***Part 14***
Two weeks later, Manvi and Virat just returned home after attending the godh barai function of Jeevika. It was a family union and everybody including dadaji and Swamini bua were happy to see Virat and Manvi together with the whole family. It was already very late and they had to leave for work early next morning. Manvi was wearing the red saree from her wedding and was decked up like a newly married. She was sitting in front of the mirror and removing her jewelry. Virat collapsed on the bed and was looking at her lovingly.
"Manvi, why are you removing all that? You look so pretty." He asked. He got up and walked to her as she looked up and blushed. "Manvi, when we got married, I was just waiting for everything to be over. I didn't pay any attention to how you looked. I want to see you dress like my dulhan again." He kneeled in front of her and put her saree pallu over her head and his heart skipped a beat when he saw her face covered with a red tinge.
"Virat.." she called him looking down "...tume nahi lagta, tum aaj kal bohot romantic ho rahe ho?"
Virat just smiled.
"Virat, thank you for taking me home. It was so nice see everyone especially di and jiju, they seemed so happy right? I cannot wait for junior Viren Vadhera to enter our lives."
"hmm..." Virat wasn't listening to anything she was talking, he seemed lost in her beautiful face and her animated expressions, which were so many. He was thinking about which expression of hers in his favorite. Its probably when she blushes, that was exclusively only for him. Only he could bring that color in her face.
"Viraaat..." she called bringing him back from his thoughts. "Did you listen to anything I said?"
"No, I didn't." He took her hand and made her stand. "I want to dance with you.." he said, playing a slow romantic song on his phone. He gently pulled her close and started dancing slowly. They hadn't even danced for a couple of minutes, Virat was spinning her around and Manvi's head began getting dizzy. She was faltering in her steps, she moved away and held her head trying to balance herself. Virat held her just in time and made her sit down.
"Manvi, kya huva? Are you ok baby?"
"Virat, my head is spinning, I feel like.." she ran into the bathroom and started puking all the food she had eaten in the evening. Virat was getting very anxious seeing her in this state. He helped her clean herself up and carried her to the bed.
He checked her vitals and saw that everything was normal. He was about to call Rahul to get the car out.
"Virat..." manvi called him.
"Haan jaan, I am right here."
"I wanted to tell you this, but I didn't want to freak you out.."
"Kya? You can tell me anything baby, you know that."
"I am late this month.." she mumbled.
He gulped realizing what this could mean. She could be pregnant. "That's okay Manvi, just relax. Try to get some sleep, we will figure things out in the morning." He stroked her hair gently.
Virat couldn't sleep all night. Manvi was sleeping in his arms peacefully. He looked at her, still in her red saree, she was looking like an angel. He loved her more than anything in this world. But, was he ready to be a father? They hadn't planned this at all. What he had planned for was that he would go abroad for his fellowship. Manvi would complete her studies in an year or so after he leaves and join him. As it is, he was having a hard time mentally preparing himself to stay for such a long time without Manvi. How will he be able to stay away even for a day if they have a baby? It was a huge responsibility. He would have to give up on his goals; kiss his fellowship goodbye.
It was 6 AM and Manvi slowly stirred and opened her eyes.
"Virat, you haven't slept? Manvi sat up worried.
"Good Morning." He smiled. Manvi felt so guilty. She didn't want to scare him without knowing for sure, but she felt like she was becoming unconscious and that's the only reason she told him, so that he wouldn't fuss over her, taking her to a hospital in the middle of the night.
"Viraaat. I am sorry, I shouldn't have told you without being sure. I even bought a test kit yesterday, but I was scared to take it."
"Pagal ho kya? You should have told me much earlier. And I think you should take the test. We need to know for sure, so that we can plan ahead."
He paced up and down the room anxiously, waiting for Manvi to tell him the result of the test. Manvi came out of the bathroom and saw him in his state. She started getting all the feelings she had before he confessed his love to her, would he ever wholeheartedly accept her? Would he love her like she loves him? The one think she didn't want to be, was a hurdle in his path towards his dream. She needed to be strong now.
"Manvi..." he came running to her. She handed the stick to him which read positive.
"These things are not that reliable Manvi. You should take atleast a couple more and then I made an appointment with Dr. Sheetal, she will do a lab test."
"This is the third one Virat. All of them show the same thing." She turned away trying to hold back her tears. She knew that he would react this way but somewhere in her heart, she had this tiny hope that maybe this news will make him happy. He would hug her and cry with joy. But here, he was nervously hoping for the test to be negative.
---
"Manvi? What are you doing??" Virat ran after her as she stormed into the house in tears and was packing her clothes. They had just visited a gynecologist who confirmed that Manvi was four weeks pregnant.
"I am going back to stay with Di, I cannot even look at you anymore." Manvi said wiping her tears off.
Virat looked at her angrily, why wasn't she understanding his dilemma. He grabbed the suitcase from her and turned her around to face him. "Manvi, right now you are being very emotional. Cool down for a few hours, you will understand why I think it's not a good idea to have this baby."
"Mujhe kuch nahi samajna hai Virat. I am having this baby. Haan, I don't need anything from you. I can take care of everything by myself. You go ahead with all your grand plans." She pushed him away.
" OUR plans Manvi. I have planned everything for US, you and me, together."
"So, I figure into your plans selectively? as long as it is convenient to you right?"
"Manvi, why are you being so difficult? You know there isn't anything more important than you. Think about it rationally for a few minutes. We will have family, but 'now' is not a good time. We need to settle down first. I am still studying, you are still studying, how will we manage? Having a baby is such a huge thing. We will be responsible for another life. Our decisions will affect our kid, influence our kid, shape him or her. Are you ready to be a parent? It needs constant attention and time, something which both of us cannot give right now. Do you want to stop your studies? Give up on becoming a cancer specialist? This is for real Manvi, our life will not be in our control anymore." He calmly explained to her.
"I am as ready as I can be Virat. I can sacrifice anything for my baby. Including YOU." She blurted out angrily.
"Bacchon jaise baatein kar rahi hoon aur bacche ki ma banna chahti ho!!" Virat replied. His eyes were becoming red with anger.
"Mujhe tum se aur behas nahi karni hai. I am leaving and please don't stop me." She said decisively.
He had never seen her stand up for anything like this. She picked up the suitcase he threw away and packed all her clothes as Virat looked at her madness with boiling anger. She was leaving him. This wasn't how he expected she would react at all. He knew it would be difficult to explain his point of view to her, but this? She was being so rigid. Where was the Manvi who would follow him blindly at a mere wink? He wanted to grab her and slap some sense into her, but realized she is not in a state to listen to anything he would tell her right now. He needed to cool down and calmly drive home his point. Letting her do what she wanted, he left the room helplessly.
---
"Mujhe chod ke ja rahi ho Manvi?" he asked her as she came out of the house ready to leave. Manvi looked sideways to find him leaning on the wall, looking away with disappointment in his eyes.
Manvi stood still. The ground under her feet was disappearing. What is she supposed to do? She knew how much she was hurting Virat but how could she give up on the tiny life growing inside her. Ever since she became suspicious that she might be pregnant, she began to feel all these new things tugging her heart. There was someone growing inside of her, whose existence depended on her. It was a part of her being. Why cannot Virat understand this?
She was devastated and heart-broken when Virat asked Dr.Sheetal about alternate options if they decided not to have the baby. She couldn't even stay there a minute longer. She walked out of there, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. She had made a decision, if Virat did not want the baby, she was going to release him, set him free. He could do whatever he wants, but she was going to have the baby. She could not even contemplate any alternatives.
But, she was so scared. She was scared to live without Virat, she had become so used to him, his care, his protectiveness, his love, his sweet scoldings. The two weeks he was away in the medical camp, she felt so lonely and miserable. Now, not only has to she manage herself without him, but she also needed to take care of her baby.
"You left me no option Virat." she replied looking down.
"Alright, I will take you to your Di." He took her stuff before she protested and started walking downstairs angrily. His heart ached seeing her act so ruthlessly. Manvi followed him silently as she was scared to object again.
At Vadhera house, everyone welcomed them happily; they thought that Manvi and Virat had changed their minds after seeing everyone at the Godh barai function of Jeevika and have returned home unable to stay away from them anymore.
Virat clenched his fingers as he saw Manvi hugging Jeevika a little more than usual and crying her heart out. He was angry, hurt and sad at the turn of events. He didn't like it when things weren't in his control and right now nothing was in his hands. He had become a silent spectator. Manvi's behavior deeply hurt him. He felt that she did not understand him at all. She asked him to leave after she got dropped off outside the house.
Virat replied "I wish I could let you go as easily as you let me go Manvi" and followed her inside.
---
After dinner, Manvi walked inside their old room and saw Virat staring out of the window with a forlorn face. She had never seen him like this, watching him this hurtful was eating her away from inside.
"Virat! you don't have to stay with me here. Yaha sab ghar wale hai, mera khayal rakne ke liye." She said walking upto him.
"And what will you tell them when they ask as to why we aren't living together?" he asked her without looking at her.
"Main bol dungi ki tume bohot sara kaam hai and you stay at the hospital most of the time." She replied, her words faltering, realizing that she had not even thought about that issue until now.
"Huh!!!! Do you know how juvenile you sound right now? Manvi, when I married you, I didn't just perform some ceremony and revolve around the fire with flower garlands. I took up the responsibility, the responsibility of taking care of you, for life. I have done everything in my hands to fulfill that duty as a husband until now, atleast I think I did. It all turned out to be for good and I fell in love with you. But Manvi, caring for a baby is a totally different ball game. We have no right to bring a baby into this world when we are not ready to take care of it."
"Trust me Virat, you will fall in love with our baby too."
"That's not the point Manvi. Kaise samjao tumko? We should never give up on my ambitions for anything. If I give up my dreams for you and our baby. Maybe I will be fine initially, but then I will start feeling resentment and unsatisfaction. I will become increasingly unhappy and as time goes, I will blame my family for my failure. I will not be the same person Manvi! Neither will you. Is that what you want?"
"Ofcourse not Virat! That is why I set you free, you can go abroad for your fellowship and come back to us. Coming in between and your dream is the last thing I want."
"SHUT UP Manvi! Do you even understand the meaning of setting me free? I do not want to talk about this anymore. Mujhe jo bolna hai maine bol diya. I never even imagined that you can be this stubborn. You knew you were pregnant only today morning and you are ready to leave me for this baby. Unbelievable!"
"Are you jealous? Seriously? Excuse me Dr. Vadhera, let me remind you, this is YOUR baby we are talking about. Itna dialogues kyu maar rahe ho? Haan main kuch nahi janti hoon baache palne ke bare main but I will learn along the way. Kisi bhi maa ko pehle se ye sab nahi pata hota hain. And let me make one thing clear, I have told you to leave and go after your goals, agar tum ko mere saat reh kar mujhe blame karna hai toh, that is your choice, not my fault." Manvi left.
Virat stared at the place she was standing even after she left. Her words were ringing in his head 'YOUR BABY'
---
