01-01-2019, 01:14 PM
PART 19
Arnav was back to his abode in Shillong in which Khushi resided. Although he was physically living away from her, he felt that his thoughts and mind always revolved around what he was missing and what would the baby be doing. In the twenty days that had passed between his previous visit and current arrival, Khushi’s pregnancy glow had only boosted up multifold.
“She’s pregnant! You didn’t tell me, Arnav!” reprimanded Swati, questions floating in her eyes at she looked at Arnav in disappointment.
“I didn’t know how to tell, Aunty,” he answered, lowering his head unable to face his foster-mother.
“She loves you dearly, Arnav. In fact, it is something which people call as unconditional love. And you have hidden her away from the world here. I cannot believe that you have cheated in your marriage,” said Swati, making Arnav look at her by lifting his chin up.
“It’s tit for tat, not cheating, Aunty!” he roared, while Swati thanked his presence of mind while constructing sound-proof rooms.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Arnav. Moreover what you did is neither ethically nor practically right. You are using that innocent girl’s love for you,” she pointed, reminiscing the times she had seen Khushi smiling at herself as she caressed her slightly swollen abdomen lovingly.
“I am not using anyone! I don’t care about right or wrong, Aunty. My biggest dream is getting fulfilled. Khoosi entered this contract willingly and she would remain to be the legal guardian and the mother legally. I am not snatching anything from her. Now if you don’t mind,” he spat, turning around and staging a walkout as Swati sighed deeply in disappointment, wondering where she had gone wrong in teaching him.
_____________________________________________________
Khushi’s Room,
Being the Chief Medical Officer meant much more relaxed schedule for Khushi but she hopelessly missed interacting with the patients and relishing the innocence which her patients exuded. There was something about the company of children that could treat even the toughest mental afflictions and she desperately craved for solace.
Carrying a new life in your body was an out of the body experience and despite being a doctor who was well versed in embryology and the origin of life, she could not help but be at awe every time she touched her lower abdomen or heard her baby’s heartbeats. It was just an ethereal feeling out of the world and to add to the already divine feeling, the fact that the baby was fathered by the man whom she had loved for the better part of her life, only made her feel out of the world.
The sudden opening of the door compelled Khushi to cover her abdomen protectively and the protective wave passed when she found herself face to face with Arnav. He seemed to be furious before he laid his eyes on her covering her stomach in a worried gesture but soon his features softened and an affectionate smile danced on her lips.
“Arnav,” whispered Khushi, still taking in the surprise.
“How are you, Khoosi?” he questioned, moving towards her.
“Give me a minute please,” she said, her face contorting in ways Arnav was familiar with after working in healthcare industry for years. She was struggling with nausea and it was clear when she started pacing towards the washroom with him following her closely.
The bile which rose up her throat was emptied into the washbasin as she struggled to keep herself together. A gentle fondle against her spine as a hand pulled her lustrous and long hair away from the path of ejected food material overwhelmed her. Despite admirable self-control, Khushi could feel her mind wavering over and over to a dream in which Arnav pampered her through her gestation period and to feel him supporting her during the trying times felt better than ever.
He continued to run his warm hand over her back till the vomiting ceased and she cleaned her mouth with fresh water. The sudden lightheadedness accompanying the vomiting, mostly after the session, was a daily phenomenon for Khushi off late, considering her low blood nutrient levels. Sensing that she was losing control over herself, Arnav picked her up in his arms as gently as he could and walked towards the bed as she looked at him with a loving smile playing on her lips.
“Thank you,” she muttered, the twinkle never leaving her eyes and her lips only stretching further.
“You are enduring so much for me, this is the least I can do for you. Why did not tell me about your morning sickness over the call?” he questioned, as he placed her against the bed and offered the glass of water on the side table.
“I didn’t want to trouble you and also, there is nothing anyone can do about it. It’s just natural,” she answered, sipping water once before returning it to Arnav.
“I know that. But at least, I can be your partner in the struggle. If not anything else, I can stand beside you to help or carry you when your dizziness makes a comeback,” offered Arnav, taking a seat near her feet and placing them in his lap, startling her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, confused and out of breath.
“Trying something I learned through a book. I heard it helps for body aches and good during pregnancy,” he replied, pressing his fingers into specific points at her sole with accurate pressure. Khushi instantly felt her whole body relaxing and energy coursing through her in soothing waves. But even more soothing was the power of his touch and the image he was building in her heart; not many touched the feet of another with such ease and he was willingly massaging her without any request from her side.
Lost in her thoughts, Khushi realized that he was speaking when he stopped his acupressure therapy and waved a hand in front of her.
“Sorry. Can you repeat what you said?” she said, a faint red developing on her warm cheeks for being caught staring at him in a lost manner.
“Are you sleeping well? I read that pregnant women have trouble sleeping and don’t you dare lie to me since your soles are in my hands and I know that you are ticklish in your soles,” he mock-warned her with a glint in his eyes which reminded her of the Arnav Singh Raizada from their college days.
“I hate sleeping to my side because of those maternity body pillows but now there is no other option. I cannot sleep on my stomach because that will hurt the baby and I cannot sleep on my back because it will hurt my spine. I just cannot sleep these days,” she ranted, hormones taking over and frustration of sleeplessness showing.
“But tonight you will,” he claimed, massaging his way towards her knees through the front side of her feet.
“Taking sleeping pills is a risk, Arnav, and Ayurvedic remedies never worked for me. I don’t think they will work this time around. Why didn’t I join Ayurveda Medical Sciences while becoming a doctor?” she said, sighing in indignation that Ayurveda which was supposed to be the oldest and more efficient never worked her.
“I stand by what I said. Tonight you will sleep well,” he declared, gently pulling her towards himself as he worked his way towards her shoulders by looking straight into her eyes, reading her boundless love through the windows to the heart.
“And what makes you think that?” she asked, unknown and unfamiliar emotions floating in her eyes.
“Because you will sleep in my arms and I will lull you into sleep. I will make sure that you have the best sleep and get all the peace of the world. And it’s a promise.”
__________________________________________________
Well, Arnav is confusing, isn’t he?
Arnav was back to his abode in Shillong in which Khushi resided. Although he was physically living away from her, he felt that his thoughts and mind always revolved around what he was missing and what would the baby be doing. In the twenty days that had passed between his previous visit and current arrival, Khushi’s pregnancy glow had only boosted up multifold.
“She’s pregnant! You didn’t tell me, Arnav!” reprimanded Swati, questions floating in her eyes at she looked at Arnav in disappointment.
“I didn’t know how to tell, Aunty,” he answered, lowering his head unable to face his foster-mother.
“She loves you dearly, Arnav. In fact, it is something which people call as unconditional love. And you have hidden her away from the world here. I cannot believe that you have cheated in your marriage,” said Swati, making Arnav look at her by lifting his chin up.
“It’s tit for tat, not cheating, Aunty!” he roared, while Swati thanked his presence of mind while constructing sound-proof rooms.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Arnav. Moreover what you did is neither ethically nor practically right. You are using that innocent girl’s love for you,” she pointed, reminiscing the times she had seen Khushi smiling at herself as she caressed her slightly swollen abdomen lovingly.
“I am not using anyone! I don’t care about right or wrong, Aunty. My biggest dream is getting fulfilled. Khoosi entered this contract willingly and she would remain to be the legal guardian and the mother legally. I am not snatching anything from her. Now if you don’t mind,” he spat, turning around and staging a walkout as Swati sighed deeply in disappointment, wondering where she had gone wrong in teaching him.
_____________________________________________________
Khushi’s Room,
Being the Chief Medical Officer meant much more relaxed schedule for Khushi but she hopelessly missed interacting with the patients and relishing the innocence which her patients exuded. There was something about the company of children that could treat even the toughest mental afflictions and she desperately craved for solace.
Carrying a new life in your body was an out of the body experience and despite being a doctor who was well versed in embryology and the origin of life, she could not help but be at awe every time she touched her lower abdomen or heard her baby’s heartbeats. It was just an ethereal feeling out of the world and to add to the already divine feeling, the fact that the baby was fathered by the man whom she had loved for the better part of her life, only made her feel out of the world.
The sudden opening of the door compelled Khushi to cover her abdomen protectively and the protective wave passed when she found herself face to face with Arnav. He seemed to be furious before he laid his eyes on her covering her stomach in a worried gesture but soon his features softened and an affectionate smile danced on her lips.
“Arnav,” whispered Khushi, still taking in the surprise.
“How are you, Khoosi?” he questioned, moving towards her.
“Give me a minute please,” she said, her face contorting in ways Arnav was familiar with after working in healthcare industry for years. She was struggling with nausea and it was clear when she started pacing towards the washroom with him following her closely.
The bile which rose up her throat was emptied into the washbasin as she struggled to keep herself together. A gentle fondle against her spine as a hand pulled her lustrous and long hair away from the path of ejected food material overwhelmed her. Despite admirable self-control, Khushi could feel her mind wavering over and over to a dream in which Arnav pampered her through her gestation period and to feel him supporting her during the trying times felt better than ever.
He continued to run his warm hand over her back till the vomiting ceased and she cleaned her mouth with fresh water. The sudden lightheadedness accompanying the vomiting, mostly after the session, was a daily phenomenon for Khushi off late, considering her low blood nutrient levels. Sensing that she was losing control over herself, Arnav picked her up in his arms as gently as he could and walked towards the bed as she looked at him with a loving smile playing on her lips.
“Thank you,” she muttered, the twinkle never leaving her eyes and her lips only stretching further.
“You are enduring so much for me, this is the least I can do for you. Why did not tell me about your morning sickness over the call?” he questioned, as he placed her against the bed and offered the glass of water on the side table.
“I didn’t want to trouble you and also, there is nothing anyone can do about it. It’s just natural,” she answered, sipping water once before returning it to Arnav.
“I know that. But at least, I can be your partner in the struggle. If not anything else, I can stand beside you to help or carry you when your dizziness makes a comeback,” offered Arnav, taking a seat near her feet and placing them in his lap, startling her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, confused and out of breath.
“Trying something I learned through a book. I heard it helps for body aches and good during pregnancy,” he replied, pressing his fingers into specific points at her sole with accurate pressure. Khushi instantly felt her whole body relaxing and energy coursing through her in soothing waves. But even more soothing was the power of his touch and the image he was building in her heart; not many touched the feet of another with such ease and he was willingly massaging her without any request from her side.
Lost in her thoughts, Khushi realized that he was speaking when he stopped his acupressure therapy and waved a hand in front of her.
“Sorry. Can you repeat what you said?” she said, a faint red developing on her warm cheeks for being caught staring at him in a lost manner.
“Are you sleeping well? I read that pregnant women have trouble sleeping and don’t you dare lie to me since your soles are in my hands and I know that you are ticklish in your soles,” he mock-warned her with a glint in his eyes which reminded her of the Arnav Singh Raizada from their college days.
“I hate sleeping to my side because of those maternity body pillows but now there is no other option. I cannot sleep on my stomach because that will hurt the baby and I cannot sleep on my back because it will hurt my spine. I just cannot sleep these days,” she ranted, hormones taking over and frustration of sleeplessness showing.
“But tonight you will,” he claimed, massaging his way towards her knees through the front side of her feet.
“Taking sleeping pills is a risk, Arnav, and Ayurvedic remedies never worked for me. I don’t think they will work this time around. Why didn’t I join Ayurveda Medical Sciences while becoming a doctor?” she said, sighing in indignation that Ayurveda which was supposed to be the oldest and more efficient never worked her.
“I stand by what I said. Tonight you will sleep well,” he declared, gently pulling her towards himself as he worked his way towards her shoulders by looking straight into her eyes, reading her boundless love through the windows to the heart.
“And what makes you think that?” she asked, unknown and unfamiliar emotions floating in her eyes.
“Because you will sleep in my arms and I will lull you into sleep. I will make sure that you have the best sleep and get all the peace of the world. And it’s a promise.”
__________________________________________________
Well, Arnav is confusing, isn’t he?
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