One True Bond (COMPLETE)

Secrets and Lies

"Um hi," the guy who answers the door to Gauri's apartment says.
"Hello," Shah Rukh responds. It has been two months since Shah Rukh found out Gauri was pregnant. Two months since he had slept with Kajol. Two months since he had seen or heard from Kajol actually. Whenever Shah Rukh went to the apartment she was never there, and neither was her stuff. He tried calling but the line went dead. He tried texting but she never replied. He even went to her parents house but they were never in when he plucked up the courage.
"Can I help you?" The guy looks around screwing up his face.
"Gauri told me to come here," Shah Rukh replies confused, "something to do with the baby?" This has the guys attention.
"Ravinder," the guy sticks his hand out and Shah Rukh takes it shaking it. Ravinder moves to the side and let's Shah Rukh enter the apartment. It looks different, but Shah Rukh can't place how.
"Um is Gauri not home?" Shah Rukh asks, "I'm kinda in a hurry." Ravinder laughs.
"No she went to the shops," he says, "um why has she called you about the baby?" Okay now Shah Rukh is really confused. Gauri had called and specifically told him to come at this time, 12:40, because she would be in.
"Um I dunno she didn't really say much on the phone," Shah Rukh shrugs, "who are you anyway like how do you know Gauri?" Ravinder smiles before collapsing onto the sofa.
"Gauri and I are going out," Ravinder acts like it should be obvious, "in fact she's carrying my baby." Shah Rukh's smile threatens to leave his face. His baby?
"Wow that's great," Shah Rukh forces enthusiastically. He looks at his watch, "oh I really need to go my brothers wife's cousins aunties dogs friends mothers brothers wife's sisters husband is expecting me." With that Shah Rukh shoots out of the door. Is Gauri having him on? Why would she tell him it was his baby? He shakes his head trying to remove the thoughts before dashing down the stares only to be faced with a very pregnant Gauri.
"Oh I'm so sorry is that the time," she puffs. Shah Rukh stares at her. She has no idea he knows.
"Ravinder seems a cool guy," Shah Rukh spits, "he'll be a great father." Gauri's face drops the colour running out of it.
"Shah Rukh," Gauri tries to reach out and touch him but he steps backwards.
"I pay child support for Aryan, I have him every weekend and you tell me your pregnant with another child for what? More money?" Anger builds in Shah Rukh the foundations already beginning to set.
"I don't want to lose you," Gauri mumbles, "I still love you Shah Rukh and I thought if I lied about being pregnant with your child you'd love me again." It sounds pathetic, because it is pathetic.
"No," Shah Rukh shouts moving past Gauri down the stairs, "it makes me realise how much I don't love you." It was all a lie.

********************

Kajol takes a deep breathe before knocking on the door. There's the sound of shuffling feet before the door opens.
"Oh hello," Shehnaz smiles. Kajol's grimaces back hoping against hope that it will pass as a smile.
"Is Shah Rukh in?" Kajol mumbles. Shehnaz nods her head before gesturing for Kajol to come in. Kajol looks around for any sign of Shah Rukh as Shenaz shuts the door.
"Kitchen," Shehnaz points to a door. Kajol nods her head and walks towards it-too late to chicken out now.
"If it's Gauri tell her to piss off," Shah Rukh says shaking his head as he stirs a pot on the stove.
"Kajol okay to come in?" Kajol jokes letting the kitchen door close softly behind her. Shah Rukh stumbles away from the stove and turns to look at her.
"I thought you were dead," he says.
"Not dead just MIA," Kajol shrugs looking around the spacious kitchen, the gleaming work tops and fancy cupboards.
"Definitely MIA," Shah Rukh tosses a kitchen towel over his shoulder, "what do you want?" It came out harsher than it was meant too and Shah Rukh immediately regrets it but Kajol looks as though she hasn't noticed.
"I need to talk to you," Kajol slides onto a kitchen chair and Shah Rukh does the same. He looks slightly concerned, Kajol doesn't seem to be herself.
"Is everything okay?" Shah Rukh shoots, "the brain tumours not come back has it?" Kajol smiles weakly.
"No nothing like that," Kajol rests her hands on the table and Shah Rukh can see them shaking.
"Then what is it?" He places his hands on top of hers worried she's about to 'dump' him all over again or worse, but she doesn't remove her hands from his.
"I haven't felt myself," she begins and Shah Rukh stiffens a little, "I couldn't place my finger on it for ages but then our family went to see our grandparents. The space helped me to fine tune myself and I did some thinking and..."
"You're not finishing us again are you?" Shah Rukh jumps in fearing the worse.
"What? No," Kajol furrows her eyebrows and laughs, "I didn't know we were back together really I mean I thought because I haven't been around for two months..." So she does know she's been MIA in Shah Rukh's life.
"I thought you were playing hard to get," Shah Rukh squeezes Kajol's hands and smiles.
"Shah Rukh what I'm really trying to say is that," Kajol takes a deep breathe.
"I'm finished with Gauri too, it's not my baby either it's some other guys she just wanted me back," Shah Rukh feels sweaty and can't deal with the tension in the room. Kajol laughs and closes her eyes.
"Well it's a good job this babies yours then," she opens her eyes to see a shocked Shah Rukh. His mouth in an 'o', eyes glazed, hands clammy.
"You mean? What?" Shah Rukh manages to stutter.
"Two months. Lunch. I just didn't realise until..." Kajol explains slowly. That's why she has been away, not avoiding Shah Rukh-she just didn't realise what was wrong until now. She has been holding on to this secret and just couldn't put into words what the secret was until now, and Shah Rukh couldn't be happier.