CHAPTER EIGHT
Stephie was sitting on the chair across Sharon's bed and was working on laptop. Sharon was watching her intently. In the past few days that Sharon had spent with her, she had started liking her a lot. She reminded her of her own self five years ago. Vibrant, young, confident and determined. Swayam had taken full care that she never gets bored. She recalled her first conversation with Stephie"What? You are studying creative writing?" Sharon asked shocked with the new imformation.
"Yup!" Stephie answered smiling an enthusiastic smile as they changed flowers in the vase.
"I don't understand! Then why did you sign up for a caretaking job?" Sharon asked her confused.
"Oh! Well I need to support myself. My parents do send me money every month but then that's for study. It's not like I don't like creative writing I do. I love it. It's just I don't want to give it up on my passion. So I earn it myself to keep it going." Stephie replied looking satisfied with how the vase looked with fresh flowers.
"And what's your passion?"
"Ah! I like playing different musical instruments. So I need to learn them and for that I need money. I went to this Job centre which has small part time jobs for you know retired, unemployed people so yeah! I wanted something where I can even work and study. So I thought this would be perfect. I met Sir and he hired me." Stephie told her completing her story to which Sharon smiled.
"Sharon see! Do you read detective novels? They are fun! This one is great. You want me to buy it?" Stephie's voice broke her trance as she as usual excitedly sat beside her with her laptop and tried to make her buy a book even after Sharon telling her that she did not like reading books because she always lose interest halfway. She was a poor reader.
"No! Swayam loves Sherlock and there are days when he sits in front of TV and watches BBC Sherlock on loop. And my mother told me that the kinds of books you read in your pregnancy or do anything for that matter it has an effect on child. So yeah! I do not want another Sherlock Holmes in my life." Sharon said huffing at the thought of it.
Stephie laughed aloud hearing her and said "Okay! So what do you want? Another little Swayam?"
Sharon's smile faltered at her question. Another Little Swayam? Another Little Swayam? Does she want her baby to be like Swayam?
Stephie stared at her waiting for an answer "Swayam wants a baby girl." She answered softly leaving her actual question in mid-air.
"Oh! Daddy's girl huh?" Stephie rolled her eyes in excitement and the visual of Swayam with a small girl in his arms unknowingly brought a smile on her lips too and she repeated in a trance
"Yeah! Daddy's Little Princess!"
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Swayam pulled the car into the driveway and set the engine off. He looked at the glass door of the two storied building and sat in the car still trying to think if it would be right or not. Rey was his best friend since college and has always been there for him and he was his only hope at the moment. If he needed to find out the entire truth then he would at least need to start from somewhere. And there were so many things which he needed to get out of his system. He needed to see Rey.
He stepped out of the car and made way into the building which read Reyaansh Sighnaina Law Firm. Rey was a management student with Swayam in his college not because he wanted to study the field but because he was the favorite obedient child of the house and his parents wanted him to take over their business and that it had been their dream.' But after the end of first year he knew he would never be able to make clear college if he continued. So he took his mark sheet and went to his parents and told them that he didn't want to continue management and instead wanted to study law. Result was he got himself landed in the exam hall of law entrance exam six months later on the cost of the favorite child crown which was passed to his younger brother.
Swayam stopped at the reception and asked for Rey politely.
"Sorry Sir! But Reyaansh Sir is not here. He is out of station attending a three days seminar. You can meet him on the 20th of this month Sir which would be a week later."
Swayam's expression stiffened. Nothing in this world was working in his favor.
"Should I fix an appointment for you Sir?" The receptionist asked in her professional fake polite tone.
He was exhausted. He looked at her and said
"Swayam Shekhawat does not need an appointment to meet Reyaansh Singhania."
He walked off the desk.
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Swayam reached home totally worn out with the day's events. His head felt heavy. A strong black coffee that was something he needed right now badly. The door opened and he saw Stephie standing with her welcoming smile. How he wished it had been Sharon so that he could have crushed himself in her arms. He passed her a weak tired smile to her and entered. His eyes searched for Sharon and he saw her sitting on the dining table having dinner. Her eyes already watching him, as soon as their eyes met she went back to eating her food.
"So I would take your leave now Swayam." Stephie said getting a hold of her jacket.
"Thank You for calling me Swayam. I really didn't like being called Sir." Swayam said a bit surprised. Sir made him feel ten years older. He didn't like anyone calling him Sir' but he hadn't asked Stephie to call him Swayam, he was not sure how Sharon would take that given the circumstances. When something goes wrong you take every step after a hundred thoughts.
"I know. Sharon asked me to call you Swayam. She said you don't like being addressed as Sir." Stephie said looking at Sharon. Now that came as a surprise for Swayam. He looked at her and she immediately averted her stunned eyes and quickly covered her baffled look trying to keep her eyes on her plate.
"Ok I will go now." Stephie said breaking the moment and Swayam nodded at her with a smile.
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Sharon was standing in front of the mirror admiring the newly arrived little baby bump. Looking at herself she felt overwhelmed with happiness. It was something she would never be able to put in words. A sense of having a baby inside her womb, a sense of nurturing a new life inside herself. The feeling was a gift which she has never experienced before. She caressed her bump lovingly trying to tell the baby that she loved him a lot. She looked up into the mirror and found Swayam standing at the door, his gaze fixed on her stomach and an adorable smile playing on his lips. Their eyes met and she saw the kind of happiness and love which she had seen when he had first heard the news of her pregnancy. And suddenly heartrending sadness started floating inside them. It was difficult for her to see it so she did the first thing that came to her mind; breaking the eye contact she turned around.
"Do you need something?" She asked softly.
"Can I come in?" He asked still standing in his place.
It was weird. He hadn't entered the room since Sharon asked him to leave, since she said that it was not possible for her to live with him in the same room. It was the first time since then that he had appeared at the door of their bedroom. And his question somehow broke her heart.
Did he really need to ask that? She nodded meekly and he came in. She watched his face as he scanned the room in a quick gaze like a guest scans the new surroundings. His eyes travelled back to her stomach and then to her face. He realized she as watching him, so he quickly straightened his looks and said
"The geyser in that bathroom is not working and I need a hot bath. So, can I use the bathroom?" Swayam asked looking at her trying to hide the awkwardness of the situation.
"Are you alright?" She asked as she read his face.
He looked at her like caught unaware and a tiny moment of happiness washed over his heart like a wave of sea. It made him feel that somewhere she cared. The happiness must have showed its presence on his face because she immediately cleared herself.
"No! I mean you take hot baths when you are very much stressed, so that's why I am. . ."
"So it affects you?" Swayam cut her and her breath came into her throat. She gulped the lump in her throat as she stared in his eyes which were speaking volumes. She wanted to tell him that it did not affect her but words abandoned her. They always do when she had to speak against him. He moved towards her as she lowered her gaze trying to think of something to stop him but her mind had shut up totally.
"Sharon, I asked something does it affect you?" He asked it again and she felt herself close to tears with the emotions heaping on her heart. He looked at her struggling with herself and decided to let go for now. He backed off and she inhaled a heavy breath and looked at him.
"I have a headache. . . Can I use the bathroom?" He asked again and she nodded briefly. She watched him as he made his way to the bathroom and sat on her bed replaying the moment which they shared just a minute ago. Why didn't she answer him? Does he affect her?
Yes. He did. He was the man who has betrayed her love and trust and yes he still affects her.
And even after all said and done the sound of the shower, his presence had made the room come alive. His air engulfed her and she felt the tingles that she hadn't felt in a while and it soothed her pain. She was lost in her thoughts when a phone buzzed. She checked her phone, it was quietly sitting on the bed. She turned her gaze to the bedside table and saw Swayam's phone buzzing. She reached over and saw the caller's name
"Dr. Jatin"
Sharon was confused. This was not her doctor. Swayam sometimes have trouble in sleep and when it begins to take a toll on him he have sleeping pills secretly because Sharon had warned him from relying on them and she takes good care that he doesn't have them. But they were not on the best terms and Swayam was sleeping in another room and he had just complained about having an headache; Suddenly she was scared that he was again taking them and that it was his doctor. She picked up the phone as it rang for the second time
"Hello"
"Hello! Can I talk to Mr.Swayam?" a hoarse voice came from the other side.
"Umm. . . He isn't at home. I am his wife. You can tell me what is it?" Sharon said choosing her words carefully.
"Sorry Madam! But Mr. Swayam has given us strict instructions to not deliver the message to anyone else but him." The doctor said from the other side.
Sharon was way too confused now.
"Listen you can tell me. He has told me about you." Sharon lied.
The doctor sounded in dilemma whether to tell her or not.
"Okay! I guess you are his wife so it should be fine. Actually he asked me to inform him as soon as the patient's reports come and they have and the result says our guess was right. The result is positive."
"Can you tell me the patient's name?"
"Well her name is Amaira."
"SHARON!!!" Swayam's voice startled her and the phone fell from her hand. Swayam came towards her with a speed of a tiger and picked the phone up. Rage dripping from his eyes.
"Doctor, I will call you in a few minutes" He said and cut the call.
"Who is Amaira, Swayam?" Sharon's eyes flooded with tears.
"Sharon, I didn't expect this from you. You will NOT touch my phone without my permission" Swayam blasted at her ignoring her question and the pool of tears in her eyes.
"Swayam. . ." Sharon was shocked to see Swayam this mad. He had never talked to her in this way.
"Sharon did you hear me?" He asked her again shouting at the top of his voice.
She closed her eyes in fear as tears flowed through her eyes. Swayam's expressions softened seeing her but he was mad. His world could have fall apart. Who would answer her questions? He gritted his teeth in anger and walked out of the door banging it loudly leaving a torn Sharon behind.
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Edited by ..MiStLeToE.. - 9 years ago
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