The Desert Lily

Chapter 28

At night, Ayush was passing through the hall when he heard Samaira's phone ring. She had gone for a bath and he decided to pick it up. He ambled his way to the table on top of which the device was kept. But by the time, the ring came to an end. Anyhow, he checked who the caller was. Jannat's name was mentioned in a notification as a missed call. Letting out a sigh, he was about to turn around when something else caught his attention. There was another name mentioned twice below Jannat's. He reread it to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing.

He could feel anger gripping him from every inch of his heart. He unlocked the phone and took quick glance on the callers list. There were two missed calls from Naveen and his third call was recieved.The call was in the afternoon.

He slowly locked the phone and walked back to his room. He felt like strangling something. His jawline tightened and palms were stiffened into fists. Why did he call when things were slowly falling into place? What did he want? Above all, why didn't Samaira find the need to inform him about this?

He wondered if she really considering him as a friend at least. He was trying hard to make her smile. To make this relationship. But why did she ignore to tell him about this. Was she still clinging onto Naveen? For a moment, Ayush forgot everything else and only the call was on his mind. He felt worthless at the moment. He stared at Praniti's portrait.

"What is this Praniti? Is this what I get back for trying? "he hissed in anger or pain, he did not know.

But suddenly something dawned upon him. No assumptions should be made in anger.All the sudden assumptions he have made always proved to be wrong. He breathed softly. Samaira had never hid anything from him before. Why should she do that now? He tried to think from her perspective. It must have been more difficult for her than him. She will say when the right time comes, he thought.He decided not to bring up this thing unless she mentioned.

But he doubted why she was very much normal today. She didn't show even a tinge bit of distress on her face which was very much strange considering her sensitive nature. He ran his hand through his hair and looked at Praniti again to find her smiling back at him. He smiled too as Samaira's face filled his mind.
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Ayush probed the kitchen with his eyes.Samaira was busy preparing something.There was not even a slight unnecessary moment in her hands.Though he could only see her back,he could make out that she was calm and composed.

The dinner was neatly placed on the dining table.So he wondered what she was cooking.

"What are you going? "he asked casually.

"Bathing. "she said sarcastically.

"Need company?"

"Ewwwww!Get lost!"she yelled and continued her work.

"Now tell me what you are preparing."he said as he sat on the kitchen slab beside her.

"Caramel pudding. "she answered back.

"Why? "he questioned.

"Today is the happiest day of my life."she said, her face breaking into a strange smile.

"Uhhh.. Reason? "he asked in confusion.

"Naveen had called. "she replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"So? "he was clueless now. He couldn't read pain in her eyes.

"He's pregnant. "she said.

"What the!"he skipped the next word.His eyes were wide like big saucers.

"I mean.. Nanga is pregnant. "she corrected her statement, the smile still lingered over her face.

Ayush wondered if the news had adversely affected her brain. She's making sweets because her ex's current wife is pregnant.