Part 3
Armaan was greeted by the maid as soon as he entered.
"Good evening Sir" She wished.
"Good evening" His replied with a distracted tone as his eyes roam
into the other parts of his apartment searching for that one face. "Where
is Riddhima?" He questioned as his gaze returned with a failure.
"She is sleeping in bedroom...but I think she is not feeling well"
Concerned took over his mind as gave a glance to worried maid and with quick
steps, moved towards the room.
"Is she having fever? Why haven't you called me?" He inquired with a
frown.
"No Sir...It's not fever...but she hasn't eaten anything since morning...I
have inquired her numerous times but she just refused it" The maid was
following him with quick steps in order to match his pace. Armaan stopped in
his tracks and ran a hand over his forehead.
"Did I over react in the morning..." He questioned himself and with
regret, this time moved towards the room after giving the maid an order.
"Warm up the food...I will too have it now"
On entering his room, he found her sleeping peacefully while holding his pillow
close to herself. Her face was almost hidden into it that made him have a small
smile.
"She is missing me..." He thought with a sad smile and sat beside her
on the bed, making sure not to disturb her.
She was surly missing him. Their wedding album which was still open, was placed
beside her on the other side of the bed. He caught a glimpse at it, looking
intently at the beautiful bride, smiling from her heart and was holding
beautiful dreams in her eyes. Her face was radiant with his love.
And then he glanced at her.
Pale face, eyes having dark circles around and under those eyelids, he knew he
would find redness. Her jubilant self was now a painting of pain and
helplessness.
"Why you are doing this to yourself? You want me, I know...Then why are
you hell bent of pushing me away from yourself" He thought with
helplessness.
He was busy staring when the maid came and knocked on the door,.
"Sir... food" She whispered.
"Put it on the table and leave for the day..." Maid nodded and after
being done as she was told, the maid left the apartment as silently as she
could.
He put forward his hand and rubbed the back of his fingers against her
smoothness of her cheek.
"Riddhima...Riddhima..."He whispered in the gentlest of his tone.
"Hmmm..."
"Get up baby...Lets have some food...I know you haven't eaten
anything..."
"Armaan" She replied in a babyish tone and turned in her sleep to hug
his waist, hiding her face in the side of it.
He smiled at her cuteness and ruffled her long hairs gently.
"Riddhima...Come on...Get up...Otherwise we would be late for all the fun
I have planned for us" And that's when Riddhima realized that indeed he
was sitting beside him.
With a shock look, she get up and looked away. She was dishearten after seeing
the album and lay down in the bed, holding his pillow, promising herself to
move out of the room before he would come back but didn't realize when she went
to sleep. She looked at the clock and realized that he was home earlier than
usual.
He tucked her hairs behind her ear, that startled her and with hollow eyes, she
looked at him.
"I am sorry for last night and this morning... I think I over reacted but
I missed you so much in the last week that when you questioned me, I took out
all my frustration on you..." He apologized with sincerity in his eyes.
"I am sorry too...But Armaan..." She wanted to explain him a few
things but was cut off by him.
"No more discussions before you have the meal...I myself am so hungry...I
couldn't eat myself" He said and brought the food near her.
Making the morsels, he fed her first before taking the next bite himself.
Riddhima noticed the change in his emotions and found the real man with whom
she fell in love. He was caring, supportive and loving.
As she was done, she moved forward and kissed his stubbled cheek.
"Thank you" He grinned on feeling her lips against his cheek and
looked at her with hopeful eyes.
"If this is the way, you would say thank you than I guess, there are many
more kisses coming my way" She blushed at his comment but tried to keep her
smile hidden.
But she should have known, he knew every aspect of her personality.
She saw his loop sided smile and
"Don't get any wrong ideas...I am still going to sleep in the next bedroom
tonight" And that dimmed the light in his eyes but nonetheless, he didn't
question her.
"Do whatever you want...But right now, get up and get ready...We are going
for shopping" And he was gone to put away the dishes before she could
questioned him anymore.
--------------------------
He admired her while standing at the edge of the clothing rail while she was
looking at the beautiful dresses hanged in row.
Wearing a simple orange front buttoned shirt, the cuffs were rolled up messily
till the elbows while below she was just wearing a blue jeans. Her hairs were
open, just the way he liked. Her ears were adored with small pearls while her
neck only had her small one line beaded mangalsutra that marked her as his and
His only.
"Armaan...How is this one?" Riddhima inquired making
him look at a white anarkali frock having netted sleeves and multi colored work
on it.
"It's beautiful...Try it on" He encouraged her, making her smile but
as soon as she was about to move towards trail room, he ushered another light yellow
churidar having a combination along with purple.
While she was away, he wander into other rails before he came to a halt seeing
"Baby Garments"
His eyes teared up but right then he heard her voice from behind. She was
searching for him.
"'Armaan..."He quickly schooled his expression and took out the
handkerchief from the side of his pant pocket before whipping the moisture in
his eyes.
"Armaan...Where are you?" Her eyes wandered into the rails before
finding him coming back to her with hurried steps.
"Wow...That's looking great...You should buy it without any delay"
His voice held admiration that was hard to ignore. His gaze was strong and
fierce.
"You think so..." She rose up her lashes softly and noticed a sleek
line of water in her eyes that made her worried.
"Were you crying?"
"No...Something went in my eyes" He made an excuse and without
hearing anything further, she moved up on her toes and hold his face, blew into
his eyes.
"You should be careful" She scolded cutely, making him smile.
People who were passing them, looked at them all lovey dovey and adored. Riddhima
was ignorant to it but Armaan realized and moved away.
"Ok enough now...I am ok...Go and change..." She looked around
embarrassed on seeing people looking at them before rushing back to change,
leaving him chuckled at the back.
---------------------------
Done with his shirts, she was about to move towards the next section but he
stopped her.
"Not their Riddhima...Lets go to that warm clothing section and buy
something for Mom and Dad" Distracting her for the time, he tried to push
her.
"But why not their..." She just voiced and saw something breaking in
his eyes that made her stop right at the point.
Averting her eyes, she let his lead wherever he wanted.
The rest of the time, they wander from one shop to another but the interest in
the shopping was lost. Armaan had a look at her dull face and felt that all his
efforts till now were useless.
May be shopping wasn't a good idea.
He scratched his forehead and looked away when his eyes fell on a furniture
shop.
"Riddhima...You sit here...I will just be back in 15 minutes" Riddhima
nodded distractedly and Armaan left her.
-------------------------------
They entered their apartment and just put the bags away when the bell rang. Armaan
grinned and went back to open it while Riddhima went to take a shower to put
her tired limbs to rest and her running weird thoughtful mind in peace.
After keeping her body soaked in a filled Peach bubbled fragrance tub, she
cleaned herself and wore her nighty before she got out and decided to move
towards the other room but was stopped by Armaan's excited voice.
"Mind watching a movie with me tonight" Wearing his black slacks and
t-shirt, holding a popcorn bowl in one hand and other holding two sodas, he asked
with hopeful eyes. The light was dimmed to soft yellowish color, making it look
more romantic.
She was in no mood to sit down and watch a movie, but didn't had the heart to
reject his offer. Today, she got to see a side of him, he never showed.
His broken side. His weakness.
He didn't deserve it all. She understood. She was being unfair to him.
"For sure" Forcing a smile on her lips, she turned to move when she
noticed the new addition in their living room.
A two seater reclining sofa.
"This...When we bought it?" Her tone changed a little in surprise.
"Well..." He gave a look to the sofa and then at her. "I think
someone demanded it long back...I thought it was high time to fulfil those
wishes". He replied in a slow romantic tone and raised up his brows to ask
her opinion.
She ran her fingers of the white hand rest and noticed the middle drink
setting space.
"Its superb...I loved it" he said and flanged her arms around his
neck in a way to say thank.
Armaan smiled from his heart. Something he could do to distract it even if for
a minute.
As his hands were occupied by the drinks and bowl, he was unable to hug her
back but nonetheless loved the feel of her body against his.
"Which movie?" She asked pulling herself away from him and took her
place on the sofa.
"Your favourite...SRK's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" Riddhima smiled as after
putting the drinks on the drink holder, he pulled out foot rest for Riddhima to
get comfortable on and then holding the remote, started the movie on his
46" LED TV.
----------------------
The movie just started, showing the glimpse on the life of Rahul and Tina...Armaan
tried his best to fast forward the first 4 minutes, fearing that the starting
somewhere will hit a string on her heart but still, even in that fast forward
mode, the scene of a very elated to be father Rahul keeping his ear next to the
baby bump of a pregnant Tina displayed, making her turn the face of the other
side.
He closed his eyes for a moment before looking at her. Biting her lower lip,
she was looking away.
As the movie started on the normal pace and the dialogues sound spread in the
atmosphere, Armaan hoped that it will avert her mind. And it did.
Apparently.
Just to show him off, she kept her gaze on the LED screen but her mind was
running a flashback of their life on its own.
Flashback~
"Baby...when you will come then we will go for morning jogs as your Mumma
is too lazy to get up in the morning...We will try out new dishes...Do lots of
traveling and not to miss, mess up with your Mumma" Armaan was laying in
her lap, keeping his face pressed to her belly just trying to feel himself
close to the three month old baby, nourishing inside his lovely wife.
"Wow...Baby is not born yet and you are already ganging up against
me" She said with a pout while her fingers kept on caressing his plush
hairs.
He rose up his brow in a teasing way.
"Of course...I heard that the first child mostly take after their
Dads...And I will be one cool dad to have" He said with a happy pride look
only to get a smack by her.
"Don't be so assumptive...My baby will follow my steps" Her tone held
a finality that put his argument to a break.
"What do you meant by MY BABY" He got up and get seated beside her.
"Not my baby...Our Baby...who will a little be a part of you...and a part
of me" His dreamy tone made her go Awe. She leaned into his arm, giving a
side hug and felt his lips in her hairs, kissing.
"Our Baby"
She whispered and they both clasped their hands on her little swelled belly.
Flashback Ends~
"Riddhima..." She found herself face to face with Armaan, who was
leaning down on his with a concerned look.
"What happened?" And those words just seemed like a breaking point
for her as a tear rolled down her cheek, then the next and then some more.
He was keeping a gaze on her from time to time, hoping that she is fine but
when her face seemed stilled, he couldn't help but get on his feet to check.
But her tears made him realize that indeed she was not well at all.
"Don't cry baby...Please...hushhh..." He bend some more and wiped her
tears but turning her face in his palms, she started to cry even harder.
He panicked.
But she just grabbed his hand and cried into it.
"Riddhima...Riddhima...Come here" He made her crying self get up and
made her sat in his lap while he took seat on the sofa. Putting the TV on mute,
he just hugged her close while she cried for the first time so bitterly after
the loss they beard almost four months before.
They were a happily married couple. Their life was as smooth as ever. Having
the love of both parents and a easy going life. Even they got married with
without a hitch. No arguments or objections were raised by anyone. It was all
too easy. Good career, blessed life and their happiness grew twice when Riddhima
found out about her pregnancy. The parents were elated so were they. Armaan
took full care of her needs and smiling bear her demands until one day, when
she went for ultrasound, the doctor gave them the saddest news of their life.
The baby was suspected with IUGR(Intrauterine Growth Restriction). It has
completely stopped its growth right in the 18th week of the pregnancy. They
were warned that if they don't abort the baby now, he/she might die inside and
that will be too dangerous for Riddhima. They were shocked, angry and broken.
They consulted 3 more Gynaecologist who suggested the same and at last, due to
circumstances, they had to go for abortion as the last resort.
"Why does it happen to us Armaan...Why? Was I not going to be a good
mother...Was there something wrong I did that I was punished this way" She
asked sobbing, keeping her face close to his heart. Her fist was clenching on
her shirt in a tight grip.
Armaan pulled her closer in the warm cocoon of his arms.
"Shhh baby...Don't say why us? It means that we wished all this on someone
else...Are we that selfish?" He questioned, moving his fingers slowly up
and down on her back.
In response, she just hid her face more into his neck and let the silent tears
spill.
"And it wasn't a punishment...it was just a test by God for us, just to
see how thankful we are of Him and how strong we are to move forward from this
phase" he was desperately trying to reason out with her...but she ignored
his silent pleas in his words.
She just wanted to pull everything out today. God knows how much she just
wanted to express that grief and share it with him.
"Do you think I made a mistake somewhere? May be I had missed up on some
vitamins or medicines prescribed by the doctor...Was it cause mom forbid me to
share this news with anyone till the 5th month but I still went ahead being a
chatter box and told it to every second person around me" With each word, she
was getting hyper and that somewhere started to scare him.
"Riddhima...Calm down...Calm down...You did nothing wrong...Maybe"
Sighing heavily, he closed his eyes.
"May be we weren't ready for parenthood yet Riddhima...May be it was God's
way to make us realize how worth babies are and how big of a blessing it
is...May be if we have gotten it all so easily, we would have taken it for
granted" Riddhima rubbed her nose in his chest, still sniffing.
"But we would never have did it" She counter argued.
And Armaan just held her chin, making her teary eyes looked up in his hopeful
one.
"I know...But now, whenever we will have it, we will take care of it much
better...We will make sure to make our baby our top most priority as the
next time, it will be a gift worthless" And Riddhima just hugged him
tightly around his neck, wishing silently in her heart that whatever he said,
will come true.
Armaan let her take her time to cry into it. The last time tonight. As from
tomorrow, he hoped she will also look forward to a beautiful sunshine in their
life.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
comment:
p_commentcount