15-09-2025, 06:44 PM
(This post was last modified: 15-09-2025, 06:45 PM by matiba2025213. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
Chapter 34: The return (Act 2)
Lina stood in front of the mirror, her hands resting on her swollen belly. Seven months pregnant, she marveled at how her body had changed, how it seemed to carry both the weight of new life and the echoes of past choices. She traced the curve of her bump, feeling the subtle flutter of movement beneath her skin. I’m going to be a mother, she thought, a mix of joy and anxiety swirling within her. But beneath the surface, there was something else, a lingering restlessness she couldn’t quite shake.
“Lina?” Rahim’s voice called from the living room, pulling her from her thoughts. “Are you ready? The appointment’s in an hour.”
“Almost,” she replied, slipping on a loose, flowing dress that dbangd gently over her figure. It was a far cry from the tight, revealing outfits she used to wear, but it felt right for now. She glanced at herself one last time before joining Rahim.
He stood by the door, his strong frame silhouetted against the morning light. His smile softened as he saw her. “You look beautiful,” he said, his voice warm.
She smiled back, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thank you.”
They took a cab to the clinic in comfortable silence, the hum of the engine filling the space between them. Lina’s mind wandered, replaying the events of the past year, the lies, the secrets, the guilt. She clenched her hands in her lap, trying to push those thoughts away. I’ve made mistakes, but I’m trying to move forward, she reminded herself. For Rahim. For their baby.
At the clinic, the nurse led them into a small examination room. “Dr. Meera will be with you shortly,” she said before closing the door behind her.
Lina sat on the edge of the bed, her nerves getting the better of her. Rahim noticed and took her hand. “Everything’s going to be fine,” he assured her.
She nodded, squeezing his hand. “I know.”
A moment later, Dr. Meera entered, her warm demeanor immediately putting Lina at ease. “Good morning, Lina, Rahim,” she greeted them with a smile. “Let’s see how our little one is doing today.”
As the doctor began the ultrasound, Lina’s heart raced with anticipation. The sound of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room, steady and strong. Tears welled in her eyes as she watched the tiny form on the screen, moving and squirming.
“Everything looks perfect,” Dr. Meera said, her voice reassuring. “You’re both doing a great job.”
Lina exhaled, relief washing over her. “Thank you,” she whispered.
After the appointment, they stopped at a nearby café for lunch. As they sat at a corner table, Rahim reached across the table to take her hand. “You’ve been quiet today,” he observed. “Is everything okay?”
She hesitated, searching for the right words. “I just… I’ve been thinking a lot about everything. About us. About the baby.”
He nodded, his expression serious. “We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we?”
“Yes,” she admitted softly. “But I want to make sure we’re in a good place for the baby, and for us.”
Rahim squeezed her hand. “We are. And we will be. We’re stronger than we think.”
His words comforted her, but there was still a part of her that doubted. A part that wondered if she could ever truly leave her past behind.
Later that evening, as they settled on the couch, Lina leaned into Rahim’s side, his arm dbangd around her shoulders. They were watching a movie, but her thoughts were elsewhere. The restlessness she had felt earlier was creeping back in, a familiar ache that refused to be ignored.
“Lina?” Rahim’s voice broke through her thoughts. He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze. “You seem distant. What’s on your mind?”
She bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. “I just… I want to feel close to you,” she admitted softly.
His eyes softened, and he leaned in to kiss her with a slowly, tenderly, as if trying to convey all the words he couldn’t say. Lina melted into the kiss, her body responding instinctively. But just as things were heating up, he pulled back.
“We should take it easy,” he murmured, his voice gentle but firm. “For the baby.”
She nodded, though a pang of disappointment shot through her. “You’re right.”
As they settled back into the movie, Lina tried to focus on the screen, but her mind was elsewhere. The restlessness lingered, a storm brewing beneath the surface. She knew she needed to stay strong, but the temptation was always there, a weakness that others could exploit.
Lina stood in front of the mirror, her hands resting on her swollen belly. Seven months pregnant, she marveled at how her body had changed, how it seemed to carry both the weight of new life and the echoes of past choices. She traced the curve of her bump, feeling the subtle flutter of movement beneath her skin. I’m going to be a mother, she thought, a mix of joy and anxiety swirling within her. But beneath the surface, there was something else, a lingering restlessness she couldn’t quite shake.
“Lina?” Rahim’s voice called from the living room, pulling her from her thoughts. “Are you ready? The appointment’s in an hour.”
“Almost,” she replied, slipping on a loose, flowing dress that dbangd gently over her figure. It was a far cry from the tight, revealing outfits she used to wear, but it felt right for now. She glanced at herself one last time before joining Rahim.
He stood by the door, his strong frame silhouetted against the morning light. His smile softened as he saw her. “You look beautiful,” he said, his voice warm.
She smiled back, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thank you.”
They took a cab to the clinic in comfortable silence, the hum of the engine filling the space between them. Lina’s mind wandered, replaying the events of the past year, the lies, the secrets, the guilt. She clenched her hands in her lap, trying to push those thoughts away. I’ve made mistakes, but I’m trying to move forward, she reminded herself. For Rahim. For their baby.
At the clinic, the nurse led them into a small examination room. “Dr. Meera will be with you shortly,” she said before closing the door behind her.
Lina sat on the edge of the bed, her nerves getting the better of her. Rahim noticed and took her hand. “Everything’s going to be fine,” he assured her.
She nodded, squeezing his hand. “I know.”
A moment later, Dr. Meera entered, her warm demeanor immediately putting Lina at ease. “Good morning, Lina, Rahim,” she greeted them with a smile. “Let’s see how our little one is doing today.”
As the doctor began the ultrasound, Lina’s heart raced with anticipation. The sound of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room, steady and strong. Tears welled in her eyes as she watched the tiny form on the screen, moving and squirming.
“Everything looks perfect,” Dr. Meera said, her voice reassuring. “You’re both doing a great job.”
Lina exhaled, relief washing over her. “Thank you,” she whispered.
After the appointment, they stopped at a nearby café for lunch. As they sat at a corner table, Rahim reached across the table to take her hand. “You’ve been quiet today,” he observed. “Is everything okay?”
She hesitated, searching for the right words. “I just… I’ve been thinking a lot about everything. About us. About the baby.”
He nodded, his expression serious. “We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we?”
“Yes,” she admitted softly. “But I want to make sure we’re in a good place for the baby, and for us.”
Rahim squeezed her hand. “We are. And we will be. We’re stronger than we think.”
His words comforted her, but there was still a part of her that doubted. A part that wondered if she could ever truly leave her past behind.
Later that evening, as they settled on the couch, Lina leaned into Rahim’s side, his arm dbangd around her shoulders. They were watching a movie, but her thoughts were elsewhere. The restlessness she had felt earlier was creeping back in, a familiar ache that refused to be ignored.
“Lina?” Rahim’s voice broke through her thoughts. He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze. “You seem distant. What’s on your mind?”
She bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. “I just… I want to feel close to you,” she admitted softly.
His eyes softened, and he leaned in to kiss her with a slowly, tenderly, as if trying to convey all the words he couldn’t say. Lina melted into the kiss, her body responding instinctively. But just as things were heating up, he pulled back.
“We should take it easy,” he murmured, his voice gentle but firm. “For the baby.”
She nodded, though a pang of disappointment shot through her. “You’re right.”
As they settled back into the movie, Lina tried to focus on the screen, but her mind was elsewhere. The restlessness lingered, a storm brewing beneath the surface. She knew she needed to stay strong, but the temptation was always there, a weakness that others could exploit.
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