"Hey, man. How's married life?" I fist bump Asad as he gets out of his car.
"It's awesome." He laughs as he looks behind me.
"Foziah left," I say to him. "Just a few minutes ago."
"Are you serious? I asked her to wait for a few minutes." He shakes his head. "She drives me crazy."
I laugh. "That is called wife."
He laughs with me as he calls her and goes a little away to talk. I unlock my car as I remind myself Avni is waiting.
As I am about to enter in I watch Sara walking to her car. I frown, there is never a time she is silent. She has mischievousness in her eyes every time and whenever she sees me she makes sure to call me CM and pass some comments or anything.
"Hey, RK," I call her out loud. I know calling her that would make her roll her eyes but instead, she looks at me and gives a sad smile.
"What's wrong?" I ask her out of concern.
"I need some rest." She shrugs.
"Hello, tiny winy girl." Asad comes back, I know that makes her shout at him but she smiles back.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to pick your sister for a date and she says she needs a shower before anything so she is at home." He rolls his eyes.
"Hey, you okay?" He asks noticing her acting a bit weird.
"You can share you know." I walk towards her and Asad follows me, we stand on either side of her as we wait for her to say something.
"I fucked up." She exhales. "After Fouzy's marriage, I felt lonely at home there was no one fighting over silly things so I made this habit of going to an ice cream bar."
"I met a guy there a week before Christmas and he came each day. The first day he took the parcel and went and we just shared introduction as we waited to pay."
"From next day he used to eat ice cream there only and I know he wasn't so ice cream lover because he didn't eat more than one."
"It didn't take me long to understand where this would lead and I thought it was a nice distraction. I knew that it wouldn't work because I didn't have any feelings for him but I wanted to give it a try and find out where I can go with him. We shared the contact numbers and we talked at night for three days and he invites me to his Christmas party. First I wasn't sure if I want to go but then again I thought I need to give it a try and I agreed to be his date."
"I shared it with Avni and Fouzy in a short story, I wanted it to be a secret yet I liked sharing with both of them so I kept it short."
"They both said me if I was happy it was fine but they also said it's weird. It was fine with me and I was trying to be excited like any normal girl but it wasn't working. I went to the party he introduced me to his friends and I enjoyed the company. It was until I hear someone say, "Did Tanay break up with Alia?"
"I enquired and I got to they are all Alia's friends. I didn't know what to do and the only thing I did was go straight towards that moron and slap him on the face."
"He was a playboy and I don't understand how Alia isn't aware of it. The worst part was I couldn't face Alia when she came in and talked with her friends and the gossip flew. I ran away after shouting at Tanay before Alia could notice me."
"It was like he didn't invite her at all and she came as she knew there was a party tonight. I know it would hurt her but I also know it would hurt her more if she finds out I was the reason for her break up."
"Believe me, I have seen her going all red whenever she used to speak about him. I wish, I had met him or seen him before."
She sobs silently and I don't understand at this moment what I should do. A part of me gets sad as I comprehend Alia may be having a breakdown now.
"In a way it's good it happened, Alia found about him sooner," Asad uttered after a little silence.
"Maybe." She shrugs. "I can't hide this from Alia I need to tell her and for some reason, I feel ashamed."
"Sara, you need to remind yourself you didn't do it intentionally." I tilt to look at her. "You were cheated too."
"I know." She nods. "But more than me she is hurt, it was a matter of a week for me she's been with him for months."
"Come on, I don't like it when you are crying." Asad wipes her tears. "Just be honest with Alia you'll be fine."
"And I am sure she will understand." I smile at her.
"I know she will." She exhales. "God, I hate it when I cry. My tears are so precious." She chuckles as she sniffed.
"I love you guys." She throws her arms around us and we hug her back.
"So, when are the babies arriving?" She raises her brows as the corner of her lips tugs up.
"Maybe soon if you stop being RK in my life." I laugh as she rolls her eyes.
"Come on, I just enter your romance in the office I don't come in your room. Stop calling me that."
"You are still RK, office or room romance is romance, and you are Romance Killer." I feel satisfied when I manage to irritate her. This expression suits her not the sad one.
"Stop this. Just tell me are the babies on the way?" She looks at me and Asad impatiently.
Asad and I look at each other and I shrug. "Maybe." We say slowly and her face brightens.
"I knew it!" She flips her hair. "I am looking forward to seeing you guys changing diapers of your babies."
She walks to her car as she suppresses her laugh, we both watch as she pulls her car out of the parking lot.
"Do you know how to change diapers?" I look at Asad.
"I don't know." He shrugs. "I'm going to google it and learn."
"Do share the video with me." I blurt out.
"Sure, if you look for some other tips you share them with me."
"Yeah." I nod we both stare at each other.
"We are keeping this secret, aren't we?" He asks me in a hushed tone.
"We are!" I smile at him gladly.
"Are we?" I close my eyes as I hear DD's voice behind me.
"Yes, we are." I look at him pointedly.
"You are keeping it secret I'm not." He laughs.
"What do you want?" Asad looks at him questioning.
"Maybe some fun." He approaches us. "Businessmen trying to google how to change a diaper. Sounds so funny to me." He laughs.
"I think it should be like, how to change a diaper step by step." Asad corrects him.
He's right.
"Wow." DD gives him impressed look. "You guys are like really going to be fathers?"
Avni is waiting.
"Look, I have some urgent work I'm leaving. It's almost 6:30."
I don't wait for them to answer as I rush to my car. I drive down the streets as I start missing Avni. I really need to let her know how much I am grateful to her, she is my everything, and if she has any doubt in her head I need to clear that.
I understand some things are meant to be only our secrets but at the same time, I want us to be open with each other in serious matters.
Letting your partner know how thankful you are to them makes them happy and satisfied. It gives them an idea of how much their partner respects and admires each thing of them and that they are not taking it for granted.
And I don't take anything for granted from Avni and my family.
Security opens the gate as I arrive I frown looking at Alia's bag on the floor. I park my car then pick the bag and walk inside.
"Mom," I call her out, she's sitting along with Bebe watching some show on TV.
"Where did Alia go?" I ask as I approach them.
"She's gone shopping with Avni." She replies. "Want some snacks?"
I decline politely as I walk to my room. I check my phone to see if Avni has left some messages but nothing is there. She makes sure to inform me always, strange.
Then I recall maybe she took Alia to cheer up her mood. Alia probably shares everything with her.
I sigh as I sit on the bed and lose my tie. Unlocking my phone I call her, she doesn't receive it and the next time I call it says it's switched off.
I get restless as I call Alia, to my relief she picks up. "Where are you guys?"
"On the way." She answers before she disconnects the call.
For some reason, I don't feel relief. The conversation with Rayan didn't go well today, did I make a mistake by closing the contract?
We finished the contract we signed and we were planning to collaborate for another event but I declined it today. Rayan was mad at it and I took it cool saying I have some other ideas.
I walk down the stairs as I pace in the hall impatient for them to arrive.
I asked her to stay home, I asked her to wait for me.
Part of me feels angry at myself for not telling her why I didn't take her to the office today.
"Where's Avni?" I hurry towards Alia as soon as she enters. She looks at me for a moment and pursues her lips.
"For God's sake, Alia, be honest."
"She's gone with someone." She says carefully. "She said she'll be fine."
"Who was it?" I ask her exasperated.
"I want you to guess it. She asked me not to tell you and I am worried for her because she was stunned to see him."
"It was Rayan, wasn't it?" I ask hoping it to be false.
"It was." She nods.
"Where are they?"
"I don't know. I watched them leaving in the car." She looks at me helplessly.
"You should have followed them." I sigh as I run my hands through my hair.
"I'm sorry. Avni asked me to leave." Her shoulders slump.
"What is the matter, Neil?" Bebe looks at me as mom switches off the TV.
"I don't know what this is." I run my hands through my hair as I call her again. I sit on the couch as I drink water to relax but I don't get the relaxation feeling. How am I supposed to get it when I don't know where my wife is? How she is? Does she need me?
Dad arrives, DD arrives everyone sits but she doesn't arrive. I tell them everything in short as the worry gets bigger as each minute passes.
Everyone sits in silence and we hear the clock ticking. I check my phone hoping she turns it on, I get out of the home as I wait near the gate for her.
Please be safe, Avni.
I wish I had an idea where to search for her, I wish I knew where he lived. I rest my back on the gate as I stare at the street. Each moment gets heavy and it gets worst when I realize I don't know what to do.
Minutes later I watch a car entering the street, Avni doesn't have a car, and I wish I had got her one. Honestly, I wanted to but I know she wouldn't appreciate it. I don't want to come as a rich one in front of her.
My eyes twinkle in surprise as I watch the car enter our gate but it stops before it does. Relief runs through my body as I look at her.
She gets down the car and stands in front of me. My heart twists painfully as I watch her swallowing and crying silently. I feel my eyes burn with tears before a tear effortlessly slips from my eye, I pull her into my arms as I hug her tightly.
She sobs loudly as her arms wrap around me. I let the feeling of her body settles against mine as I try to comprehend she is with me. The only place where I feel she is safe, I wish I could always keep her like this with me because a part of me aches when she is not around and in trouble.
We pull out of the hug, I hold her face in my hands as my eyes roam all over her teary face before I kiss her forehead and hug her again. I'm glad she is not hurt physically though I know how much hurt she is inside.
"I asked you not to go with him." I look at her painfully.
"I... I am sorry." She sobs as she hugs me again. I rest my chin on her head as I try to console her, this is not the time and place to discuss it.
☆☆☆
"I am so sorry." Alia looks at her apologetically after everyone leaves our room. "I was worried for you."
"It's okay." Avni gives her a small smile. "I understand."
"Good night." She hugs her before leaving our room.
"So, you pushed him and came home in his car." I arrange our bed as I look at her sitting on the couch. "Do you think this is the end to it?"
She looks away from me knowing the answer to it.
"I asked you to stay home, I asked you to wait for me." I look at her sternly. "Why do you do this?"
"I said I'm sorry, stop making me feel more guilty." She looks at me as she cries out. "I didn't mean to go against you. I... I just wanted to finish it, I wanted to stop running."
"Avni, there is a reason why I didn't take you to the office today and that is because I was going to end every business relationship with him." I half shout at her as I sit on the bed. "I didn't want you to be around, I didn't want him to look at you today because he was supposed to leave for London. We decided to work on another project after a month when he comes from London but I closed the contract so that we don't have to see him again."
"You say like you didn't make a mistake here." She shouts back at me. "You should share with me what's in your mind I can't read it." She throws her hands in the air. "You expect me to share with you then I expect the same."
I look away then I look back at her. "I wanted to give a surprise."
"Please, Neil." She shakes her head. "I am understanding your point of view think from my view. It's weird to run away from a friend. I wanted to be free, we talk and clear misunderstandings that is what I wanted to do when I went with him."
She pauses as she takes a ragged breath. "It's not like I was interested to go or have this conversation, I was nervous but I also know how to take care of myself. I wanted to stop assuming, I wanted to confirm."
We sit in silence for a moment, she walks to the bed and settles herself. I hold her hand but she yanks away as she grabs the comforter.
"Okay, I'm sorry." I push the comforter away as I keep my fingers under her chin and lift it. Her eyes meet mine and something breaks in me as I watch her face crumple and tears run down her cheeks before she hugs me.
"I am scared, Neil." She mumbles between her sobs. I gulp as I caress her hair and kiss the side of her head.
"I have no idea what's happening." She sniffs, I feel my t-shirt getting wet by her tears.
"It's okay to be scared. We'll figure it out." I say to her slowly though I have no idea what I am going to do but I'll do something.
There is another thing running in my mind. As I think about it I feel disappointed, angry, sad all at the same time.
"Are you crying?" She pulls away to look at my face as my body shakes with a sob.
"I am not." I shake my head, her eyes roam all over my face. I put my face in my hands as I feel like crying.
"Hey, it's okay." She rubs my shoulder as she whispered in a low voice.
"It's not okay." I look at her painfully. "I failed to protect you."
She looks at me with the same pain. "You can't protect me always just like I can't protect you. We can only protect ourselves always and I promise you I'll take care of myself." She says slowly and I nod knowing she's right. "Do you promise to take care of yourself?"
"I promise!" I exhale as I kiss her forehead.
But it doesn't lessen my pain. I need to be with her, there for her, protect her, make her smile yet I choose to keep it to myself. I should learn to let her be on her own but at the same time, I should keep an eye on her.
I can't lose her.
She wipes my face with her thumb as she kisses my forehead. We lay down on the bed as we embrace each other hoping for a better day tomorrow.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━━━━
How was it?
I don't know how I managed to complete this today, haha.
Guess, pregnancy news is next.
Thank you for all the love in the last chapter.
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