Chapter Eight
Pragya Arora Mehra never imagined she would be questioned about things which were obvious. She only knew how much it had hurt her to escape from Mehra mansion but hearing her husband ask the reasons behind, suddenly she did not sound valid to even herself. She closed her eyes when he repeated his question patiently, "why did you divorce me in the first place?" The embrace around her had tightened.
"Because your girlfriend was pregnant and the child deserved legitimacy."
"So you took matters in your hand despite my denying?"
"I did it for the baby and for your love."
He pried his fingers from her arm and looked into her eyes, searching for a sign of duplicity but could not find any. How he wished he could shake some sense into her? "I kept telling you the baby was not mine!"
"So you said-"
"You believed another woman over me?" He stood up then, scared that he might strangle her if he stayed near her. He started pacing the lenght of their room by the bed.
"Don't forget, she was the same woman who you doted. The same woman whom you paraded right in front of me!"
"That was before.. Before it all.." He stopped strolling now, one hand on his nape rubbing the taut muscle, the other on his waist. How could he make her believe him?
"Before what?" She might as well hear the rest of it.
"Before I fell for you." He sat down beside her, looking closely how she took the news and then her eyes brimmed.
"All those months, all those times you acted as if I didn't exist... And now? You.." She exhaled and hugged herself.
"I know I have been unfair to you." He said looking down at her feet peeking through the quilt. "But you played well too." He shot his eyes to her. "You divorced me, almost." He shrugged. It was him who hadn't sign the papers. The rest could have been legal in no time at all, had he not stalled the act.
It was her this time, closing the distance between them, holding his collar. "For you. I did it for you! For your family. For your happiness!"
He closed his hands over hers and replied looking into her eyes. "All I wanted from you was some trust. Some time until I could prove I was loyal to you."
"And then what? You would have left me."
"Then I would have asked you to give me some more time." He rested his forehead against hers. "This time for our happiness, for our family."
Wth tears running down her cheeks, she whispered. "Take me home." She didn't know what else to say, what else to believe. A myriad of queries and doubts emerged in her mind and tired though she was from the ordeal of the day, she decided she would ponder over later when her mind and her heart were in synch.
The journey back home did not take place right after however, what took place instead was the journey to Pragya's hostel. She needed something to occupy her mind while Abhi dealt with his business which was in the same vicinity of her university. While he was chasing praya, he was invited by the Indian arts community to perform a concert in thier university. Desperate as Abhi was to get into her circle, he had eagerly accepted their request so when Pragya got to know about his gesture she was overwhelmed.
When Abhi waited for her to gather her stuff, he realized praya was happy and in better health after he had disclosed that he had nothing to do with Tannu's child and even though he had confessed his feeling for her, she had not said those magic words. Not yet.
It was decided between them that they would leave for their homeland once her semester was over, until then she was to stick with Abhi like a shadow because he couldn't afford any more fainting, nausea or sudden craving that she might have which he might not fulfill. Pragya had merely smiled, she was trying to get the hang of being treated so royally, specially by her husband. "I'm doing it for my baby." He had said and looked away but praya knew better.
She also knew he wanted her to say those three words to him but she could not bring herself to, not when she needed time to get accustomed to having him by her side. She needed to believe in this world of dream where everything was perfect. Luckily, she got time to ponder over her life in the next few days while her husband was away for business and came to a conclusion she might as well say how she felt when she was certain he could read her eyes, see it in her smile how much he meant to her.
Abhi took a break from his practice session, placed his guitar aside and walked to the corner of the stage where they had kept the refreshments. He took a water bottle and wondered if he should call her now. Just to hear her voice or may be just to know about the baby. It amazed him, even now how shy she was when they had kissed after two months in the night after she had requested him to taker her home and he had refused a little too harshly because of her sensitive health issue. It was hard to maintain distance when she was in such close proximity but he knew she needed time to process all the happening, her pregnancy and her weakness. The doctor had prescribed extra care for at least another month and so he had resorted to more cold showers than before. Once he had even caught her giggling when he had emerged from the shower. "Hygiene is necessary." He had replied and she had just walked past him, rolling her eyes. That's when he had pulled her back and kissed her fervently. "You are going to be the death of me." He had replied agaisnt her jaw and though, it was her who had initiated the move but Abhi had reasoned with her and they ended up going to the restaurant in thier hotel for buffet dinner.
Pragya lifted the navy blue cocktail dress and examined it, wondering if she would fit into it. Tonight was going to be a big night, today they marked the third month of her pregnancy. She smiled hoping Abhi would like her surprise.
Little did she know another one was waiting for her when she approached the backstage and found Abhi talking to someone.
"You guys are moving back then?" Asked a girl of medium height in hot pink strapless dress.
"As soon as she finishes her semester, yes."
"I'm going to miss her. She has been a wonderful friend." Ali replied.
"Thank you for all your help." Abhi clasped Ali's shoulder.
"I only did my job." Came the reply. "Besides, it was hardly any task with you as my back up and she being the sweetest soul. Ouch." He hissed when the girl next to him wacked his shoulder. The girl, pragya assumed was Sarah, Ali's girlfriend.
"I better go up." Abhi tried to escape the quarrel of two new lovers.
"Break a leg!"
"Thanks mate." Abhi hugged Ali. "Thanks for all your help once again."
It took a while to join the dots. Pragya staggered a bit. Groped and held the table behind her. She struggled to breath. Abhi knew Ali, they both had known each other long before she had introduced them.
She became sick until she threw up.
Her best friend was in reality a spy, of her own husband.
P. S you know the drill guys! Hit like & comment 😳
Anupamaa
12