?Chapter Six
February
Kripa stared at the one-touch pregnancy test machine. It had the little pink line again. She'd already tested three time in one hour. The first time she had thought it had been a mistake. The second time, she still didn't believe it. Now, as she stared at the little pink line on the small machine she thought she was going to go crazy. She couldn't be pregnant. She had been using birth control. She couldn't be pregnant.
Oh, but she was.
Exhilarated, she threw the machine in the trash and jumped in the air. Oh, God, she thought as she ran out of the bathroom, I'm pregnant. She had to tell her parents and Nikki. She had to tell Angad before anyone else. He would be thrilled to find out she was carrying his baby. Their baby. Letting out a cry of excitement she went to call him. He'd go crazy and come back home from New York right now. With a sheen layer of mist in her eyes she picked up her phone and began dialing his number. She stopped mid-way. She should see a doctor first. Nikki, she would be able to tell her of Kripa was or wasn't pregnant.
Terrified, amused, ecstatic she pressed both her hands to her stomach and laughed. Her stomach was so flat as she ran her hands down her she wondered how would anyone know that she was carrying a baby right now? She cursed Angad for being gone to New York instead of being here with her right now. How would have he felt? How would have he treated her, she wondered as she sat down right there in the middle of the room and lowered her head in her hands wept from delirium.
When she was done, she found herself curled on the cool tile floor, her tears long dried on her cheeks, she let out a long sigh. She blamed the sudden outburst on changing hormones in her body. Thrilled with her reasoning, she let out a long laugh and pressed her cheek against the warming marble tile under her. She had to go see Nikki. She was the only person she could trust right now and know that the press won't know the news before she let Angad know.
How would he react? She wondered again as she went down to her car. He loved children, and she knew that by seeing him with Nikki's children. But, pampering other peoples children and having your own was different. A different feeling, responsibility. A different everything.
She drove slower than she normally did on the freeway, but her music blasted louder than ever. She wasn't sure how she was going to tell Angad. Probably with lots of flowers, candlelight, a romantic dinner, his favorite music. And, then when he would make love to her, slow and lovingly like always, she'd tell him she loved him, she'd also tell him that she was pregnant. She could see the look on his, shocked at first and then going crazy with excitement. In front of Nikki's house, Kripa rested her forehead on the wheel. "Oh, Angad, what have you left me alone with? You moron. How am supposed to know what to do while I'm pregnant?"
Getting out of the car she pounded the side of her fist on the door impatiently. When Nikki didn't open the door she swore and kicked the door with her heels and swore again. Huffing, she turned back to her car and decided that she would have to kill Nikki the next time she saw her. She thought of her mother and drove there. If no one was there, she was going to either hurt of self or the first person who she saw. She pretty much ran on the door, her fist already lifted to pound.
She was scared to death, she realized as Kajal opened the door.
"Mom! Thank Jesus." She threw her arms around her and clung.
"Kripa, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Drawing her away, Kajal looked at her daughter, as frantic as Kripa she searched for bruises.
"No, Mom." She pressed her hands to her mouth and held back a sob. "I think I'm pregnant. No, I am pregnant. The pregnancy test thing said so."
Kajal let out a long breathe. "Okay, love. Come on and sit down first. Veer!"
A moment later, she found herself sitting on the jade settee between her parents, a cold glass of water in her hands she had barely touched. "Now," Kajal wrapped her arms around Kripa. "You're pregnant?"
Frustrated, she blew her bangs out of her eyes. "The little pregnancy thing said I was. It was pink." Kripa said moving her hands in the air.
Veer chuckled to see his daughter so confused. But he was as thrilled to know that she was pregnant. He's felt wired when Nikki had gotten pregnant for the first time. Now his youngest daughter was pregnant for the first time. To know he'd be a grandfather for the fourth time made him want to jump in joy. When Kripa shot him a mean look, he snapped his lips into a firm line. "Sorry. Are you happy about it?"
"Happy? I'm scared and I'm confused. I'm angry at Angad for being gone right now. And, I'm on cloud nine." She let her eyes fill again and turned to hug her mother. "I don't even know if Angad wants a baby right now."
"Oh, baby." Kajal kissed her hair. "Why don't you get yourself an appointment with the doctor to make sure everything is okay. Then, call Angad and tell him to come back."
"He can't until tomorrow night. I don't want him to come back frantic, leaving his work behind." More at ease, she pressed her lips to her mothers cheek. "Thank you."
"It's okay."
Kripa closed her eyes when she felt her father press his lips against her hair. "Can I stay over? I'd be terrified if I had to live in that house alone."
"Sure."
Drawing back, Kripa looked at her mother, beamed at her. "Can I cook dinner tonight?"
Horror crossed Kajal's face while Veer groaned in disgust behind her. "Her pregnancy is definitely affecting her." Kajal assured Veer. "Why don't you just rest honey. I'll be more than glad to cook. All your favorite things, too. Let's go Veer." She linked hands with her husband and walked away.
Kripa frowned sitting on the settee and sighed. Maybe cooking was never meant to be her cup of tea. She took off her shoes and curled up on the settee, turning the TV on. Well, she thought with a deep, content sigh, now I can just be lazy. She patted her belly and closing her eyes, fell asleep.
?
Angad sat in his suite in New York and stared out of the his window on the twenty-fifth floor. Despite the chilly night, he left the window open and didn't mind the distant bustling of the crowd on the streets. Finding himself a cigar, he clamped it between his teeth and lit it. He had been bitterly disappointed when his secretary had told him that he needed to fly to New York for four days. The last three days had been so cruel on him. He had sat in meetings, rehearsals, dinners, and pubs thinking of Kripa. Thinking about the millions of times she had told him that she loved him.
She loved him hearing it again and again changed his life. The more she told him, the more he believed. The more he heard it from her mouth, the more quite it came to his lips. Yet he held it back. He trusted Kripa, but he didn't trust himself. He pressed the butt of the cigarette into the ashtray and let it lying there. Absently, he rubbed the scar on his heart. He hadn't told her everything, he mused. And, she had never asked him about the scar. Countless times she had pressed her thumb against it, tracing the indent, but she never asked him why it was there. Perhaps she was waiting for him to tell him.
Restless, he found another cigarette and lit it. He should have called her a few times already in the last few days. He hadn't called once. And, he couldn't understand why. She was probably waiting for him to call. When he had come back she had left him a message saying she was at her parents house. He wondered why she had suddenly decided to go see and live with her parents? She hadn't said when she would come back, why she had gone there. Her words, her scent, they were all clouding his mind. It was impossible to love someone so much. Yet, everyday he loved her more. And, worried what if she walked away one day? What if he messed up?
Panic rose in his mind quicker than he would have liked. He paced to the window. What if she had realized he wasn't worth her? After all she had grown-up in a secure home. She'd had parents, siblings; he had grown-up on the streets, stealing, running from cops. Working at bars, cleaning tables.
What if his career gave way one day and he ended up where he had begun? Where would he keep her then? What if they had children later on and he wasn't able to support them?
Calling himself a fool he scrubbed his hands over his face. She loved him, but they hadn't spoken about what would happen in two months from now, had they? Maybe she wanted to go back and live in her own house rather than his. Maybe she had realized she didn't want him anymore.
His heart sped-up, thudding dangerously fast against his chest. He tossed the cigarette out the window and grabbed his cell phone. From memory, he dialed her mobile. When she didn't pick-up he swore and dialed her parents house. The bell rang three times before someone picked it up.
"Hello." It was Dev and annoyed Angad. He would have to make small talk first. "Hello?"
"Dev. It's Angad." He dragged his hand through his hair. He had finally cut it yesterday, but it was still longer than usual. Kripa seemed to like his hair longer.
"Angad! Dude, you haven't called for days. Now that your wife is here and p-"
"Dev!" Annoyed, she grabbed the phone from him and shoved him away. "Would you learn to just mind your own business dude? Now go away."
"Yeah, I don't want to hear you talking lovey-dovey anyways."
Angad rolled his eyes on the other side of the phone. "Scram!" Kripa shouted and watched him stroll out of the kitchen. Kripa grinned at the phone and hauled herself up on the counter. "Hey, Slick."
"Kripa." He bit back a sigh and sat down on the bed. "Hi."
"Hi. So you finally got the time to call me?" She sighed and frowned. "I miss you." Subconsciously, she laid her hand on her stomach. She couldn't wait until he did the same with their hands were linked. They were a team, Kripa thought. A team that would never break and always grow stronger.
"I miss you, too. What are you doing at your parents house?"
"Hmmm. Nothing. The house was too big for me to stay in alone. Too empty with you," she said wistfully. "Come back."
"I am tomorrow. Don't be sad and don't kill someone because your mood is foul. Take care of yourself and don't try experiments in the kitchen alone. I'd hate to come back to a burnt house."
"You're so encouraging," she replied dryly. "Don't worry, love. When you come back you're not going to let me do anything for at least eight months."
"What?" He knit his brows together in confusion. "I don't get it. What's gonna happen in eight months?"
"Idiot," she mumbled. "Nothing. I'm planning to go on a long vacation. Wanna come with me?" She asked and wiggled her eyebrows.
"I'd love to." He sounded a kiss on the speaker and made her giggle. "I'll call you again."
"Don't forget. Angad, I love you."
He hesitated and made Kripa's heart weep. "Me, too. Come see me at the airport tomorrow. I'd love nothing more than seeing you first thing tomorrow."
"I'll come. I love you, and you better bring me back a nice expensive gift. I'll give you something in return."
"Kripa, you're starting to worry me. Tell me what's on your mind?"
"Remember I broke your sun glasses? I have a new pair." She heaved a sigh, pushed her bang away. "Look, Slick, you better come back soon. I'm going to go crazy without you."
"Well, I leave that impact behind, honey. Go to sleep and think of me."
She chuckled. "You too. Oh! Olivia is supposed to be due tomorrow," she said. "Aaron is ready to fly through the roof."
"I would be too," he mumbled and grabbed another cigar since no one was there to stop him. "I'll see you tomorrow, love."
"Me too. Don't work to late."
"Yes ma'am."
"And, don't smoke!" When he coughed on the other side, she laughed. "I'm crazy about you, Angad. Good night. I love you."
"Good night," he said softly. When she clicked the phone on the other side he said, "I love you, too." It was the first time he had dared to speak the words aloud even to himself.
The knock on his door had him grumbling. Hadn't he told everyone he didn't want to be disturbed? He hadn't called for room service either. When he yanked the door open, he had to force himself to look calm.
"Sonya?"
"Hi, Angad." She pressed her lips together. As nervous and shy as always. She had cut her hair to a short cap and the color was lighter too. Angad wasn't sure why he was noticing all that. "Can I come in?"
"Yes." He moved away and allowed her in, wondering why he had to face her again.
?
Angad saw her standing in the middle of the crown with a bottle of water in one hand and her cell phone in the other. Unlike her usual style, she was dressed in a loose sweatshirt that said Pepperdine, white on black, with a snug pair of jeans under it. With sneakers. He couldn't remember when she had worn sneakers before. With a scowl on her face, she looked at her phone. Angad noticed, as he stood across the airport watching her, that she was much taller than the people around her. Her hair was left down like most of the times. And, even from so far away he could see the diamond in her finger flash. He wondered how long she would take before lifting her head and looking out to find him.
She could have sworn that she felt his eyes on her. So intense it made the back of her neck itch. She finished send another text to Aaron, telling him to calm down and then looked up. Oh, yeah, she thought as their eyes locked across the room, those eyes were intense and hot on her.
She grinned at him, sharply and tucked her phone into her back pocket. She walked two steps before she found herself running across the airport and launching herself into her arms. He caught her around the waist with a laugh and lifted her about four feet off the ground while she wrapped her arms tight around him. He allowed himself to be kissed lavishly by her and every worry, every insecurity that had been in his mind yesterday drained out as she pressed her face against her neck and took a deep, deep breathe.
"I missed you," she said and drew her head back to look at him. Her eyes were wet.
"I can see." He pressed his lips to her forehead and keeping his arm around her shoulder walked out of the airport.
"And you cut your hair." She ran her fingers through it with a grin. "It looks good."
"Thank you." He kissed her forehead and reached for her hand.
She drew out her buzzing phone from her back pocket. "Olivia went into labor about six hours ago," she explained. "I left Aaron alone with Nikki and Mom and he's frantic."
"Is she fine?"
"Yeah. The doctors are positive. Nikki is taking care of her personally." She smiled at him as he opened the door for her. Reaching over she touched her lips gently to her.
"Kripa."
"Hmmm." She closed the door and went into his arms in the parking lot deserted of people and full of cars.
"I missed you, too. I was going crazy at night sleeping on that huge bed alone. It was so uncomfortable to sleep without you kicking your arms and legs around the bed. Around me." Holding tight, he pressed his lips to her hair. "You're coming with me next time."
"Okay." She ran her hands down the muscles of his face and then up against and wondered if he could feel anything different about her. Maybe it was just her, but she felt different. A part of her told her that it was like a phobia. You thought you felt something or didn't feel something. She wondered he would notices small changes in her body the next time they were together. When she drew away she noticed the small signs of tiredness around his face and drew the keys out of his fingers. "I'll drive." She kissed his cheeks.
"Sure?"
"It's the least I could do." When they were settled in the car, Kripa turned the blasting music off knowing he needed peace. And, she wanted to talk to him. "Did everything go fine?" She asked backing out of the parking lot.
"Yes, everything was fine." He reached over and linked fingers with the hands she wasn't using for a moment and pressed his lips against her hand.
She looked at him and realized something was wrong. That the lines of fatigue around his face had to do more than just a long flight and long hours of work.
"Why don't I leave you home, Angad." She said softly. "You look really tired."
"I'll go with you." He wasn't sure what he would have done if he had to stay away for again.
"Sure?"
"Very. We'll go home together whenever we can."
Five hours later, after Olivia had given birth to two little boys, Kripa got back home more tired than she had been in a very long time. There was something odd about Angad. She'd noticed it all night. Noticed the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking. Or when she suddenly looked his way. Wishing he'd tell her what's wrong himself, without her having to ask, Kripa closed the house door behind her and caught Angad's shirt in her hand and embraced him from the back. She felt his resistance, the stiffening on the muscles in his back. Ignoring it, she pressed a kiss between his shoulders.
"Angad, what's wrong?" She turned him around and looked up at him.
"Nothing. Just tired." He dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead and walked away. She passed a hand down her stomach. How was she going to tell him? What had happened that he was so aloof?
"Why don't I get you something to eat?" She walked in behind him into the bedroom. Trying desperately.
He shook his head. "No burnt down houses," he answered lightly. "Definitely not any burned food." He stripped out of his cloths. She felt his words stab at his heart as he walked into the kitchen.
"I have some left over pizza from yesterday morning." She explained.
"No." He heard the hurt in her voice. Cursing himself he turned around and took her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Kripa. I met Soniya in New York."
"Oh." She slipped her hands into her pockets. "Well. How is she?" She asked lamely.
"Kripa." He brought her into his arms and wrapped his arms tight around her. "She's happy. And, she made me believe that it wasn't my fault."
"Good." She ran her hands down his back. "I missed you, Angad." Shifting her head back she pressed her mouth to his. "I love you," she said, knowing she wasn't to expect anything back.
He ran his hands down her back, over her hips. "I love you, too."
She jerked against him, then her hands, suddenly damp, slid down his back. She stepped away and just stared at him. She looked at him and thought she had only imagined the words. But she'd felt the quite flutter on his breathe against her neck. "I love you." She said again, believing he'd say it back again.
He smiled and cupped her face in his hands, rubbed his thumb over her cheek. Leaning towards her, he skimmed his lips over her eye lids. "I love you, too."
"I've got to be dreaming." She said. Then, reaching over she pinched his arm instead of hers. When he flinched and hissed she laughed. Hooted with it and threw her arms around him. "Tell me again and again. And then again."
He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs easily around his waist. "I love you. I love you. I love you. And, I love you. Now leave me."
"Never." She pressed her lips dead center of his forehead. "Make love with me, Angad. I waited so long to hear it from you."
He let out a long breath. "You're heavy," he complained and carried her to bed. Wait until I'm blown like a balloon she thought and chuckled at the private thought. He lifted her chin and kissed it. "What?"
"Nothing." Even as he began to undress her, she wondered if he'd noticed anything. No one could yet. She wondered if it would feel any different now that they were linked together with something so special. "What do you think about children?"
"They're cute." He looked at her. "Why?"
She frowned and traced the scar on his chest. "I want one. I want a few actually. When can I have one?"
"Kripa." He kissed her hair, rolled off her and drew her to his side. "Not yet. I want to know you and what we have before we take that next step. Okay?"
Her heart clutched in her chest. "Yeah." She had time yet, to convince him. "Why don't you go to sleep?"
"Well." He looked at her and toyed with the thin white gold chain she was wearing around her neck. "What happen to you, I missed you, I love you, and I want you to make love to me part? The last one anyways."
It was perhaps the first time she'd seen him so free, joking. She laid herself over him and kissed his soundly. "We can do that."
He ran his hands down her back and drew her closer. "Valentines Day in in two days."
"Very nice." She said and freed the snap of his jeans. "Do you have special plans?"
"Will you promise you'll leave it to me?"
"Yes. I'll leave it to you." Leaning down she kissed him and tried her best not to think about what he'd said about having kids.
Later, while Angad slept with Kripa's back pressed again his chest, arms around her she felt the exhaustion leave his body slowly. His hand was resting on her stomach. She placed her hand over it and pressed closer. Was it coincidence that his hands had ended there or was it meant to be? Kripa lifted the hand and pressed her lips against his palm. It felt like forever since he had slept so close to him.
He'd met Sonya and it had him saying the three words she'd been dying to hear. He shifted against her and turned away. She sighed and turning herself kissed his shoulder. She saw the faint lines of her own nails there and sighed. There had been a desperation in him. Speed he'd tried to control and had a hard time lashing. He'd meant it when he said he loved her. Angad was the kind of man who didn't use words frivolously. They meant something. Something important. He understood the worth of them. And, she wondered again what Sonya had told him. What must they had spoken about?
Restless, she slid out of bed and dressed in the cloths that were piled in a heap, mixed with Angad's on the floor. Her stomach growled quietly and made her chuckle. If she continued eating like this, very soon she would be fat as a buffalo. She finished buttoning her shirt and opened the fridge. She saw a few uncooked eggs, a small block of cheese, an almost empty carton of milk, some juice. Bread. She sighed.
She turned the lights on and because she knew she wouldn't go back to bed for a few hours, she turned the music on lightly. It was almost like humming. She took out the two eggs and cheese. She could eat a cheese omelet. She cracked the eggs open moments later and poured them into the pan and sprinkled the cheese she had grated quickly. Well, she was becoming good at something she thought as she put the unburned omelet on her plate. She toasted the bread and added butter to it. It was like eating breakfast, just hours before time. She bit into the toast and sighed in pleasure. It had been too long since she had indulged herself like this. Rising, she went to open the fridge and automatically took out the wine. Then stopped. She couldn't have wine anymore, she reminded herseld. She was four weeks pregnant and she knew she had to do everything to be healthy for her baby. She eyed the almost empty gallon of milk and found added just a hint of chocolate in it.
Pampering. Hadn't she read something about that from the million books she had bought and left at her mothers house. With a grin, she stabbed her fork into her eggs, took another large gulp of milk, then bit into her toast.
She sighed, ate, and patted her belly. "I'll make sure you pay later." Then she laughed and polished off her first toast and began finishing her eggs.
Angad saw her sitting on the small breakfast bar. He winced as he eyed the over-buttered toast she was biting into. He looked at her face. She must have been starving. He eyed the eggs and noticed they were unburned. Progress. He grinned and slid into the stool beside her.
"Hi." She finished her toast and brushed the crumbs off her mouth. It made him smile. Could she be the same woman he'd just made love to a few hours ago? She looked like a eighteen year old girl with any maybe on, her hair pulled back. Pure pleasure of eating on her face like a baby's.
"Hi, yourself. You're eating at this time?" He tugged the band out of her hair. It looked better down he decided.
"I was hungry. Hey!" She reached to get her cup back and giggled when he made a face.
"Why are you drinking milk? Chocolate milk." He rose and turned on the coffee maker. "Do we have more eggs?"
"No. I have to go shopping. There is left over pizza." She finished the last of her eggs, drained her milk and sighed. "That was excellent." She looked at him and noticed for the first time he wore nothing more than a pair of boxers. Very sexy.
"Hmmm. Do you want a cup?" He asked as he measured the water.
She twisted her lips. Could she had caffeine? She'd read something about limiting intakes. "No." She said finally. "I'm giving up caffeine. For a few months," she added a moment later.
He lifted an eyebrow as he added a small amount of sugar. "Why?"
"Hmm. Just like that." When he slid in beside her she just looked at him. "Do you want something to eat, Angad?"
"No. I'm fine." He sipped and set the cup down cool.
"Okay."
"Are you still doing the little get together? I'll help you with it if you want to. Oh, have you singed anything new?"
"No." She didn't want to. She had enough money in her back account to allow her to live a luxurious life for at least the next two years. She had a house she could put on sale and it would give her enough money just because she had lived in it. More importantly, Angad would be there for her and their baby.
"Are you going to?" He asked and picked up her half eaten toast.
"Are you trying to get rid of me, Slick?" Because her stomach was twisting uneasily, she stood up and went to get herself a glass of water. Set it down and walked away.
"Damn it, you got me." He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his lap. "We'll do that get together for the movie before the release and the night it releases I'm taking you away."
"Are you?" She combed her fingers through his hair. "Where?"
"To our very late honeymoon." He kissed her temple and dropped his head on her shoulder after he kissed her shoulder.
"Okay." She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his neck. Wondering why things seemed so out of place.
Hey guys,
I'm gonna post the last part, plus the epilouge late next week. I'm not sure when exactly.. Keep checking... I'll have Summer Love up tomorrow late night... like 11:30 at night...
Please remember to comment.
Neha
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