AbhiGya Omnibus of One Shots : Season of Love |COMPLETE|

34. Paternal Reaction

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder as I sat there on the bench - I looked up to see Fuggy - tormented as she was from inside, she came to support me. I couldn't hold back any longer, I just grabbed her waist and buried my head into her stomach and cried like a small child - I was weeping - the rockstar in me cringed, but it didn't stop me, because it didn't stop Pragya from comforting me either.

"Abhi, please accept Tanu and your baby. It's the right thing to do. They are your responsibility.", she whispered.  And I sighed in dismay, I didn't have a choice now, the baby was my responsibility, and with him came Tanu who would soon replace Fuggy in my life. I was scared, so scared.

***

As Aakash handed me the report, I looked at his baffled face and wondered, whose report could it possibly be, could it be that, Tanu's report had been accidentally sent home? I shuddered deep inside, and cautiously tore open the envelope - out came a report with the patients name, printed as Mrs. Pragya Abhishek Mehra. I was surprised, when did Fuggy go for a medical test? Could it be that she is suffering from something serious? A worry I had not known I possessed for Fuggy's well-being possessed me as I unfolded the report to read it. It was a pregnancy test, and the reports read positive.

It must have been quite a few minutes before I felt daadi shaking me gently and enquiring what the report was about - I was at a loss for words, my brain seemed to have gone for an overdrive, but at the same time it lacked the capability of cooking up a story - I just spoke out the truth I held in my hand - plain unabashed truth - and after so long I felt good. "Daadi, this is Pragya's medical report. It says that she is pregnant" - I sighed in relaxation, for once a lie didn't escape my lips, for once I don't have to think of cover. For once I didn't have to be cautious - I felt my terse muscles relax.

But on hindsight I wonder what was that warm fuzzy feeling inside me? The happiness, was it because I beat a lie, was it because it made me a little less of a liar, or was it because the report read Pragya was pregnant - now she couldn't leave me, my daadi would be the happiest person alive - my baby felt so real, like he was almost out there on my hands, crying and eyeing me with curiosity. I wondered would he have my laid back attitude or Pragya's sharpness, would he look more like me or more like Pragya? Would he like music over books? That would be fun, we both would together create so much ruckus that Pragya wouldn't be able to read another book in her life. I must have been smiling goofily for quite sometime, when Aakash finally broke my trance. "Bhai, wait! You have nine months to go! You are day dreaming about junior from now it self?" he laughed. To my surprise I laughed back in return - then I turned to look at the mother of my child, and saw her furious eyes, my smile faltered, why was she upset? Then the impossibility of the report hit me - and the realization made me hollow inside, I felt the absence of my baby from my world. "How can she be pregnant?" asked a small voice inside my head, "The report is a mistake" it reasoned. I didn't particularly like this voice. If I could make love to Tanu under the influence of alcohol and make her pregnant, then maybe I could have done the same with Pragya at some point, I hoped. Maybe Pragya hid it from me completely? How would she tell me, she already knew about Tanu's pregnancy. Assurance washed over me, my baby wasn't a false hope, he is indeed cuddled inside Pragya right now. I felt that familier warm feeling coming back inside me, when the annoying voice spoke again, "Tanu might let an alcohol induced you, take advantage of her, but Pragya? Would she allow it?" It reminded me of a night so long ago when me in my drunken state was trying to get close to her after finding out about her MMS with Suresh. She had shoved me away - that was Pragya - It didn't seem likely that we had ever had such a special night. But did that mean the baby isn't really there? It felt like my paternal instinct was clouding my rationality - I wanted to protect and keep my child safe inside Pragya - Pragya, now she and Tanu both are equal, how would she justify leaving me, she was pregnant too, I love my child, the child is solely my responsibility - in fact I am dying to see him for the first time -  there was no way I was going to let Pragya leave me now.

Overwhelmed by the news and the affection and warmth it brought me, I walked to Pragya, by passing Tanu and hugged her tight. "Congratulations Fuggy, I couldn't have been happier. Thank-You" I held her between my arms tightly and I could hear daadi's soft and content sniff from behind. But Pragya gently pushed me away and looked at me with revolt in her eyes, "Have you lost it Abhi, what are you saying? I am Pragya, not Tanu." She whispered hoarsely, clearly shaken by the news herself. I took a step back, I was intimidated, I was too close to bursting this happy bubble of mine, dangerously close, I backed away, I didn't want to touch rationality. "Abhi, the reports are false, you know it, we have never been a husband and wife properly, behind closed doors. How can you react this way?" she asked in shock. I didn't reply, but there, my bubble did burst - the phantom child around whom my life revolved for a few minutes, suddenly abandoned me - he was gone, and soon Pragya would too - leaving me behind with Tanu's and her child. I was scared, so scared.

***

A/N : Guys, don't forget to vote, share and leave me a message :)