Cabir's line makes Navya stiffen her body under his torso.
"Means?"
She sounds oblivious, however, deep down she can anticipate the answer. Cabir sinks his face in the bent of her neck and utters in a tender voice,
"We lost our baby in our past. We suffered a lot in our past. But we can't lose our future for it. We should try to welcome him or her once again."
Navya keeps mum, still waiting for Cabir's clear demand. Having no response Cabir lifts his face and tries to meet her eyes. The room is dark. Still, the moonlight invading from the open window is partially illuminating her face.
"Will you give me my baby back?"
Cabir demands in his baritone voice while skimming his palm on the side of her sweaty face. Navya keeps staring into his eyes. The pain is still bothering her as he is still inside.
"We are trying, Cabir. We never use protection. I had been a mother until now if God would have wished."
She sounds hapless. Cabir minutely observes her. Her eyes lack hope. He tries to separate himself from her and counters,
"What do you mean, God doesn't want to see us as parents?"
As he pulls out himself Navya fails to suppress her painful wail.
"Ahhhhh..."
Cabir startles to hear her cry and restlessly enquires,
"What happened, Madhu? Are you hurt? Did I hurt you?"
He roams his eager hands on her body trying to feel where she is feeling pain. Navya wobbles in denial but her teary eyes can't pacify Cabir's uneasy heart.
"Navya, tell me!"
His unusual call and the edginess of his voice makes Navya realise that today he won't leave the topic without knowing the truth.
"I...I feel pain during...during intercourse."
She hesitantly reveals. Cabir sits on the bed squarely and takes the discarded tee-shirt from the side to wear it again.
"Since when? Why didn't you tell me?"
His voice has both worry and anguish. Navya pulls the bedsheet on her bare chest and meekly answers,
"Since our marriage. I wanted to tell you but you...you remain busy. I thought you will be upset and won't come....close to me."
Cabir sighs deeply and lies down beside her. His eyes are fixed to the ceiling but his mind is wondering something. Did he become so distant from Navya that she can't share her pain with him nowadays? Should he have heard her silence?
"Does only physical closeness prove that I am close to you? I am sorry Navya. Perhaps I distanced myself so much that you have lost your comfort with me. I kept on making love with you without feeling that it is only giving you pain. I am sorry. I should have listened to your silent pain."
His voice has agony and remorse which forces Navya to turn at him. She places her palm on his opposite cheek and tries to turn his face to her.
"It's not that, Cabir. You know that how much I love you. I know you are there for me, always. It's just...I...was upset with me. I want a baby too, Cabir. I want to bear your baby in my womb...again."
Her voice trembles to suppress the deep emotion mingled with the wish. Cabir takes a turn to her and pulls her closer. Navya nestles to his known touch.
"Tomorrow we will visit the doctor. Let's take a thorough check-up. Both of us and then we will start our plan to have a small Madhubala."
He softly giggles while tries to comfort her worry. Navya withdraws her head and asks with a frown.
"Why Madhubala? It can be a small Cabir too."
"No...it will be Madhubala...stupid but cute."
He adamantly demands. Navya counters with equal force,
"It would be Cabir. Grumpy but adorable."
"I am grumpy?"
Cabir rolls his eyes.
"I am stupid?"
Navya pouts and asks. For a while, both of them keep gazing at each other. And the next moment, giggle at their childishness. Cabir yanks her closer and hides her frame into his chest. With a content sigh, he mouths,
"Whatever our baby would be, we will love our child to the moon and back. We will try to be the best Dad and Mom."
In reply, Navya only tightens her grip on his back. Her pain is now pacified with love. The ones who love you never leave you. Even if there are hundred reasons to give up, they find one reason to hold on.
..................................................
My mobile beeps for once and it breaks my slumber. I open my eyes and grope for it. My hand touches it. With squinted eyes, I read the message- "Señor, should I come to pick you up? You won't get any taxi from there." I remember everything. Sam wanted to wait for me but I insisted to leave as I didn't want to meet Nandini in a hurry. Suddenly the name Nandini alerts my every sense in a fraction of a second. I observe my position and find out that I am lying on her, keeping my head on her stomach. My hands were wrapping her waist like tight ropes. She is still sleeping. Some front buttons of her dress are open. Her chest valley and partial sight of her breasts are visible. I move my eyes from there and get up from her body carefully. I am still wearing my jeans though my upper torso is fully bare. I roam my eyes to locate the shirt and grab it from the side table.
"I should leave. Whatever happened between us was unexpected. It was not intended."
My mind suggests me.
"Just like you did in the past. You did the mistake and let her go like a coward. Do you want to do the same mistake again? If you want to bring her back into your life then accept your deeds. If you came close to her then it was your wish. Now, you can't escape from the consequences."
My inner self rebukes. Is he right? Am I going to do another mistake by leaving like a thief? Yes, he is right. I came here to give her a chance to vent out her anger. I came here to get her back in my life. I can't leave the situation in between as an unfinished story. My reverie breaks with a soft moan. I look at her. She is waking up. She is stirring in her sleep. I glance at my wristwatch. It's showing 5:30 am. The subtle chirping of the birds outside is indicating that a new dawn is ready to welcome a new day. Nandini slowly unfurls her eyes and for a moment, keeps on staring at the ceiling. It seems that she is also trying to clear her mind. Suddenly she looks here and there and her eyes eventually get fixed on me. With a jolt, she sits on the bed. My heart skips its beat. My tigress is awake...finally but I am ready to be slain as well.
...............................................
My eyes fall on him. He is standing like a statue but his whole concentration is on me. My mind starts calculating the whole scenario with its rapid speed. The last thing I can remember is that I fainted. I just burst out on him and after that, I can't remember anything. I shift my eyes at the window pane. Soft morning sunrays are glowing through the glass. That means he was with me for the entire night. Did he get me in the bedroom? Was I unconscious for the whole night? And he? Where was he? Did he?...As the thought pokes my conscious I observe my clothes. Three buttons of my dress are open. My heavy chest is quite visible. Embarrassedly I place my hand on my chest.
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
I mouth in haste while tries to get up from the bed. I am not being able to meet his bright eyes. Are they asking me anything?
"I tried but you were totally unconscious. Perhaps my abrupt presence was too shocking for you."
He answers my question. I try to walk past him but he halts me with his words,
"Before you ask me, let me tell you. I was here for the entire night. Not only in this room but in your bed. I...I...slept with you last night."
His last line roots me to the place. Suddenly it seems that I can feel his touch on my entire body. How can he be so desperate? He took the advantage of my unconsciousness! How could he? Bile rushes to my throat. I clutch his shirt by his bicep and turn him towards me.
"What? Come again?"
I hiss out. My eyes are spitting fire. But that can't break his compose. He calmly repeats,
"Yes, I slept with you. I couldn't hold myself back to come closer to you. But I am not ashamed of that because I don't think I have done any mistake. I love you and I know you also love me. Now, you can give me any punishment. I am ready to take."
What? Is this man insane? He took me without my permission and now he is asking for my punishment like a stubborn child. I grit out,
"Have you come here to test my patience? Or you think that you will keep on making mistakes and I will keep on forgiving you...You..."
He cuts my lines and mumbles with puppy eyes,
"Punishment. You can keep punishing me."
"That means you will keep on making mistakes?"
I vent out my surprise. He concludes with beaming eyes,
"I will keep on loving you."
My God...how cheesy this guy can be. I was about to part my lips to rebuke him again, a light knock is heard at my door.
Author's note: Who has come at the door? Will Manik be able to gain Nandini's forgiveness? In the next Manik will meet Maan again. Stay tuned and keep smiling. 😊😊❤❤