As the soft whines of Aarav filled the quiet room early morning, Manik opened his eyes, looking beside him, smiling faintly as he was met with his son's innocent gaze. Noticing that Nandini was deep asleep, he didn't want to disturb her sleep, especially after the emotional toil she went through for the past few days. He sat up, carefully picking Aarav up and carrying him outside quietly.

Manik yawned as he walked to the kitchen, startling and glaring at his son as he suddenly let out a loud screech in the still house, ready to jump out of his arms, excited at seeing a kitten roaming around the closed door of the kitchen.

"Oye bandar, chup kar," Manik ordered. Aarav laughed loudly, making Manik smile as Manik shooed the cat out of the house as Manik walked after it hastily with Aarav in his arms. His son was still giggling, his head resting against Manik's shoulder as they walked to the kitchen.

(Oye Monkey, be quiet.)

Rinsing a pan, he boiled water for a few minutes  and poured it in a bowl, letting it cool while opening the cupboard where Nandini had stored Aarav's formula milk box. Adding the required amount, he stirred it, looking at the entrance of the kitchen as his mother entered, who was surprised to see her son up on a Sunday. He greeted her and she reciprocated, observing his actions and enquired, "Nandini kaha hai?"

(Where is Nandini?)

"Voh soh rahi hai," Manik replied, ignoring his mother's scoff until she said, "Tujhe pata hai na ye powder milk se Aarav bimar ho sakta hai. Usko iss waqt Nandini ko feed karna chahiye. Woh bohot chota hai."

(She is sleeping. **You know that Aarav can get sick with powdered milk. Nandini should feed him.)

"Uski kuch dwai chal rahi hain. Isliye doctor ne teen chaar din ke liye mana kiya hai," Manik defended his wife.

(She is taking some medicines. So doctor have told her not to.)

"Essi kaunsi dwaiye le ri hai woh?" his mother asked. Before Manik could utter a word, she said, "Main parso shaam se dekh ri hu usse Manik. Rasoi main khadi khadi roti rehti hain. Usse bulao toh usse koi hosh hi nahi hain aas paas ka. Tu ghar par nahi hota. Maanti hu kayi baar usse suna deti hu, lekin mujhe uski utni hi fikar hain jitni tum sab ki. Toh jhuth mat hi bolna mujhse. Maa hu teri."

(What type of medicine is she taking? **I have been noticing since evening day before yesterday. She keeps crying standing in the kitchen. If we call her, she is lost. You are not at home. I know I do say sometimes to her, but I care about her like I do for all of you. So, don't lie to me. I'm your mother.)

Manik breathed deeply. He knew he needed to tell someone in his family so that they could take care of her in his absence when he went for his job and he felt he needed to tell his mother so that she could talk to Nandini.

A mother who could understand the pain of losing a child and who would better know than his own mother, who lost her son in an accident when he was in his twenties. Nandini refused to speak up to him, just crying whenever he tried to talk. Manik was scared to lose his wife to postpartum depression and maybe his mother could help.

"Nandini–" Manik started, clearing his throat before speaking again, "She had an abortion after we both decided."

He stared as his mother froze, staring at him with wide eyes and Manik drew in a deep breath as she snapped, "Why would you both take such a big step without letting anyone in the family know? How could you just-just kill an innocent–"

When Neyonika stopped mid sentence, still processing the news, Manik calmly replied, "Maa, it was our decision because that child would have been our responsibility. And neither me nor Nandini were ready for raising another kid right now. Aarav is too young. The family could have helped but how much? Abhi Aarav ko aap kitna hi sambhal sakte ho. Ek ghante se zyada mere paas bhi nahi tikta. Maa toh Maa hi hain na. Main toh sirf raat ko help kar paata hu thodi bohot aur doh bacho ko paalne main maara kaun jaata? Meri Biwi."

Neyonika sighed, still disappointed at their decision but knew they were right on their part and nodded while saying, "Kuch zaroorat ho toh mujhe batana."

(If you need anything, let me know.)

Nodding, Manik walked out. While walking upstairs, he held the feeder towards his lips, making Aarav frantically move his head from one side to another. Sighing, he walked inside their room, sitting on the bed while holding Aarav as he continued to resist, whining, until he saw Nandini and started crying loudly. Manik tried to shush him but Nandini was already awake.

She turned on her back, noticing her son crying as he refused the drinking from the feeder. Raising her arms towards Aarav, she said to Manik, "Mujhe de dijiye. Main isse feed kardungi." When he opened his mouth, she said, "Doctor ne bas doh din kaha tha."

(Give him to me. I'll feed him. **Doctor had restricted only for two days.)

Nodding, Manik handed over Aarav to Nandini. Kissing his head, she laid him down to a side, her back towards Manik, as she raised her kurti. Aarav immediately latched on her breast, his hand fisting her nuptial chain, not wanting her to pull away, as he frantically gulped down his mother's milk after nearly a week. Bending slightly, Nandini kissed his cheek, her hand moving over his back gently, her hair curtailing his face as her heart steadied itself as she felt his warmth around her, relieved at being able to feed him instead of relying on other people and going through the torture of hearing his needy cries for her day and night.

*****

While Nandini busied herself folding the clothes quietly, Manik was taking care of Aarav. They were laughing as Manik covered himself with a bedsheet, trying to scare him. When a few minutes later, Manik quietly sat, Aarav frowned, his hands grabbing the sheet and as soon as he pulled it from Manik's face, Manik booed, startling Aarav before he let out loud fit of innocent giggles.

Manik smiled, looking at him, kissing his cheek while Aarav placed his hand on Manik's face, trying to pull away as his beard tickled him. As Manik stopped, he looked towards Nandini who was miles away from the present.

She startled as she felt someone's arm around her shoulder, looking up only to meet her husband's gaze. She shook her head, smiling as he enquired light heartedly, "Kya hua? Kiske khayalo main kho rakhi hain jab main yaha hu." Pressing a kiss on top of her head, he said, "Chal aaj bahar khana khaane chalte hain." As she opened her mouth to protest, Manik said, "Thoda fresh feel hoga. Ab chup chap ready ho jana shaam ko." Scrunching his nose, he teased her, "Naha bhi lena tere main se Aarav ke susu ki smell aa rahi hain."

(What happened? Whose thoughts are you lost in when I'm here. **Let's go out today for dinner. ***You will feel fresh. Be ready by evening. And do shower. You smell like Aarav's pee.)

As if Aarav knew his father was bad mouthing him, he suddenly let out a screech, startling both of them at how loud it was. Looking towards his son, Manik picked him up but Aarav raised his arms towards Nandini. Nandini grabbed him as he continued to scream as if frustrated. Her brows furrowed in concern as his started to fill up, looking towards Nandini. Nandini looked him over as she gently enquired, even though she didn't expect any reply, "Kahi dard ho raha hai, mere bache?"

(Is it hurting somewhere, my baby?)

Manik suddenly noticed his son's hand trying to grab his hand resting over Nandini's shoulder. He grinned as he realised his son's source of frustration. Nandini looked between both of them in confusion as Manik suddenly called out to Aarav, making him look at Manik as he scooted closer to Nandini, as if both of them were sideways hugging. Aarav screeched and Manik laughed as he kissed Nandini on her cheek, making Aarav cry loudly.

"Manik aap kyu ched te hai usse? Saara din rulate hain," Nandini scolded, pulling out of his hold and getting up, after realising what games the father son duo were playing. "Bas na, Aarav," Nandini said, consoling Aarav as he continued to cry as if someone ran away with his love, hiccuping after he stopped, resting his head on her shoulder when he noticed her away from his father, who was still chuckling in amusement at the situation.

*****

Nandini got ready in a green chanderi kurti set, leaving her hair loose, lining her eyes with kohl and applying a nude lip shade. Moving towards the bed where Aarav was laying, while Manik was in the bathroom for a bath, she made him wear a diaper before making him wear his blue denim shorts amidst his whines.

Getting him ready, she lowered her head towards his, pressing a kiss on his small nose and unfisted his hands from her hair. Knowing Manik would take some time to get ready, she picked Aarav up, arranging him in her lap and decided to feed him so that he wouldn't cry when they were out.

Raising up her kurti, she latched him on her breast, and he suckled for a few minutes before unlatching and pulling away. When she was pulling him back, he started to whine, looking towards his toy laying on the bed. Grabbing it, she handed it over to him, making him look around the room before latching back.

"Aarav, ye kya kar re ho puttu?" Nandini asked, sighing as he again pulled away a minute later. She started to lower her kurti thinking he wasn't hungry, glaring at him as he looked at her while trying to pull up her kurti. Raising it, he latched back before again moving away. Nandini groaned in frustration, laying him on the bed while arranging back her clothes.

(Aarav what are you doing?)

She watched him as he tried to move around on his back from one side to another while his arms and legs kicked up in the air, making incomprehensible noises. At four months old, he was really energetic. She wondered how she would handle him when he grows up and starts to walk.

When she got up from bed, Manik stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in a white t-shirt and blue denims. After setting his hair, they were ready to leave. Manik watched in amusement when Aarav started to cry until Nandini picked him up, and she looked at her son as lowered his head towards her bosom and scolded, "Aarav maine na ab tere thappad lagana hain. Das minute se drame kar raha tha." When he whined, Nandini snapped, "Ab haini."

(*Aarav I'm going to slap you now. You have been creating ruckus since last ten minutes. **I don't have anything now.)

Manik chuckled as they stepped out of the room, enjoying his wife scolding his whiny son. To say that the father and son were jealous of each other would be an understatement. Manik informed his mother, who surprised Nandini when she simply nodded her head and even asked the couple to leave behind Aarav to her, letting the couple have privacy to enjoy.

Nandini immediately shook her head. She wanted Aarav close to her for now, especially after being ignorant towards him for nearly a week. Bidding her bye, Nandini waited near the entrance of the building along with Aarav as Manik went to bring up the car from the parking lot. When he arrived, he helped Nandini inside along with Aarav before they pulled away, driving towards a small Indian restaurant in silence as Nandini fed Aarav while staring out of the window.

A nagging thought immensely disturbed her this whole week. Did her husband care? He behaved as if everything was normal while her mind still conjured up the images of her bleeding in the bathroom. She focused on her breath as her throat suddenly started to close up, not wanting to spoil their small outing by crying.

A few minutes later, when they arrived, Nandini pulled a sleeping Aarav away carefully and arranged her clothes after handing him over to Manik. They stepped out of the car and as they were on their way towards the restaurant, Nandini felt Manik holding her hand, tugging her towards the golgappa stall outside. Even though she refused, he knew his wife and her love for them.

Sighing, she took the paper plate from the vendor, as Manik stood beside her with Aarav. She didn't want to, but she felt immensely happy as she relished the spicy water balls after so long. The last time she ate them was before Aarav was born, on their first wedding anniversary, when they had gone out on a small date  to celebrate.

She forwarded the plate towards Manik after she had at the end to taste and he denied immediately as he said, sounding terrified, "Nahi. Tu kitne mirch vale khati hain. Mujhe ni khane." Nandini smiled evilly as she realised her husband was helpless, busy holding their son and picked it up, holding it close to his mouth.

(No. You add so many spices in it.)

"Nandini ya–" Manik started but was stopped when she shoved the golgappa in his mouth. She chuckled as he cursed at how spicy they were, literally swallowing it before she tried to stifle her laughter as he grabbed a water bottle of a man, also standing beside them and having water balls. The stranger glared at Manik although he didn't say anything as Manik chugged down water without seeking his permission.

Nandini laughed at her husband's expense as he pulled her away from the stall, still feeling the strangers' judgy stare on them as she asked with mirth, "Maze aaye?" When Manik glared at her, she said teasingly, "Nahi? Mujhe toh bohot aaye."

(Did you enjoy? **No? But, I enjoyed a lot.

Manik shook his head as she walked beside him, still smiling before he smiled, happy to get a back glimpse of his wife after that unforgettable day.

As Manik came back from office in the afternoon, he watched Aarav being handled by his mother before he walked upstairs to their room. He noticed the stillness in the room, his heart pounding as he noticed some blood on the floor and looked towards the bathroom where water was running.

Walking towards it, he turned the knob of the door, only to find it open. His heart dropped, his eyes tearing at the sight before him. Nandini was crying in anguish, the blood washed away with water while she was drenched in water. Grasping a hold on his emotions, he hastily walked towards her, closing the tap and crouched to her level and moved back the hair falling over her face as he whispered, feeling a bit anger towards her, "Maine tujhe bola tha mujhe call karne ko dwai lete hi." He hugged her, letting her cry in his arms until she calmed down. He wiped her tears, helped her clean up and brought a fresh pair of clothes before letting her change.

(I told you to give me a call when you take the medicine.)

He carefully walked her out of the bathroom, helping her lay down on the bed and enquired softly, "Kahi dard ho raha hain?" When she didn't reply, he pressed her legs, near her calves and some time later, when her eyes closed in tiredness, he covered her with the blanket, opening the curtains and veiling the window to prevent sunlight.

(Is it paining somewhere?)

He walked to the bathroom, cleaning up the remnants of blood and arranging it, not wanting to intensify his wife's pain when she woke up.

Manik looked towards Aarav as he cried when he woke up while Nandini was eating and Manik had finished eating. Manik held Aarav in his arms, letting Nandini have her food, while he was trying to steady Aarav on his feet, holding onto his back as he asked, "Kyu roh raha hai? Rondu bacha." Nandini glared at him as Manik continued, "Bilkul Maa pe gaya hain."

(Why are you crying? Cry baby. **Just like his mother.)

Nandini chuckled as Aarav smacked his drool filled hand on Manik's face, laughing at his own antics. Manik wiped it, scrunching his nose in disgust while mumbling, "Sachi Maa pe hi gaya hain. Saala mera."

(You truly are your mother's son.)

After they finished their dinner, Manik paid the bill before they walked out. He smiled as Nandini walked with Aarav in front of him, their laughter filling the empty parking lot as she tickled on his tummy, diverting his attention since he was hungry.

Looking at them, he realised that their decision may be painful and may have scarred them but he knew they would manage to overcome this hurdle because of hope of moments like these.

Thank you so much for reading! Please do vote and comment your views in the comments section. ❤️