Sometimes later

Abhi and Mayank was talking in video call with Mayank's parents.

Mom - "To kaise ho miya biwi ? Hume to bhul hi gaye ho!"

Mayank - "Mom you know na Shalini...... kuchdin lafde me tha"

Dad - "Aur jiske wajah se ye lafda hua us Adi ko apne hi ghar me paal rahe ho!"

Mayank - "Aapko kisne bataya ? Aapke dist Dhiren ? Huh!! Kaash aaplog Adi ke mental trauma ko samajhte! All time lament kar raha hai woh"

Dad - (Smirk) "Huh! Mental trauma! Ek masum ladki aur apne hi na janme bachche ko maar daala, ek baap ko nisantan banaya. Ab aaya hai lament karne!!  Tum bhi to Shalini ko hate karte the, isiliye us maasum bachchi ke qatil ke liye safai de rahe ho!"

Mayank - (deep sigh) "Dad jo hua uska dukh hum sabko hai. Par is dukh me bhi hum apko ek good news dene ki liye call kiye aur aap ho ki Adi pe gussa utare jaa rahe ho..."

Mom - "Good news ?"

Dad - "Kaisa good news ?"

Mayank - "Woh actually...." (Looking at Abhi)  "we're gonna be parents"

Dad - "What ?"

Mom - "Kitna mahina hua ?"

Abhi - (Shyly) "Three months"

Mom - "Hey bhagwan!!"

Mayank - "Kya hua mom ? Aise kiun bol rahi ho ?"

Dad - "How dare you to plan a baby when ain't married yet!"

Mom - "Ab humare padosi, rishtedaar kya kahenge ?"

Dad - "Aur kya ? Illegal, na jayz aulaad kahenge! Mujhe tabhi pata tha jab tum dono USA gaye, ki aise hi bohemian zindagi jioge! Bachpan se tumhari jid ke aage jhukne aaj ye natija mila... society me mera maan samman sab mitti me mil jayenge"

Mayank - "What the hell! Main kitna excited tha apko ye news dene ki liye, socha tha aap kitne khush honge apne grandchild ki liye...... aur aap society ko leke pade hain ?

Mom - "Dekh beta, hume apne grandchild se koi dushmani nahi hain. Lekin tu jaanta hai na humare khandan ko...... ek kaam kar, main pandit ji se contact karti hun, koi achchi din dekh ke tum dono shaadi kar lo"

Mayank - "Stop it mom. Aaplog kis generation me pade ho ?"

Dad - "You stop it bustard!! Tum jaisa uddand aulaad humare family me dusra paida nahi hua kabhi. Kaan khol ke sun lo, tum dono jald se jald shaadi karoge warna tumhare bachche ko hum kabhi nahi apnayenge!!"

Mayank - "Who's asking for your acceptance ?"

Abhi - (pinching Mayank) "Uski baat mat suniye dad.... hum shadi kar lenge.... mummy ji aap pandit ji se...."

Mayank - "Nahi karenge hum shadi. Jo man chahe kar lo aap dono aur apke fucking rishtedar."

Mom - "Shadi nahi karega ? Kya bolega apne bachche ko ? Uske parents sirf boyfriends hai ?"

Dad - "Maine bachpan se tumhara har shokh pura kiya Mayank, jo nahi karna tha wo bhi kiya. Hath jodta hun tumse mera ijjat mitti me mat milao"

Mayank - "Aapki ijjat itni sasti hai dad jo dadaji banne se mitti me mil jayega ?"

Dad - "Dadaji banne se nahi, apne bete ki out of wedlock bachche ke dadaji banne se milega. Tum mere ek loute ho, tumhe disown karne me majboor mat karo"

Mayank - "What did you say ? Disown karenge ? Okay, please do it. As soon as possible. I'm ashamed to be the son of a narrow minded person. Jaiye jaiye, apne bete ka antim sanskar kar lijiye, yun soch lijiye ki mar chuka hai apka beta, ya phir aapka koi aulad tha hi nahi"

Huffy son cuts the call. Abhi yelled on him --- "Kya jarurat tha unse aise baat karne ki ? Shadi hi to karna hai na, kar lete"

"No baby.... you know naa, ye society ka rule todna mujhe kitna pasand hai ?"

"But apne parents ke saath aisa behaviour ?"

"Jo log mere unborn child ko illegal kehte hain, society ke dar se disown karne ki dhamki dete hain unki puja to mai nahi kar sakta baby. Main Adi nahi hun, apne baby ke sath koi compromise nahi karunga"

The couple laid down on bed for some rest. Mayank unbuttoned Abhi's shirt, closely saw his lower belly. It's a little bumped than usual. His lips bobbled on it. Abhi shrank with the tickle.

"Grow up Amy baby. Dada is eager to see you"

"Shadi kar lo please.... bachpan se hum shadi karne ka sapna dekhte aa rahen hain"

"Come on baby....." Mayank continued soothing Abhi's bump.

"Let me go. Adi ko khana khilana hai..........pout kiun kar rahe ho mister ?"

"Mereko bhi khilaoge promise karo, to hi jasne dunga"

(Abhi's looking from behind if his husband bowling well or not🤓)

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Adi is staying with Abhiyank for indefinite time. Shalini's father and his own parents accused him enough. Mayank also considers him as main culprit but Abhi protected him atleast in the household.

But the old chemistry of them is somehow lost in gloom. Shalini's memory and guilt for his unborn baby chases him all time. Most of the days he skips duty and takes care of Abhi with utmost modesty. He doesn't wanna another's child's same consequence as his own. Mayank and Abhi's cute gigglings often comes to his ears. He thinks --- it could be he and Shalini too......

Although he imagines himself and Shalu on every action of Abhiyank. Brushing her wet hairs, feeding her, soothing her belly, pampering her a lot. Manifests her auspicious comeback, like he sleeps tonight and discovers the diva on his chest next morning.

He dreams sometimes, Shalini's singing over their whole bedroom....
  "কেন রোদের মতো হাসলে না
     আমায় ভালোবাসলে না
   আমার কাছে দিন ফুরালেও আসলে না..."

His room's lights are off now, no need to turn on. The darkness provides him comfort. He believes, he doesn't deserve light in life after killing two people. Only his phone's screen is flashing light on the pale face. It's a photo of Shalini, snatched before going to last camping.... the red-bordered white saree and grassy green shawl, satisfactory smile in lips' corner. Adi zoomed near her womb;

"You won't come back right ? What if I'll go to you two ?"

"Adi!"

Who called in female voice ? There's no lady in this house, then ? And the anklets' sound ? Did Adi hear wrong ?

"Aaaadiii"

Again the same call, in a clumsy tone, as like........ A cold wave flew through his spine. Who is standing on the door ?

"Shalini!"

The same saree and shawl, same oxidised jewelleries, the same anklet rattling, only the braid's flower is dried....... but a gorgeous Shalini is standing before Adi, with a plate of food, middle portion of body's swollen a bit. Adi's face fails to contain his happiness, Shalini is back!!!

"Lo, kha lo. Dekho to kya haal bana rakkha hai apna!" She raised the plate to doctor sitting beside him.

"Ka...kaisi ho tum ? Aur....mera baby ?"

"Hum thik hain doctor sahab, lekin aap khudko itna saza kiun de rahe hain ? Agar aap kamjor ho jayenge to humara kya hoga ?"

Adi started sobbing on Shalu's little bump, soothed by the soft fingers.

"I don't deserve you Shalu..... I'm a demon.... I'm a killer......"

"You're not Adi, you're a true friend, true saviour, who can drink poison to save others. Like Mahadev gulped Kaalkoot to save the earth"

"Tease mat karo!"

"Nahi kar rahi....... you're really great husband ji"

"To mujhe chhod kar kiun gayi ?"

"Adiiii...look at me."  She softly held Adi's tear-soaked face, "main kahin nahi gayi.... tumhara ye jo bada sa dil hai na, iske ek chhote se kone mein hi hun......tum maano ya na maano..... you gave a little place in your heart far before...." (Smiles widely)

"Kiun na maanu ?" Complaint overflows in doctor's voice, "and what about little place ? I never have a big heart but a smaller one, and that's only your reign Shalu"

"Sss...sach Adi ?"

Both starts weeping.

"Haan haan sachh. Nashe me kya hi bol diya tha, aur tum naraz hoke chali gayi! Ekbaar nahi sochi mein kitna akela padh jayunga!"

"Adi...."

"You're so bad Raani saheba! You made me cry, nobody could do it before!"

"Adi stop!"

"You made me guilty, you made me feel alone, nobody could do it before!"

"Bas karo please!!!!"

As soon as Abhi turns on the bright lamp Adi gets back his sense! Too, everything seems so real! Shalini's face was clearly visible just a bit ago, but he forgot the room was completely dark. It was Abhi who came to feed him, it was Abhi's bump on which he sobbed just now, blabbered a lot of mess...... these made him ashamed.

"Come on Adi! Tum all time Shalini ko imagine karte rehte ho, andhere me baithe rehte ho, aise to jald hi koi badi bimari ho jayegi yaar! Shalini is no more, I know it hurts, but accept the truth brother, it will make life easier..........."

Adi again bursted in cry ---- "I killed her Abhi, killed her and my baby too.......this is the actual truth!!! I'm a murderer!! I deserve the capital punishment!!"

"Stop stop"

Abhi too came in tears seeing his friend in such condition. He carefully took the half-mad person in embrace to provide him some comfort. He couldn't notice a pair of cold eyes are on them.........

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Do you wanna see Abhi's full pregnancy journey or time skipping ?
Should Abhiyank go for marriage or Mayank's Bohemian accent would be better ?

Don't be a niggard to vote and comment yaar🙂