Chapter 22

Chapter 20

"Pallavi, where are you? It is the second time you have said you could not complete reading the papers I sent you some two weeks ago ?" Keerti opened the door of her cabin and rested her hands on her hips readying them both to interrogate her about the reasons for her strange behavior in the last few days.

"Keerti, I am sorry...I told you last week, there is no need for my approval... you have handled these things better, you would do the same this time." Pallavi stretched her brows as if trying to stay awake then huffed sending Keerti the sign of something not okay with her body language.

Every person had their good and bad days and there was nothing wrong if someone wanted a break but not this woman, all these years Keerti had known her, She knew Pallavi would tell her directly about the issue she was facing if she needed her help otherwise it would not even be visible on her face.

"I am observing you look pale nowadays, what is it? Is there everything alright between Bhai and you?" Keerti had now sat in front of her and was staring at her.

"No, no it is not about him... I think it is because of the weather, I could not sleep properly the last few days maybe that is why when I try to concentrate on something my head starts aching..." Pallavi looked up and this close even her eyes were swollen telling a story of sleeplessness.

"What is this Pallavi, you are unwell and no one knows about it, what is this, and if not the house help, Bhai should have noticed it..." Keerti was surprised how her brother who used to ache first on Pallavi's discomfort didn't see her condition.

"No no, he is already busy with something, hardly home these days and it is nothing I am telling you it is the change in weather, April and such things are common but this headache is new." the last words were barely a mumble as she bent to open a drawer in her table.

"also, Ramya was here a few minutes ago and she informed me that the girls have started working on the latest designs, Eid is just a month away... did you finish working on Fiza's inputs?" Pallavi was searching for something in the stack of files in her hand and the creases between her brows relaxed when she got the one she was searching for.

"Pallavi, here I am asking you about your health and you are talking about work... is it Bhai or is it you, don't know who has influenced whom." nodding her head in annoyance Keerti gave her a long stare that was more on a furious side.

"Raghav is something else, he can stay in his den for eternity, I can not do that, I don't even know how he works in that windowless room." even the thought of that specific room made Pallavi nauseating and she sipped some water from the half-filled glass she had taken a few sips already.

"Here it is," A thin green folder was in her hands. " I don't know why but I would not be able to concentrate even if I sit for the meeting... so please check the last year's bids and  Keerti, keep in mind you have to make the decisions I would just be there for namesake." pressing the files in her direction Pallavi's nose crinkled and a loose smile spread on her lips trying to convince her.

"I'll call Bhai right away, all the time he is like Pallavi this Pallavi that, and here you look sick and he does not have an idea, I cant buy that... be honest, are you guys not talking, has there been a fight. tell me what it is, I can talk to him." Keerti was now standing near her chair and in reply she found Pallavi playing with the skin on her forehead looking down.

"so you guys are fighting..." Keerti declared and Pallavi realized her mistake, her unintentional silence had made Keerti assume things but the care was evident in her friend and now sister-in-law's voice, indeed Raghav would have been in a tough spot if he had made her upset.

"after your marriage, I thought I lost you but I think I have gained a way more lovely friend, Keerti." Pallavi batted her lashes, tears were a serious concern for her at times. "AND, we are not fighting." Pallavi stressed the words to make her point. "actually we have been so busy with our respective works since last few days, we hardly see each other, he comes late at night and I leave early in the morning... and about my health, Yes, this is happening for the first time but our bodies go through changes, no need to worry." her excuses sounded feeble to her own ears but she didn't want to make it an issue.

Pallavi had tried to brush away the matter but Keerti knew there was something they should not ignore.

"has there been anyone who you have not convinced with your talks! but for now, I am not listening to you, ok. leave everything, let's go for a checkup... I'll just inform Ramya to manage till we come back" without waiting for Pallavi to say anything or come up with another excuse Keerti grabbed her handbag from the walnut brown cabinet behind Pallavi's chair.

"Keerti, we have a meeting today... i am fine..." Pallavi tried to stop them but Keerti knew she didn't have to listen to her.

"Maam, the dealers are here... they want you to sign the papers today only... talking about prices and something." Keerti had opened the door of Pallavi's cabin to come out and Ramya approached them with some papers possibly the material catalog and price details.

"Keerti, I told you I am fine and since you are not believing me, I'll accompany you to the meeting room...

"But Pallavi..."

"Work comes first Keerti, we'll go for a check-up after the meeting if i do not feel good by then." Pallavi touched her shoulders from behind and pushed her towards the meeting room. "Ramya, please keep my bag in the cabin."

*****

By the evening Pallavi was starting to feel better and credit went to the lunch, Sharda Aai had cooked for her...Nikhil wanted to discuss something with her and Aai only needed a chance to send her favorites. so during the extended lunch, they talked about so many things just like they always did. He was trying to set up a cooperative society for local weavers in the area to revive the culture of handwoven saree and in-process trying to help them gain independence from the many hurdles they were facing in their work... Pallavi felt so proud of all of them, back then there was a time when her Baba's shop was hardly able to meet their expenses and now after Nikhil took an interest in the business, they were already setting up shops in collaboration with others, especially in the relatively small towns around Hyderabad. again, this was Nikhil's idea to start with a small but authentic partnership and so far this has worked in his favor.

"Good things take time..." she whispered to herself as her car left the parking and moved towards home. The word home brought back a strange feeling to her.

" don't know whether he would come early or not... Dewa, why expand the business when you already have so many things going on." she didn't like Raghav's viewpoint of investing in every bright startup he believed in and spreading to new markets because both ventures needed all of his attention even if there were some fifty people working in the research team. An established business was easy to work with but startups needed encouragement and constant support, same was with new markets - You have an idea of the markets you were familiar with, you could be well prepared for the shocks it would throw your way but with a new market, you had to understand its trend and areas where it could sink you.

"Something new is what keeps me going Pallavi, I don't know whether you name it instability or my interest to try new things but it is what I look forward to..." he had told her once and after that even if she knew he was overworking himself she could not say anything to him.

"We are planning our family, don't know how would I deal with his absences then." she exhaled audibly and then it occurred to her, she worked on her cycle and it indicated a delay but her cycles were never uniform, the delay would not possibly mean she was PREGNANT already but a home test was not a bad idea.

"Girish Anna, stop at some medical store," she instructed her driver but her palms started getting clammy, she pressed them to her mouth and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Their sex life had been unprotected for a few months now but they have not been sexually active these days... she forced her brain to think when was the last time they made love and all she could remember was a casual morning session and even that was weeks ago.

They had talked about it, they were ready for it but there was nothing in the world that didn't scare a person for the first time, just the thought of a little bean clinging to her womb made her sick for reasons she had no control over. Now her upset stomach in the last few days, her lethargy for no reason, and the unusual headaches made sense to her but it was still too early to expect anything.

"Send the name of the medicine on my phone Ammai, I'll bring it from the shop." Her driver, one of Raghav's earliest and most trustworthy men, in his late fifties was a painfully strict follower of Raghav's words, at times he wanted her to step out only when it was the destination. But this time he had put her in a difficult position with his request.

"it is fine Anna...The traffic made me nauseated I wanted to get some fresh air as well... you can accompany me but I'll grab the things on my own." She told him with a smile already opening the door of her side.

"Ammai wait..." following the protocol was so important for the men who accompanied her, sometimes the things her husband did for her went overboard but after some incidents in the past, she had no point in blaming him.

She waited for a minute while Girish looked in both the direction for any car waiting for them or following them, after he was assured he walked towards her door and opened it.

"I am waiting outside Ammai, try to fetch it fast." as if he understood she needed something that needed a private moment he accompanied her to the shop and then stood outside till she grabbed her things.

*****

She had called Raghav a few times in the car itself but his phone was unreachable just like it had been this morning, she wanted to share the news about the meeting as she often did when something big happened but there was no response.

so had dropped a message to call back whenever he was free but she knew in his case he returned calls before message replies.

Putting her phone to charge her eyes fixed on the paper bag containing the tests, sitting comfortably on the nightstand. She wanted to do the tests right away but then she wanted to wait for him as well, she was nervous, happy, scared and there was no one she could share this frenzy with, Raghav and her attempts to make Amma come to the RR mansion had been futile so far, she had hoped Amma would come to them after Keerti's marriage but it was hard to budge her resolve. So Pallavi was left with her husband whom she had not seen properly for a couple of days.

Thinking about him she dialed his number again but it still was unreachable, left with no choice she made a call to his right hand, Farhad.

"Farhad, Raghav Kaha hai, his phone is unreachable since morning." after the formalities she asked him where they were.

"Anna left for Nepal this morning, he would be back by late night..." Farhad told her and it seemed he was busy somewhere because she could hear a noise around him and then a quick shuffling. " it's 6 right now I guess he'll board the flight by 10 tonight, is there something important, Ajith is with him, I'll call him."

"No no I had no idea he was not in the city..." it was not something unusual for Raghav to make sudden trips. "you sound busy, I'll call you some other time."

"Bhabhi, I am not busy... give me five minutes I'll be there." Pallavi heard him biting something and then her Ammi's voice asking him whether he needed anything and realized it was the holy month of Ramadan and Farhad kept the fasts.

"No, no there is nothing, have your meals I just wanted to check where was Raghav." It was odd Raghav didn't take Farhad on these trips but probably he didn't want to strain Farhad when he was fasting, her mind made assumptions before coming to the conclusion of her interest.

So it meant she was not going to talk with him even tonight, She could try to stay awake as long as possible but then he would be tired, she wanted to tell him about it in a moment that was just theirs, but she had still not taken the test how she was sure she was going to have a piece of news for him, good news. actually, the best thing was to wait for him but then what was good to delay it the truth was she herself wanted to know and till she was not confirmed her mind was not going to focus on anything, it was already acting unfocused for some time, she was overwhelmed with hundred different thoughts running in her mind at the same time.

"Pallavi, shant bilkul shant... every woman has to go through this moment, yours is now, take a shower, do the evening pooja, and then get done with the tests." it sounded like a plan, and with things she had to do stacked orderly in her mind, she felt her itchy nerves starting to work normally.

*****

She played with her nails eyeing the second strip, after the first one showed the two red lines for the first few minutes she was in a shock, "they had conceived and there was already the bean clinging to her womb..." she had taken a quick walk in the balcony trying to calm herself down.

She had tried calling him but how could he be there when she needed to tell this news. After the initial shock faded she felt the second red line was feeble, perhaps she needed to be sure and she had gulped down a big glass of water but the frequent urination in the last few days that made sense now was adamant this time.

These were the longest moments of wait for her, add them with the level of her adrenaline and she knew why these moments needed someone to be around.

Palms under her chin, elbows resting impatiently on her knees she waited for the test results kept in front of her, and just when the first line appeared she heard her phone ringing on her bed.

"it could be Raghav... even if he was away he could still be there with her at the moment." with the thought she ran and then realizing there could be another life inside her took cautious steps to get the phone and her heartbeats grew frantic when she saw his face on the incoming Whatsapp call.

"Sorry, just saw your messages." his voice came in response to her Hello. "how are you?"

The moment she heard his voice, she felt her breath quickening, She put the phone away for a moment to calm herself down and grabbed the curtains just to hold onto something

"I am fine..." she answered blowing out some air. " Farhad told me you went to Nepal this morning... anything serious?"

"Naah, ek gadhe ka dimag thikana maang raha tha... now it is all set." he sounded relaxed but she understood there was something she was not going to like. she didn't want to sour their moods when it was engraved in her mind a long time ago that she would not interfere in his business.

"Kab tak ghar aaoge?" she asked him biting her nails now. She closed her eyes when her cheeks turned red on her own query. What was happening to her, why she was blushing.

"don't wait for me, I might be back by morning... did you have dinner?" he asked concernedly and now she felt a shiver, how would he react to the news.

"i was waiting for you but now I'll have it... be safe." This was not a moment to talk about their Baby, Baby she felt something different when she uttered the word.

there was no doubt about it but the light red second line on the test strip made her eyes teary, it was waiting for her to rejoice about the member that was going to join them in a few months. There were so many things to be done, she had to attend the induction session with the trainees, then Nikhil wanted her to talk with the women weavers who were not convinced they could be a part of the cooperative society, she still had to accompany Amrutha to make plans for Manasi's baby shower and here her Mr. Or Miss bean had already made their presence known.

She didn't know why she imagined it like a small bean clinging to her but soon it would be like a bunny then a baby bear... the thoughts put a smile on her face and just like that all other thoughts vanished as she giggled to her imagination.

Hello everyone, back to the storyline I happen to write whenever I want something cute and romantic... have read and watched so many such moments, it was a real challenge to write one.

and yeah apologies for the long break, just got busy with other Raghvi tales in the last few months but believe me, Every time you hit like, dropped some kind words, brought me huge happiness.

Thank you for all the love, as always I shall be waiting for your feedback.

Love all

Morusya.