Chapter Nine
"Here you go" Megha said, placing Nanhi into his arms, immediately saving her own from further teasing
Nanhi began to wail instantly. That should make him run, now. Then I will be safe! Megha thought
Mohan was startled initially, but managed to hold the baby in proper position. He was nervous a little but excited a lot more
"Hey little angel!" He said to the baby "I don't bite babies. At least not you"
His voice was very gentle and deep. Nanhi hesitated a little, then settled down with a fist into her mouth with gurgles
Megha was surprised. "That's a distinction for a fresher" She applauded and it meant a lot to Mohan
"Has she eaten?" Mohan asked
"Yes, just before you arrived"
"You are too young for a motorcycle ride. How about going for a walk instead?" He asked Nanhi who was giving bubbling sound
"This might help you to carry her better" Megha offered a baby carrier
"So, it is going to be a nice walk around. I will tour you to this new place, where you are going to grow up" He continued talking to the baby
When Mohan struggled to get the carrier set around him, Megha helped her. Their act looked too intimate for them to ignore it. She moved away instantly
"It suits you. You are not looking bad wearing that" She said diverting their attention
He actually looked comfortable in his domestic duties and he didn't find it hurting his male ego. Very few men were secure enough not to throw their masculinity around. Mohan was wonderfully under control, being a man, in his own skin. Her thoughts wandered looking at Mohan
"We will be back before another set of tears" He told Megha and walked out with the baby
Megha frowned at the silent house, the moment they departed. She could have offered to walk with him but she didn't want to look like a family doing that. He too wouldn't have wanted that. She somehow suspected the ex-fiance being a friend. Why would a woman let go off someone this handsome and comfortable-in-his-skin man?
And when she realized that she had just allowed him to walk away with her baby, a light tone of panic hit her. She rushed to open the door and found a smiling Mohan busy talking to Nanhi. He turned to find Megha at the door and waved at her. She waved back and closed the door.
Mohan started walking. "Doesn't your mummy trust me with you?" He asked Nanhi who was still playing with her fist in her mouth
"Do you like doing that? Is it fun?" Mohan tried mimicking her by gently putting his fist into his mouth
Nanhi was then looking at him and Mohan found it amusing that he got her attention. He began making some funny noises to which Nanhi started cooing. He continued to hold her gaze on him trying different sounds. He was walking on the road playing the game, not bothering about the faces goggling at him.
Forty five minutes later when Mohan returned, Nanhi was calm and sleepy. He found Megha studying her ruined painting. She had cleared the dirt out of it but not without some visible marks and scars on almost all the areas.
"The baby has lot of admirers. She must be tired from being passed around. I managed to scoot her away. And also thought it must be time for her feed" He said closing down their distance
"Thank you" Megha took Nanhi into her arms
"She turned out to be my lucky Cookie" He showed a handful of cookies that he had collected from neighbors
"You must be enjoying the royal treatment here" She teased and he shrugged in pride
"So is this how it looks?" He picked up the painting that Megha left on the table, to get a clear picture
"It is the darling' in David's words" She said
"Sure she is" Mohan looked at the painting and turned to look at Megha. Then quickly directed his eyes to Nanhi
"If you can give me the work hours, I can fix my schedule around that" He wanted to give her the space so that she didn't get nervous around him
She wondered what he would be doing when he was not working with Nanhi but didn't dare asking
"If I am going to paint a similar picture, then I need to start my work at sunrise. It's going to be a hurdle to your morning sleep" Her guilt ridden face was very obvious
"I can use my morning jog to come to work" Mohan made it sound simple
"I want you to know that you still needn't do this. I can work when Nanhi sleeps"
You are back there again! He thought. She was determined in her thoughts of not wanting a man around. He admired her more for that and somehow he wanted to be with her and to know her. A month ago he wouldn't have believed in love at first sight but he didn't know what he believed anymore. Am I in love with her? I like her. Ok, little more. I care for her. That's all to it. He didn't want to examine his feelings further.
"Is it ok, if I ask a personal question?" He asked breaking his thoughts
She didn't respond knowing what he might ask. He took it as a cue to proceed and asked.
"Where is Cookie's father?" He pointed to Nanhi
"I don't know" She said and he raised his eyebrows
"Doesn't he know about her?" He asked
"Yes, he knew" She said without looking at him
"He doesn't intend to be part of her life?" Mohan's heart weighed heavy for Nanhi
"No" She sighed. She then turned to look into his querying eyes. "We eloped and married in a temple when we were still studying our final year of college. We were too naive and didn't plan anything to happen the way it happened. When we found out that we were expecting, he got cold feet. He wasn't prepared for a responsibility and this big. He didn't know what he wanted but he was sure what he didn't want."
Mohan listened quietly while Megha continued staring through her past.
"I made a mistake in understanding his commitment to me. He apologized for what he couldn't be for me. I understood he was trying to be practical when he asked me to abort the baby but by then I didn't want to do anything with him or his involvement. I then freed him out of it, wanting to take the decision on my own."
Mohan's admiration for the brave woman, who is no more a girl, increased.
"I have made mistakes. I thought aborting the child would be another mistake. And I didn't want to do any more, if I can handle it. My parents were willing to take me in, but not with the baby."
She glanced at Mohan who was still looking at her without a blink.
"I know the society, ethics, culture, etc and the difficulties we might face. I am prepared for everything and I believe I can make Nanhi understand that our lives needn't revolve around a man, who didn't want to do anything with our lives"
Mohan couldn't believe the man who didn't want a family and walked away from a woman like Megha and a sweet little baby. He didn't know what to say but wanted to stand by her.
"I am sorry that he didn't stick around" His voice was gentle
"Don't be" Megha straightened "It's for the best. We rather have his honesty than his staying out of obligation"
Mohan blinked wondering whether the statement was targeted for him too. I am not obligated!
"What if he comes back?" He didn't know what answer he wanted but he had to ask
"I don't think so" Megha responded quietly "Anyway it doesn't matter, as we are not waiting for him"
Megha's confidence and resolution amazed Mohan. He felt proud of her as if she was his own. A color of satisfaction ran into him. They both went silent and felt the air very thick around them.
"I think Nanhi got a heavy nap story" He said trying to lighten up the mood
Megha let out a chuckle and at the same time Nanhi let out a yell.
"It is feed time for her" She said
"Oh ok. Do you need any help?" Without a thought he asked
"It's fine. This is a job I've got to do myself" She hoped that she didn't have to explain her breastfeeding
He hesitantly walked towards the door "Then I will see you in the morning"
"Thanks. May be I could use a man friend, now and then" She didn't want to give any hopes to him but didn't want to hurt him either
"That I am willing to be" He was having trouble walking away but he had no reason to hang around
The next morning when Megha opened the knocking door, she found Mohan in his jogging suit, all freshened up from the exercise.
"Hello buddy! Good Morning!" His smile was contagious
Chapter TenEdited by Senpoo - 12 years ago
Cricket
