Chapter 10

MafiaQueen

@MafiaQueen

Chapter 10 

The next couple of weeks passed in a jiffy, Geet had to deal with Rahul being an ass and showing up whenever he wanted to take Nyra for the night. She’d wanted to murder him and drag his ass to court but with her due date so close, she couldn’t deal with the stress right now. 

So, she’d curse him quietly out of the earshot of Nyra before she reluctantly handed her daughter to her ex-husband. 

He’d return their daughter the following morning promptly and Nyra would be in a mood asking when her daddy will come and live with them. Geet explained to Nyra each time that she and Rahul will always be her mama and daddy, but they could not live together. Nyra unhappily accepted her explanation. But the same charade echoed the following week. 

On the other hand, Maan and Geet had become friendly neighbours. Bumping into each other in the local park and having a banter here and now. Nyra grew attached to Pepper and wasted no time in calling Pepper her ‘best fwend’. Maan’s irritation towards kids had mellowed down – just slightly. He didn’t wrinkle his nose at them when he walked to the park now. 

Geet witnessed his lady friends coming in and out of his house, then returning a couple of nights after to curse him. She’d teased him the following day when he would be heading out for a walk with Pepper or be on his way to work. 

Maan noticed that later on in the week that he had not seen Geet or Nyra for a couple of days. He’d knocked on but the door remained locked up tight and the curtains closed. He didn’t even have her number to call and check up on her. 

It was unlike them. He’d brushed off his concern telling himself she was probably visiting her family or something. But what if she wasn’t? What if she’d fallen and was unconscious? He considered inwardly trying to peek through the gaps in the window.

“Geet!” he knocked again.

Again, there was no response. 

He returned to his house figuring there was no one inside otherwise he didn’t see how Nyra would ignore it especially with Pepper barking besides him. 

Maan stretched and yawned as he stirred awake. He sat up brushing a hand through his hair when his door opened. 

“Morning!” 

He wrinkled his nose and opened his eyes wider. “A…Ay… Ash”

“Anna” she narrowed her brows deeply approaching him and placed the tray down. “You forgot my name?” 

“Of course, not baby” he muttered eyeing the breakfast she’d made. “I’m just tired with you keeping me up all night” he smiled sheepishly. “Now what have you made us?” he asked peering at the tray. 

She looked at him sceptically before smiling and bounced into the bed and showing him what she’d cooked him. Maan thanked and hummed in appreciation as he ate breakfast in bed with his latest flavour of the week.  

After breakfast, shower he showed her outside waving her off promising to call and turned to head back inside to get ready for work. He had stepped inside about to close the door when he noticed the car pulling up next door. Seems like his neighbour had returned from wherever she’d disappeared. Maan stepped out smiling to greet her when she climbed out carrying a wrapped-up bundle in her arms and Nyra bouncing out and clinging to her waist. 

“Papa!” Nyra squealed noticing Pepper bouncing out from the opened front door and barking. 

Geet looked up and smiled at Maan who’d stood there gaping. She could swear his mouth was open. “Morning, Maan” she chuckled. 

He blinked away his surprise and walked across peering into the little bundle she cradled. “You’ve got a baby”.

“Well, I was pregnant and was about to pop” she snickered. 

“Let’s go inside” Varun wrapped his arm around her waist guiding her in. 

“How?” Maan followed looking confused. He paused glancing over his shoulder seeing Nyra crouched on the ground peppering kisses on Pepper. “Nyra, Pepper come on” he whistled. 

Nyra jumped up and ran following Pepper as he bounced on his paws happily. 

“What do you mean how?” Geet questioned as she sat down on the sofa with Varun propping up the cushions behind her. 

“Well… weren’t you due for another couple of weeks?” he scratched his head. 

“Nope, my little Amit arrived on time” Geet looked at her 7 pound 8 ounces baby cradled close to her bosom sleeping soundly. 

“Amit?” he asked curiously. 

“Yep, Amit Singhania” she introduced. “Do you want to hold him?” she asked grinning widely. She hadn’t stopped smiling since the doctor placed her son in her arms. He was finally here, and her family was complete. She had her daughter and son. Nothing else was needed. 

“No, thanks” Maan scrunched his nose shaking his head. 

Geet glared seeing his expression. “Get the fudge out of my house”.

“What? Fudge?” 

“Get out. I’m not having you here if you’re going to make a face at my baby” she snipped. 

“I wasn’t making a face” he countered and rolled his eyes. “I… don’t know anything about it. What is fudge?”.

“It?” she screeched. Her protective hackles rising and intensifying with each second. “Fudge is what we say instead of swearing! And seriously, it! It!” 

“Sorry, Amit” he held his hands up in surrender looking apologetic. “Is that why you were missing for the last week?” he asked settling on the edge of the sofa keeping quite a distance from where Geet sat cradling her baby. 

“Yeah, I went to drop off Nyra for a sleepover which turned out to be a week’s sleepover” she replied accepting his apology and smiled. 

It was the weekend, Rahul was supposed to come pick Nyra up but he called to say he was busy. Nyra was inconsolable so Geet decided to take her daughter to her mothers’ house to cheer her up. Just as she was about to get up to wash up to eat dinner with her family, Geet’s water broke. Varun had jumped up out of his chair helping Geet to the back room whilst Mansi grabbed a change of clothes and helped her change. Yash drove to Geet’s house to pick up the hospital bag Geet had prepared for this instant. After Geet was changed, Mansi helped her sister to the front of the house where Varun and Megha were waiting in the car. Nyra look on in worry when Geet shot her a reassuring smile and telling her to be good with her nana. 

Viraj assured Geet not to worry and he, Mansi and Payal were there to take care of her. Geet texted Rahul letting him know that she was in labour, and he could be there for his son’s birth if he wanted to see him. 

After an excruciating 10 hours, Amit Singhania entered the world squawking loud enough to deafen everyone in the ward.  The pain, sweat, tears were all forgotten when Geet laid eyes on her little boy. Geet cried in happiness when he was placed on her chest. With Geet, Megha cried alongside her kissing her daughter’s sticky forehead and exclaiming how well she had done. Rahul did not come. Geet had seen that he’d read the text but didn’t even acknowledge anything. After Geet had been observed overnight in a private room, she was then wheeled into the maternity ward where others were. Her son’s cradle beside her bed. Geet’s family and close friends had visited the ward welcoming the newest member of the family with gifts, balloons and flowers. Rahul arrived on the second day with his mother. Her mother in law fawned over her son and tried telling Geet to consider reconciliating with Rahul for the sake of the children. Megha had returned at the time and reminded that Rahul and Geet were divorced, and they were only to be parents. Megha would have once agreed with reconciliation if the reason for their divorce was something menial. Cheating was not menial though. It was unforgiveable. 

After the first visit from Rahul and his mother, he didn’t come again. His mother did though. She’d come a further two days until her discharge to spend time hovering over Amit and didn’t hold back on reminding Geet that she should reconcile with her son. Geet ignored her comments and was glad that Megha was around for most of the time, so her ex-mother-in-law didn’t make many remarks. Geet was discharged on the third day and stayed with her parents for a further 4 days which allowed her to gain some strength as they’d keep an eye on Amit and changed him only handing him to Geet when it was time to nurse him. 

“Who selected the name?” Maan’s question broke Geet from her trance recollecting her chaotic week of events. 

“I did” Nyra piped clutching the sofa and climbing up. She hustled and burrowed herself next to Geet looking at her little brother. “MP aunt hepped” she grinned. 

“MP?” 

“Mansi and Payal, my sisters” Geet informed. “They’re twins so she often can get confused who is who” she explained. 

Maan hummed nodding his head. “Cute kid” he remarked looking at Amit. 

Geet smiled slowly and looked at him questioningly. “Are you falling in love with him?” 

“Nope. They’re still annoying”.

“Get the fudge out of my house” she snapped. 

He laughed and stood ruffling Nyra’s hair. “Bye kid. Pepper come on” he whistled.  

“Bye” she waved. “Bring Papa awound again, ok?” 

“Ok” he called back exiting the house with his puppy and leaving Geet to settle in with her children. 

“You friends with your neighbour?” Varun asked once he’d cleared away the clothes from Geet’s suitcase and joined her in the living room. 

“Yeah, I think” she looked at him unsurely. “We’ve gotten to know each other over the last couple of months and he’s been sweet with Nyra despite not liking kids”. 

Varun nodded sitting beside her. “Ok, as long as its just friends”.

“Are you going all protective and caveman brother on me?” she laughed. 

“Yeah, I am”.

“Stop worrying and going caveman” she nudged him with her elbow. “I don’t need a guy drama atop of all the other drama right now. I’ve only got 8 weeks with Amit before I have to get back to working so all my time is only for him, right?” she cooed and chuckled as he turned nuzzling her bosom opening his tiny mouth. 

“Looks like he’s hungry” Varun pointed out with a chuckle.

“I want to eat now” Nyra told him. 

He nodded leading her to the kitchen whilst Geet settled comfortably to nurse Amit. 

Varun prepared sandwiches for them, he crept across to the snack cupboard and grabbed two packets of different flavoured crisps and placed it in the bowl. “Nyra, grab yourself a drink” he told her gesturing to the corner cupboard where Geet kept it stocked. She grabbed a juice carton and handed it to him. Varun grabbed the plate of sandwiches and the bowl of crisps placing it on the coffee table. Nyra carried over her juice carton and sat on the floor waiting eagerly. She watched Varun go into the kitchen to retrieve bottles of water, and crept her hand slowly into the bowl of crisps and shoved it into her mouth munching quietly. Geet grinned sheepishly and she shushed her mother shaking her head. Nyra grinned innocently when Varun came back joining them in the living room and sat down. 

“C’mon Nemo, time to eat”

“Its Nywa” she corrected taking the plate he offered. 

“Ok. Nemo” he answered chuckling when she scowled. 

Varun picked up the sandwich feeding Geet then took a bite himself. “Have you heard anything from, you know?” 

“He’s texted a bit ago to say he’ll be coming over on the weekend to pick up” she gestured to Nyra. She did not say her daughter’s name as she for sure would have questions and want to know where she is going. Rahul had disappointed their daughter enough times by promising to come and then unable to keep them. 

“I hate him” Varun grumbled. 

“I know you do. I don’t love him anymore, but he did give two of my best things” she answered. 

“You’re too forgiving”.

“Oh, no. I have not forgiven him. I will never forgive him” she responded. “He has hurt me too much to forgive”. 

“Ok, that’s good to know” Varun smiled proudly holding the sandwich out to her.