Forget-Me-Not: Taste of Freedom

Chapter Twelve

"I'm pregnant."

A long, static pause.

"What?" he whispered, like someone had sucked the air right out of his lungs.

"I'm pregnant, Abhay," she said, and then the crying started. "I don't know what to do. If my parents get to know... god, if they ask me who... I can't do this. I didn't know who else to call. Everyone hates me... I've been such a fool, and now I have no one to..."

"I'm coming there," he interrupted her. His voice was tight, but he didn't sound angry. "I'm coming there. We'll talk it over, okay? Don't do anything stupid, and wait for me, Ananya."

"Abhay, I'm sorry. I didn't think it would come to this... you don't have to come here. I'll be fine..."

"Don't say anything now," he cut her off. "Just don't do anything stupid, that's all."

He hung up, without letting her argue. Ananya pulled the phone back, staring at it for a moment, and rubbed her eyes. Suddenly, everything seemed to be under control now. She knew exactly what needed to be done. But one thought was spinning again and again in her head, and she couldn't stop thinking about it.

You're mine, she thought to herself; you're mine forever.

***

He found her on her bed when he came in. Ananya was lying still, her face turned away from the door, but she turned when she heard him. Abhay noticed the tears around the corner of her eyes and the print marks from the pillow on her cheek... she looked miserable. He was the cause of her misery. He'd done this. A stupid, drunken mistake, and it had led to all this... Just like everyone else, he'd abandoned her when she most needed him. But he was here now, and nothing could make him leave.

Ananya wiped her eyes and sat up, staring at him with a hint of wariness. "You didn't have to come," she whispered.

"You're insane," he murmured, sitting down on the bed beside her. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand to touch her cheek, and she bit her lip.

"What am I going to do now?" she whispered. "I can only think of one thing."

"What is that?" he murmured.

"Give up the child. It was a mistake, you were right. I'm not ready for this. I can't raise a child on my own, and my parents won't..."

"Ananya," he stopped her, taking her chin between his fingers. "Stop it."

She didn't speak.

"You don't have to do anything on your own. And as for the child... it's not just yours. It's ours. So you don't get to decide what to do by yourself."

"What do you mean?" she demanded, her eyes turning dark. "What are you trying to say? That you're foolish enough to give up your happiness for something you never even planned? For a mistake?"

His jaw clenched. "Yes, it was a mistake. We didn't plan for it. It might not even be easy, but Ananya, you're not alone. I'm there with you... whatever happens."

"But Vidhi..." she whispered, her eyes filling once again. "What about Vidhi? How can we do this to her? What will you say when she questions you?"

"She'll understand."

"No," Ananya whispered, moving away from him. "Abhay, I can't... this is all my fault. I wish I'd never done this... I wish I hadn't been weak enough to let my emotions get the better of me. I wish this had never happened!"