Chapter 21 Matured

~20~

⚠️Trigger Warning: This part contains description of pain, grief and loss. Reader's discretion is advised. Marked mature.

The ride back home was silent. Once they were inside and Anuj had closed the door, he turned to Mukku

"Mukku..."

"I don't want to talk, Anuj..."

"But..."

She ran inside her room and slammed the door shut. Anu placed her hand on his arm and stroked it gently.

"I will talk to her... don't worry."

"Anu..."

He looked into her eyes communicating his pain to her. She nodded understanding and squeezed his arms.

"We will figure it out... together... she is our baby after all... yours... and... mine... we won't let her go..."

***

"Mukku..."

The room was dark and she snapped on the light to see her sitting by the headboard, her face buried on her knees drawn close to her body. She walked towards the bed and sat by her side. Reaching out, she placed her hand around her form and pulled her close to her silently assuring her of her presence. They sat like that for quite a long time. The stillness of the night gave company to their silence until Mukku's whisper broke it.

"Why?"

She sighed.

"I don't know... I wasn't there... but I am here now. I promise it will all be ok soon..."

Mukku laid her head on Anu's lap.

"How will it be ok when I will never see my little angel again?"

Anu drew in a sharp breath not understanding what she meant. Her eyes fixed somewhere where Anu couldn't follow, Mukku shared her little secret.

"Aarav was my childhood best friend. He was always there whenever I wanted him... After our parents passed away, Bhai never could spend much time with me because he was too busy growing and handling such a big business. I won't blame him... he did try but things never work out the way we want... do they? I missed him dearly and Aarav.... Aarav was there for me. Every single time... he knew what I needed and he gave it to me. We didn't really realize when our friendship turned into love but when we did realize, it was beautiful... oh so beautiful... everything was beautiful."

She gave a sigh as those memories flashed before her eyes.

"Then... then came that day... it was my college farewell night. Bhai was out on a business trip... and as usual Aarav came to pick me up... He was my date for the night... We all were having fun... he was looking dashing... and I was floored when he complimented me... one thing led to another and... we kissed... when his lips met mine... I lost it... so did he... we were young... didn't really bother or care... didn't have much control too... so we quickly searched for some privacy... and... and... oh it was beautiful... he made me feel so loved... so beautiful... so cherished..."

Silent tears made it's way down Anu's face as the image of the lonely young girl finally getting the love she had so yearned for flashed before her eyes.

"Why did that night end? I really don't know.... but it did... just like all good things. Our relationship was still the same... he took me out on dates and we had lots of fun until 3 weeks later... nausea set in suddenly on me... I didn't understand at first but checking the calendar made me realize that the beautiful night might have had a consequence... A visit to the drugstore and half an hour later... my doubts were confirmed... I called Aarav home... and told him..."

"Did he... did he refuse to accept the kid?"

"No... oh no no no... he didn't, he was overjoyed and took me to the gynecologist immediately... a simple ultrasound revealed our little angel... we were over the moon at first... but then reality sunk in."

Anu stroked her hair softly.

"What happened?"

"Aarav wanted us to get married immediately... I wanted to wait. Bhai was supposed to be back the next month... and I wanted to explain to him and ask his permission in person. Aarav... Aarav didn't want to wait that long... he was afraid people would know we made love before marriage and we would be judged... but I was firm. I forbade him to talk about us to Bhai... told him I would do it... He agreed and so we waited. He took me for my doctor appointments, we heard the baby's heartbeat and we were elated. The joy... oh... I can't explain..."

Anu nodded as she stroked her hair gently.

"I know..."

"Hmmmm... Bhai... Bhai was held up in France due to some meeting and he couldn't make it on the promised day. Since neither him nor GK knew my situation, he just called up GK and informed he would be back in another two weeks and GK mentioned it casually to me. That day, we fought... so badly... He asked me to choose between bhai and him.... he wouldn't see any reason. I begged him to wait... but he didn't... he left... he left me... promising to never return.... Then... then Bhai came home one night... I told him the entire truth... Bhai immediately promised he would find Aarav and get him back..."

"But...?"

"But... life is never that simple, right Bhabhi? That night... everything changed... I experienced cramps like never before. Knowing something was seriously wrong... I screamed for Bhai... by the time we reached the hospital, I had started spotting... They did the ultrasound and... it was silent... they tried with another... silence again... my angel had no heartbeat... I was 12 weeks along... but my baby measured only 9 weeks... my angel had passed away three weeks ago... my angel... oh my little angel..."

Anu wrapped her hand around and held her tight as sobs racked her little frame. Her heart pained for her baby... her baby who had lost so much at such a young age.

"Everything was over... so soon... as soon as it had started... Bhai wanted to bring Aarav back... but I didn't know if I could ever face him again... how could I? I lost his most precious treasure... I had a fight with Bhai... blamed him for everything... told him never to contact me... or Aarav... and left him..."

She let out a regretful sigh and shook her head at the memory. The sigh conveyed to Anu that the fight had been brutal between them.

"That was the day I felt really really lonely... it was as if I had no one in the world... I dearly missed my mother.... and the one I had always wished as my mother.... you... I missed you so much..."

"Sorry, sorry my Mukkudi... I am here now... I am here now"

Mukku took Anu's hand in hers and kissed them.

"I always had a feeling that you would come someday... though my brother had no hope... and at times it looked foolish to hold on to the whim... I always remembered you when I prayed... and wished that you would come... if only you had been there..."

Anu gave a sigh and cupped her face in her hands, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I am here now... My Mukkudi... thank you... thank you for making me an integral part of your life when I didn't even know your name... Whatever happens... whatever the world says... it was not your fault... you have carried guilt too long in your heart... all alone... My baby girl... Now enough.... You will never feel alone again... I promise....and everything will be ok soon..."

***

Precap: "She told you everything?"

A/N: Purely from a common person pov. Please do not analyze it medically or scientifically. I haven't used medical terms or scientific terms.

A/N 2: If you ever had to go through this pain before. Hugs. As Anu said to Mukku. It's not your fault, you are not guilty or alone.

PS: Next part is lighter