Dead in the Water - AdiYa FF

Chapter 31

**TRIGGER WARNING** This chapter contains topics dealing with depression, anxiety and mental health. Reader discretion henceforth advised.

Pooja walked out of a mall, along with her son Dev, after purchasing a gift for Aditya and Zoya's wedding, while she was also in a call, talking to Arjun.

"No need Arjun. I will come along with Dev directly to the airport. You need not come all the way home. Okay? Bye!"

As she got down the stairs, she spotted Yash walking towards his car, that was parked in the front of the mall. With a smile on her face, she walked towards him, holding Dev's hand.

"Hi Yash!" Pooja came to him, while Yash seeing her, shut back the door of his car and went to her with a smile.

"Hello! What's up!" Yash asked, while he looked at a shopping bag in her hand, "Shopping?"

"Not really. Wanted to get a gift for the wedding. I didn't have time yesterday, so thought to get it today. What about you?"

"I came to meet a client. He lives there." Yash pointed at a glass building behind him, "I rarely come to Mumbai. So when I come, I schedule almost all my meetings back-to-back."

Just then, he spotted little Dev sulking behind Pooja, wrapping himself around in her saree. Yash chuckled looking at that, while he asked Pooja, "Looks like someone is in wraps behind you."

Pooja looked behind and giggled, as she leaned forward and said in a low tone, "Dev Sahab is angry with me. He wanted me to buy a ball, despite having ten balls of different size at home. I said no, and he is grumbling about it."

Yash laughed hearing it, while he moved to the side to see Dev, and Dev moved away to the other side, hiding himself in Pooja's saree. Pooja placed her hand over Dev and said with a smile, "When he is angry with me also, he needs me only to sulk around."

"Hello! Shall I get you the ball?" Yash asked, while Pooja opened her eyes wide, as she asked Yash, "You will buy me new crockery, after he breaks them again with this new ball?" She patted Dev's back gently as she said, "Already Adi and Arjun have pampered and spoiled him enough. Now, you too please join...so that he completely stops obeying me."

Yash chuckled, as he asked, "So, you are going home?"

"Yeah. Arjun will come home for dinner. So, I have to go and cook something for us." Pooja said.

"Alright, then come I will drop you both." Yash said, as he walked towards the front passenger seat and gestured her to get in the car. Pooja smiled, as she got in the car, and made Dev sit in the back seat. Yash too got in the driver seat of the car, and drove off.

As the car sped off in the busy evening roads, Pooja turned and saw Dev sleeping in the back seat. She smiled and said, "Whenever he enters a car, he sleeps immediately."

Yash looked back through the rear mirror and smiled, "Cute boy! How old is he?"

"3 and a half years old." Pooja said, while Yash looked at the mirror and said, "He does look like you somewhat, right?"

Pooja had a light smile, as she said, "No. He looks exactly like...Ashish."

Hearing it, Yash was silent for a while, and while he asked, "Pooja, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

Yash took a deep breath, as he asked, "If any day, Ashish comes back to you and wishes to make you and Dev a part of his life, will you agree to it?"

"Why should we agree to be a part of his life? First of all, who is he to me and my child?" Pooja asked, looking at Yash, "Just because my son shares his genes, that doesn't give him any authority over me or my child. We both aren't any property for anyone to come and claim rights, as they please. And I am also not that kind of a woman who accepts a cheat again as a husband, citing the excuse of wanting a father for my son. Ashish coming back in my life now and wishing to start afresh...if he does...still doesn't erase off whatever he did with me. The man who couldn't be with me in during my worst, doesn't deserve to be in my good phase too."