Radhika's POV

There you see that miniature ball like thing. That is your baby."

"Doc don't call my baby a ball like thing!"

I can't help but smile seeing Arjun reprimanding the doctor for calling our baby a ball but she was just trying to make us understand, wasn't she?!

"Arjun, it is not a baby until it is fully developed it's a fetus right now." She tells us in 'I know it all' tone

"It's my baby you are talking about not a fucking  fetus." He tells her in a hyper tone.

"Arjun, please....." I try to intervene to stop them. This is insane! What is a big deal about her calling it what it should be called at this stage?! I mean she isn't emotionally attached to the baby, is she?!

"She is doing it purposely to irritate me." Arjun says like a petulant child.

Doctor finally smiles,"Yes guilty as charged. I never imagined you having this kind of life but I am very happy for you. There was a time I was only called for emergency contraception and here we are in my clinic for your first baby."

Emergent contraption?! So he use to take care that he doesn't make his mistresses pregnant. I feel hurt because this juicy piece of information that she just dropped, accentuates that he had sex with other women too.

"Yeah I never thought this would happen one day." He says as he is fully drooling over the big screen. He has something in his eye! Is he crying again?!

"Arjun, are you in tears?!" She beats me to ask the question.

"No it's just something went in my eyes it's dust maybe." He replies nonchantly.

"Arjun, I know better. The last time you cried must have been when we met for your mother's funeral. What a great woman!" She exclaims as she smiles jubilant smile.

"She was indeed but...."

She cuts him off,"Arjun, you must know that your mother is at peace finally. She is happy up there and watching you from the heaven. She is ecstatic that you are going to be a father soon!"

I give a slight squeeze to his hand that is entwined with mine since we are here. He looked at me with moist eyes and a smile broke on his face. He kept his other hand on my stomach which has a tad bigger pouch for a six weeks pregnant woman. He has been amazing so far. It is unbelievable but he has been literally following me everywhere since he is working from home. It is a bit stifling but more endearing. Sam has been over the moon as she has started hunting for names and nicknames to address the baby. I told her she has plenty of time until the baby is here. Only person who is less happy is Lily. I tried to make amends with her because I know she isn't going anywhere soon but she told me she doesn't want to talk to me. I told her if that makes her happy, so be it. I don't want to bother her until she bothers me.

"Can we take a walk?!" He asks, out of blue.

I make a face," With your army of bodyguards following us, no thanks!"

"No just you and me they will maintain a distance from us." He smiled in concession.

We walked on the street alone, hand in hand, there was a breeze sweeping across our pathway maybe wishing well on us. I absolutely love it. I feel we are like an old married couple walking together, holding onto each other in the last stage of life but I know it's not true. We stopped at a flower shop where he brought a bouque of lillies and I thought he is going to give me flowers but no he held it with other hand as we entwined our hands together.

"We reached." He said shortly.

It's a graveyard. Why are we here?!

We walked inside and I was caught up unaware of what is happening and what is to happen next. We stopped at a tomb which read Martha Mehra.

"Hey ma." He bent on his knees and placed a kiss on her grave with his eyes closed. It's really beautiful to see an unconquerable man like him to be on his knees with his head bowed down in respect to someone. He almost resembles a devotee who has visited his place of worship and now is having an intimate conversation with his God. I can't help but smile at the ironic element of this place being a graveyard which is his God's resting place.

"This is Radhika, your daughter in law and she is pregnant with my baby." He looks at me with a twinge of pride in his eyes as he introduces me.

I quickly squat down and pay homage to her by planting a kiss on her final resting place. I tear my gaze to Arjun who looks overwhelmed if I am not wrong, he looks as if he is out of words or maybe he is thinking too hard.

"You know you are a nice gal. Mom would have liked you in the first meet had she met you." He says with a smile.

"Tell me about her." I say as I place my hand on his.

"What do you want to know?!" He asks me as he gives me an elusive smile.

He looks like a Greek God basking in the warm sunrays as they are falling on him. I don't understand how can a heartless assassin look as if he is a young adonis.

"Everything maybe whatever you can tell me." I say eagerly.

"Mom was very beautiful." He replies shortly.

"One look at you and no one will doubt that." I say pensively.

"You mean I am good looking?!" He gives me a smug look.

So you want a compliment. No not so easily, Mr Mehra

"You know you are. All those shenangians before me wasn't enough of a proof?!" I ask him sarcastically making an innocent face.

Yes, I am taunting!

"Shenangians are not supposed to be taken seriously, Radhika." He strokes my cheek as if I am a kid.

"I wonder how would you have reacted had I been that kind of a girl?!" I know how to push the right buttons.

"Simple you wouldn't be here with me had you been a village whore. I am not joking but I wouldn't have married you or maybe even liked you I would have just picked you and flicked you away." He gives me his cocky smirk

"You are a mcp." I say pointedly.

"I think we were talking about my mom not about shenangians like you have put them." He says in a way to change the topic.

I think it is a waste of energy to talk about his shenangians so let's get back to the original topic.

"Yes tell me more how she looked." I asked curiously.

"She was dead gorgeous with her azure eyes but I look like my old man." He says in a sneering manner.

"Your dad....how was he?!" I ask him little hesitantly as I feel his simmering fury.

"He was a son of a bitch. Bloody bastard! It's because of him, she always cried." He clenches the words through his teeth.

"Was it a love marriage?!" I ask in a low tone as I look down at my knotted fingers.

"No she told me that he was obsessed with her so he pretty much forcefully married her then initial years of their marriage were a torture but when she had me then everything was a bliss." A smile tugs on his lips as if he is remembering a beautiful memory.

I can't help but feel how much our story resembles theirs.

"Don't you realise how much our story resembles theirs?!" I tell him casually.

"No it doesn't I did not fuck any other woman after I married you. Don't ever compare me to my father!" He says in a aggravated tone as he stares right in the eye.

He is really mad that I compared him to his Dad.

"I am talking about obsession." I say softly.

"That I am because you are different and I like different." He pulls me closer gently, mindful of the fact that I am pregnant.

"So you were more close to your mom?" I ask as I play with the button of his suit.

He lifts my face up and makes me looks in his eyes. I feel that strange connection binding us together with out ties. Strange as it seems but how can you feel attracted to a man who married you by force?!

"Close this word doesn't even defines what I feel for mom. We were so connected at different levels even now I feel her presence around me." He says as he brushes his knuckles on my cheek.

"You are many bad things but you are a good son." I tell him with a conviction.

"Was that a compliment or an insult?!" He says as I see ire clear in his dark eyes.

"Both." I reply shortly.

He holds my jaw tight and I wince in pain feeling his vice like grip. I try to push him off but he holds me by my waist firmly.

"You know you have overstepped your boundaries too many times too count in this one month. Just because I won't hit you that doesn't mean I won't punish you." He says in a warning tone.

Empty threat, I know. In this one month I have gone from backanswering to calling him names and he hasn't done any thing not even raised his voice. He thinks baby will get scared if he talks in a high pitched tone.

"And just because I am being nice to you inspite of what you have done that doesn't mean I have forgiven you." I say sweety but I am throwing daggers at him.

"Let's go home and see how nice is your version of being nice."

With that, he scoops me up in his arms despite my protest.

"Leave me put me down I can walk on my own."

"No you have walked for too long and it's not good for yours and baby's health. I know you have sore feet." He says in a tone that screams finality.

"You are more injurious to my health than anything else." I snap at him.

"Too bad you are not getting rid of me ever." He smirks.

Arg! Take a deep breath, Radhika. This infuriating man! I will kill him someday but then who will be a father to my baby?! My innocent baby, I won't kill your dad just because I love you so much. I can't wait to hold you in my arms.

"We reached." He says as he opens the car's door and places me gently in the backside of the car. He gets in right next to me," lie down."

"What! You want to do it here right now?!" I screech and my eyes are as big as saucers.

"What?!" He looks confused for a person who wants to do it right now.

"You said lie down so I thought...."

He breaks in on me,"God! Radhika, you really think of me as a devil, don't you?! He pauses and starts an exasperated rant,"I mean I am but give me some credit, I am not a lunatic. I was telling you to lie down so you can rest till we reach home."

"Okay." I lie down but before I could he pulls my head down on his lap so the friction does not make me feel uncomfortable.

"Go to sleep." He tells me shortly.

He leans down on me and kisses my forehead and then places a butterfly kiss on my lips. I close my eyes and before I know, I am fast asleep.

When I wake up, i am pleasantly surprised to find myself tucked in bed with a warm comforter drawn over me. I get up and sit straight.

"So you are up finally?! Now come lets go for dinner downstairs."

"What is the time?!" I ask him in a sheepish tone.

"It's 8 pm already and you have slept for nine hours so get up, will you?!"

"I slept so much. I don't believe you. You must be pranking with me."

He comes closer and hovers on top of me and graps my chin. He tilts my chin towards the direction of the clock," Have a look yourself."

Shit! It's 8! I slept for nine hours that too in daytime. I never do such kind of things. Mom use to say only fools sleep when sun is up. I can't help but envy Arjun because he always stick to the schedule. He never sleeps on wrong timings in fact he sleeps really less.

"Why didn't you wake me up?!"

"Because I was working and had you been awake, you would have pestered me and you look beautiful when you are fast asleep."

"Shut up!"

"Radhika, do you know you snore?!"

That caught my attention! No I do not snore. My mom use to tell me I sleep like a baby.

"Take that back. I.DO.NOT.SNORE."

"Yes you don't but look at your face all red with anger. Such a baby!" He breaks in to fits of laughter after teasing me.

That stupid man! I will kill him someday but the plight of widowhood will kill me more so I drop the plan of killing. I secretly admire him as he laughs like an innocent child, so carefree and unwary of the world. Fervently I crash in his arms and he holds me securely. I marvel at the feeling of warmth in his arms. He kisses my head and breaks the hug," Come sleeping beauty, let's go it's already ten minutes past 8. You should eat now."

He caresses my small baby bump and sweeps down to kiss it. A smile etched on my lips feeling him smiling against my stomach.

To be continued....