Don't stop when you are tired. Stop when you are done.

Marilyn Monroe

 44| An Emotional Conversation

   Riya sobbed in her mother's lap. It was Tuesday afternoon, and Madhan took his mother out for lunch during his break, so Riya could be alone with her mother. In fact, she had told him that she wanted to talk to her mom alone.

   "Mommy, how do you feel like going to the spa?" Riya asked, wiping her tears away.

   Mrs. Sharma looked at her daughter worriedly. Those were the first words she had said after breaking down. Thinking that she needed to relax, she agreed.

   Riya drove her mom to the spa next a few blocks away, after scribbling a quick note to Mrs. Roy.

   The attendants were very nice. They welcomed the Sharmas cordially and led them to a private room on request. The room was dark and had a very peaceful setting. They were sat on an inclining chair after changing into a spa dress.

   Riya and her mom were silent for fifteen minutes. She had no idea how she could bring it up.

   "Mom, we need to talk," Riya said, suddenly.

   "Do we have to? You've come to relax here." The lady behind her was adjusting the cucumbers. She was about to place the cucumbers on Riya's eyes as well, but she politely refused it. She brought her to the spa to talk. She needed to get it out of her system. Now.

   "Mom, do you think I'm happy?" she asked, once all the attendants left the room. The door was closed, and the room had soundproof walls. It was perfect, she thought. Just in case, they had a shouting match.

   "Of course. I didn't think otherwise." Her daughter was pregnant. It wouldn't have been without her consent. She was certain Riya loved Madhan. The news thrilled her to death. It wasn't only the excitement of getting a new grandchild but that Riya had moved on, and was ready to start her life. She no longer needed to feel guilty anymore.

   "Well, I'm not."

   Mrs. Sharma was alarmed. She was not happy? Maybe the stress was getting to her. "Riya, can we do this later? You really need to relax. It's not good for you otherwise."

   "The whole reason I brought you here alone was so I could talk to you," Riya fumed. Why was her mother trying to change the topic? Was it because she was feeling guilty? She hoped not. It would make her less angry at her, and she couldn't afford that. She had to be mad at someone.

   Mrs. Sharma sighed. "What is it, Riya?"

   "I told you. I'm not happy. Ask me why?"

   "Why?"

   "Because I still love Aakash."

   Mrs. Sharma inhaled sharply. "What?" She removed the cucumbers from her eyes and looked at her daughter. This was getting out of hand. She's mothering a baby, and these feelings she still has will not be good for parenting the baby.

   "Riya, baby, you need to get over him. It's not good for you," she said, softly.

   "You said everything would be better. You said everything would be alright. It's nowhere close to being alright," Riya shouted.

   Mrs. Sharma winced. "You need to give it time. It's hardly been a few months. But you've been a good wife. I appreciate that." So the baby wasn't out of mutual consent. Had Madhan pressured her? She was getting very panicky now. Maybe she should have researched about him more.

   "Of course. The Sharmas always do their duties without fail," Riya muttered. "But it's killing me. Do you know what's worse, Mom?"

   "What?" She wasn't liking how the conversation was going one bit.

   "The guilt," she fumed. "Even if I want to get over him, I can't. You know why? Because it wouldn't be fair to Aakash. He's suffering as well, mom. Maybe. I don't know. I haven't heard from him. I have no idea what he's doing. He's completely out of my life. Do you know how that feels?"

   "No," she said, quietly. The poor boy, she winced. Maybe Riya was right. She should find out how he's doing. It wouldn't have been an easy thing for him.

   "Look, I would have agreed for an arranged marriage. Aakash was already prepared for that. But did you have to get me hitched this soon? Couldn't you have waited a year or two?"

   "And then what? Your fertility decreases as you age, Riya." It was true. The more you age, the harder getting pregnant was.

   Riya laughed harshly. "Well thanks to YOU, it's going to decrease for another two more years. We have planned to wait."

   Mrs. Sharma was confused. "What are you talking about? Don't joke about this. You know how much this means to me."

   "Well, your grandchildren can wait. There's no way I'm going to be able to parent with a mind frame like this."

   "Riya, please! Please don't tell me you did this. Was this to get revenge on me? Or Madhan?"

   Riya looked at her mom exasperatedly. "What are YOU talking about?"

   "Don't tell me you have aborted," she whispered. She shut her eyes closed, anticipating her answer.

   What the hell? Riya couldn't believe what she had just heard. Her mom had just asked her if she had aborted. Which means she thought she was pregnant. Which means that was the reason why they were here.

   "WHAT? NO! I COULD NEVER and I WOULD NEVER do that," Riya yelled.

   Mrs. Sharma shed a tear in relief. Her daughter had some sense. Thank god.

   "But...."

   But?

   "Yeah?" Mrs. Sharma prompted.

   "I don't understand something."

   Mrs. Sharma rolled her eyes. Trust her daughter to be so dramatic.

   "What is it?" she asked impatiently.

   "Who in the world even gave you the idea that I was pregnant?" Riya was enraged. "You think I wouldn't tell my own mom that I'm pregnant? Mother, what kind of a daughter do you think I am?"

   Mrs. Sharma curled her fingers on the chair tightly. Her daughter wasn't pregnant? Her daughter isn't pregnant? "You are not pregnant?" she shrieked.

   "YES." Riya looked at her mother, annoyed. But then become alarmed when she saw her mother constantly muttering 'God God God God God'. Her mother chanted prayers only when she was in distress. Riya had no idea how she got this news, but it didn't matter. What mattered was her reaction to the real news.

   "Mother?" Riya got out of her chair and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, trying to console her.

   Mrs. Sharma felt absolutely foolish. Why had she blurted it out to the entire family without confirming it first? God knew how many people were aware of it already.

   "Riya," Mrs. Sharma said, finally looking at Riya in the eye. "You need to get pregnant. NOW."

   What the hell? Mrs. Sharma threw a bomb at Riya for the second time that day.

   "Mother!" Riya exclaimed. She heaved a sigh of relief when she found a trace of a smile on her lips.

   "Gotcha, didn't I?" Mrs. Sharma chuckled.

   Riya snapped. "Yes you did. You are not scaring me like that again!"

   Mrs. Sharma cupped her daughter's chin. "I want you to be happy. What can I do for you to become happy again?"

   Riya looked down and surprised herself when she answered. "Mom, I just need to know if Aakash is doing okay." Tears poured down her eyes when she realized how much she missed him. "You know the words he spoke to me the other day? On the day of my wedding?"

   Mrs. Sharma nodded to Riya's surprise. "That boy is gold, Riya. I know what he said. He told you to move on so you could be happy. Do you love Madhan?"

   Riya looked pained. "I don't know, mom. It will happen. I know I can give my heart to him. But just not right now."

   Her mom nodded. She gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll take care of it. Can you let it go for now? We need to party!"

   "Yes, I can." Riya laughed as she watched her mom get excited. She looped an arm in hers, and out they strutted, like the Proud Sharma Women they were.

   "Oh, and Riya, one more thing. Don't be frazzled with some congratulatory texts you might get soon. I might have kind of maybe have told a few people about your pregnancy."

   "Mom!" Riya squealed. Her mom did what? Oh boy, they were in a huge mess. "That reminds me, how are we going to break this news to Aunty?"

   Mrs. Sharma shuddered in embarrassment. "There's always your old baby speech," she said, smiling.

   Riya laughed. Her mom remembered! Of course she did. It must have been one of the most embarrassing things she had done to her.

   "Mom," Riya stopped suddenly. Mrs. Sharma had a questioning look on her face.

   "I love you." Riya crushed her mom into a bear hug. Mrs. Sharma returned it full fledged. "I love YOU, Riya. I always had your best interests at heart." She kissed the top of her head, and hand in hand the two walked back to their car and went home.

   Riya called up Madhan to ask him what his and his mother's favorite icecream was. Madhan asked a lot of questions, but answered when she barked at him.

   They came up with a genius plan to break the news as gently as possible without any outbursts.

   Ice-cream sundaes.

   What was a better time to tell bad news when someone was in the middle of a food-gasm?

   The plan, unfortunately, didn't work out well with Mrs. Roy. All of them were sitting at the dining table with two big fat bowls of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice-cream and Mint Ice-cream sundae.

   "So, Madhan and I were thinking of having a baby probably a year from now," Riya said casually. She dipped a spoon into her sundae and put it in her mouth.

   Madhan spurted ice cream out of his nose, if that was even possible.

"Really?" he asked, wiping the splattered ice cream from his mouth.

   "About time you admitted to us." Mrs. Roy winked. "This boy here," she said, patting Madhan on his shoulder, "simply told us you needed us. How hard was it, Riya dear? To tell us openly that you were pregnant?"

   "Mother," he gasped, horrified.

   Mrs. Roy sighed happily. "I'd been waiting for this day. Cute little Madhriyas running about in the house. Listening to their cute giggles and cries. Oh, you guys have made me so happy." She got up, wrapped an arm around Madhan and the other around Riya and crushed them.

   Madhan, who was towering over his mother, awkwardly patted her as she sobbed. Riya gave her mother the stink eye, and signaled her to step in. However, her mom was looking at her nails like it was the most important thing in this world. Ugh.

   Riya pulled apart and Mrs. Roy wrapped her arms completely around Madhan, sobbing even harder. Riya went to her room, pacing about and muttering under her breath, furiously. How was she going to break it to her mother in law gently?

   "What the heck just happened out there?" Madhan asked with his arms crossed, when he entered the room five minutes later.

   Riya stomped her foot.

   He's asking her questions? He is asking her questions?

   "I should be asking you that. How come they are here?"

   Madhan scratched the back of his neck in deep embarrassment. He didn't want her to know about it like this. "I told her you needed her."

   "That's it?"

   "Yeah. And then ten minutes later, my mom calls up and demands that I book her tickets as well. She asked me when I was planning to tell her, and spouted some nonsense about how she was like your mother as well." Madhan face-palmed. "I am so stupid," he groaned.

   Riya was supremely touched. She had to show her gratitude somehow. She wrapped her arms around Madhan's torso, taking Madhan by surprise.

   "Thank you," she said, looking up at him. Gaining courage to do something she never would have done otherwise, she stood on her tippy toes, and kissed his left cheek. Only, she kissed a side of his lips since she couldn't reach him. "Thank you for everything." And she ran. Like a coward. She kind of kissed him and she felt all tingly inside.

   Madhan touched the side of his lips, unable to believe what had just happened. At least things were back to normal. Only, he had to let his mom know that Riya wasn't pregnant.

   He came out of the room, quite hesitatingly. His mom was animatedly talking to Mrs. Sharma. Madhan winced. There was no way around the cold hard truth.

   "Mom!" he called out. It took three minutes to get her attention. And when he did, he blurted the words out.

   "She's not pregnant."

   "Oh, you silly boy," Mrs. Roy laughed it off. She was in complete denial.

   "Mom. She isn't. If Riya was pregnant, she would have told you herself."

   "But, my Madriyas?" Mrs. Roy shook her head.

   No. No. No! Madhan was aghast. His mother was about to get a panic attack.

   A minute later, it was he who got one. His mother roared and shouted a string of profanity.

   Riya winced at every swear word that was uttered. Feeling bad for him, she decided to do the first thing that came to her mind, to let him off the hook.

   "Mom," she said, gently, addressing Madhan's mother. "I meant what I said when I said that Madhan and I were thinking of having a baby a year later." Riya's eyes widenened when she realized what she had said. It was too late to take them back. Maybe she could find an excuse next year. Right now, as long as they were off the hook, she would relieved.

   Mrs. Roy stopped shouting, and Mrs. Sharma was wide-eyed. Madhan was speechless. Did Riya really mean what she said, or was it something to help him get off the hook?

   Riya hugged Mrs. Roy from the back, and kissed her on the cheek as well. "Thanks mom. For coming here." She was doing her best to reassure her.

   Mrs. Sharma smiled at her daughter. Whatever she was upto, it was working.

   Mrs. Roy sighed and made Riya sit on her lap. "Of course, Riya. Although I'm very disappointed about not getting my Madriyas right now, I can wait for them. After all, good things come to those who wait."

   Riya smiled back. "Yes, that's true."

   In a minute, things were back to normal. Phew, Madhan thought.

   The moms and daughter spent the rest of the day laughing and talking.

   Madhan was careful to let them be to themselves. He crashed early that night since he was going to be kicked awake anyway.

   Riya crawled into bed after a very long day. She gasped when she saw Madhan shirtless again. He needed to stick to his rules when she was following his. He was so going to pay for it.

   She got all the teddy bears out and plopped them on the bed. Putting each of them in their respective places, she dozed off.

   Sometime during the middle of the night, the teddy bear in her hands fell down. Feeling slightly discomfited, she groped around till she found the next teddy. It was slightly warm, and felt very comfortable. Thinking it was her biggest teddy bear, she let go of all the other teddy bears and wrapped herself around the biggest one.

   Riya had never felt this comfortable before.

   When Madhan woke up in the morning, he was startled to find Riya sprawled across him. Her tiny hands were wrapped around his bare torso, and her face was on his chest. Her legs were also tangled with his.

   He didn't know what to make out of the situation. Riya told him that the incident where nothing really happened was to be forgotten since she didn't want to ruin their friendship. He removed her from him, and covered her with the duvet. This was another secret he had to keep from her and it was most obviously a bigger deal.

   He ran his fingers through his hair as he watched her stir. How was he so lucky to be married to such a beautiful wife? Despite all her mood swings and weirdness, there was something about her that caught his attention. Was it her pure beautiful soul? He looked at himself in the mirror and whispered a grateful thanks to her. For making him look like how he was now.

   With most of the fat shed, all that was left on him was the healthy weight. He never cared much about his weight until Riya said something about it. Was it really because of her that he lost weight?

   The answer was yes, but not for the reason he initially thought it was. Sheila made sure of that. She made him want to work out so that he could become healthy. Not so that Riya would feel attracted to him. Riya had already made it clear a long time ago. If he wanted her to love him soon, he needed to make an effort. Otherwise she needed time.

   If he was more confident with the way he was, it was because of her. Only because of her. And if he could go back and start over, he would choose the same path again.

   There was another added advantage to this. Before, he had one woman client every twenty. Now, it was one in every five clients. His professional work was also another reason why he was one of the most wanted representative by clients. His boss told him that in a month, a promotion might be on the cards. And along with that promotion came a need for a secretary.

   Would Riya accept that job? On second thought, he didn't want to ask her. It would make him selfish if he did. She will have enough qualifications to become a cloud architect once she finishes her certifications.

   The rest of the week went in a blur. Riya, her mom, and mother in law went to the spa again, did a lot of shopping, and spent a day at the pool. The evenings were spent with Madhan at a restaurant. They had even gone for a night show horror movie.

   Riya was terribly sad when they had to leave. Madhan's eyes started to tear as he watched Mrs. Sharma and Riya bawl their eyes out. Mrs. Roy was trying to be strong but even her eyes started to water.

   Once they were all composed again, Riya spoke to Mrs. Roy casually. In the corner of her eye, she noticed a very serious banter between Madhan and her mom. She wondered what it was about but decided to wait till she asked him.

   Their moms had checked in their luggage. It was time for them to leave. Riya hugged her mom for five full minutes before she let go. She gave a hug to Mrs. Roy, while Madhan hugged her mom. Madhan kissed his mother's cheek, and they waved good-bye. Riya watched tearfully till she saw the last of their tiny bodies disappear.

   Madhan looked at Riya. He rubbed her back in an effort to comfort her. Riya hugged him. She was feeling so miserable. She took his hand and didn't let go when they reached the car. She took his hand again as he started the car.

   When they reached home, Riya plopped onto Madhan's bed out of habit. Madhan didn't want to tell her that she could move back now that the room was free. He knew how they slept every night, and he also knew that it was sole reason why he slept like a baby for the past one week. He was very careful to wake up before her, so she doesn't get embarrassed.

   Riya fell asleep exhausted. Madhan changed out of his clothes and crawled into his bed. He kissed Riya on the forehead. He then kissed her tender cheeks, and switched off the light. He had no idea how the next week was going to turn out.

   Even though the house was nearly empty, Madhan didn't feel alone. When Riya was with him, he felt like he had everyone in the world with him.

   Madhan tossed a bit here and there. Mrs. Sharma's words kept ringing in his head.

   "Madhan, I'm entrusting a very big job to you. If you want Riya to be happy, if you want to be happy with her, please do this. I'll do my part as well." She proceeded to tell him what he had to do, and Madhan nodded. He was overjoyed when Riya's mom told him that this was to ease her guilt. This meant that Riya was ready to move on. It didn't matter to him that Riya wasn't in love with him yet. He knew it as well as Mrs. Sharma that it was bound to happen.

   All he had to do was patiently wait.

   And for Riya, he was willing to wait however long it took.

   And here you go ;-) Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Please comment and vote <3 A lot of things happened in this update! ;) Hope it was worth the wait! :D

     1. Mrs. Sharma and Riya had a heartfelt conversation.

     2. The pregnancy confusion was finally cleared ;-) :P One heck of a drama there lol

     3. Things are gaining momentum between Madhan and Riya! :)

   It pains my heart that we are almost nearing the end with just another SIX chapters left. That being said, the rest of the chapters will be action packed and quick paced. So do let me know if you have any questions or confusions regarding the book.

What do you guys think Madhan has to do? :P

Till Saturday, Wattpaders!

   akshaya