Abhigya SS: mistakes, portals of discovery

So there's that.

And then she just had to chase her sorrow away with alcohol and drag her newly-minted ex-husband along with her. They say don't drink alone, you'll look like a loser but in retrospect Pragya has enough proof to object to that because drinking alone is infinitely better than drinking with one's ex-husband.

So they got drunk together and ended up in bed together and did things exes are not supposed to do together and, well, the rest is history.

One of them is bound to get pregnant. And surprise, surprise: five weeks after that debacle and a week after she was supposed to have her menstrual cycle, Pragya Arora stared dumbfounded at the white, rectangular pregnancy test in her hand.

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"I'm keeping the baby."

Her words were met with silence. Hearing no response, she looked up at him and gnawed on her already chapped lips. He finally let out a deep sigh.

"I actually think you've made the right choice. It won't be easy, I'll tell you that, but I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you."

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He's trying his darnedest. Everyone around him could see that.

He smiles but it won't quite reach his eyes. He shows up at every single meeting, appointments, and shows, but he wasn't really there. Sure, he's there but he's not there there. He shakes hands when needed and he speaks when asked but never, not once, has he done anything that was not required of him.

Him and his new American "girlfriend" Casey is practically attached to the hip, much to his annoyance, but what can he do? They are both the faces for a clothing line campaign and their publicist insist they "date" for the time being. They'll get good rep that way. Casey, the American "girlfriend", who is about ten years his junior, platinum blonde and about 5"10 in height, is blatant in her affection. She's very expressive and not one to hold back when it comes to PR. She's all in.

Abhi honestly couldn't care less.

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"How long are you going to keep this from him?"

She was constantly tired and hot these days. It didn't help that the weather was suffocatingly humid. She wiped perspiration from her temple.

"Until I'm ready."

"And when is that? You're halfway--"

"Look, I'll tell him when the time is right. I can't.. I don't expect this to go smoothly but I'm trying to--"

"Yeah, I know. I get it. I just wish you don't have to face all of this alone, you know?"

She let out a chuckle and elbowed him playfully.

"What are you talking about? I've got you, haven't I?"

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The blaring sound of his ringtone roused him from sleep. He cursed at himself for placing his phone right beneath his ear. He groggily swiped the screen to answer the call.

"Hello? Mister Abhishek Prem Mehra?"

"Hm? Yeah.. who's speaking?"

"Mister Mehra, we're calling from Bombay Hospital. Your wife has just been admitted--"

"W-wait, my wife? What?"

Abhi immediately sat up and held his phone in front of his eyes. He squinted at the bright screen light and didn't recognize the unknown number on the line.

"Yes, sir, we have just received a Mrs. Pragya Mehra in the emergency unit. You're her next of kin in our database. If you could please come--"

Abhi didn't need to be told twice.

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"Are you her husband?"

It took two seconds too long for Abhi to answer the doctor's standard inquiry. He was somewhat tongue-tied from the whole ordeal of rushing to the the hospital, seeing a glimpse of Pragya laying unconscious on a gurney and then watching her getting wheeled into a closed room. He quickly gave a sharp nod of his head.

"My name is Doctor Singh and I attended your wife. I have good news and bad news, which would you like to hear first?"

Doctor Singh appeared to be calm and reassuring, making gestures with his hands as he talked to Abhi. Abhi himself couldn't really focus on one thing at a time. The kind doctor seemed to understand, he's seen his share of distressed spouses in his long career.

"The bad news, Mr. Mehra, is that Mrs. Mehra has to be monitored here in the hospital for at least two nights since we'd like to run a few tests on her. And the good news is that your wife will be able to carry the child to full term."

Abhi stared unseeingly at the doctor's face. Once Doctor Singh finished speaking, Abhi shook his head as if to clear out the haze of confusion from his mind. He was utterly, completely confused.

What in the world is going on?

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