"Zoya please mujhse baat karo? Kya hua h? Abbu ne kuch kaha? For God's sake kuch bolo", it had been an hour since he was asking her but she was only crying hugging him. His heartbeats stopped at that moment when she had entered the house being a mess and broke down in his arms. It had taken his every ounce to handle her.

"Achcha agar tum nahi batana chahti to main nahi puchunga. Jaan please don't cry. You know I can't see you like this", he caressed her hairs and consoled her.

"Kyun Aditya? Kyun hamare saath hi....", she sobbed on his t-shirt which become wet with her tears. "Kyun hamare saath hi aisa hota h?", she hiccuped because tears filled in her throat.

"It's okay babu, it's okay", he rubbed her back to calm his agitated wife. "Tumhe kuch bhi kehne ki zaroorat nahi h. Kuch smjhane ki zaroorat nahi h. Main hoon tumhare saath aur hamesha rahunga. Aur phir tumhari aankhon me aansu kbhi nhi aaenge. I Promise!", he assured and then pressed her head to his chest.

Every drop of tear fallen from her eyes was an attack straight to Aditya's heart. She had always been very emotional & now she was vulnerable too. His heart ached seeing her in such state. In place of shine & happiness, there were tears in her eyes and he blamed only himself for it.

After few minutes, she looked up at him with her teary eyes. "Hume jb bhi lagne lgta h shayad aaj Abbu hume maaf kre, shayad aaj unki naraazgi thodi si kam ho jaye. Hum hamesha galat saabit hote h Aditya....hamesha galat", she cried her heart out in his arms again.

Aditya knew she was badly hurt and he hated to see her like that. Everytime she had visited her Abbu, she came back in tears. Despite that he never stopped her from going there because he knew how much her parents meant to her.

He made her sit on his lap and secured her in his arms. She was looking weak due to excessive crying. Pregnancy had made Zoya more sensitive. He took her hands, kissed them softly & brushed off her tears.

"Zoya yeh paani piyo. Tumhe pata h na itna stress tum dono ke liye theek nahi h", he picked a glass from the side-table and placed it on her mouth. She gulped the water in slow sips and felt relieved after hydrating.

He took the glass back from her hand & put it on the table. "Ab batao mujhe kya baat h?", he put his one arm around her waist & lifted her chin with other.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Baby?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Do you believe Ammi ne jo hamare liye dua maangi h, woh qubool hogi?", lying next to him on the bed, Maya asked for her husband's opinion.

In reply, he kissed her hand while staring the ceiling.

She shifted closer to him covering their naked bodies under the duvet and gazed at him. "Hamare paas bhi apna bachcha hoga naa?", she wanted assurance from him while there were lingering hope in her own eyes.

It has been 4 years to their marriage & even though they had every comfort of life, there was still an emptiness. Both of them desired for a new life to fill that feeling of emptiness in their life and to add a meaning to their marriage.

In response, he wrapped his arm tightly around her and kissed her hairs. "Bahut jld", Sahir assured her hoping the same himself. She snuggled deeper inside his chest inhaling the scent of his skin and wrapped her legs around his torso.

They were trying for a baby since years. For Maya, it was her wish fulfilment of becoming a mother & to give him proof of their love. But for Sahir, it was much more than becoming a father. Started working at a very young age, he never spent much time with his parents. But when after they died, his only wish was to have his own family & only his child could fulfill his dream.

He placed a kiss on her bare soft skin & she smiled with closed eyes.

~~~~~~~~~

"Aap thoda narmi se bhi pesh aa skte the", her mother scoffed at her Abbu & continued chopping peeled onions on the chopping board.

"Hum aapse pehle bhi keh chuke h hum iss masley pr koi baat nahi krna chahte. Phir aap kyun ek hi mudde ko baar baar le aati h Roshnaq", she heard her Abbu growling with same high-pitched voice. Both of her parents were fighting in the kitchen while she stood outside quitely listening to everything.

She put the knife and looked in his eyes, "Kyun nahi krni Waseem? Pichle do saal se aapne unki taraf dekha tk nhi h. Aap ke mann me jo aaya aapne kia. Humne kuch nahi kaha. Aapne Zoya ko iss ghar se, hum sb se alag kr dia. Hum tb bhi chup rahe kyunki hum jante the ki aap naraaz h. Pr har cheez ki ek hadh hoti h Waseem".

"To aap yeh kehna chahti h ki Zoya ne jo kia woh sahi tha aur glti humari h?", he stared with sharp eyes.

"Hum sirf itne jante h ki har cheez ka ek waqt hota h. Aur itne waqt me to khuda bhi maaf kr dete h. Aditya ke liye aapki nafrat har din badti jaa rahi h. Iss nafrat me aapko yeh bhi nahi dikhayi de raha ki aap apni beti ke saath kya kr rahe h", the voice of a mother turned moist and so did her eyes.

He turned his face away from Roshnaq, "To aur kya chahti h aap humse? Aapke ke khaatir hum ne aapki beti ko iss ghar me aane ki ijazat di. Pr sb bhool kr unn dono ko apna le, yeh mumkin nahi h!".

Roshnaq stared at his back disgustedly. "Hum jante h aap nahi maanenge! Aur yeh bhi jante h ki gusse se zyaada aapko aapke jhoothe ghamand ne rok kr rakha h. Aapka yeh ahankar chah kr bhi aapko apni beti ke kareeb nahi aane dega", her words were cold & bitter but true as she knew her husband well. He frowned.

"Hum sirf itna jaan na chahte h ki kya aapka dil ek baar bhi nahi kia apni beti ko seene se lagane ka?", she asked softly placing her hand on his shoulder but he spoke nothing. Zoya too waited to know her Abbu's response but he stood stone-faced.

"Mil gya hume hamara jawaab", wiping the tear from her eyes, Roshnaq stepped away from him.

"Aap kyun nahi smjhti h Roshnaq hume na hi aapki beti se koi mtlb h aur na hi unke Shauhar se. Unn dono se hamara ab koi vaasta nahi h", Waseem's anger-filled loud voice reached their ears and silent tears kept falling over Zoya's face. Each of her Abbu's words were creating an injury to her heart. She covered her mouth to not let her sobs escape.

"Waseem khuda ke liye zara aista boliye Zoya yahin pr h, sunn lengi", checking the door she snapped under low breath.

"To sunn lene dijiye unhe bhi", his voice grew louder and so did his anger as he turned to face her. "2 saal pehle jb woh hamara ghar chhod kr gayi thi, hamare ghar ke saath hamare dil ke darwaaze bhi tbhi band ho gaye the unke liye. Ab hamari sirf ek beti h Maya. Aap iss baat ko jitni jaldi smjh le, utni kam takleef hogi. Behtar hoga ki isse zyaada humse koi ummeed naa kare aap", barking the harsh words, Waseem stormed out of the kitchen leaving helpless tears to fill in Roshnaq's eyes.

"Kya hum itne bure h Aditya ki Abbu hamare chehra tk nahi dekhna chahte?", Zoya asked him like an innocent baby.

"Bilkul nahi! Itni pyari beti se bhala koi nafrat kr skta h kya?", he wiped her eyes with his thumb and engulfed her in his arms.

"Aur tumhe ek secret bataun Biwi woh tumse zyaada naa mujhse pyaar krte h. Tumne kbhi notice kia h woh gusse me kaise dekhte h mujhe?", he took out pair of specs from the drawer. He wore them and stood binded his hand behind his back.

"Aditya Hooda, bahut hi badtameez h aap. Pata nahi Zoya ne kya dekh kr aap se Nikaah kiya. Humara bas chlta to...", he then scoffed just like Waseem.

Seeing her Shauhar's *umda* acting, Zoya stood and walked to him. "Aditya Hooda, aap hamare Abbu ka mazaak udaa rahe h. Aur yeh hamare Abbu ka chashma h", she said taking it back.

"No, seriously Zoya. Tumhare Abbu ko khud nahi pata woh gusse me kitne hot lgte h. Kahin mera dil na aa jaye unpe", he dramatically said.

"Haawww", Zoya stared him with open mouth & then hit his arm. He laughed. She made a face and begun walking to the door. Aditya pulled her and started tickling. She giggled.

"Adit.....hahaha.....Aditya stop ouuchh", she fell over him on bed while laughing. She was becoming normal. That's what his motive was. He smiled finally seeing a smile on his Biwi's face.

"Bas Jaan tum aise hi muskurate rehna", he said cupping her face and rubbed his nose over her cheeks. "Main chahta hu hamare saare bachchon ki smile tum pr ho"

"Saare bachchon ki?", her eyes became wide at the plural.

"Aapko kya laga Mrs. Hooda? Aap apne Pati se itni easily bach jaengi", he spoke in her ears. A naughty smile playing on his lips.

"Maine to hamare 4 bachcho k naam bhi decide kr liye h. Baby 1 Golu, Baby 2 Rinki, Baby 3 Sonu, Ba....", he whispered tracing her jawline with his lips.

"Yaa Allah Aditya, kitne besharam ho gaye h aap", she was flushing over the mere thought.

"Iss me besharmi kaisi? Tum eklauti Biwi ho meri. Mujhe atleast 4 bachche chahiye. Aadhe tumhare jaise aur aadhe mere", he smiled looking in her eyes.

"Atleast? Aapne itna sb plan kr rakha h. Hume nahi chahiye koi 4 bachche", she rolled her eyes and tried to get up from over him. With a swift movement he changed their position so now she was under him.

"Pr yeh to mere haath me h. Tum issme kya hi kr logi", he smirked confidently & tucked her hairlocks behind her ears.

"Achcha jii to yeh baat h!", she wrapped her hands around his neck pulling him closer while he nodded his head up & down like a kid. "To Mr. Shauhar aapko sirf 4 hi bachche chahiye?", she asked playfully while admiring his features.

"Kyu kam h?", he whispered in her ears and snaked his arms around her waist. "Mera iraada to kabhi rukne ka h hi nhi. Main to chahta hu ki humare itne....", he licked her earlobe and whispering some naughty things at which Zoya blushed hard. Then he lowered his eyes over her lips & started leaning to her mouth. He was about to touch her lips.

"Ek minute Aditya Hooda", she put her palm between their lips. He looked up & gave her a questioning stare.

"Baby ko bahut bhook lagi h. Hatenge?", saying that she pushed him aside and walked out of the room. He sat on bed & watched her with puzzled face.

Mood Swings!!