school. I'll pick you up from there too. We can talk after that. Is that alright with you?"

Savi's eyes searched his face, as if looking for reassurance. Then, she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yes, that's fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rajat's face relaxed into a warm smile. "Great," he said. "I'll see you then."

As Rajat went about his day, his mind kept wandering back to his upcoming conversation with Savi. He couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, mixed with a dash of anxiety. What would Savi's answer be? Would she accept his proposal, or would she decline?

Rajat's heart skipped a beat as he imagined Savi's rejection. He felt a shiver run down his spine, and he couldn't quite explain why. It wasn't as if he had asked Savi to marry him for love. No, his motivations were purely practical. He wanted to provide a stable and loving home for Sai, and he believed that Savi was the perfect person to help him do that.

But despite his logical reasoning, Rajat couldn't shake off the feeling that he would be disappointed if Savi said no. He didn't know why, but the thought of her rejection stung. Maybe it was because he had come to admire Savi's strength and resilience. Or maybe it was because he had seen the way she interacted with Sai, and he knew that she had the potential to be an amazing mother figure to his daughter.

Whatever the reason, Rajat couldn't deny the sense of trepidation that had settled in the pit of his stomach. He hoped that Savi would say yes, not just for Sai's sake, but for his own as well.

........

At Sai Class...

Little Sai's eyes sparkled with excitement as she whispered to her friend Aisha in the school playground. "Aisha, guess what? Savi teacher is going to become my mother!"

Aisha's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? How do you know?"

Sai nodded enthusiastically. "My dadi told me. She said that Papa is going to marry Savi teacher, and then she'll be my mother!"

Savi, who was standing nearby, supervising the children, felt her breath hitch in her throat. She hadn't realized that Sai knew about the proposal, let alone that she was so excited about it.

As Savi listened to Sai's chatter, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. She loved Sai like her own daughter, and the thought of becoming her mother was both thrilling and terrifying.

But as she thought about it, Savi's mind began to wander back to her past. She thought about Ishaan, her beloved husband who had passed away, and their unborn baby who had been lost too soon.

Taking on the responsibilities of being a mother to Sai would mean opening herself up to the possibility of getting hurt again. Could she really do that? Could she put herself out there, knowing that she might lose someone she loved again?

Savi's heart felt heavy with emotion as she watched Sai laugh and play with her friends. She knew that she had to make a decision, and soon. But for now, she just stood there, frozen in indecision.

As the school day drew to a close, Savi helped Sai gather her belongings and pack them into her backpack. "Okay, beta, time to go," Savi said, smiling at Sai. "Your father will be here to pick you up soon."

Sai's face lit up with excitement as she hugged Savi tightly. "Pari mumma teacher, when will you marry my papa?" she asked, looking up at Savi with big, curious eyes.

Savi's heart skipped a beat as she felt a surge of emotion. She hadn't expected Sai to bring up the topic of marriage again, especially not in front of the other children.

But Sai's innocent question had caught her off guard, and Savi found herself struggling to come up with a response. She looked around nervously, hoping to deflect the question, but Sai's eyes were fixed intently on hers.

"When...when will you marry my papa and become my Pari mumma teacher?" Sai repeated, her voice full of hope and expectation.

Savi's throat constricted as she felt a lump form. She looked down at Sai, her eyes locking onto the little girl's upturned face. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the air thick with tension.

And then, without thinking, Savi smiled and hugged Sai tightly. "We'll see, beta," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "We'll see."

Just as Savi was hugging Sai, Rajat appeared at the doorway, a warm smile on his face. "Hey, beta! Ready to go home?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Savi and Sai.

Sai squealed with excitement, wriggling out of Savi's hug and running to Rajat. "Papa! Papa!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his waist.

Rajat laughed, lifting Sai up into his arms and spinning her around. "Hey, my little princess! How was your day?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with affection.

As Rajat and Sai chatted, Savi stood back, watching them with a warm smile. She couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion as she saw the love and affection between Rajat and Sai. It was clear that they adored each other, and Savi felt a sense of gratitude towards Rajat for being such a devoted father.

.........

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