The house was bustling with noise, laughter, and endless instructions about what Kaushiki should or shouldn’t do. Everyone had their eyes on her, fussing over every step she took. But tonight, the world was strangely quiet.
Kaushiki walked into their room after a long day of pampering, expecting Ashwin to be in his study as usual. Instead, she froze at the sight before her.
The balcony had been transformed. Fairy lights twinkled against the night sky, a small table set with candles and two plates waited, and soft music floated in the air. The fragrance of her favorite food—simple dal makhani and butter naan—wafted through.
Ashwin stood there, in his usual crisp shirt, sleeves rolled up, but this time with a rare, boyish nervousness in his eyes.
Kaushiki blinked, surprised. “Yeh sab…? Ashwin, tumne—”
He walked forward, gently holding her hand and guiding her to the chair. “Tumhe lagta hai main tumhe bas doctor ki tarah dekhta hoon? Kaushiki… tum meri wife ho, meri zindagi ho. Aur iss zindagi ke naye chapter ke shuru hone se pehle… mujhe ek pal sirf tumhare saath chahiye tha.”
Her throat tightened as she sat down. The candles flickered, and for the first time in months, she felt like just Kaushiki, not the pregnant bahu everyone was guarding like treasure.
They began to eat, quietly at first, but Kaushiki couldn’t help teasing him. “Mujhe lagta tha tumhe romance ka R bhi nahi aata.”
Ashwin smirked faintly, scooping dal into her plate. “Main practice kar raha tha… shayad kaam aa hi gaya.”
A laugh escaped her, but then silence fell, heavy yet comfortable. Kaushiki placed her hand on her stomach, and Ashwin’s eyes followed the gesture.
“Dar lagta hai?” she whispered.
He leaned closer, resting his forehead against hers. “Haan. Lekin tumhare saath hoon toh sab sambhal lunga. Tumhe aur hamare bacche ko kabhi kuch hone nahi dunga.”
Her eyes glistened. She cupped his face, whispering back, “Ashwin, main bhi dar rahi hoon… par main jaanti hoon ki tum ho toh kuch bhi mushkil nahi.”
They sat like that for a long while, words replaced by the comfort of touch. Ashwin pulled her into his arms, letting her rest her head against his chest. The night sky stretched wide above them, the fairy lights twinkling like promises yet to be fulfilled.
For once, the chaos of the family, the fears of tomorrow, the pain of the past—everything faded away.
Tonight, it was just them. Husband and wife. Two souls who had walked through fire together. And now, standing at the edge of something new, they allowed themselves this fragile, glowing peace.
The Rawat mansion was glowing with warmth, yet everyone tiptoed around Kaushiki as if she were made of glass. Anita brought her milk with saffron. Kritika kept knitting tiny sweaters. Bhoomi fussed about her walking too much. Even Yuvaan and Vedant hovered like anxious brothers every time she so much as sneezed.
Kaushiki, though grateful, felt suffocated. “Main pregnant hoon, bimaar nahi,” she complained one evening, folding her arms.
Ashwin glanced at her over his book, hiding a smile. “Pregnant aur stubborn. Dangerous combination.”
Her glare softened as she sat beside him. Resting her head on his shoulder, she whispered, “Mujhe darr lagta hai, Ashwin. Last time jo hua… phir na ho.”
For a moment, his hand tightened around hers. His eyes grew shadowed, but he kissed her forehead softly. “Iss baar sab theek hoga. Main sab kuch control mein rakhoonga.”
But even as he said the words, Ashwin felt the familiar coil of fear in his chest. He had seen too many cases where fate turned cruel in an instant. He didn’t let it show—he couldn’t. Not when Kaushiki’s eyes searched his for reassurance like a child needing comfort.
That night, as Kaushiki slept curled against him, Ashwin stayed awake longer, staring at the ceiling. His mind replayed every scan, every test, every heartbeat of their unborn child. He had promised her everything would be fine, but he knew nature answered to no man’s control—not even his.
The next morning, the house was buzzing with last-minute baby shower decorations. Kaushiki laughed for the first time in days, scolding Yuvika for spilling glitter all over the floor. The family’s laughter echoed through the halls, but beneath the joy ran an unspoken current of tension—everyone remembered the last heartbreak too well.
Even Kaushiki, while smiling, placed a hand over her stomach more often than usual. She whispered small prayers when no one was watching.
Ashwin noticed. He always did. But he chose silence. Because sometimes silence was stronger than promises.
The day ended with the family sitting together, plans being made for tomorrow, the house alive with chatter and excitement. But when the night settled and quiet returned, Kaushiki’s voice broke the darkness.
“Ashwin?”
“Haan?”
“Tum mujhe chhod kar kabhi nahi jaaoge na?”
His chest ached. Pulling her close, he whispered into her hair, “Kabhi nahi, Kaushiki. Main tumhara hoon… tumhara hi rahunga.”
And somewhere outside, the winds howled, as though the universe was preparing them for the storm about to come.
YOU ARE READING
𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚
Romance"Marry me," he said. And just like that, my life became a rom-com gone wrong. Kaushiki Rajput-clumsy, loud-mouthed, and hopelessly optimistic-never expected her first encounter with Dr. Ashwin Rawat to involve publicly accusing him of child neglect...
