It's just over 24 hours that I know him. He seems to be the only best man I've ever met in my life. He is quiet understanding and supportive not like the monster who I killed.

First time in my life I am feeling like trusting someone, trusting a man. May be I did right by offering him to stay with us like Aadya's father.

Shehnaaz: Listen aaa.. Mister husband.. fa.. fake husband (She fumbled)

Sidharth: (smiled) Sidharth! You can call me Sidharth!

Shehnaaz: Hmmm... You are elder to me.. I caa.. can't call you by name. (She said avoiding eye contact)

Sidharth: Really? I am 30. Do I look so old? Don't mind but how old are you?

Shehnaaz: I am 19. (She mistakenly disclosed her real age)

Sidharth was taken aback.
19? That child must be atleast 3 or 4. Did she deliver her at the age of 15 or 16? Is she married or did she get pregnant of an unwanted relation. Or did someone forced her?

Oh no!! At this tender age when normal teenager finds it difficult to carry the burden of few books, she is carrying a responsibility of a child. And until now, whatever I have seen, she is parenting so well. Single parenting!! Which means juggling with child, earning and looking after every single thing in house.

I wonder what is her story. I thought my life is painful but now I sense that her life would have been much more painful than mine. The words she used while stating the reason behind offering me to act as a fake father to her child was giving an overview of her struggle as a single mother.

She seems like a puzzle, a mystery and I want to know it. I don't want to invade her personal space though.

When Shehnaaz found Sidharth lost in his thoughts, she realized that she blurted out her real age.

Aadya: Sidaaat, eat your food.

Sidharth looked st Aadya in surprise and smiled listening to his name.

Shehnaaz: Aadya!! Bad manners baby! You can't call elders with their name.

Aadya: So what do I call him Mumma?

Shehnaaz: Call him.. (she paused and he looked at her) ..Papa.

Aadya: Okay. Papa eat your food!

Sidharth had an unknown alien feeling when he heard Papa from Aadya's mouth. He felt a big lump rise up from his heart until his throat, his eyes were filled with tears, and he wanted to cry. Cry out of happiness.

Flashback:
Gunjan read about the pregnancy facts on her laptop. Sidharth was lazily lying on the bed on his tummy.

Gunjan: Sidharth, listen to this..

Sidharth: Hmmm..

She looks at him and smacks his bum.

Gunjan: Get up idiot! Listen to this..

Sidharth: I am listening... Sweeeethear....(starts snoring)

She frowns and pulls him by his hair.

Sidharth: Ooouch!! What are you doing baby?

Gunjan: Waking you up! You lazy bum!!

Sidharth: Not fair yaar Gunjan. First of all you don't allow me to sleep at night demanding for different kinds of foods in the name of craving. I thought I can take a nap atleast during day on weekend but you have a problem with that as well. What is it?

Gunjan frowns and sits with her hands crossed against her chest.

Sidharth: Now that you have woke me up, tell me..

Gunjan: I don't want to tell.. Huh!! (She huffs in anger)

Sidharth gulps as he feared her anger the most.

Sidharth: Tell na Jaan. What did you wanted to tell?

He hugs her but she jerks off.

Gunjan: I said, I won't!!

Sidharth: (holding his earlobs and with puppy face) Please!! Please sweetheart!!

She looks at him through the corner of her eyes and smiles.

Gunjan: You know what? They say our baby can hear us in the womb hence we should talk to the baby. The often we talk, the more we bond when they are born. It helps calm the baby when they cry after birth.

Sidharth: Is it? Then I am going to talk to her a lot!

Gunjan: Him!!

Sidharth: Her!! Her!! Her!!

Gunjan: Will see!! (Smirks)

Sidharth: Yeah! You'll see.. (touches her bump) Hello baby! This is your Papa here..

Gunjan: Papa? Looks so old fashioned.. DaDDa! Sounds cool isn't it?

Sidharth: I think Papa sounds cooler!!

Gunjan: Fine, let's do this.. If it's a boy, he will call you DaDDa and if it's a girl then she will call you Papa!

Sidharth: Yeahhhh!! That means it's definitely going to be Papa then..

Gunjan: How are you so confident that it is a girl?

Sidharth: Connection you see!

Flashback ends..

Shehnaaz looks at tears welled up in Sidharth's eyes.

Shehnaaz: Aadya, baby can you go and play with your teddy? (Aadya goes away) Hey, are you crying? What happened?

Sidharth: Hmmm.. (wipes his tears and smiles) Nothing! She called me Papa and it reminded me of something.

Shehnaaz: Sorry, I should have asked you before telling her to call you Papa. I think I reminded you of your sad memories.

Sidharth: Sad? No!! I have all sweet memories to remember! And Papa is all cool and the best. What did you call your father?

Shehnaaz's anger rised listening to the word "your father".

Shehnaaz: Monster, Dog, Demon, Filth, Loser, Bastard, Rascal..!! (In flow)

Sidharth was shocked at her sudden reaction and anger.

Sidharth: What? Why are you abusing me?

Shehnaaz: I am sorry! That was not for you. That is what I address him.

Sidharth: Really? But why? He gave birth to you? How can you say such words for him?

Shehnaaz: (smirks) That's the only contribution he did to my life and the only source to my pain. Just now you said, you have all sweet memories in life but I don't have any sweet memories in my life. I have been running my whole life to seek happiness. I can't tell you anything because I don't have anything else besides pain to share. Aadya is the only source of my happiness and I want all good things for her.

Sidharth was growing more curious to know about her.
What could be so painful that she uses such words for her father? How can someone hate their own father in life? Aren't the fathers supposed to be the first heroes in everyone's life? Then how can her father be a greatest villain in her life?

She is undoubtedly a best mother at this age. She surely can't be a bad child to simply abuse her father.

Sidharth: I am sorry Shehnaaz. I wish you find happiness in your life but for that we have to kill and bury our bad memories.

Shehnaaz: I've done the 50% of the work, I don't know how to do the remaining 50% of the work.

How do I tell you, I've killed him but I am simply unable to bury the pain he gave me.

Sidharth: You seem to be very complicated for your age.

Shehnaaz: We learn from our experiences and age doesn't have to do anything with it. Mind you! My life experiences have thought me much more than what probably you might have learnt in your age.

Sidharth was surprised at her words.

Sidharth: What do you know about my life? I have lost everything in life. If ever we grow that comfortable with each other in life, we have some stories to tell each other.

Shehnaaz pushes back her hatred and anger.

Shehnaaz: 'Aadya's Papa', that's what I have decided to call you.

Sidharth: Sounds cool to me!! As long as you don't decide to call me uncle. (Smiles)

Shehnaaz: (smiles) Aadya's Papa, we need to go for shopping else we will deplete my saving on ordering food from hotel.

Sidharth: Yes! And if you don't mind can I use your phone in the evening to search and apply for jobs online?

Shehnaaz nods and they get ready to go for shopping.

__________________________
To be continued.. ❤️❤️