"I am pregnant." She says and her voice is barely above a whisper before she bursts out crying again.
We help her sit on the bed and I don't understand what to say or ask. She doesn't this baby or she doesn't like that it's Ishaan's baby.
I know she never looked forward to being in a relationship. Everyone in her family betrays the spouse and her parents not being together was one of the reasons she never dared to be in a relationship because she thinks she'll end up doing like them.
"What is making you cry?" I ask carefully.
"I- I don't want to be a mother." Tears stream down her eyes. "I am going to be a bad mother just like my mother is."
I sigh as I look at her helplessly not deciphering how to make her realize she is nothing like her mother.
"Zar." Myra shakes her head. "You know you are nothing like them."
"I am like them," Zar says. "I try to compose myself I am nothing like them but I am. I have their blood after all. I don't want this baby to end up living alone like me."
"You have been through you won't do anything wrong with the baby," I tell her softly as I reach out to wipe her tears.
"Ishaan." She says after a moment. "He wouldn't be happy with this. This was all my fault, I should have been in control or at least taken precautions the next morning."
"He is equally responsible for not using protection." Myra narrows her eyes. "You don't sleep around so it's obvious you wouldn't be on pills or something."
"He wasn't supposed to know I don't sleep around," Zar says as she bites her lip. "I don't think he wants this, he obviously looked forward to just having fun."
"Why don't you just say him?" I frown.
"I tried to say." She sighs. "I couldn't. I think he is just going to look at me in shock then shout a little before he walks out of the room saying none of this is his problem."
"Stop assuming everything," Myra says firmly. "You should talk with him."
"If he doesn't want this let him go, we are here for you." I keep my hand on her cheek. "You do want this baby right?"
"I don't want to kill it even before it's born." She keeps her hand on her stomach as she looks down.
"Don't say it call it a baby."
She looks up at me and a smile breaks on her face before she looks down and smiles.
"Wow," Myra says amused and I laugh. "I think we should celebrate this even if Ishaan is with you in this or not. This baby deserves a celebration."
I watch as she runs out of the room then I look amused at Zar as she keeps grinning and staring at her belly and I find myself looking down at my belly gaping at how it senses when we carry a baby in there.
Amidst everything going on in our lives I know, it's not a good time to get pregnant but I am suddenly too eager to have a baby.
"It's sad we don't have sweets." Myra comes back. "Ice creams would work, I guess."
"It would." I smile as I take the tubs from her she hops on the bed.
"What is funny?" Myra looks at Zar as she smiles eating her ice cream.
"You do realize that you are going to have to deal with my cravings, right?"
"I wouldn't mind." Myra shrugs. "I am glad you think I am capable of dealing with a pregnant lady."
Zar just smiles before she gets back to her eating. We look startled by seeing her devouring so quickly, Myra and I exchange a look before we devour hastily comprehending she would take our tubs after she finishes hers.
I am actually faster than Myra to finish and when Zar looks up after finishing her tub she looks into our tubs. Recognizing Myra has more than me she reaches for her tub.
Myra looks at her with an agape mouth as she grips her tub and I try to stifle my laugh. Zar looks up at her with a frown and then she pulls her hand back acknowledging Myra doesn't want to give it.
I chuckle slowly as I finish mine and I lick my lips. Myra purses her lips as she hands Zar the tub.
"This is me dealing with your cravings."
"Awe, thanks, Myra." She smiles.
"You are good at it." I chuckle as I look at Myra.
"Good at what?" She asks confused.
"Dealing with a pregnant lady." I laugh and she grins.
"Thank you, guys." Zar looks at us as she keeps the empty tub aside. "I have known about my pregnancy for about two days now and all I did was cry over it. Thank you for making me feel good and happy about the baby."
"Come on, we are best friends," I say and Myra nods then we reach out to hug her.
"We are sorry we were busy in our relationships and didn't notice you felt alone," Myra says sadly.
"We really are," I say quietly.
"I know you guys would have been with me if I had told you." She shakes her head. "I didn't tell because I didn't want you to worry."
"I want you guys to keep this between us until I talk with Ishaan about it. I need some time." She looks at us. "Not even Neil or DD should have an idea about it. I don't want Ishaan to hear from someone else."
"We won't say anything," I promise and Myra nods.
"Uh, there's something I have to say," Myra says and she blushes a little. We look at her waiting for her to continue. "DD and I are planning to get married in a few months now."
"Wow." Zar and I say in unison and then we laugh.
"We couldn't confirm a date because Zar and I were supposed to be busy." She says then she glances at her. "I don't think you are going undercover for a few months now, are you?"
"I still haven't thought about it." Zar shrugs. "I don't think I can but I will work on this Maya Kashyap."
"Zar, I don't want this to cost you your baby. Kabir has this undercover cop named Roy and I think he can work with Myra on it."
"Who is Roy?" She asks with a frown.
I fill them in with the information and Zar seems irritated with all of them, the twists and turns it takes are kinda unbelievable. Myra agrees to work with him.
"I wouldn't go out for a fight but I can still help from home," Zar concludes. "Please, I want to help."
I sigh then I nod because I know I can't change her mind.
"I should get going," I say as I look at the watch hanging on the wall it's half-past nine now.
"Drive safe." Zar nods and Myra walks with me outside.
"Take care of her," I say to Myra.
"I will. I just hope Ishaan doesn't hurt her."
"He seems to like her," I say recalling the way he looked at her work concern.
"Even if he doesn't he can't leave her alone in this." She sighs. "We will be there for her but I think it would mean something to her if Ishaan stays with her in this."
I nod and a part of me feels sad for her but I promise myself we will make her happy if he doesn't.
"Drive safe and say hey to Niam and Navya. I miss them." She smiles.
"You should come over sometimes," I say but I know they are probably busy.
"I think you should come over with them." She laughs. "It would be nice."
"Okay. I'll try." I smile at her before I reach out to hug her.
Neil picks Niam and Navya up from school and they stay with him till the evening before they come back home. They get tired when they return home but they still manage to say everything that happened at school as we have dinner before they go to sleep.
We initially planned whoever is free will pick or we will share the responsibility for a week. He'll keep them for one week and I'll keep them for next week.
Neil said it would be good if I focused on work more in the beginning so he is taking the responsibility for now.
I walk to the elevator and I am about to press the button when it opens suddenly and I frown when I see Neil standing in there.
He looks at me and I watch him take a sigh of relief, I enter before the elevator shuts. I press the button and turn around as the elevator starts moving. Neil suddenly hugs me tightly taking me by surprise. I frown as I put my arms around him.
"Where the fuck is your phone?" He asks angrily as we pull away. I dig in my purse for my phone and bite my lip as I see so many missed calls from him. He was probably worried about me.
"Why didn't you answer it?" He asks still in anger.
"I am sorry. It was in silent mode and I was busy talking with Zar and Myra on a serious matter." I say slowly.
He shakes his head. "Do you have an idea how worried I was when you didn't answer calls?"
"Neither did Zar or Myra answer. At least you would have informed me you were coming here." He runs his hand through his hair leaving an exasperated breath.
"I didn't know I was supposed to inform you." I look at him getting a little annoyed. "I didn't plan to stay here longer. Things didn't go as I expected and I am allowed to stay a little longer at my friend's home."
"You are allowed." He says and he tries to keep calm. "But you should inform me because I get worried."
We walk out of the elevator as it stops and I roll my eyes. "I can take care of myself, I am not a child."
"Avni, last time I got careless it cost me you." He says as he reaches for my arm.
I pull my arm away as I walk to my car. "You don't understand the pain I have been through. I- I can't lose you again."
I turn to look at him and I sigh. "I know what you have been through. I know I can't feel your pain but Neil you need to trust me I can take care of myself."
"I know you can. Just for the sake of my peace can't you just inform me?" He reaches out and keeps his hands on my arms as he looks at me.
I gaze at the fear in his eyes and I know he is afraid to lose me I understand but I cannot always inform him everywhere I go.
"Mumma," Niam calls me out and I look at him looking at us through the window from Neil's car.
"What are they doing here?" I ask with a frown.
"I can't leave them alone. The hoodie lady following around it's not safe." Neil says and I wave my hand at Niam as I smile.
"They were also worried about you," Neil says and I look at him suddenly feeling like shit. I really am not good as a wife or mother.
"I... I'll try informing you," I say I lower my gaze feeling the knot in my throat.
I think I need to work hard on controlling my anger and having patience.
There are times I handle everything so well and I feel so happy about it then there are times I make a small mistake and I feel I am failing at it.
Neil sighs as he puts his arms around me. "I don't want you to feel like I'm controlling you or make you realize you aren't doing your responsibilities properly. I- I am just scared to lose you."
I close my eyes trying to control my tears. I know he means what he said but it doesn't make me feel better. It makes me feel worse that he is so good at it and I keep failing.
"Leave your car here. We'll pick tomorrow morning." He says after we pull away and I nod.
❊❊❊
How was it?
Well, do you like Zar with Ishaan?
How excited are you for DD and Myra's marriage? 😂
I swear their marriage will bring something very good and something very bad.
Can we have a quick review of how is the story going? Since it's chapter 16 already.
Do vote, comment, and share your views.