Background:
Tannu is exposed as a liar - everyone knows she is not carrying Abhi's child and just wanted to stay with him for his money and fame. She is forced to leave their house and their lives, and AbhiGya are sooo relieved.
Daadi/Sarla Maa got to know some stuff about Tannu but no one has a heart attack. AbhiGya still didn't tell the elders about Pragya not being pregnant. It's only about a week from when Abhi cancels Daadi's party.
After a dramatic day with the truth coming out, AbhiGya retire to their room for the night.
A: (Sits on sofa, stretches his legs and takes a deep breath) Fuggy, I am sooo happy today. All our problems are solved. And Daadi and your mother are safe too.
P: You don't know how happy I am. But you know there is another big problem we need to solve.
A: Problem? I don't want to hear it. Baby I am problem free until tomorrow morning, ok? Let's drink to that! Wait not you, just me! (Reaches for his scotch...hidden under the sofa 😆)
P: Maybe I should drink too...like drink a lot. So that in the morning, I puke and Daadi has some proof that I am pregnant. Or else you can tell her I am not. I am tired of attempting and failing.
A: (Pretending to be shocked/impressed) You've been attempting and failing to get pregnant! Wah Fuggy where do you find the time to sneak off!
P: Offo, aap bhi na, be serious for heaven's sake! Daadi is expecting her par poti/par pota with dreamy eyes. Now we don't even have Tannu's baby to give her. Go tell her right now that I am not pregnant. I have hurt Daadi enough for this Churail, I don't ever want to hurt her again.
A: Nope. I am doing no problem handling tonight. You can do it if you want but I think Daadi deserves a peaceful night. Pass me the cashews on your way out!
P: (opens the tin of cashews and sits across Abhi on the bed and starts eating them) Do you think cashews will make me gain some weight? Daadi has been making me step on the scale every day to see if I am gaining weight or not. Of course I have lost some while running around for Churail.
A: (snatches cashews from her) You and your bakbak (chatter)! Is this how it's going to be all night? Maybe instead of discussing your bakwas (nonsense) plans we should just make our baby tonight. (Tossing cashews in his mouth and not looking at Pragya)
P: What do you mean by make our baby? Babies don't get made just like that.
A: Listen, I didn't want to tell you this, but one time I accidentally opened one of those romance novels you're always reading. And from what I saw there, I know you don't need me to tell you about baby making. (Closes his eyes and settles his hands behind his head, totally relaxed as he is lying on the sofa)
P: I have read biology too in school to know how Homo sapiens make babies. But a husband and wife don't make babies like that.
A: (Opens one eye) now what nonsense are you talking? There is only one way, not some special way for married couples versus everyone else!
P: I knew some Latin would bring you out of your careless mood. Now listen carefully, I was not troubling you over this, because you were under immense stress from Churail matters. You are the one who announced my pregnancy and please take some responsibility and go tell your Daadi and even my mother, Purab, Bulbul and everyone that I am not pregnant. You are not a woman and you don't know how difficult it is for a woman to deal with such a sensitive matter. The more you delay it, you will hurt Daadi more.
A: I'm not moving off the sofa tonight. Kal jo hoga so hoga (Tomorrow, whatever will be, will be.(. Give me my favourite pillow na? You can have the bed. (Reaches out his hand for the pillow, still lying with his eyes closed)
P: (Takes his favorite pillow and throws it on his face) Before you start snoring make a promise to me that you will tell the Daadis tomorrow. They have also planned to feed me some special laddus for breakfast. You owe me this much for tolerating Churail all this while.
A: (Catches pillow and sits up) Uff! First of all, I don't snore. Secondly...we can't tell Daadi. Just eat the laddus and we'll figure something out tomorrow.
P: What do you mean by we can't tell Daadi? Is there a choice? Do you even know how pregnancy works? Tummy grows. And then a baby comes out. Should I start stuffing your favourite pillow under my chatri eventually? What if it falls off when I take sprints around to find your misplaced stuff and Daadi is right there in the room? And 7-8 months later, will you go shopping for a baby that looks just like you?
PS: If you don't tell Daadi, I am recording your snoring tonight and uploading it on youtube by the morning with a tagline "saari raat macho shor (make noise all night), snore like...snore like a rockstar" (sings in "Happy Love" tune).
A: (Angrily tosses pillow down and gets to his feet) You're in such a rush to fix lies tonight Fuggy! What about all these days when you've been playing along while Daadi and the Daasis showered you with affection and gold and god knows what else! How am I supposed to just go and tell her it's not true? Can't you think of any better solution than that! (Stares at her, hands on his hips, face dark, chest and arms tense...)
P: (Stands up to face him) Why don't you understand this problem will grow into a mountain? Every single day Daadi is doing one more thing for this baby. She has already started knitting hats although her vision is weak. We may successfully maintain the lie of our relationship but not this baby secret. If you don't want to tell Daadi, tell me what have you thought about as a solution so that I can also tell my mother. And please don't joke again to say we will make our own baby because we both know that is next to impossible.
A: (Looks at her for a long silent moment...steps closer...runs his fingertip along the side of her face...tips up her chin with his thumb) Next to impossible...means possible.
P: (Has a film of tears in her eyes, looks away) Is this your solution? You will sleep with me for the sake of making a baby...?
A: (Flattens palm against her cheek...makes her meet his gaze...voice low) Why? Don't you want to have my baby...our baby?
P: (Eyes fill up with tears and a few drops run down) If this is what you want...I...(Holds his collar and sobs into his chest).
A: (Closes his arms around her...feels awkward...whispers into her hair) Tears kill the mood Fuggy...what's with the flood? (On its own, his hand moves up and down her back, a soothing caress)
P: (Chokes several times trying not to cry, frantically wipes tears, tries to say something but fails, clutches his shirt for support as if she is going to fall)... I am... sorry.. I don't mean to... cry... (breaks down further hugging him tightly).
A: (Hugs her back, tight...turns and sits on the bed with her in his lap...lets her keep hiding her face in his chest while he talks, still soothingly caressing her back and arms) This won't do Fuggy, anyone would think you're not happy to be with me. You do want to be with me right? You're going to be with me, as my wife. No arguments. Our futures are one from now on...from the time I fished you out of the river, really. And what you said before...of course not just for the baby. Just if there is a baby...you understand don't you? I know you understand.
P: (Feels she is dreaming hearing his words, slowly calms down with his soothing caresses, buries her face at the crook of his neck...Tries to think over what he said and analyzes a few times if she is understanding it right, finds it still unbelievable...Moves her head back to look at his face, but can't see him due to tear fogged glasses, removes them to find his eyes looking at her with everything she ever wanted to see in them...) Aap... I... (finds herself at loss of words). I love you..(Blushes and hugs him again never wanting to let him go).
A: (Heart lightens and then soars to hear her say it...he knows she means it but...grins even though she can't see his face...asks slowly) Are you sure about that...not April fool's this time? (Not quite able to suppress a laugh...huffs a chuckle against her ear...arms tighten around her...nudges his face against her neck and places a quick kiss there...)
P: (Bites her lip at the touch of his lips on her neck, suddenly becomes aware of being in his lap and feels tingles from head to toe) As if you ever believed my April fool claim (closes her eyes trying to contain the overflow of sensations, fingers playing with the yellow buttons of his blue polo tee)
A: (Fingertip plays with the zipper on the back of her chatri, pulling it ever so slightly so it opens a teeny tiny bit...but then pushing it back up...then pulling again a bit further...pushing up again, but letting his finger briefly brush against the bared skin...) It's dangerous to lie about such things...you wanted me to believe your joke and disbelieve your love...
P: (Stiffens her back) The whole Mehra mansion proved to me that I am a bad liar and they...(Can't concentrate on what she was saying with his fingers playing with her back)...You will break my zipper like you did that day, remember, then you had to cover me the whole time (smiles, rubbing his shoulders and contemplating on her fingers' desire to run in his hair).
A: That day was an accident...but what if I open your showroom now...all the way...on purpose? (Plants his hand flat on top of the zipper...then lets his hand slide down, following the still-zipped zipper all along the midline of her back...lingers for her second at the small of her back...squeezes her hip and then lets his hand rest there, his fingertips brushing the juncture of her inner thigh...two layers of fabric between his skin and hers but suddenly the electric heat is...everywhere...)
P: (Gasps at his touches, digs her fingers in his skin, worries for a second that her back is bare for his view but relieved that he can't see it, at least yet... her heart thumps erratic, her lips quiver in craving, her fingers find her way into his hair...Feels his face nudging hers to face him, his breath nears her lips and the next moment feels her lips are caught between his)
A: (Kisses her, at first impatiently, then slows to let her adjust...turns her in his arms so that she is properly facing him, not breaking from her mouth as he does so...cradles her head with one hand, grips her waist with the other...feels her leaning into him, returning the kiss...brain shuts down and instinct takes over, and he rolls her onto the bed...)
P: (Feels his weight on the top her her... gets nervous thinking about what is going to happen... worries if she can successfully go through this, feels lost not knowing what and how to go about anything...overwhelmed with the sensations caused by his firm body pressing against hers, awkwardly whispers in his ears) Suniye...
A: (Jolted by her voice, he pulls away quickly, rolling onto his side...sees her eyes full of anxiety) Kahiye...
P: (Blushing) .I have never done this before. I just don't know if I will do it right...I am just...(Feels shy with his eyes looking at her without a blink and hides herself in his chest hugging him).
A: (Looks at the top of her head in bemusement, feels her slender arms clutching him...a pulse of affection runs through him as he realizes how nervous she is...) I'll teach you...when you're ready. Tonight we can just...I just want to...this is all I want to do Fuggy (Returns her hug, not too tight, and lightly strokes her hair...keeps his lower half angled well away from hers so she doesn't...feel any hints that he might want something more...which he does, but not now, when she's nervous and everything's so emotional...gently kisses the top of her head and mentally does breathing exercises to tamp down his hormones...)
P: Thank you. But, I am so sorry...we can do it later... right now, my heart is thumping so fast... I know the earlier we do it, better chances to give a baby to Daadi. Maybe tomorrow? Or in the morning... hope it's okay with you... But, can I ...still sleep in your arms?
A: (Laughs, sitting up and waving his index finger at her) Na na na. I know how it will be, if I agree to that. Twenty years from now you will complain to me that I only slept with you for our baby. Tomorrow we'll explain to Daadi that the reports were a mistake and we couldn't tell her because of our...chudail problem. And we'll tell her we're trying. And we'll...start trying. But not on a schedule. For now...as if I'm going to let you sleep anywhere else but my arms? And we won't both fit on the sofa so don't even think about going back there.
P: (Smiles and flies to his arms... feels him zipping back her kameez, lays her head on his chest as he adjusts on the bed... Looks up to see his face to her content and places a feather light kiss on his cheek earning a pinch on her cheek from him and a kiss on her forehead...whispers in his ear) I love you (Waits for him to reciprocate)
A: (Hearing her say it again gives him another rush of happiness...but he smirks...leans in to whisper in her ear...) I will only say it...when we finally do it. Good night!
P: (Feels a jolt run through her body, thinks her husband will never do things as she would expect...But she wouldn't want him any other way...Settles her head back on his broad chest...prays to her God for the good of everyone and slowly falls asleep with his arm around her)
It so happened that before Abhi-Pragya told Daadi about their lie regarding pregnancy, Daadi left for Ludhiana to sort out some village property matters of her relatives. When she came back after a few weeks, Pragya found herself pregnant for real. They did confess to Daadi about their lie but it didn't matter since there was already a baby growing in Pragya. Thus, Daadi's wishes were delayed by two months but not denied. The little one brought more craziness to the already mad Mehra family.
The End
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