The unexpected meet

MOVING ON

Aahana's pov :-

The air in the living room was thick. Too quiet. Too calm. And that kind of silence was always the warning before the storm.

Kartik bhai sat stiffly, eyes darting toward me every now and then like he couldn't even breathe right. Kiara looked pissed—like she knew something was coming and she already hated it. Kiara had been visiting our house frequently for the past 7 months, helping me with my pregnancy, bringing food and comfort. She has been my sole companion in my sorrow and grief.

 Maa's fingers trembled as she stirred her tea, and Papa... didn't even look up from the floor.

Something was off. Way off.

"What's going on?" I asked, heart thudding.

They all exchanged looks. Avoiding my eyes like cowards.

Then finally... Maa placed her cup down and said it.
"Aahana, it's time you moved on."

My world tilted. "Excuse me?"

"It's been months" Papa added, his voice low, careful, calculating. "We've accepted Reyaansh is not coming back."

"No." My voice was sharp. Cold. Dangerous. "Don't you dare say that."

"You have a child to think about" Kartik bhai said, his voice strained. "You can't raise him alone, Aahana. You need someone—"

And that's when he fucking said it.

"We have asked Dhruv about marrying you.....I think you should give it a thought too Aahana."

The words punched me in the gut.

I stood frozen. Blood rushing to my ears.

"He's willing to take responsibility—he loves you, Aahana. He always did."

"SHUT UP!" I screamed, the room shaking with my rage.

Tears streamed down my face. "I don't want him. I never have. I never will."

But Papa's words came like a fucking bullet.

"Do you want your child to grow up without a father?"

Maa broke then. "Please, beta. We're not saying forget Reyaansh. But..... he's gone. And Dhruv... he's a good man now. He's changed."

"You want me to marry the man who used to manipulate me?" I hissed. "Just because he changed his mask doesn't mean he changed what's underneath."

"Aahana..." Kartik's voice trembled. "We're just scared. We don't want you alone in this."

I held my belly, rage and grief crashing inside me like thunder. 

Just then, the door creaked open.

And Dhruv walked in.

Before he could utter a word, I stormed out of the room placing a protective hand over my baby bump. "It's okay baby...we'll be okay.." I whispered as if the baby could hear me.

Every corner of the house felt colder now — maybe because the warmth he left behind was fading. Reyaansh's smell from his shirts. The damn coffee mug that still sat by the window. And the child growing inside me who kicked harder every time someone mentioned his name.

I sat on the swing in the backyard, holding my belly gently, watching the wind sway the mango leaves above me.

I wasn't crying anymore. That part of me had gone quiet.