Abhigya Stories Collection

​Baby Series 1 - Always & Forever

Hello everyone.... Thank you so much for voting and commenting on the previous story. a little busy, so couldn't reply to the comments, I'm sorry.

Previous Story : My Adorable Weirdo (Posted on 02 – Aug – 2021)

A little busy, will reply to PMs in a couple of days.

I'm starting a new series called Baby Series, it is just that, I've got another idea for a story with a baby in it. don't know when I will write it, so thought I'll just start a baby series.

Finally, I am using the famous Always & Forever (The Originals) as a title for my story.

Even after writing 75% of this story, I wanted to abandon this story but since I wrote so much, I decided to finish it off. so please forgive if you feel the story is disengaging... I don't know why but I had a hard time writing it.

Abhishek looks out the window as his car sped through the traffic. Since the moment he had landed in this city, his thoughts had been going back to her. he sighs furiously, he thought of her more than he liked to admit it. and coming to this city, he was getting plagued by her thoughts. The moment he had stepped foot on this city, he had remembered that she was working in this city. And since then he wasn't able to stop thinking of her.

Her, Pragya Arora.

He had no idea why he thought of her. he thought of her at the most unexpected moments. Sometimes in the middle of a meeting, someone would say something and his mind would latch on to something that was connected to Pragya. he hated that. he didn't want to think of her. she didn't matter to him and he shouldn't be thinking of her. every time he convinces himself that he forgot her, one of her letters would come for him reminding him of her. he never opened a single letter of hers. But he couldn't bring himself to destroy it, so those letters were lying in one corner of his briefcase.

Abhishek sighs, his life was already messed up, he didn't want any more added to it but she doesn't seem to understand that. she couldn't take no as an answer. Pragya was his junior in college. She was exactly opposite to him. bubbly, friendly, full of life while he was reserved, silent and angry at the whole fucking world.

He didn't have much friends, just a few because he was scared to make friends. Every person that speak to him, he would be worried about what they would be talking behind his back, so he couldn't bring himself to trust anyone. The only one he had trusted in his life was his Dadi, and now Purab. Purab, a true friend.

He is the only son of Tej and Santoshi. At least, the only legal son. He had no idea whether his father had other children. His mother didn't, because she lived in front of him, pretty much all his life. so, he doubted if she could sneak in a pregnancy without him knowing. Abhishek furiously looks out. As far as he could remember, his parents have been in an open relation, competing with each other in finding younger paramours. It didn't matter to them that he was seeing it all or the press was always publishing about their affairs. They just didn't care about anyone other than themselves.

He led a lonely childhood because he was scared to make friends for they always made fun of him for his parents' choices. His only solace was his Dadi. He could share everything with her and she loved him. she was his best friend. She was his whole world.

When it was time for college, he had come to this city as he wanted to get away from his parents. His Dadi had come with him, things were fine till his college mates figured out his Oberon identity, after the viscous circle had repeated. It was around that time that Pragya had proposed him but he had rejected her. because he didn't believe in love, marriage, relations, flings, anything. But she had shamelessly pursued him and he had continued to ignore her. then one day, his Dadi had passed away. the first time, he had truly noticed Pragya was when she had come to pay respects to his Dadi. He didn't speak to her then too but he had noticed her. Dadi's death had pushed him over the edge and he had turned to drugs and alcohol. His final years of college and the time after that he had drifted in and out of consciousness.

It had gone on for a while till Purab had come back into his life and forced him to rehab. Purab had stood by him like a rock and fought for him, even with him. and he had also decided to get cleaned up because of his last meeting with Pragya which had happened a few days before at the college reunion. Thinking back, even today he didn't know why he went for the reunion. He had no friends. Only Purab and he knew Purab wouldn't be coming to the reunion. Still he had gone. Every time her thoughts plagued him, he did wonder and asked himself, did he go there to see her? even as he lied to himself and said either no or he didn't know, his heart would whisper that she had messaged him that she would be coming. she used to message him and call him before he had blocked her number.

Hearing the phone ring, he looks at his phone and sees that it was his father. He cuts the call. He knew why he was calling. His parents were trying to get him to marry Tanu who was their business associate's daughter. He had refused and they were pestering him that he wanted some peace. So, he had come here. There was a small project that his company was heading. A small children's park that was going green. To get away from his family, city and all those people, he had decided on a site visit.

Shaking his head, he tries to clear his head and mind. he looks at the file that he was trying to read before he had got distracted. He need complete distraction. He turns the pages and finds the location to the park. He decides to go to the park instead of the hotel. He will do an unofficial visit first and see how the park is. Once, he got busy with work, he can be at peace. He instructs the driver to drive to the location of the park.

*******

Abhishek was walking around the park as he noticed and made mental notes. He was walking when his eyes caught a girl sitting on the bench watching some kids play. He could only see her back but he felt like he recognized her. that was the strangest thing because he went opposite direction from any girl. Then how come? curiously frowning, he slowly walked to the direction of the girl. He walks a little away from her bench and while he tried to see her face. As he got closer to her, she was starting to look more familiar, only if he could see her face.

She turns to his direction and he stops in shock, Pragya! fuck! He turns to make his escape before she notices him.

"Abhishek!" Pragya calls out loudly.

Damn! Abhishek stops and turns to her. he sees her excitedly walking to him.

"Abhishek... oh my God... I didn't expect to see you here." Pragya says smiling happily, her eyes filling up.

"I was just..." Abhishek shrugs.

"How are you?" Pragya asks him.

Abhishek nods in reply.

"How are Santoshi Aunty and Tej Uncle?"

Abhishek frowns hearing her, "Are you in contact with them?"

"No... I have only met them at your place that one time... I haven't spoken to them. they don't even know me" Pragya tells him quickly.

"Oh okay." Abhishek nods.

"You are still angry with me." Pragya says softly her smile dropping. "I really didn't know you were into drugs, do you think I would sit back and do nothing if I knew you were into drugs?"

Abhishek looks away unable to answer her. "How are you?" Abhishek asks her.

"Good." Pragya replies gently smiling. Her eyes feasting on him.

"Your family?" he asks because he really didn't know who all were there in her family.

"They are fine, I think... Didi and I am not in touch... her in-laws are very conservative, so they don't want her to keep in touch with me."

Abhishek frowns hearing that.

"And Ma... I am not in talking terms with her. Pragya tells him softly. Then shaking her head and smiling she says, "I'm so glad you are finally here."

"I was just..." Abhishek starts to say when he notices Pragya turning back and looking.

"Rahul!" Pragya calls out making Abhishek frown.

"I'm goi..." Abhishek starts to say and stops seeing a small kid carrying a baby towards them. he starts frowning seeing the baby.

"Are you going, Pragya Aunty?" Rahul asks her as he handed her the baby.

"We've to go. Aaliyah will bring him tomorrow." Pragya tells him.

Rahul nods. "Bye Abhish." Rahul waves at him and runs off.

"This...?" Abhishek asks pointing at the baby who was busy watching the kids playing behind him.

"Yes." Pragya smiles as she moved towards him to hand him the baby.

Abhishek quickly moves back in anger. His heart breaking at the thought that she had moved on. She had a baby now. then why the fuck was she still sending him letters?

"Don't you want to hold him?" Pragya asks him shocked.

"I'm not good with kids." Abhishek replies.

"It's not hard, you can just..."

"It's okay." Abhishek replies uncomfortably.

He sees Pragya's face fall. Her eyes filling up and she hugging her son tight.

"You named him after me?" Abhishek asks her unable to ignore the baby's name.

Pragya nods as she gulped. "Let's go to my place."

"What the bloody hell? No!" Abhishek replies furiously.

"Aren't you here to see..."

"Of course not! I'm here on work. I saw you here and you looked familiar, so I just came to check."

"Oh." Pragya nods as she fought her tears and tried not to break down. "I'll go then." Pragya whispers and starts to leave.

"Why did you name him after me?" Abhishek asks her.

"I felt like it." Pragya replies.

"Your husband is cool with that? or he doesn't even know?" Abhishek asks her, getting furious at the thought of her so easily moving on. For having Pragya turning out to be exactly like his parents.

"Husband? What husband?" Pragya asks him frowning. "You think I got married?"

Abhishek looks at her confused. "Isn't he your son?"

Pragya stares at him in shock. "Didn't you get my letters?" Pragya asks him her heart slamming against her chest.

Abhishek gulps as he nodded.

"You didn't read them." Pragya says softly hurt.

Seeing her looking at him with such accusing and hurtful eyes, Abhishek turns to leave. "Stop sending me letters, Pragya."

"Abhishek..." Pragya calls him to stop him.

Abhishek stops and turns to look at her.

"Abhish is our son, Abhishek." Pragya whispers to him as tears fell from her eyes. "Abhish is our baby. Abhish is your son."

"What?" Abhishek stops in shock as he looked at the baby, his heart slamming against his chest.

"I thought you were here to see him." Pragya whispers to him hurt as tears fell from her eyes.

"Pragya.... I...." Abhishek whispers helplessly realizing why she had been sending him letters all these while.

"I'll go." Pragya tells him and starts to walk off.

"Pragya..." Abhishek tries to stop her but Pragya hurries off.

Seeing his mother taking him back, Abhish starts crying as he pointed at the kids playing. Pragya increases her speed when Abhish started crying.

Seeing his son cry, Abhishek wanted to take him into his arms and calm him down, hug him and kiss him but he couldn't bring his legs to move. He stood there rooted to the ground as tears fell from his eyes.

*******

Abhishek gets into his car, his heart slamming against his chest at the realization that he was a father. It's been... Abhishek quickly starts counting the months from their reunion, and realizes that Abhish would be about 7 months old and he didn't even know about it. Abhish was so close to him and he didn't even see his face properly, he didn't even take him in his hands.

"Leave me alone." Abhishek tells the driver who was waiting for instructions on where to go next.

"Okay, sir." The driver quickly replies and leaves the car.

Once he was alone, Abhishek quickly opens his briefcase, and pulls out the letters that he had carelessly saved all these while. He picks a letter randomly, and looks at the cover. It had his office address in the front, he turns it around, and at the back, it was written – Pragya, the only reason he hadn't opened the letters. He opens it and puts his fingers inside to take the letter. Touching the material, he realized that it wasn't a letter, it was a photo.

With bated breath and heart slamming against his chest, he pulls out the photo. It was a photo of Abhish lying on his stomach as he looked up at the camera smiling. Abhishek burst out crying seeing his son smiling so happily. taking the photo to his lips, he kisses his son's face.

Once he calmed down, wiping his tears, he looks inside the envelope to see if Pragya had written a letter or anything. finding none, he curiously turns the photo over and sees that it was written Abhish (4 months).

Sighing and filled with guilt and regret, he puts the photo back in the letter. He takes another one and opens it, it was the photo a very tiny, bundled up Abhish. His eyes fill up realizing that it was from the day he was born, he turns the photo and sees Abhish Arora (07/01/2021). Regret that he wasn't there when Abhish had come into this world, that he had let Pragya go through pregnancy and delivery all alone, killing him.

He quickly starts going through all the other letters. One envelop, he finds a letter and a scan with a circle drawn on it. he with a finger touch the circled area realizing that it was the one from Pragya's pregnancy. He takes the letter and reads it.

Abhishek,

I know you told me never to contact you or come in front of you. I tried calling you but you didn't answer. Now, I am not even getting through, I realized that you have blocked me. I know you hate me now, but I'll not be able to forgive myself if I didn't inform you. I am pregnant, Abhishek.

I am sorry, Abhishek. Please believe me that I wasn't trying to trap you. I didn't know you took drugs, Abhishek. I thought you were a little drunk and your inhibitions were down. I didn't realize that you were not in your senses. I'm sorry for hurting you, Abhishek.

After the way you had reacted, I knew I should have taken a morning after pill, but I just couldn't do it, Abhishek. If God was going to give me your baby, then I wanted to have your baby. I know, you never asked for this baby or wanted this baby. I'll never force this baby on you, Abhishek. If you want to accept your baby then you can, if you don't want to then you don't have to. You can be as involved in our baby's life as much as you want, if you don't want to then you don't have to.

I'm no longer staying with my family. When I told my mother she asked me to abort our baby, I have left home. I'll add my address at the end of this letter, if you want to see me. only if you want to, there is no pressure on you.

I'm sorry for hurting you like this, Abhishek. please forgive me.

I don't know if you want it, but I'll send you every update on our baby so you can also know. If you don't want me to do that, then just let me know, you have my number.

Always & forever,

Only yours,

Pragya.

Abhishek cries reading the letter, Pragya had been all alone, she had left her home so she could bring their son to this world and she had believed that he was so angry with her that he had refused to accept or see their son. If he hadn't been so angry with Pragya then he would have been there when Abhish was born.

Abhishek looks through the remaining letters and finds Abhish's photos from every month and scans. Finally, he opens the letter he had received two days back and opens it. he smiles with tears seeing Abhish's latest photo. Abhish was a mix of both him and Pragya. lately, he was starting to look more like Pragya than him. he turns the photo to see, Abhish (7 months).

He starts to keep the photo back in the envelope so he could call Pragya and find out where she stayed when he notices a folded paper inside the envelope. He quickly pulls it out and opens it.

Abhishek,

I'm just writing to let you know that I've changed my flat. I have been taking Abhish to a park on Sundays, and he loves it there. he has made friends with some kids too there. when I checked there was a flat available right opposite to the park, so I shifted there so Abhish can visit the park daily evening. I will add the address at the end of the letter.

Abhishek, there was one other thing I wanted to tell you. Abhish has started recognizing people. He has a favorite actor and cartoon character even. But even today, he doesn't know that you are his father. If you have changed your mind, please do come to see him, just once, Abhishek. Please don't think that I am asking you to come because I want to be with you, no, Abhishek. It is not that. please know that I am asking you for this for our Abhish.

Always & Forever

Only yours,

Pragya.

Abhishek closes his eyes realizing finally why Pragya had thought he was there to see Abhish. He squeezes his eyes shut remembering how hurt Pragya had been when he had refused to hold Abhish because of his jealousy over her moving on and his awkwardness around babies.

*******

Abhishek nervously waited after ringing the bell. Pragya opens the door for him. seeing her red eyes, he realized that she had been crying. Guilt filled him even more.

"Abhishek?" Pragya softly whispers.

"Can I come in?" Abhishek asks her.

Pragya nods and opens the door wide for him. Abhishek walks in, and Pragya locks the door.

Abhishek turns to look at her and tells her regretfully. "I'm sorry, Pragya. I didn't know. I didn't read your letters till now."

Seeing the tears in his eyes, Pragya quickly tells him, "It is okay, Abhishek. I should have tried to meet you."

"I should have read your letters." Abhishek tells her full of guilt.

"Would you have come to see Abhish then?" Pragya asks him sadly.

Abhishek nods in yes.

Pragya bites her lips to stop herself from crying as she nodded.

"Can I see him?"

"He is there watching TV." Pragya tells him pointing behind him as she walked to her son.

Abhishek follows her to his son, who was sitting on the floor watching TV.

"He is a little cranky because I brought him back early." Pragya tells him.

"I'm sorry for that." Abhishek tells her regretfully.

"It's okay." Pragya tells him as she bends down next to Abhish. "Abhish, look who is here?"

Abhish curiously looks behind him. Abhishek kneels down next to Abhish as he smiled in joy, his eyes filling up again.

"What do you want him to call you?" Pragya asks him softly.

Abhishek shrugs, as he smiled happily. "Anything he wants."

"Papa?" Pragya asks him.

Abhishek nods seeing that Abhish had got bored and had turned to watch TV.

Pragya picks up Abhish, and he shouts in outrage. He turns to furiously glare at his mother. Abhishek couldn't help chuckle seeing his son frown so ferociously.

"Abhish, this is Papa." Pragya gently tells him as she pointed at Abhishek.

Abhish turns to him and then he stretches his hand out to him.

"Can I take him?" Abhishek asks Pragya without taking his eyes off Abhish.

"Yes." Pragya replies smiling happily as she offered Abhish to his father.

Abhishek quickly picks up his son in his hands. Abhish quickly pulls out the pocket square from his pocket that had caught his fancy. Abhishek chuckles seeing that. Abhishek leans down and kisses his son on his cheek while Abhish was busy checking out the pocket square.

Feeling the kiss, Abhish curiously turns to his father and he keeps his fist on his face. Abhishek holds his fist and takes it to his lips and kisses it.

"Give Papa a kiss, Abhish." Pragya tells him as she lightly pushed him towards Abhishek.

Abhish leans up and places a wet kiss on his face. Abhishek smiles feeling his kiss, feeling relief rush through him. Abhishek hugs him and kisses him.

A few seconds later, Abhish was feeling restless and bored that he started fidgeting, as he turned around to look.

"He wants to watch TV." Pragya tells him.

Abhishek quickly takes him to the mat he was sitting on, and places him there. Abhishek sat back and watched his son as Abhish watched TV. Pragya sat near them.

*******

Noticing a rag doll lying next Abhish, Abhishek curiously takes it. seeing the battered up and stitched up doll, he wondered why Pragya wasn't getting him a better doll. He hears a furious scream and turns to look at Abhish and sees Abhish snatching the doll from him and protectively hugging it against his stomach.

"No one can touch it." Pragya tells him softly. "That is like his wife, his one true love."

"Oh." Abhishek whispers as he worriedly looked at his son furiously glaring at him. "He does have a temper."

"Your son." Pragya replies cheekily.

Abhishek looks at her and seeing her smile, he smiles at her, then chuckles softly.

"Is he going to be mad at me for long?" Abhishek asks seeing Abhish still glaring at him.

"He'll be distracted soon." Pragya tells him.

Abhishek nods as he sweetly smiles at his son.

Abhish points his finger at Abhishek and says something in gibberish.

"What did he say?" Abhishek asks Pragya.

"Don't touch my stupid doll."

"I don't think he called his doll stupid." Abhishek tells Pragya with a frown.

"but it is still a stupid doll." Pragya replies.

Abhishek grins hearing that. Abhishek turns to look at Abhish and sees that he was busy watching TV.

"I'm sorry, Pragya that I wasn't there for you." Abhishek tells her.

"It's okay, Abhishek. You are here now."

"I should have read your letters." Abhishek regretfully tells her.

"It was my decision to have Abhish. You don't have to blame yourself for it."

"If I knew earlier I would have come earlier." Abhishek tells her. "I swear, Pragya."

Pragya nods. "I believe you, Abhishek."

"Thank you." Abhishek says with relieved and sad smile.

"What were you doing there at the park?" Pragya asks curiously.

Abhishek quickly tells her about the project.

"Oh so the park is going to be closed during renovation?" Pragya asks him.

"That was the plan, the construction with children around, the risk would be high." Abhishek replies.

"Hmm that is true."

"He goes there every day, right?" Abhishek asks her.

Pragya nods. "Today was a holiday, that is why I took him otherwise it is Aaliyah who takes him. Aaliyah is his nanny."

Abhishek nods wondering if it had been Aaliyah who had taken him today, then he would have been still unaware of Abhish and Pragya would have believed that he had rejected Abhish. He gently caresses the back of Abhish's head.

"I'll talk to the team and see if we can do portion by portion."

"No, it is okay, I was just asking."

"Abhish was upset when you took him back."

Pragya nods, "He loves going there, those kids are so lovely and sweet."

Abhishek nods. "I'll see what I can do."

"Wouldn't it become more expensive and time consuming?" Pragya asks him.

"I'll talk to them and see, if they can keep the park open and if my company offers to bear the extra charges I think they would be fine with it."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"For Abhish's happiness. Wouldn't you do anything in your power for his happiness?"

Pragya nods in yes. "But we can find another park too."

Abhishek shrugs in reply. "But he likes this park."

"So, how many days are you here?"

He was supposed to go back the next day or the day after that, but now... "I'll be here till this project is done."

Pragya smiles, "That is nice, Abhish can meet you when you are free then."

"I'll come here after work or whenever I get free time. he will be home, right?"

"Yeah... once in a while Aaliyah takes him out for a change. Otherwise, he would be home. If they have plans of going out, then I'll messa..." Pragya stops midsentence as she awkwardly looked at him.

Understanding why she stopped, Abhishek takes his mobile and unblocks her number. "I've unblocked your number."

Pragya nods uncomfortably.

"I shouldn't have blocked you." Abhishek says softly.

"I used to keep calling you and troubling you." Pragya says softly. "I shouldn't have done that. you had told me you were not interested and I just didn't... I'm sorry, Abhishek."

Abhishek shakes his head. "Leave it, Pragya."

"This is the first time we are having a proper conversation." Pragya says softly with a smile.

"Without me walking off or screaming at you."

"or me being stubborn, adamant and irritating."

"True." Abhishek replies with a grin.

Pragya grabs a cushion and throws it at him. Abhishek catches it with a chuckle.

Sobering, Abhishek tells her, "My life is a mess, Pragya. I just couldn't..."

"I know, Abhishek. I should have understood. I had even given up but that time your Dadi... and I couldn't give up then knowing you were all alone." Pragya tells him her eyes filling up.

"Dadi loved you." Abhishek tells her as he looked at his feet.

"She knew me?' Pragya asks him surprised.

"You were always calling and messaging, couple of times Dadi noticed and she had asked me about it."

"What did you tell her?"

Abhishek looks at her awkwardly then he says, "That you were behind me."

Pragya nods.

Hearing a sound, Abhishek curiously looks at Abhish and sees Abhish hitting the doll on the floor.

"Does he hate the thing?" Abhishek asks shocked.

"I've no idea." Pragya says shaking her head. "He abuses it so much. If it gets torn, then he would cry and bring the house down till we repair it for him."

"We?" Abhishek asks curiously his heart skipping a beat.

"Aaliyah. I told you, his nanny."

"Oh okay." Abhishek nods, relaxing.

They turn to watch their son like a WWE wrestler slamming the doll on the floor. Abhishek flinches at the domestic violence that was happening right in front of his eyes.

********

"I'll just come now." Pragya tells him and walks off to the kitchen.

Abhishek sat back and watched as Pragya walked around the kitchen gathering stuff. Feeling something on his lap, he curiously looks down and sees Abhish had kept his hand on his lap and was trying to climb onto his lap. Smiling happily, he picks up his son and places him on his lap.

Abhish curiously smiles at him as he leans up and touch his face. Abhishek brings him closer and Abhish jumps on his lap excited as he put his fist inside Abhishek's mouth. Abhishek chuckles seeing that.

"Abhish..." Pragya calls him as she walked to them.

Both Abhishek and Abhish turn to look at her.

"Erm... Abhish." Pragya says realizing Abhishek thought that she had called him.

Abhishek nods with a smile.

"It's time for his dinner." Pragya tells as she pulled the baby chair.

Seeing that Abhishek asks her, "Let him sit here. Can you feed like that?"

"He might spit."

"That's okay."

Nodding, Pragya takes the bibs from the chair and walks to Abhish. She puts the bibs for him while Abhishek made him sit properly on his lap. Abhish starts fidgeting around to look at Abhishek.

"Abhish, Mama will put rhymes for you." Pragya tells him to make him sit properly and turns on YouTube on TV and plays one of Abhish's favorite rhymes.

Hearing the song, Abhish curiously turns to the TV. Seeing that, Abhishek makes him sit on his lap properly, leaning against his chest. Pragya starts feeding Abhish.

Being so close to Abhishek, Pragya couldn't help it and she looks at him from the corner of her eyes. Abhishek's eyes were on his son, he leans down and kisses him on top of his head. then he looks at her and sees her eyes on him. Pragya quickly looks down at the bowl she was holding. Abhishek also awkwardly looks away.

"You found out about our Abhish today... how are you feeling about it?" Pragya softly asks him.

"I never thought... it is a shock." Abhishek says as he caressed his son. "I wish I had known earlier.

"Are you happy?" Pragya asks him worriedly.

In reply, Abhishek bends down and kisses his son on top of his head.

Pragya smiles as her eyes filled up and she confesses, "Lately I had started worrying, that because of me and the decisions I made, that maybe our Abhish could never know a father's love. Thank you, Abhishek, for being the man I loved."

Abhishek looks away and tells her, "I don't know what you loved in me, but I can't be the man that you loved."

"I know, Abhishek. I have accepted it. I don't want anything from you. all I want is for you to love our Abhish and be there for him. nothing else." Pragya tells him earnestly.

Abhishek nods.

They remained silent as Pragya gave their son the baby food.

Feeling something wet on his hand, Abhishek curiously leans to look.

"Sorry." Pragya says as she grabbed the clothe she had kept on the side and cleaned Abhishek's hand. "He spit it out."

"It's okay, Pragya." Abhishek tells her frowning, not liking that she was apologizing to him for their son.

Pragya nods and continues to feed Abhish. Once, they were done, Pragya hands him his baby sipper bottle to drink water. Holding on both the handles, Abhish drinks the water, while Abhishek looked on in amazement seeing his son drink from the bottle all by himself. His eyes filling up realizing how much he had missed. Abhishek hugs him from behind and kisses him again.

"he will sleep in a while." Pragya informs Abhishek as she took the bottle Abhish extended to her.

"Oh." Abhishek nods realizing that he would have to leave.

"Where are you staying? There is only one bedroom here." Pragya tells him. "If you want to stay then I'll sleep on the couch, Abhish and you can sleep in the room." Pragya tells him as she cleaned up Abhish's face.

"No... no... I've booked a room at the hotel." Abhishek quickly tells her.

Pragya nods. "I'll go for work at 8:45. But feel free to come whenever you want, I'll tell Aaliyah. She would be home."

"Okay." Abhishek replies.

Pragya goes to the kitchen to keep the bowl. Abhishek watches Abhish and sees that he was trying to crawl out of his lap. He holds him as he wanted him to sit on his lap. Abhish leans down extending his hand. Realizing that he was trying to get his doll, Abhishek leans and picks the doll and hands it to Abhish. Abhish holds the doll by its leg and starts swinging it around.

Abhishek smiles seeing his son's obsession with the doll. Then noticing how batted up the doll was, he felt sad that his son was using such a tattered toy. he wanted to get him some toys and gifts, and anyway even he needed to get clothes as he had brought clothes only for a short stay.

Seeing Pragya walking back, Abhishek asks her, "I've some shopping tomorrow. Is it okay if I take him with me?"

Pragya smiles hearing that. "You don't need my permission, Abhishek. you just have to inform me."

Abhishek smiles hearing that. Pragya was about to sit back down when they hear Abhish wailing loudly.

Abhishek's heart breaks hearing his son's cry and he worriedly looks at him.

"Oh no!" Pragya whispers in dread as she ran to a drawer.

Abhishek sees that Abhish was just holding the rag doll's leg and the rest of the body was lying on the floor. Crying Abhish picks up the body from the floor.

"Where did you buy it from? My driver is downstairs; he'll get another one." Abhishek quickly tells her.

"No use." Pragya replies as she hurried to him with needle and thread. "I've a new one lying in his toy box, I tried replacing that with this, but he would know they are not the same." Pragya tells him as she knelt down and took the doll from Abhish.

Crying Abhish leans towards Pragya as she started stitching it.

"Just hold him tight. He might lean closer." Pragya tells him as she struggled to stitch.

Abhishek holds him and pulls him back making him cry louder.

"Mama is fixing it, Abhish. Please stop crying." Pragya tells him as she hurried to fix it. "I am not that good at stitching, Aaliyah does a better job." Pragya worriedly tells Abhishek as she made messy stitches.

Abhishek hugs him close feeling his heart breaking hearing his cries. he watches as Pragya stitched it up as fast as she could. As he watched, he noticed the arms were also stitched up. The whole doll was stitched up.

"Okay... done...done." Pragya says as she knotted the thread. Then cutting off the thread, she hands the doll to Abhish.

Abhish takes it and hugs it as he stopped crying.

"Phew." Pragya softly sighs.

Abhishek also sighs in relief that Abhish had stopped crying. Then shocking him, Abhish throws the doll to the side and grabs another toy and starts playing with it.

He turns to Pragya for some explanation and she tiredly shrugs in reply.

Sometime later, it was time for Abhish's bed and Pragya picks him up to put him to sleep. Abhishek also stands up to leave. He leans towards Pragya and kisses Abhish on his head.

"Give Papa a kiss, Abhish." Pragya tells him.

Abhish turns to Abhishek and kisses him on his cheek. Abhishek smiles in joy.

"I'll leave then." Abhishek tells Pragya.

"You didn't have dinner." Pragya quickly says.

"It's okay, I'll have from hotel."

"There is food..." Pragya starts to say and then not wanting to impose on him, she nods. "Okay then, bye."

Abhishek who was about to give in, hearing that, nods. "Okay then. Bye."

*********

Abhishek was lying in bed as he thought of the events of the day. he is a father now. He hadn't even in his dreams would have expected this. He should have, his heart whispered. He had spent one whole night with Pragya. even though he had solely placed the blame on her for that, he should have expected this would have happened. Abhishek sighs. He had never thought of having children because he had decided never to marry. he had decided that he wasn't going to carry forward the dirty genes of his parents. The Mehra family was to end with him. but now there was Abhish, his son... no... like Pragya says, their Abhish. Pragya had asked him whether he was happy about Abhish. Abhishek thinks about it, a baby was never in his agenda but now, knowing Abhish, his heart has been filled with guilt, regret and a fervent wish that only if he had known about Abhish a little early - a year, a month, a week, a day, a second earlier...

He will be a good father to Abhish. A better father than his father was ever to him. and Pragya.... she is nothing like his mother. Pragya was a wonderful mother. Pragya had maternal instincts like Dadi. Abhishek sighs in relief, their Abhish would be loved by both his parents, unlike him.

He couldn't wait to see Abhish again. Abhishek thought with a smile. Tomorrow, he had a meeting with the park management at 8:30 in the morning, it should be done by 10:30, then he would be able to spent the whole day with Abhish. Then his smile drops remembering that Pragya would be going to office at 8:45.

********

Hearing the door bell, Pragya opens the door and stops in surprise seeing Abhishek.

"Hi." Pragya says with a smile.

"Hey." Abhishek smiles.

Pragya opens the door for him. "I was wondering who it was, it isn't time for Aaliyah to reach." Pragya conversationally tells him.

"I've a meeting at 8:30, so I thought I'll see Abhish before that." Abhishek tells her.

"That's nice." Pragya smiles.

"Is he up?"

"Yeah... yeah, I was just about to give him his bath before I got ready." Pragya tells him as she walked to her bedroom. "Did you have breakfast?"

"Yeah I did."

"Tea... coffee... juice?"

"No... I'm good."

Grinning Pragya tells him, "Good thing you refused, I'm a little hard pressed for time in the morning."

Abhishek chuckles hearing that.

"Abhish, look Papa is here to see you." Pragya announces to him as she walked to the bed.

Abhish looks up and seeing Abhishek, he smiles at him. seeing him smiling at him, Abhishek walks to him and picks him up. He lovingly kisses him.

Pragya gives them a few minutes to spent together as she gathered Abhish's clothes and even set out her clothes.

"It's time for his bath." Pragya tells him.

Abhishek nodding hands Abhish to her.

Pragya carries him to the bathroom and then placing him on his bath mat, Pragya starts giving him his bath while Abhishek stood back and watched.

"You seemed to be an expert." Abhishek observes seeing the way, Pragya was confidently giving the bath along with conversing random nonsense with Abhish.

"I've been giving him his bath forever now." Pragya tells him smiling.

"How did you learn to give bath and all?" Abhishek asks her curiously.

"The nurses at the hospital then YouTube videos."

Abhishek looks down realizing how alone Pragya had been with no one to help her. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that alone." Abhishek softly tells her.

"I wasn't alone." Pragya tells him as she turned to him with a surprised smile. "I had Abhish with me."

Abhishek sadly smiles hearing that, how like Pragya to see the faintest star instead of the dark sky.

"I'm sorry that you missed all those moments with him." Pragya tells him sadly. "And he missed those moments with you."

"It is my fault." Abhishek tells her.

"It was fate, Abhishek. it was also fate that made you to come here, and us to meet and you to find out truth."

Abhishek nods amazed realizing it was true. Someone up above had been feeling merciful towards him, otherwise he wouldn't have ever come here, because there was no need for him to come for the meeting of such an insignificant project but he had come to escape from his parents and their interference. He had left home right after he had joined Mehra business. Now, he met his parents only for official work or some business parties, but lately they have been pestering him and running behind his life to get him to marry, going so far as to coming over to his apartment even. Seeing them so constantly was becoming so torturous that he was scared of falling back into drugs that he had come here for a break. Abhishek looks at Pragya finishing off Abhish's bath as she happily chatted with him, and looking at that he knew, no matter how torturous life was going to be, now, he was never going to relapse.

Pragya wipes Abhish's body as she picked him up.

"What can I do?" Abhishek asks.

"I got it." Pragya replies with a smile as she walked out patting him dry.

Abhishek watched as Pragya dressed him up.

"I've to feed him." Pragya tells him.

"Okay." Abhishek nods.

Pragya awkwardly looks at him. seeing her looking at him like that, Abhishek realizes what she had meant.

"Sorry, yesterday you were giving him normal food that, I thought..." Abhishek quickly explains uncomfortably.

"He needs milk also with those foods." Pragya explains.

Abhishek nods. "I'll leave then. My meeting should start in a bit."

Pragya nods. "Okay... Anyway he would sleep off after his feed."

"Okay, I'll see him after the meeting then."

"Okay." Pragya replies with a smile.

Abhishek quickly leaves.

**********

A woman opens the door for him when he went to Pragya's flat after the meeting.

"Yes?"

"I'm Abhish's father." Abhishek informs her.

"Oh please come in. Pragya told me that you would be coming."

"Aaliyah, right?" Abhishek asks her.

"Yes." Aaliyah replies with a smile. "Abhish is in Pragya's room. I was doing his laundry."

"Okay." Abhishek replies and heads to the bedroom.

"Pragya said that you wanted to take Abhish for shopping."

"Yeah... in sometime." Abhishek replies.

"Okay."

Abhishek walks to the bedroom and finds Abhish sitting in the crib and playing with a different toy. hearing him walk in, Abhish curiously looks up, seeing him, Abhish laughs excitedly. Abhishek smiles realizing that Abhish was starting to recognize him and was even starting to like him.

Abhishek lifts him up and kisses him happily. he walks to Pragya's bed, and sits on the bed with Abhish and started playing with him.

Sometime later, Aaliyah walks into the room with a basket carrying Abhish's clothes. she politely smiles at Abhishek and walks to the ironing board and starts ironing the clothes. seeing her, Abhish calls her and excitedly starts babbling nonsense.

"Oh ho." Aaliyah says as she continued to iron the clothes.

Abhishek smiles seeing the way Abhish was talking and Aaliyah was replying whenever Abhish finishes something with random oohs and aahs.

Abhishek looks at Abhish and smiles realizing that Abhish had got Pragya's friendly nature from her. and he liked that very very much.

*******

After finishing shopping, Abhishek was waiting as he watched Aaliyah give Abhish his food. It was taking a while for Abhish to eat as he kept getting distracted by the people around the mall. He would curiously look around if anyone passed by. Aaliyah was patiently coaxing him to eat while he looked around and even tried to pick up conversations with strangers. Abhishek couldn't help smile seeing that. the passerby would stop in shock when Abhish babbled something to them, some looked around clueless and then carried on while some stayed back and pampered him for a bit.

Abhishek continued to watch as Aaliyah fed Abhish. He wanted to feed Abhish but he didn't make any moves to do that. he would wait for Pragya and would ask her to help and guide him in how to feed Abhish.

Hearing his mobile ring, Abhishek curiously picks up his phone. Seeing it was Pragya, a small smile breaks out of his lips.

"Hello Pragya?"

"Wow... first time, it is not what the hell do you want?." Pragya says with a grin.

Abhishek chuckles hearing that. "You are crazy."

Abhish babbles something to Abhishek just then.

"It's Mama." Abhishek tells him.

"How did you know what he asked?" Pragya asks shocked.

"He is too curious like you, so I am just guessing he is asking who is on the phone." Abhishek cheekily replies.

"Or he could have asked how dare you answer the phone and ignore me?"

"Oh please, Pragya. not my parents' genes." Abhishek says in dread.

"Oh I thought that was you."

"Yeah right!" Abhishek rolls his eyes.

Pragya chuckles and says, "I'm actually done with work. I called to see where are you guys."

"We are at the mall. Abhish is having his snack, once he is done, we would head home."

"Okay then I'll see you guys at home."

"I can pick you up on the way." Abhishek tells her.

"That's okay, I come by car to office." Pragya tells him.

"Oh okay." Abhishek replies.

"Okay then."

*********

Aaliyah opens the door for Abhishek, and he walks in carrying Abhish in one hand and covers in the other.

"that is a lot of shopping." Pragya says as she walked out of the bedroom seeing the covers Abhishek and Aaliyah were holding.

"Hey." Abhishek says with a smile seeing her.

Pragya smiles at him and she walks to him. Abhish seeing Pragya, excitedly starts jumping in Abhishek's hand. Pragya picks up Abhish and happily kisses him.

"What all did you do with Papa, Abhish?" Pragya asks him.

Abhish starts talking to her excitedly while Abhishek watched the animated conversation between Pragya and Abhish with a smile. Even when he could talk, he doesn't remember ever talking to his mother or father with so much joy, and here Abhish without even uttering a single coherent word was happily having a conversation with Pragya.

"Do you want me to take him to the park today?" Aaliyah asks as she came back after keeping the covers.

"Do you want to go to park, Abhish?" Pragya asks him.

Abhish excitedly laughs and claps.

"I'll take him?" Abhishek asks seeing him excited.

"Yeah." Pragya smiles in reply. "Where you saw me yesterday, the kids would be there."

"Okay." Abhishek says as he picked Abhish. "Papa will take you to park, Abhish."

Abhish smiles excitedly.

"Aaliyah, since Abhishek is taking him to the park, you go home early today." Pragya tells Aaliyah.

"Okay." Aaliyah replies smiling.

"Do you want to come with us?" Abhishek asks Pragya.

"Erm...." Pragya thoughtfully looks at him. "I usually cook dinner at this time."

"Oh."

"I'll come." Pragya tells him.

"No, it is okay then. You cook." Abhishek tells her.

"No, it's okay. I'll come. you might get bored."

"Do you want me to cook something before I leave?" Aaliyah asks Pragya.

"No, it is okay. I'll order something. You go." Pragya tells her.

"You sure?" Abhishek asks her softly.

"Yeah." Pragya tells him with a smile.

*******

"Careful." Abhishek says as he handed Abhish to the boy from the previous day.

"Yes, uncle." Rahul smiles at him and carries Abhish to his friends.

Abhishek and Pragya sit on the bench that Pragya was sitting on the previous day as they watched the kids play with Abhish.

Abhishek gasps in shock seeing Rahul sitting on the see-saw with Abhish on his lap.

"Heart beating fast? Feeling scared? Can't sit still?" Pragya asks him with a smile.

"Yeah." Abhishek replies as he watched and wondered whether he should take their son away from such dangerous equipment.

"Even I was like that. they are very careful and they don't go fast. Just look at Abhish when they go up." Pragya tells him with a smile.

Abhishek nods and watched as Rahul gently pushed on the ground with his feet and they went up. Abhish starts laughing happily as he went up. Abhishek couldn't help smile though he had to fight himself from not running towards their son and take him out of there.

"Relax, he is fine." Pragya tells him.

"It might take me a while to get used to it." Abhishek worriedly tells her.

Pragya smiles seeing that.

They remained silent as they watched another kid take Abhish and went to sit on the swing with him.

"How did you come here the first time?" Abhishek asks her curiously seeing how happy Abhish was.

"I was meaning to take him to a park for a while and one day, I was passing by. Saw this park and on an impulse just came in. I was walking around with Abhish when these kids came over seeing Abhish. They all stay nearby, so they come here every day. so the next time we came here also they were here. And soon it became a routine."

Abhishek smiles and nods.

They remained silent as they watched their son enjoying.

Abhishek hesitantly and softly asks her, "You haven't talked to your family after you left home?"

"I called Ma after Abhish was born to see if she wanted to see him." Pragya tells him, then sadly looking down, she says. "I haven't called her after that. she hates Abhish."

Abhishek furiously sucks in a breath hearing that.

"How can anyone hate our Abhish? He is such a lovely boy." Pragya tells him feeling sad.

"I know." Abhishek agrees feeling offended.

*********

"I'll order dinner." Abhishek tells Pragya as she fed Abhish his dinner.

"I'll do it after I finish with him." Pragya tells him.

"What difference does it make?" Abhishek asks her confused. "I'll do it."

"Okay."

"Pizza?" Abhishek asks her.

Pragya looks at him in shock hearing that.

"What?" Abhishek asks her with a surprised smile. "Half the time, you were sending me photos of you eating pizzas."

"I used to irritate you a lot." Pragya whispers awkwardly and in regret.

"Yeah." Abhishek agrees with a grin.

Pragya scowls at him making him chuckle.

"So, Pizza?"

"No... I eat healthy now. I'm still feeding him, so I make sure I eat healthy all the time." Pragya tells him.

"Oh okay. any particular place?" Abhishek asks her.

Few minutes later, Abhishek was placing the order that Pragya had told him when his phone starts ringing, seeing it was his father, he cuts the call. He finish placing the order. His mother calls him next. He cuts the call again. he looks up and sees Pragya curiously looking at him.

he keeps aside his mobile and asks her, "Can I try feeding him?"

Pragya nods as she moved to the side, giving him space and hands him the bowl.

Abhishek takes a spoon full of porridge.

"Not that much. He will have difficulty swallowing. Half of that."

Abhishek dumps half back on the bowl and takes the spoon to Abhish's mouth. Together, they fed their son.

*********

Abhishek was with Abhish the next day when he hears the doorbell ring. He curiously looks up and sees Aaliyah walking to open the door. he turns his attention back to Abhish and sees Abhish curiously looking at the door. he smiles seeing his curiosity.

"Hello." Abhishek frowns hearing the male voice from the door.

"Hello... Pragya didn't tell me you were coming." Aaliyah says surprised.

"I thought of surprising her."

"Indeed it is a surprise." Abhishek says shocked as he stood up seeing Purab.

"Abhishek?" Purab stops in shock seeing him. "You here?"

"Purab, you here. Care to explain?" Abhishek asks him back.

"I... you here? You accepted Abhish?" Purab asks shocked and starting to smile happily.

"You knew about Abhish?" Abhishek asks him shocked.

"Yeah." Purab hesitantly replies.

"Why didn't you tell me then?" Abhishek asks him shocked.

"What do you mean by tell you? didn't you know?" Purab asks him shocked out of his wits.

"Of course not! If I did, do you think I wouldn't have come?" Abhishek asks shocked.

"Pragya told me you knew." Purab tells him feeling completely lost.

Abhishek sighs hearing that. "You should have told me, Purab. At least mentioned him."

Hearing the conversation, Aaliyah picks up Abhish and goes to Pragya's bedroom to give them privacy.

"Pragya didn't want me to tell you that I knew. She was scared that you would either stop talking to me or ask me to stop keeping in touch with her."

"How long have you been in touch with Pragya?" Abhishek asks him in shock.

"Always." Purab replies a little hesitantly.

Hearing that Abhishek stops in shock. Then in a low thoughtful voice he says, "Pragya mentioned that if she knew I was into drugs then she would never sit back and not do anything about it. she sent you to me, right?"

Purab nods. "She told me that you were doing drugs. That's why I came to see you that time and forced you to rehab."

"Oh." Abhishek whispers as he thoughtfully looked away. even when Pragya was away from him and struggling alone, she had thought of him and had tried to get him the help that he needed.

"Sometimes, you were so difficult that I just would want to give up. But she wouldn't let me." Purab tells him softly.

Abhishek sighs hearing that.

*********

"So, what plans now?" Purab asks Abhishek.

They had gone out for a walk so they could talk alone.

"I'll be here till this project gets over and after that I haven't decided." Abhishek tells him.

Purab frowns hearing that. "What about marriage?"

"Marriage?" Abhishek asks him confused. "You know what my thoughts on marriage is."

Purab sighs. "Your parents' marriage sucked. They couldn't understand the sanctity of marriage. but why are you judging marriage based on your parents' sins? the truth is they didn't deserve to be married. But do you honestly think that Pragya doesn't deserve to be married?"

"I didn't say that." Abhishek says softly.

"So, you would be okay with Pragya marrying someone else?" Purab asks him.

Abhishek looks away hearing that question. the thought itself making him furious and a sense of panic setting in him.

"I always felt that you had feelings for Pragya." Purab tells him softly.

Did he have feelings for Pragya? Abhishek gulps worriedly. He didn't want to open that box.

"Right now, things are all fine. Abhish is very happy. Pragya and I have an understanding. We are parents and our priority is our son now."

"For how long?" Purab asks him. "Till when do you have this project?"

"A month. Give or take a week."

"And after that?" Purab asks him.

"Haven't decided yet. Have some plans."

"Hmmm. Did you talk to Pragya about it?"

"Once I take a decision, I'll tell her."

Hearing his mobile ring, Abhishek checks his mobile and sees that it was his father. "Fuck!" Abhishek screams in irritation and cuts his call.

"What happened?" Purab asks him curiously.

"My father! He is after my life." Abhishek says in fury.

"He never bothered about you, what happened now?" Purab asks confused.

"Marriage. if that man thinks he can pester me into marriage then he better think again."

Purab sighs hearing that.

"I was supposed to go back today, now that I am not going for a while he is going to keep torturing me."

"Instead of Pragya's, you should block his number." Purab mutters.

Abhishek takes his mobile and blocks both his parents' number.

"Seriously? Were you waiting for someone to suggest that?" Purab asks shocked.

"At the end of the day, he is Dadi's son and she is Dadi's daughter-in-law. But I am just done."

"It's the Vegas photos, isn't it?" Purab softly asks him, guessing his reason for the current fury.

Abhishek stops hearing the question. Purab turns to look at him and Abhishek softly nods as he resumed walking. His father and his current secretary were photographed together in Vegas two weeks back.

"Pragya knows?" Abhishek asks Purab softly.

Purab nods in reply.

Abhishek sighs, "The moment that photo hit the net, my mother took off to God knows where and with whom. How the hell am I going to explain all this to Abhish? If they humiliate Abhish the way they humiliated me..." Abhishek stops in fury.

"Abhish has a long time to go before he understands all these. Hopefully, some calamity would take them both before that."

"I don't think I will ever have such lucky break." Abhishek replies.

Purab turns to Abhishek and Abhishek looks at him. they couldn't help, they both chuckle.

*********

Pragya opens the door for them.

"Hi." Pragya says with a smile.

Abhishek smiles at her and walks in. and she notices Purab behind Abhishek. Pragya stops in shock seeing him.

"Purab?" Pragya says in shock.

"Hey Pragya." Purab smiles.

Abhishek kneels down to pick Abhish curiously turns to look at them and sees Pragya awkwardly looking at him and Purab.

"You didn't tell her that he was here?" Abhishek asks Aaliyah confused seeing that Pragya was surprised to see Purab there.

"He said he wanted to surprise her, was I supposed to tell her?" Aaliyah asks him confused. "He is such a good friend of hers that..." Aaliyah stops confused as she looked at Pragya and Purab.

Abhishek nods and turns to look at Pragya and sees her still watching him worriedly. Abhishek gets up and walks to her. "Why are you looking like that? Don't you remember, Purab? He was my best friend in college."

"Yeah." Pragya whispers awkwardly.

"I ran to him downstairs. It is cool that I invited him here, right? I thought I'll introduce him to Abhish." Abhishek tells her.

"He is my friend." Pragya worriedly tells him.

"You're such an asshole, Abhishek!" Purab mutters.

"LANGUAGE!" Abhishek and Pragya sternly tell Purab.

"I can see that both Daddy and Mummy are strict. Poor Abhish." Purab says and walks off to Abhish.

"Erm... Abhishek..." Pragya nervously starts.

"Thank you, Pragya." Abhishek tells her with a gentle smile.

"What?" Pragya asks him confused.

"For sending Purab to help me." Abhishek explains.

"You know?" Pragya softly asks.

"He told me."

"You told me to stay out of your life, but knowing you were into drugs, I couldn't..." Pragya starts to explain.

"Pragya..." Abhishek cuts her off. "Thank you."

Pragya smiles softly hearing that.

"I was so rude and cruel but still you sent Purab." Abhishek regretfully tells her.

"I understood you, Abhishek." Pragya tells him.

********

That weekend Abhishek goes to Pragya's place in the morning.

"Maybe I should give you a key to my apartment." Pragya says opening the door.

Abhishek chuckles. "Were you busy?"

"I was giving Abhish a bath." Pragya tells him as she ran back in. "Lock the door."

Abhishek closes the main door and locks it. then he heads to Pragya's bedroom.

"Hi!" Abhishek excitedly tells Abhish.

Seeing him, Abhish happily smiles as he shook his hands in excitement. Pragya smiles seeing that.

"Since, it is off for you today and you are in no hurry. Can you teach me how to bathe him?" Abhishek asks her as he crouched next to her.

Pragya nods. "You start with checking the temperature of the water."

********

"I'll do it." a drenched Abhishek says as he carried dried up Abhish to Pragya's bed.

Pragya gets Abhish's clothes and sets it on the bed while Abhishek put Abhish on the bed. Pragya hands him the diaper. Abhishek puts the diaper for him. then he was putting on the top for him when he notices a birthmark on the right side of Abhish's chest.

"hey!" Abhishek says surprised as he gently touched it.

"Even I noticed." Pragya says smiling seeing him looking at it. "Like mirror image. You have on left and he has on right."

"Mine is on left?" Abhishek asks confused trying to jog his memory.

"Yeah, right here." Pragya says as she touched his chest with a finger.

Then they both stop in shock realizing what they were saying and talking about. Pragya gulp as she quickly took off her hand, and awkwardly looked away.

"Erm..." Abhishek gulps as he looked away awkwardly. When she had touched his chest, he remembered the hickey she had left him right there, she had even loved that unattractive birthmark of his too.

Abhishek quickly makes Abhish wear the top. Then he was about to take his bottoms when Pragya also starts to take it. feeling their hands graze each other's, they both jump back in shock. They nervously look at each other and then quickly looks away worriedly.

Pragya quickly grabs the bottoms and gently keep it on top of Abhish's waist. Pragya then moves away in the pretense of checking something in the cupboard, her mind filled with the passionate night they had spent together.

Abhishek quickly takes the cloth and makes Abhish wear it. his mind filled with the vague memories of the night that he had felt alive in a long time.

"Done." Abhishek informs Pragya without looking at her.

"I'll feed him then." Pragya says looking everywhere but him.

"Okay." Abhishek replies and leaves the room.

********

Abhishek was wondering whether he should leave once Pragya comes out of the room as Abhish would be sleeping now and he had no idea how he was going to behave with Pragya.

He was nervously pacing the living room when he hears the door open. He stops and turns to look and sees Pragya walking out with Abhish in her arms.

She smiles at him. "Did you get bored?"

Abhishek stops in shock for a second then realizing that she was going to act as if that the awkward moment didn't happen, he relaxes. Even he will act like that, and he was good at acting. "No. he didn't sleep?"

"He doesn't sleep on weekends. I wake up late on weekends, so he also wakes up late. So he doesn't need a morning nap." Pragya explains.

"Okay." Abhishek smiles. "So, what do you two do on weekends?"

"Cooking prep for the week and a little bit of cooking." Pragya tells him.

"Even Abhish?" Abhishek asks with a smile.

"Yes. He is a MasterChef. Aren't you, Abhish?" Pragya asks Abhish cutely.

Laughing Abhish replies to her. Pragya heads to the kitchen, as she was walking, she starts to grab his baby chair.

"I've got it." Abhishek tells her as he lifted it up.

"Thanks." Pragya smiles at him and heads to the kitchen. "You can leave it here." Pragya tells him pointing at a spot.

Abhishek keeps the chair there.

"Aaliyah didn't come today?"

"She doesn't one the days I have off." Pragya places Abhish in his chair and settles him. she keeps his rag doll on his side and then she grabs a bag from the side and opens it. then she places various vegetable soft toys and a knife soft toy in front of Abhish. Seeing that Abhish excitedly grabs it.

Abhishek watches as Abhish slammed the knife on the vegetables. He chuckles softly and looks up at Pragya. sees her taking out a bunch of vegetables from the fridge.

"That is a lot of food." Abhishek observes loudly.

"I cook for today and tomorrow. Then I cut and prep the vegetables for the whole week, so it is easier for me to cook during the weekday." Pragya tells him.

Abhishek smiles realizing how organized Pragya has become and everything was planned keeping Abhish a priority.

"I'll also help." Abhishek tells her as he walked to her.

"that is okay. I'll do it." Pragya tells him smiling.

"I know to cut vegetables." Abhishek tells her.

"You cook now? You stay alone, right?" Pragya asks him softly.

Abhishek looks at her surprised. Since they met at the park, this was the first time she had asked him a personal question. otherwise it was all about Abhish or some casual enquiry. He didn't understand, why it felt nice. "Once in a while, don't get much time to cook. I used to do it with Dadi."

"Oh." Pragya nods. "There is knife and extra chopping board there." Pragya tells him pointing at the countertop.

Abhishek nods and grabs the knife and chopping board. He takes few vegetables and starts peeling them.

"How do you want them cut?"

Pragya looks up to see which all vegetables he had took and then says, "Chopped. Small pieces."

Abhishek nods and was about to start chopping them when Abhish starts crying loudly. They both turn back to check and sees Abhish leaning down on the chair as he pointed down. Noticing the doll on the floor near him, Abhishek quickly grabs it and keeps it next to Abhish. Abhish stops crying, goes back to playing with his vegetables. Abhishek turns to Pragya in shock and she shrugs in reply.

"Where did you get that doll from?" Abhishek asks her. "Are you sure that thing is not possessed or someone did black magic with it?"

Pragya chuckles hearing that. "My friend did an exhibition and she invited me. she makes these toys. I had to buy something from there and I picked this. I gave it to him and he didn't even look at it."

"What?" Abhishek asks surprised.

"Yeah, he just kept throwing it away. one day, Aaliyah's daughter came. She is a sweet kid, 6 years old. Since, he hated it, I gave it to her. he saw that and got all furious and started screaming and crying." Pragya looks at him and continues on embarrassed. "I had to ask the poor child to give it back. And she immediately gave it back."

Abhishek looks at her in shock, then remembering their son's horrible behavior, he asks her, "You got the kid some other toy, right?"

"Yeah... yeah... I did."

"Ah good," Abhishek smiles in relief.

"Anyway, he calmed down only after he got the doll back. ever since then, if anyone touches it, he'll eat our head off."

Abhishek chuckles hearing that.

"Only that doll, otherwise he doesn't mind sharing his toys." Pragya tells him.

"Really?" Abhishek asks her surprised.

"Yeah, maybe you are right, that doll is possessed."

Abhishek chuckles hearing that. Pragya smiles at him. then they got back to cutting vegetables.

Abhishek smiles, as he chopped up the broccoli. This felt nice, doing household chores with Pragya and Abhish. He felt peace and happiness filling him. after a long time, finally he was starting to be happy with life.

And he had no idea that life was going to throw a curveball at him.

********

Hearing the doorbell, Pragya hurries to open the door. she sees Tej and Santoshi at the door.

"Tej uncle, Santoshi aunty?" Pragya says with a surprised smile. "Abhishek didn't tell me you both were coming. please come in."

Tej and Santoshi frown in surprise seeing Pragya recognizing them. they walk into her house and look around the flat in disgust.

"Abhishek said he had some meetings so he might only come by later tonight." Pragya tells them smiling. "Please sit. I'll come now."

Pragya hurries to her bedroom where Aaliyah was putting on Abhish's onesies after his evening bath.

"Abhish, Dadu and Dadi are here to see you." Pragya tells him as she picked him up.

Abhish curiously looks at her in confusion and starts talking to her. Pragya walks out of the room towards Tej and Santoshi.

Pragya walks to Santoshi and starts to offer her Abhish. "This is Dadi and that is Dadu..."

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?" Tej furiously shouts.

Abhish jumps up in shock hearing the furious shout and getting scared he starts crying. Pragya quickly hugs him to her chest as she looked at Tej and Santoshi in shock.

"How dare you?" Santoshi asks her furiously. "Abhishek is a little distracted with you and you think you can pass off your child as an Mehra?"

"What?" Pragya asks in a shocked confused whisper.

"If you so badly want a father for your child then go to the man who made him. and if you aren't even sure who it is, find someone else. Leave my son alone!" Tej furiously tells her.

Hearing Tej's furious voice, Abhish cries louder as he got scared.

"Stop shouting, you are scaring my son." Pragya tells them with furious tears.

"Then you and your son stay away from my son. His marriage is fixed with Tanu Malhotra, do you even know who she is?" Santoshi asks her.

Pragya gulps hearing that Abhishek was getting married and he never told them about it. she felt her heart break and her eyes fill up.

"If you can't look after your son then throw him to some orphanage. Stop trying your vile charms on Abhishek." Tej furiously tells her.

"Stop it." Pragya tells them in a furious voice.

Santoshi grabs three bundles of notes from her bag and extends it to Pragya. "If you need more then tell us. just get your damn son and get out of my son's life."

"Not another word." Pragya furiously tells them.

"Take the money and get out of Abhishek's life." Santoshi tells her furiously.

"I said not another word. If you say another word, then I will forget that you are Abhish's..."

"His name is Abhishek!" Tej furiously corrects her. "What kind of slut are you that you don't even know the name of..."

"ENOUGH!" Pragya furiously says making Abhish cry louder as he hugged her tight. "GET OUT."

Tej furiously grabs the money from Santoshi, and throws it at Pragya, but instead of Pragya, the bundles hit Abhish, making him even more scared and now physically hurt, he wails loudly.

"Aaliyah!" Pragya furiously calls her. Aaliyah who was watching everything in shock hurries to her side and Pragya hands Abhish to her.

Then she grabs both Tej's and Santoshi's arms and furiously drags them to the door.

"Let go of me, you miscreant." Santoshi says furiously.

"How dare you touch us; you scum?" Tej furious asks her.

Pragya furiously shoves them out of the door. "Don't you dare ever come near my son again. I'll kill you both if you hurt my son again." Pragya says furiously and slams the door shut.

She walks to Aaliyah who was trying to calm down Abhish. She picks Abhish from her, and hugging him tight to her chest, she walks to her bedroom.

********

"He slept?" Abhishek asks from the door seeing Pragya sitting on the floor, hugging Abhish.

Pragya looks up at him but doesn't say anything.

"I wanted to come before he slept." Abhishek regretfully tells her as he walked in. "Now, I'll see him tomorrow."

"Is everything alright?" Abhishek asks her curiously when she remained silent. When she remained silent, Abhishek leans towards Abhish and kisses on the back of his head.

Pragya looks away furiously.

"I'll come in the morning then." Abhishek tells her with a frown seeing that she wasn't in a good mood. Even though he wanted to stay and ask her about it, he realized that she wasn't in the mood to talk about it. he would ask her the next day when he came. He silently prays that it isn't anything major.

"By the way, I found it on the floor. Where should I keep it?" Abhishek asks her as he showed her the money.

"You can keep it." Pragya tells him in reply.

"What?" Abhishek asks confused and a little offended. "Why should I keep it?"

"Then buy something nice for Tanu with it. Tell her it is a gift from Abhish."

"Tanu?" Abhishek asks her confused. "How do you know her?"

"I know I mean nothing to you, Abhishek. I am just a girl you slept with one night when you were high. You owe me no explanation and I don't expect one from you. but my son! He deserves to know when you were planning another family. You should have made it clear that Abhish was a temporary distraction for you."

"What the hell, Pragya?" Abhishek asks in a furious whisper. "Abhish is my son!"

"Your son?" Pragya scoffs at him. "He is your son?"

"Yes!" Abhishek furiously replies.

"Then why does your parents think that his father is someone else and I am latching on to you so my son will get the great Mehra name?"

"My parents?" Abhishek asks in shock, his heart skipping a beat wondering about the scene they might have created. "They were here?"

"That is the money they gave my son to get out of your life." Pragya furiously tells him.

"They gave money?" Abhishek asks his heart breaking and fury filling him at the humiliation Pragya and Abhish had to go through.

"They threw it at my son!" Pragya furiously spits out.

"What?" Abhishek whispers in shock, his eyes filling up. "Pragya..."

"I've never even put the TV on loud in front of my Abhish, and your parents were screaming at my son."

"Why are you saying my son and my Abhish, Pragya?" Abhishek asks her in shock. "You used to always say our Abhish and our son, right?"

Pragya doesn't reply to that as she stared at him in anger.

"Pragya, listen to me. my parents mean nothing to me. I don't even talk to them unless it is official work. They have been pestering me to marry Tanu but you know, I don't ever want to get married. When I didn't go back to Mumbai they might have snooped around office and found out that I am spending most of my time here. Maybe that is why they got me held up in this meeting so they could threaten you without my presence." Abhishek starts explaining to her.

"Abhish slept, Abhishek. there is no one here who is interested in talking to you. you should leave, Abhishek." Pragya tells him.

Abhishek's heart break hearing that. "Please don't say that, Pragya. I didn't do anything."

"That is right, Abhishek. you didn't do anything. you didn't protect my son."

"Stop calling him your son!" Abhishek tells her in anger. He knew whether she said my son or our son, it was not going to change the truth that Abhish was his son. But when Pragya stops saying our son and uses 'my son' instead it means that Pragya and he were no longer one unit, Pragya was separating them and that he couldn't have.

"Where were you Abhishek when your parents came into my home and insulted my son? Where were you when that man-whore called me a slut? I slept with the man I loved for once in my life and he calls me a slut because unlike him and his wife, I didn't kill my unborn child. Or threw him to an orphanage like they wanted."

"What?" Abhishek asks her in shock, his fury and pain increasing tenfold.

"Just leave, Abhishek. I just want to be with my son now. I don't want to deal with you now. just go."

Realizing Pragya wasn't in the mood to listen to him, Abhishek sadly gets up and leaves Pragya's flat, furiously clutching the money that his so called parents threw at their son.

********

"Where are you?" Abhishek furiously spits out on the phone.

"Why aren't you back in your hotel room yet?" Tej asks him back.

Realizing that they were staying in the same hotel as him, Abhishek furiously hangs up the phone.

Sometime later, Abhishek furiously rings the bell on Tej's hotel room. Tej opens the door for him.

"HOW DARE YOU GO TO PRAGYA'S HOME?" Abhishek furiously asks him.

"Where have you been, Abhishek?" Santoshi furiously asks him. "How long have we been trying to call you?"

"Why did you go to Pragya's home?" Abhishek asks them again furiously.

"What are you doing with that girl?" Tej asks him. "Her nerve!" Tej says furiously remembering how she had thrown them out.

"What I do with her, is not any of your fucking business!" Abhishek furiously replies. "You called her a slut! You've been keeping company of only sluts, your wife included that you think every girl is a slut?"

"How dare you, Abhishek?" Santoshi furiously asks him.

Abhishek turns to his mother and looking into her eyes, he says, "You are a slut, Santoshi Mehra. And you, Prem Mehra." Abhishek turns to his father and tells him, "You're a sexual pervert. And you both think the rest of the world is like you both. Pragya is not like you both. she loved me. even after all that I did, she still loves me. Pragya is my family."

"She and her son..."

Abhishek furiously cuts him off. "Our son." Then showing the money he was holding, he asks furiously. "You threw money at my son!" he furiously throws it Tej's face.

"How dare you, Abhishek?" Tej furiously asks feeling the bundle hit him on his face.

"what do you mean by your son, Abhishek?" Santoshi asks him in confusion.

"Abhish is my son!" Abhishek furiously tells her.

"Have you gone crazy? Don't you realize how these girls are? They say some sob story and you adopt their child as your own?"

"ABHISH IS OUR SON! HE IS MY FLESH AND BLOOD!"

"What?" Santoshi whispers in shock.

"Your son?" Tej asks frowning angrily.

"You insulted our son and his mother."

"Have you lost it, Abhishek?" Santoshi asks him in shock. "You couldn't handle a small thing? Why didn't you take care of it when she was pregnant itself?"

Abhishek turns to his mother in fury, his heart breaking a little. "That is my living breathing son and you are talking about killing him?"

"Don't exaggerate. It is called abortion." Tej tells him in irritation. "After making such a big blunder you are standing here and screaming at us instead of handling it."

"No wonder that girl rejected the money we gave. She knows that her son has a claim to our property." Santoshi tells Tej.

"Not another word against Pragya." Abhishek furiously tells her.

"Shut up!" Santoshi tells him irately. "Call our lawyer." Santoshi tells Tej. "We need to make her sign off all of that kid's claim to our property. We need to make her sign a non-disclosure contract regarding the paternity."

"She is going to ask a lot in return for those." Tej says fed up. "Bloody good for nothing couldn't even handle an unwanted pregnancy."

"Shut the fuck up!" Abhishek furiously tells them. "You and your wife can be bought but my Pragya is not for sale! Our son is not for sale. He is our pride."

"Stop saying your son!" Santoshi tells him fed up. "Do you know what is going to happen if anyone finds out about it? if Tanu's family find out?"

"I don't give a damn!" Abhishek furiously tells her. "I have told you this before and I am telling you again, I'll not marry Tanu or anyone that you want me to."

"You will do what we say!" Tej furiously tells him.

"You'll marry Tanu and stop seeing that girl and that child." Santoshi tells him in finality.

"After the way you both insulted Pragya and our son, you think you can be a part of my life?" Abhishek asks them. "You both are dead to me." saying that Abhishek turns to walk off.

"You'll not get a penny from me then." Tej warns him.

Abhishek turns to him and scoffs, "You wish. I have as much right to all these properties as our son and you."

*********

Abhishek walks into his hotel room. closing the door, he sits on the floor, feeling drained and defeated. He had always stayed away from his parents and today for the first time he had confronted them. he closes his eyes as his head kept ringing with their words. How could his parents talk about Abhish like that? they even wished that Abhish wasn't even born. Abhishek sighs as he fought his tears. When they could never love him, how can they ever love their Abhish? He felt lonely. he wanted to unburden himself. He takes his phone and dials Pragya's number. For the first time he wanted to share his pain with someone. He wanted to share his pain with Pragya. he wanted her to reassure him. he wanted to reassure her. the ring went for 4 times and the call was cut. Heart slamming against his chest, Abhishek hugs his legs to his chest, what was he going to do if Pragya remained angry with him?

********

The next morning, Abhishek walks into Pragya's apartment. He stops seeing Aaliyah with Abhish instead of Pragya.

"How come you are early today?" Abhishek asks her confused as he looked around the flat for Pragya.

"Pragya asked me to come early. She had some work so left early." Aaliyah informs him. "I've to give him his bath."

Abhishek nods, his heart beating fast wondering whether Pragya was avoiding him or she really had some work. Hearing Abhish call him, he looks at him and sees him stretching out his hand for him to pick him up. Abhishek walks to him and picks him up. Abhish smiles at him and starts talking to him. Abhishek smiles gently and lovingly kisses him, then he hugs him close to his chest.

After Aaliyah took him to give his bath, Abhishek tries calling Pragya. she cuts his call. His heart skips a beat and panicking Abhishek calls her again. after the third time he tried to call her, he gets a message from her.

I am busy. I'll talk to you in the evening.

Abhishek sighs, he closes his eyes feeling helpless.

**********

Abhishek kept checking the time as Pragya hadn't got home yet. It was way past the time she usually comes home. Abhish was also starting to ask for Pragya. Abhishek was fighting the urge to call her when he hears the door open, Abhishek looks up and sees Pragya walk in. noticing him, she stops for a second then looking at Abhish, she walks towards them. seeing her, Abhish excitedly smiles at her. Pragya picks him up from Abhishek's hands and happily kisses him.

"Pragya..." Abhishek softly calls her.

"Abhishek, I just got home now. I just want to spent two minutes with my son." Pragya tells him.

My son! Abhishek furiously looks away.

"You go, Aaliyah. Priya would be waiting for you." Pragya tells Aaliyah.

Aaliyah nods and quickly leaves.

Abhishek without saying anything stood back and watched Pragya with their son. he waited as Pragya fed and finally put their son to sleep. finally, she comes out of her bedroom.

"Now, can we talk?" Abhishek asks her.

Pragya nods. "What is your plan, Abhishek?"

"Plan?" Abhishek asks her confused.

"Yes, how long are you planning to be here? If Abhish is just a temporary distraction for you then, just stop coming here, Abhishek. Abhish is just a baby, it would be easy for him to forget you. he'll miss you, ask for you and cry for a day or two then he'll forget you."

"Distraction?" Abhishek asks her furiously. "Abhish is my son. I'm not abandoning him."

"Do you think Tanu will accept Abhish?"

"I already told you that I'm not marrying Tanu. How many times do you want me to tell you that?"

"If not Tanu then whoever you marry. Not many women will be willing to accept her husband's child with another woman." Pragya tells him.

"Pragya, I am not getting married." Abhishek tells her in exasperation. "Not to Tanu and not to anyone else."

Pragya looks away hearing that.

"Pragya, I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I never thought my parents would come here like that. I'm very sorry, Pragya. but I've told them to stay from you both." Abhishek tells her.

"Do you think I am going to let them come near Abhish again?" Pragya asks him.

Abhishek sighs helplessly. "You asked for my plan. I've been trying to take a decision all these while. Last night I did."

Pragya looks at him with a frown.

"I wasn't sure whether I should go back to Mumbai because my work is there and come here every weekend or shift here. But I realized last night that I have nothing left there in Mumbai and I can't stay for days away from here. I've decided to shift here. I'll work from here." Abhishek tells her.

Pragya nods hearing that.

"Pragya..." Abhishek takes her hand in his.

Pragya pulls her hand back,

Abhishek sighs seeing that.

"I don't want you coming here anymore." Pragya tells him.

"What?" Abhishek stops in shock. "Pragya, Abhish is my son." Abhishek furiously reminds her.

"I know." Pragya replies to him. "I said I don't want you coming here. I didn't say you can't meet Abhish."

Abhishek frowns hearing that.

"I've spoken to Aaliyah, when you are free, call her and send your driver, she'll bring Abhish to where you are."

"What are you saying, Pragya?" Abhishek asks her in a shocked whisper. "Why are you doing this? What did I do wrong, Pragya? where did I go wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Abhishek. I went wrong. I'm just correcting that."

"You are cutting me out of your life." Abhishek accuses her.

"Abhishek, you have a relation to Abhish. We have no relation." Pragya clarifies to him.

"We don't?" Abhishek asks her angrily.

"We don't."

Abhishek furiously holds her arms and pulls her close to him. "Aren't we anything to each other?"

"Leave me, Abhishek." Pragya tells him angrily.

"Don't I mean anything to you?" Abhishek asks her his eyes filling up and he panicking. "How can you even say that? Don't you love me anymore?"

Pragya looks away unable to answer him.

"You are all Abhish and I have. You know that." Abhishek tells her panicking. "Is it so easy for you to stop loving me?

"Stop it, Abhishek." Pragya tells him getting restless.

"If I don't have your love in my life, I don't know what I will do." Abhishek whispers as he leaned down and took her lips in his.

"Please stop this, Abhishek." Pragya says as she struggled in his arms. "Stop this madness, Abhishek."

"Please don't stop loving me, Pragya. I'll go crazy." Abhishek begs her against her lips. "Please, Pragya... please... please.... I'm begging you."

Unable to resist him, Pragya kisses him back. feeling her kissing him, Abhishek pulls her closer to him and kisses her hungrily.

********

Heart slamming against his chest, Abhishek worriedly and hesitantly says her name, "Pragya..."

Pragya quickly sits up and starts wearing her clothes. seeing that, Abhishek sits up and wears his clothes. Pragya gets up and starts to walk off.

Abhishek quickly holds her hand. "Pragya, we have to talk."

"We don't have to talk. I remember everything that you said the last time we slept together." Pragya tells him without looking at him.

"Pragya, please don't do this..."

Pragya pulls her hand free from him and walk off to her bedroom. Locking the door. helpless and filled with regret and guilt, Abhishek runs his hand over his face.

********

Pragya opens the door and stops in shock seeing Abhishek sitting in the living room. "Didn't you leave last night?"

Abhishek shakes his head in negative as he stood up and walked to her.

"You should leave, Abhishek." Pragya tells him sternly. "And leave the key I gave you here. I'll be changing my flat and I've to return the keys."

"You are changing flat?" Abhishek asks her in shock. "Stop shutting me out of your life like this, Pragya."

"This has nothing to do with you, Abhishek. just leave."

"We've to talk, Pragya. we need to sort it out."

"There is nothing to talk about." Pragya tells him.

"There is, Pragya." Abhishek tells her sternly as he stepped closer to her.

"Just stop it, Abhishek."

"We are a family, Pragya." Abhishek reminds her.

"We are not a family, Abhishek. my family is Abhish. Your family is Abhish and your parents. we are not family."

"Please stop this, Pragya." Abhishek begs her. "I apologized for what my parents did. I had nothing to do with it. if I knew they would have done that then I would have stopped it. I swear. I'm sorry, Pragya. all my life I've been punished for my parents' crime. Now, you also don't punish me for their crimes, Pragya. please."

Pragya helplessly looks at him.

"Please Pragya, please don't stop loving me. I'm begging you, Pragya. if I don't have your love in my life then I don't know what I will do. The only thing I am sure of in my life is your love and Abhish."

Pragya's eyes fill up hearing that.

"Please Pragya, please just love me like you do. Please don't stop loving me. I've no one else to love me, Pragya." Abhishek begs her as he took her lips in his.

********

"Where are your parents now?" Purab asks thoughtfully after hearing everything.

"They went back."

"You told them about your decision to stay here?"

"I've send an official mail informing everyone that I'll be working from our office here, from now on."

"And your parents didn't react to it?" Purab asks.

"There is nothing they can do."

"And Pragya?"

"She is avoiding me." Abhishek tells him sadly. "She doesn't talk to me. whenever I am at her place, she makes sure Aaliyah is there."

"Hmmm... give her some time. you know, how she is protective about Abhish. Her world revolves around him."

Abhishek nods sighing sadly.

"She cut off ties with her mother because when she called her mother to inform about Abhish, she had said that Abhish is a disgrace to the family. After that she never tried to call her mother."

"It's not just that." Abhishek uncomfortably says.

"Then?" Purab asks confused.

"I realized that I've been lying to her and myself."

"Lying? What lie?" Purab asks confused.

"I thought the drugs made me senseless, incapable of differentiating between right and wrong but now I realize that it just made me speak my truth. The drugs made me incapable of lying."

"What? Are you talking about reunion?" Purab asks confused.

Abhishek nods "Pragya came to be and told me that her mother was pressurizing her to get married. She wanted to know if we had a chance because she was unable to fight her mother anymore and she is in the verge of giving in and marrying someone she chose."

"You are remembering this now?" Purab asks confused.

"I always remembered it, but I lied to myself."

"What?" Purab asks.

"that Pragya had taken advantage of my condition. But the truth is when Pragya said all that, I panicked. After Dadi, she was the only one who had loved me and I couldn't lose her love. I panicked and begged her to not stop loving me. she didn't take me to her room. I took her to her room." Abhishek confesses.

"Fuck! And all this while Pragya thought..." Purab says in shock. "Did you tell her this?"

"No, but I know she realized it." Abhishek replies.

"How do you know that?" Purab asks confused.

"I know."

"How?" Purab asks confused then he stops realizing that the only way they could have realized it without talking about it is if the situation had repeated itself. "Damn! I guess, I'll be hearing another good news soon." Purab mutters.

********

"Oh it's you." Aaliyah says as she opened the door for Abhishek. "Don't you have a key?"

"No. where you expecting someone else?" Abhishek asks her back.

"Pragya called, she has finalized a place and the packers and movers will be coming now." Aaliyah informs him and walks off.

Abhishek stops hearing that.

Few minutes later, Pragya reaches home.

"Why are you moving, Pragya?" Abhishek asks her the moment he saw her.

"Because I have to." Pragya replies as she took Abhish in her arms and pampered him.

"But Abhish loves it here. He has friends here. He loves the park."

"The owner doesn't want an unmarried mother to stay in his house." Pragya informs him.

"What?" Abhishek asks her in shock. "How can he say that? he can't do that to you."

"This is his house and it is his wish." Pragya tells him. "I've spoken to the new owner and the building association there. I've told them that we are co-parenting Abhish but you will not come there. I've given them word that no man would unnecessarily visit me. so, please don't come there like you come here. they had asked about Abhish's father. I told them that we are not together. They kind of think that we are divorced, so please just keep that lie going."

"Why do you have to lie, Pragya?" Abhishek latches on that part ignoring the first part of the conversation. "We can find another place."

"I've to move out by tomorrow and I'm willing to lie because I am a single mother who wants to give her son a safe and secure home." Pragya tells him in finality.

"Pragya... I've bought the penthouse in this building." Abhishek gently tells her. "you can move in with me. it'll be easy for us to raise Abhish..."

"You should leave. I've packing to do, Abhishek." Pragya tells him.

Abhishek helplessly sighs as he looked away.

"Or if you want to be with Abhish then you can take him to the park." Pragya tells him.

Fed up, without saying a word, Abhishek walks to Abhish and picking him up, he leaves.

********

Holding, Abhish on one arm, Abhishek smiles as he fed him his baby food. Abhish was curiously looking out the window and taking in the sight before him and pointing out things and talking about it. he had finally moved in the night before and Abhish had come to visit him. Pragya also had moved to her new place, he hadn't visited her as she had told him not to visit her. it's been a week since he saw her and he was going crazy. He had invited her to his place but she had only sent Abhish with Aaliyah. He had no idea how he was going to make her talk to him. with each day, he was becoming more hopeless and desperate. A fear has taken hold of him that Pragya might never be that old Pragya with him, and he was starting to get scared that he might have a relapse. The only thing that is holding him strong was Abhish. Abhishek kisses Abhish's cheek. Abhish smiles and continues to talk as he pointed at random things.

He hears Aaliyah's phone ring. He strains his ears to hear whether it was Pragya. he was no longer the point of contact for Pragya, it is Aaliyah now.

"Hello?... we are still here... Abhish is having his dinner..."

Abhishek sighs realizing that it was Pragya, it was time for Abhish's dinner and that is why Pragya had called. Abhishek finishes feeding Abhish and places him near Aaliyah. Abhish quickly grabs his doll and starts thrashing it. Abhishek sighs pitifully at the doll and walks to wash the container on which Abhish's food was packed. He knew that Pragya would ask Aaliyah to go home as soon as they got there as Aaliyah's daughter would be waiting for her and then Pragya will have to wash these containers. After washing them, he gets his mobile so he can call the driver to drop Abhish and Aaliyah.

He hears Abhish crying loudly. Leaving his mobile, he hurries to Abhish.

"What happened?" Abhishek asks and sees that Abhish was holding just the leg of his doll.

Seeing Aaliyah hurrying to take out the needle and thread from Abhish's baby bag, he quickly goes to Abhish. he picks him and holds him on his lap.

"I'll do it. stop crying, Abhish." Aaliyah tells him as she quickly took the doll and leg from Abhish.

Seeing Abhish leaning towards Aaliyah as he cried, Abhishek tightens his hold on him, and keeps him close.

"If you love it so much, why do you keep destroying it?" Aaliyah asks Abhish as she neatly sewed it up.

Abhishek stops in shock for a second, wondering whether Aaliyah was asking him that question.

"One day, it will be beyond repair if you keep doing this. Then you might have to find another doll or learn to be happy with the broken pieces." Aaliyah tells Abhish.

Abhishek gulps hearing that. he hugs a wailing Abhish to himself, finally realizing how much Abhish had taken after him.

********

Immediately after fixing his doll, Abhish had hugged his doll and quickly fell asleep.

"I'll drop you." Abhishek informs Aaliyah as he picked up Abhish gently in his arms.

Aaliyah frowns hearing that, "But Pragya asked you not to go there, right? where is your driver?"

"He went home." Abhishek lies as he headed out, he wanted to see Pragya.

Abhishek buckle up Abhish on the car seat.

"Aaliyah, if you want you can go home from here. Your daughter might be waiting for you." Abhishek tells her.

"It's okay." Aaliyah replies as she sat next to Abhish.

Abhishek closes the backseat door and gets into the driver's seat, then turning back to Aaliyah, he again tells her, "Abhish already slept. I'll manage. I can book an uber for you."

"Pragya trusted me with her son. I've to take him back to her safely." Aaliyah tells him.

Abhishek frowns hearing that. "You think I can't safely take him to Pragya?"

"What do I know?" Aaliyah replies with a shrug.

He had noticed that ever since his parent's visit, Aaliyah had been slightly hostile to him but he hadn't bothered about it as he was more concerned and worried about Pragya. but now he had enough! "He is my son. I can take care of him."

"Your son?" Aaliyah scoffs at him.

"Do you have any doubt?" Abhishek furiously asks her.

"No." Aaliyah replies. "Because Pragya has told me that you are Abhish's father and I believe her."

"He is my son." Abhishek says in an assertive tone.

"Your secret son." Aaliyah points out to him.

"What the hell?" Abhishek asks her in anger.

"He is." Aaliyah repeats. "Even your parents didn't know that he is your son."

Abhishek stops in regret remembering that awful incident.

"Who all knows that he is your son? just a handful of people. And all those people believe that he is your son, not because you told them that, it is because we believe Pragya when she says that Abhish is your son. so, how do I know whether you would take him back to Pragya safely? What if you decide to put him in some orphanage like your father suggested?"

"Do you really think that I would do that?" Abhishek asks her shocked and outraged.

"Have you done anything to prove your intentions regarding Abhish otherwise?" Aaliyah asks him back. "he is still Abhish Arora."

Abhishek looks away not wanting to explain to her his hatred for the Mehra name.

"If you die tomorrow, do you think this world is going to accept Abhish when he says he is your son? they all would say that an immoral woman and her illegitimate son is slandering and trying to steal the wealth of an innocent dead rich man. Then people would start digging your past, and people would say that when Abhishek had started his affair with Pragya, that time Abhish was already there. If he tries to claim that he is your son, all he will get is humiliation in return nothing else. Forget his condition if one or both of your parents are alive then."

Abhishek worriedly looks at Abhish, wondering whether his hatred for his parents were going to ruin Abhish's future.

"Not if, the truth is when you die, do you think they would let him do your last rites? Forget that, they are not even going to let him see you then."

Abhishek gulps realizing what Aaliyah was saying was true. He had been so caught up with the present that he hadn't thought of securing Abhish's future. If he dies tonight, then Abhish's whole life could be ruined. And Pragya would slandered all throughout her life. and he loved them both too much to let that become a reality.

"Pragya threw your parents out and within an hour, she was asked to vacate her flat because she was an immoral woman who was now bringing home a man every night."

"What?" Abhishek asks in shock.

"Don't tell me it didn't occur to you that your parents were behind Pragya being asked to leave."

Without saying anything, he drives the car to Pragya's apartment. He stops the car in front of the building. He helps Aaliyah take Abhish out of the car and then he had watched Aaliyah take Abhish in. he left without seeing Pragya. he had things to take care of before that.

********

Four days later, Abhishek goes to Pragya's apartment.

"I wanted to talk to you." Abhishek tells her as soon as she opened the door.

Pragya nods and opens the door for him.

"I want you to keep these safely." Abhishek tells her as he handed her some files.

"What are these?" Pragya asks him frowning curiously.

"It's my will... my property details... everything. Everything is in yours and Abhish's name. if anything happens to me before Abhish turns 25 then you will be in charge of his share too."

"I don't want anything of yours." Pragya tells him. "Abhish is your son, you can give him whatever you want, I don't want anything of yours."

"It is my wish what I do with my property and it is up to you whether you want claim it or not."

Pragya looks at the file and then looking up at him, she asks him, "Is this because of what Aaliyah said?"

"She told you?" Abhishek asks her a little surprised.

"When you didn't come to see Abhish for two days, she came to me and apologized fearing that she had overstepped her boundaries and might have caused you to abandon Abhish."

"I didn't abandon him. I would never." Abhishek tells her.

Pragya nods. "I told her that she didn't have to apologize because she told you all that I couldn't but wanted to."

Abhishek nods hearing her.

"Bringing Abhish into this world was my decision alone. And I had promised you that you could be as involved as you wanted. So, I didn't think I had any right to ask anything from you."

"You have all the right, Pragya." Abhishek tells her earnestly.

"All I wanted was for you to love him but when your parents said all that... I couldn't help think of everything else." Pragya tells him.

"They don't matter to me, Pragya. my world consists of only you, Abhish and Purab. No one else. That is why I never told them because I didn't want even their shadow to fall on Abhish."

"I want you to add my name to Abhish." Abhishek tells her. "The truth is I was relieved that you had given your name to Abhish. I was happy that Abhish didn't have the Mehra name added to him. I had decided never to marry because I wanted the Mehra bloodline to end with me. I never asked you to give my name to Abhish because I didn't want him to go through the humiliation that I went through because of my parents. if my parents humiliate Abhish like they humiliated me... I just couldn't have that. I wanted him to always be the happy and secure Abhish that he is now."

"If that is what you feel then we don't have to add it." Pragya tells him.

"No, Pragya... he should always feel secure in his identity. He shouldn't have ever to give proof that he is my son."

Pragya nods.

Abhishek kneels in front of her and takes her hands in his. "Now, I want to talk about us, Pragya."

"We don't have to, Abhishek." Pragya tells him.

"I love you, Pragya." Abhishek tells her.

"What?" Pragya asks in a soft whisper her eyes filling up.

"Because of my parents... I have always run away from marriage, relationships and love. but that day you had come for Dadi's funeral all the way to Mumbai and I couldn't help start feeling for you. I fought it. I refused to consider the truth."

"I always had felt that you had feelings for me." Pragya confesses with tearful eyes. "Every message I sent, you would check it immediately. Every time I called you, you would answer. You would scream but still you would answer. You didn't block my number till a month after reunion."

"Pragya, I want to clear this with you. if any other girl was in your place that night, nothing would have happened."

Pragya nods hearing that.

"I am sorry for the way I behaved Pragya. I was the reason we made love and I blamed you for it." Abhishek tells her regretfully.

Pragya gulps hearing that.

"I panicked and went crazy when I thought you would stop loving me. if I was certain about anything in my life then it was your love, Pragya. the thought that you would give my place to someone else... I couldn't handle it. I couldn't bear it. I'm sorry, Pragya."

Pragya gulps as she nodded.

"I now realize one thing, Pragya, that the only reason I didn't come after you after the reunion was because of your letters. Your letters were proof to me that you still loved me. if you hadn't send a letter one month then I would have come after you. I can never think of a life where I didn't have your love."

"You were such a dog, Abhishek." Pragya tells him in shock hearing that.

"I am messed up, Pragya. but I love you and our Abhish with all messed up bits of me. please accept me, Pragya."

Pragya smiles hearing that, leaning down, she lovingly takes his lips in hers and kisses him.

*****

One week later

Pragya curiously switches on the TV as Abhishek was doing a press coverage. Pragya realizes that it had already started. She adjusted the volume as she listened carefully.

"Mr. Mehra, what was the reason for this sudden marriage?"

Abhishek turns to the man who had asked him that question and replies, "We wanted to get married, so we got married."

"Is it true that your wife has a baby?" someone asks him.

"Yes, it is true that Pragya and I've a son together. His name is Abhish Arora Mehra." Abhishek proudly answers.

"Mr. Mehra did you adopt the baby or is he really your son?"

"He is my son. Our son." Abhishek confirms.

"Why did you hide your son for all these time? He should be about more than 6 months old."

"He would be 9 months old next week. Why I hid Abhish from the world... I didn't hide him. I just didn't tell anyone that Abhish is our son because I didn't want any kind of negativity affecting our son."

"How long have you known your wife?' someone asks him.

"We were in the same college. Last year, Pragya got pregnant. I was going through drug addiction that time. Pragya also found out about my addiction and she decided that till I get rid of my addiction, she would never let me anywhere near him."

Pragya sits up in shock hearing that. what is he saying?

"Pragya was willing to be a single unwed mother but she didn't want a drug addict anywhere near our son. she told me unless I fought my addiction, she will even fight me for our son. Pragya was willing to be an unwed mother but was not ready to accept a drug addict in our son's life. I got cleaned up couple of months back with the help of my best friend Purab and Pragya. Pragya let me be a part of Abhish's life and when she convinced beyond a doubt that I had got out of my addiction, she agreed to marry me and we got married."

"Mr. Mehra your parents weren't there for your wedding; why didn't they attend?" someone asls him.

"My parents are classist, elite and status conscious people, they would rather I marry for money and business than love. So, they didn't approve of Pragya as she belonged to a middleclass family." Abhishek explains.

"But Mrs. & Mr. Mehra are very much into charity work, so why wouldn't they accept Pragya?"

"That you should be asking them. I don't know the answer to that." Abhishek replies with a shrug. "No more questions. Thank you for your time." Abhishek says and quickly leaves.

*********

Hearing the door bell, Pragya quickly opens the door without checking through the peephole thinking that it was Okara at door. she opens the door to find Santoshi and Tej at the door.

"What are you doing here?" Pragya asks them with a frown. "I told you to stay away from our son. leave!"

"Shut up. Who are you to order us about? This is my son's house. get out of my way."

"This is my home now and you are not welcome here. Find another place to meet your son." Pragya tells them sternly and closes the door and locks it.

They kept ringing the bell for a few minutes but Pragya ignores it. few minutes later, she gets a message from Abhishek.

Pragya, I'm at the door.

Pragya quickly hurries, as she neared the door, she could hear argument from outside and opens the door for him. seeing that, Abhishek quickly slips in and turning to face his parents who were starting to follow him in, he leans on the door, blocking their way.

"What nonsense is this?" Santoshi asks furiously.

"Get out of my way." Tej furiously tells him.

"Pragya already told you that you are not welcome here and I've told you both that you are dead to me. so please, keep all your contacts limited to official work. Stay out of our lives otherwise."

"You humiliated us!" Teh furiously tells him.

"I was telling the truth." Abhishek replies.

"How dare you say all that?" Santoshi asks him.

"Be glad that I didn't mention that you both thought aborting our innocent baby was the right thing to do. Leave. You both are not welcome here. If you don't leave, then I'll have the security drag you out!" Abhishek furiously tells them and slams the door shut.

"Did they say anything rude?" Abhishek worriedly asks Pragya.

Pragya shakes her head in negative. "I told them that they can't come here."

"Good." Abhishek replies with a smile.

"Why did you lie at the press conference?" Pragya asks him.

"I don't want anyone to ever doubt that Abhish is not ours." Abhishek tells her. "No one should ever ask Abhish whether he is my son."

*********

"Why don't you represent India and take part in shooting competition?" Pragya asks Abhishek that evening in shock.

"What?" Abhishek asks her in confused disbelief at the weird as heck question.

"You are such a sharp shooter!"

"Me?" Abhishek asks shocked out of his wits.

"Or maybe I am just super fertile." Pragya thoughtfully muses.

"Huh?" Abhishek looks at her in confusion then realizing what she was hinting at, he jumps up in his seat, "Are you pregnant?"

Pragya smiles and replies as she showed him her pregnancy strip, "Yes."

"Oh my God!" Abhishek hugs her in shocked excitement. "That Purab and his tongue!"

"What?" Pragya asks confused.

"I am so happy." Abhishek says excitedly ignoring her question. "I was all alone and now, I've you, Abhish and one more person to love." Abhishek says his eyes filling up.

"Don't." Pragya lovingly wipes his eyes. "Today is a happy day."

"Yes." Abhishek says with a smile then smiling excitedly he says. "I can't believe Abhish is going to be a big brother."

"Awww Abhish bhaiyya." Pragya says happily as she hugged Abhishek.

*********

"How long has Aaliyah been working with you?" Abhishek asks Pragya as they headed back home after Pragya's gynecologist visit.

"I had 3 months' maternity leave. Around when Abhish was 2 months old, she came." Pragya replies.

"Who all are there in her family?"

"Just her daughter, Priya. She is divorced. When she was pregnant with Priya, her husband wanted her to abort as he didn't want a daughter. Aaliyah fought with him and left home. He didn't want to pay child support, so he made her family believe that Priya is not his daughter. fearing that the whole world would accuse Priya to be illegitimate, she had agreed for mutual divorce and didn't ask for child support."

"That is the reason, she was so furious with me and blasted me." Abhishek says softly.

"Yeah. She really cares for Abhish and me."

Abhishek smiles hearing that. "Where is she staying?"

"As a paying guest. I couldn't afford a bigger place, otherwise I would have told her to stay with us." Pragya tells him.

"I was thinking, maybe she could move in with us. at least on temporary basis. Doctor said you need complete rest, and it would be nice if Aaliyah is home full time so neither you nor Abhish would have any trouble or issues."

"And that way, Aaliyah will also be able to spend more time with Priya. I'll ask her." Pragya tells him smiling.

*********

Within a few days, Aaliyah and Priya had moved into their flat. Very soon, everything fell into a nice pattern.

Abhishek had just given Abhish his bath and after giving him his doll, he was about to get him his milk when he hears a loud cry. Closing his eyes in dread, he turns back to check and finds Abhish holding the doll's hand and crying.

"What happened?" Pragya asks worriedly as she hurried in followed by Aaliyah.

Crying Abhish shows Pragya his doll.

"I'll get the needle and thread." Aaliyah replies and starts to hurry out.

"No." Abhishek quickly says. "Don't fix it."

"What?" Pragya asks confused. "Abhishek, he won't stop crying till we fix it."

"Pragya, trust me. don't fix it."

"But Abhishek..."

"I know what I am doing, Pragya. please trust me."

Pragya and Aaliyah helplessly look at each other worriedly.

*********

That day and the next, Abhish had cried and went behind Pragya, Aaliyah, Abhishek and even Priya to fix his doll but Abhishek had been strict in his resolve and every was silently and helplessly following his decision.

Abhishek walks into his bedroom to find Pragya and Abhish already sleeping. He lovingly kisses Pragya's forehead while she continued to sleep on. He kisses Abhish's forehead and sees that he was still hugging his doll and it's arm securely in his arms. Abhish had cried a lot and he could no longer see him like that. he gently extricates the doll and it's arm from his arm.

Hearing his knocks, Aaliyah opens the bedroom door.

"Is everything alright?" Aaliyah asks him in concern, she was no longer hostile with him.

"Sorry to disturb you, but can you please fix this?" Abhishek asks her as he showed her the doll and it's arm.

Seeing that, Aaliyah smiles in relief. "Yes, please."

Ten minutes later, Abhishek walks back into his bedroom and he was about to place the doll on the bed when Pragya turns to him curiously. "Where did you go?"

"Aaliyah." Omkare replies as he showed her the doll.

Pragya smiles in relief. "Thank you. I was so tempted to fix it, I couldn't see him cry like this. But for you, I was fighting myself."

"Thank you, love. Hopefully, he would have learned his lesson." Abhishek tells her with a hopeful smile.

"Pragya... Pragya..." Abhishek softly shakes her awake in the morning.

"What?" Pragya asks sleepily as she turned to him.

"He is waking up." Abhishek whispers to her.

Pragya comes awake immediately and looks at their son. Abhish sleepily opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is his fixed doll in one piece. Laughing happily, he hugs it. then laughing excitedly, he turns to Pragya and shows her the doll as he babbled something. Then he turns Abhishek and laughing happily he shows him the doll as he said something pointing at his doll.

*********

"Did you finish your homework?" Aaliyah asks her daughter.

"Yes." Priya replies.

Aaliyah smiles at her hearing that. "Then you play with Abhish. I've some work, I'll finish that and come."

"Okay." Priya happily replies and she hops off to Abhish's play mat.

She sits on the mat and sees her, Abhish smiles at her and excitedly starts talking. Priya takes his toy box and goes through it.

"Let's play ball, Abhish." Priya says as she took a soft ball and gently rolled it to Abhish.

Abhish catches it and rolls it back to her.

"It's been three days and he hasn't thrashed his doll yet." Pragya whispers to Abhishek smiling excitedly as they watched Abhish playing with Priya.

Abhishek smiles hearing that and he with a smile watches Abhish play, his doll sitting royally next to him. Few rounds later, when Abhish threw the ball, it rolled past Priya. Abhishek quickly leans down and picks it up. He purposefully aims the ball at Abhish's doll and throws it. the ball hits on the doll.

Seeing that, Abhish furiously turns to Abhishek and shouts at him as he pointed at him in anger. Then turning to the doll, he quickly picks it up and hugs it. he again shouts at his father for hurting his precious doll.

"You are mad." Pragya mutters seeing their son glaring at his father.

Abhishek cheekily grins at her. "I was just checking if he loved it like he did before."

"He loves it more, I feel."

"I know." Abhishek replies smiling.

"How were you so sure that he would stop abusing it if we refuse to repair it?" Pragya asks him curiously.

"Because he is more of my son than you realize, Pragya." Abhishek explains. "He was treating the doll the exact way, I was treating you."

"What?" Pragya asks shocked.

"When he was given the doll, he ignored it just like how I ignored you when you told me you love me. after Dadi's death, I started seeing you differently but I didn't show it. exactly like how, Abhish was not showing that he likes the doll. Then one day, you decided to give the doll to Priya just like how you were planning to getting married and me panicking and fought to get you."

Pragya thoughtfully looks at him.

Looking at her in guilt, he says, "I treated you badly after that and Abhish started bashing up the doll, both of us were so secure in our belief that you belonged to me and the doll belonged to Abhish. No matter what we did, we would always have you. then you stopped talking to me and I was helpess, trapped, and was feeling suffocated that I was forced to introspect my feelings for you. when Aaliyah asksed Abhish, why he destroys it if he loved the doll so much... I thought she was asking me about you. I guess that is the moment, I accepted that I am in love with you."

Pragya thoughtfully nods.

"I had to lose you to finally be honest with me and I thought something similar would happen with Abhish, and I guess it worked." Abhishek tells her smiling happily.

Pragya smiles in amazement and says "We are going to have a second baby and at times, I can't believe that we are together. We were apart for so long, it all feels surreal."

Abhishek cups her face and tells her, "Even when we were apart, I have loved you, Pragya. I have only ever loved you. I will always love you." then smiling he says how she used to sign off on her letters to him, "Always and forever, only yours."

*** The End ***

*phew* done!

I know the ending was so weird and made no sense. I just couldn't finish it any other way. Sorry for the contrived ending. Sorry for the messy story and messy conclusion.

Haven proofread.

Please vote and comment, if you liked the story.

- Lazy