'Kitna maza aayega na? Ab Nanna ke saath bhi Arihaan ki ban ne lagegi, jaise Dadi ke saath banti hai!'
Suman clapped her hands in glee, as Arihaan hugged her.
'Sona! Ab tum bhi leaves le lo..kitna kaam karogi? Yeh aakhir ke din hain..'

'Ji, Ma! Bas kuch din lagenge, sab wrap up kar rahi hun..patients, surgeries, then I will rest..'
Sonakshi wasn't her enthusiastic self, and Suman looked at her closely.

'Kya baat hai, Sona? Kuch pareshaan lag rahi ho?'
Suman went and sat next to her.
'Yun achanak yahan aane ka plan kar liya, mujhe bataya bhi nahin. Kuch tayaari hi kar leti. Sab theek to hai na?'

'Ofcourse, Ma!'
Sonakshi turned her head to look at Arihaan, who was now talking his gibberish with his grandfather, so that Suman couldn't see her eyes.
'Sab theek hi hai! Kyun? Aap ko acha nahin laga, to mein wapas chali jaati hun..'

'Chup! Yeh kisne kaha? Mujhe to itni zyada khushi ho rahi hai, ke mein bata nahin sakti! Waise bhi tum jab se apne ghar ki hogayi ho, to yahan kitna kam aati ho..'

'Sorry, Ma..woh bas kaam..'
Sonakshi put a hand over Suman's.

'Aray! Tumhari Ma hun, samajhti nahin hun kya? Sab jaanti hun. Or kitne saal to maine bhi tumhe aise din raat kaam karte dekha hi hai. So, I understand that..'

'Lekin ab to mein yahan agayi hun na..ab khoob mazay..'
Sonakshi stopped, as Suman gave her a look.

'Agayi hun matlab? Baby ke honay tak na?'

Sonakshi backtracked.
'Ji, ji! Wahi matlab tha mera..or sirf delivery tak hi kyun? Uss ke baad bhi kuch din mein apni Ma ko meri seva karne ka moqa dungi na..'
She joked, and hugged her mother sideways, as Suman laughed.

They chatted for a while, while Anil shifted Sonakshi's things in her room.

Thank God, Ma or Papa ko shak nahin hua...

Suman hurried about to set dinner, while Sonakshi fed Arihaan his.
It was as they all sat down for dinner, that the doorbell rang.

'Pulkit hoga! Lekin aaj apni keys bhool gaya shayad..'

But even before Suman went to the door, Sonakshi knew who it would be. Her heart was beating too fast.
And true enough, it was Rohit.

'Aray, Rohit! Abhi to kuch ghantay bhi nahin hue or tum se biwi se door nahin raha gaya!'
Suman laughed at him, and Rohit looked a bit taken aback, at her behaviour.

So, Sona ne kuch bataya nahin hai..warna Ma mujhse aise to baat na hi karti..

Plastering a smile on his face, he hugged Suman.
'Aray nahin, Beautiful! Mein uss ke liye thori hi aaya hun..'

Sonakshi's heart began to race.
Yeh kya bolega Ma ko..

'Mein to aap se milne aaya hun..ouch!'
This, as Suman took hold of his ear.

'Acha? Badmaash! Sab pata hai mujhe, kis se milne aaya hun..'

'To aajaun andar, ya yahin pe khara rehna parega?'
Rohit gave her a look of innocence, and Suman led him in.

'Achay time pe aaye ho! Bas khana hi nikaal rahi thi. Ajao!'

Rohit entered, looking for Sonakshi, but Arihaan saw him, and ran towards him.
'Baba! Baba!'

Rohit took him in his arms, hugging him tightly. Sudden tears sprang in his eyes, and he kissed Arihaan several times.
'Mera monkey! I missed you so much!'

'Ihaan miss Baba! Ihaan Nano saath khele!'
He said excitedly, clapping his hands.

'Han, zaroor! Nano or Nanna ke saath khelne aaya hai na..'

'Ajao, Rohit..'
Suman called, and he turned, putting Arihaan back down.

He saw Sonakshi seated at the table, but she wasn't  looking at him.

'Idhar beth jao, apni biwi ke paas. Sharmao to mat..'
Anil teased him, but neither Rohit nor Sonakshi smiled at his joke.

Rohit kept glancing at Sonakshi but she busied herself in passing the paneer to her father.
She served herself next, and put the bowl down.

'Sona, Rohit ko bhi to de do..'

'Woh..'
Sonakshi began, but Rohit intervened.

'Mein khud se le lunga, ab Sonakshi har waqt thori mujhe serve karti hai..'

Sonakshi ignored him throughout the meal, not even passing him water when he ate a green chilli by mistake, and began to cough.

'Aray re re! Lo, paani pee lo.'
Suman passed him water, but glanced at Sonakshi who seemed immune to his problem.

After that, Suman glanced at them both several times, but they put on fake smiles whenever she looked.

'Bohot mazay ka khana tha, Beautiful! Kitne din se aap ke haath ka khaya nahin tha..'

'Han, to kis ne mana kiya tha? Ab to Sonakshi yahan kuch din rehne wali hai, to jab chahe aajana..'

'Koi zaroorat nahin hai!'
Sonakshi spoke, and everyone turned to look at her.
She saw the surprise on her parents' faces, and swallowed.
'Mera matlab hai, roz roz yahan thori aayega! Iss ka apna ghar hai, family hai..yahan kyun aayega..'

'Woh ghar to utna hi tumhara bhi hai jitna yeh mera..jab chaahe aa jaa sakta hun..'
Rohit said.

'Magar, mein nahin chahti ke tum yahan aao..'
She again stopped, as Suman stared at her.
'I mean, Mom tumhe khaana to dengi hi na ghar pe. To yahan kyun aana..'

'Aray! Yeh kya baat hui? Rohit! Tum iss ki mat suno..jab mann kare aajaana..'

'Whatever..'
Sonakshi muttered under her breath, but Rohit heard.

I need to talk to her alone..magar kaise..

Sonakshi was fuming inside.

I don't even want to talk to him. Kya karun..

Sonakshi got up from the table.

'Aray, Sona! Tumne to theek se khaya bhi nahin..kahan ja rahi ho?'
Suman asked her.

'Ma! Mujhe or bhook nahin hai..or mujhse or betha nahin ja raha..'
Sonakshi turned and left to go upstairs, leaving Rohit and her parents looking after her.
Arihaan was busy playing with his toys, and didn't notice.

'Rohit! Kya baat hai? Tum dono ki larrai hui hai kya?'
Suman got to the point.

Rohit looked a bit guilty, but tried to deny it.
'Nahin, Ma..woh to bas..'

'Nazar araha hai mujhe! Yeh Sona tum se larr ke yahan aayi hai? Hamare saath waqt guzaarne nahin?'

'No, no, Beautiful! Woh aisi baat nahin hai..'

'Phir kya baat hai, Rohit?'
Anil asked this time.

'Woh, Papa..maine actually usse mana kiya tha yahan aane se..I said ghar se hi delivery honi chahiye..to bas naraaz hogayi or aagayi yahan bina bataye..'
Rohit fibbed.

'Yehi baat hai na, ya kuch or?'
Suman looked at him closely.

'Ji! Bilkul! Or kya baat ho sakti hai? Kuch bhi to nahin..'
Rohit tried to assure them.

'Theek hai! Tum keh rahe ho to maan lete hain..magar ab moqa mila hai to jao..baat kar lo uss se..'
Anil advised him.

Rohit looked at him gratefully.
'Thankyou! Thankyou, so much!'
He quickly stood up, and moved towards the stairs.
'Woh, Arihaan..'

'Hum dekh lenge..jao..'
Anil urged him on, and Rohit raced up the stairs.

***************************

Sonakshi paced her old room.

I came here to get away from you for a while, to think, or tum yahan bhi agaye? I..don't want Ma and Papa to know. Ab kya karun?

She groaned in frustration, and picking up a cushion from the sofa, threw it randomly.

'Whoa! Thank God sirf cushion phenka! Koi vase ya chappal nahin..'
Rohit said, as he caught the cushion, a small smile on his lips.

Sonakshi turned at the sound of his voice, and groaned inwards. She gave him a glare.
'Ha! Funny tha? And why have you come here?'
Sonakshi got straight to the point.

'Tum aise yahan kyun agayin? Mujhe bataya bhi nahin..'

'Maine zaroori nahin samjha!'
Sonakshi retorted back.

'Yar, Sona! Yeh hum ghar pe bhi discuss kar sakte thay na, yahan aake Ma or Anil Papa ko involve karna zaroori tha?'

'Kya bol ke aaye ho unhe?'
Sonakshi looked worried.

'Bahana bana diya..tumhari tarha..'

'Okay..'
Sonakshi nodded.

'Ab please, batao na..yahan kyun agayi..'

'Tumhe waqai samajh nahin aaya, ya bila wajah ka drama karne aaye ho?'

'Drama? Drama to tum kar rahi ho, yun filmy heroines ki tarha ghar chorr ke aa ke! Hum baat nahin kar sakte thay? Mein tumse..'

'Kya baat karni hai? Or kya baat bachi hai karne ke liye? Sab to saaf saaf hi hai..'

'Kuch bhi saaf nahin hai! Mujhe kuch bhi..mujhe kuch bhi yaad nahin hai! Aise mein mein kisi or ke saath..Sona..don't you trust me?'

His question hung in the silence that followed.
Rohit moved towards her, and Sonakshi stood still.

'Bolo! Mujh pe trust nahin hai tumhe?'

'Did you know Alizeh was interested in you? Romantically?'

Rohit was taken aback by her question/reply.

'What?!? What rubbish? She's just a friend!'
He denied.

'A friend who went to so much trouble to get me out of the way, so she could be with you?'

Rohit looked at Sonakshi incredulously.
'And why would she do that? You are my wife, my life! Anyone having sense and eyes can see and know that!'

'Not her!'

Rohit frowned.
'Okay, there is apparently something I'm unaware of here..what the hell are you saying?'

'That Alizeh did this on purpose! She slept with you because she's in love with you!'
Sonakshi looked at him in accusation.

'You are way off base here! Mein maanta hun ghalti hui hai..'

'Oh really..
Sonakshi intervened.

'Magar it was a MISTAKE!!! Kuch jaan boojh ke nahin hua!'
Rohit was getting agitated now.

They both stared at each other.

'Fine! Then we have nothing more to say to each other. And I think you should leave!'
Sonakshi turned away from him, before he could see how hurt she was by his not believing her.

'Theek hai, to mein Arihaan ko le ke ja raha hun. Wahan Mom bohot udaas hain uss ke bina..'
He tried riling her, and it worked.

Sonakshi swung around.
'No ways! Arihaan mere paas hi rahega..I can't live without him..'

'Or mere bina? Mere bina reh sakti ho?'
He said, quietly.

Sonakshi closed her eyes,  and opening them again, turned towards the door of the room.
'Rohit! Tum please jao yahan se. Mujhe akela chorr do..'

Rohit moved towards her.
'Baat poori nahin hui hai hamari! You have to believe that I would never do something like this! Or agar aisa kuch hua bhi hai..'

Sonakshi's eyes widened.
'Hua hai to? You say sorry, and I say koi baat nahin. Ainda mat karna!'
She gestured with her arms.
'What do you take me for? I'm not the kind of woman who can forget about her husband sleeping with another woman, and be absolutely normal.'

'Magar, mein wahi to keh raha hun..'

Sonakshi put her hands to her ears, shutting out his words.
That angered Rohit, and he came towards her, and pulled her hands away from her ears.

'You can't just ignore me..meri baat to sun ni paregi..'

'Mujhe nahin sun na..tum jao yahan se..I..I..'
Her voice broke, and tears began to gather behind her eyes.

'Sona..'
His anger dissipated on seeing her tears, and he reached out to wipe them, but Sonakshi jerked.
'No! No! Don't do this..please..'

Sonakshi backed away and turned.
'Fine! I'll go myself!'

Rohit caught her arm, as she reached for the door handle, and pushed her back against the wall next to it, putting his hands on the wall behind, entrapping her.

A fleeting look flickered in her eyes, as she remembered the many times he had done this, but for another reason. Rohit saw it, and reached out his hand to her face, but she closed her eyes, and his hand hung in the air, before he let it fall back.

'Sona! Jo bhi hua woh anjaane mein hua. Maine jaan ke to kuch bhi nahin kiya..kya hum iss baat se aagay..'

'Aagay?'
Her eyes flared, and he felt her anger, before he saw it.
'You think it's easy to just move forward, as if nothing happened?'

'That's not what I meant..'

'Then what do you mean? Do you even know what it was like for me? To see you holding another woman so close, touching her, kissing her, her wearing your t-shirt, you without clothes, her lipstick marks on your neck and chest?'
Sonakshi was crying openly now.

Rohit took her hands in his together, tears flowing from his eyes too.
'I'm sorry! So sorry! You know I would never do anything to hurt you..'

'But you did, Rohit! I..'
She was sobbing.
'I never, ever thought that you..that you could ever hurt me so bad..I trusted you, I believed in you, gave you my heart, my soul, my everything..'

'No! No..please, Sona..'
Rohit lifted her hands to his mouth, kissing them again and again, tears rolling down his face as well.
'Aise to mat bolo..mein wahi Rohit hun, tumhara Rohit..'

'Mein tumhare saath nahin reh sakti, Rohit! Tumhe dekh ke mujhe bas sab wahi nazar araha hai..all I can see you is kissing her..'
Sonakshi hiccuped, as she tried speaking.

'No..no..please aise mat karo.. aise mat kaho..Sona..I love you, I swear..'
Rohit hugged her, but she didn't respond.

'Imagine if you had walked in and seen me doing the same with another man..'
Rohit's head went back in shock.
'Wouldn't you be doing the same?'

'I'd kill that man with my bare hands..I..'
He saw her looking at him.
'Magar, Sona..'

'Magar kya? Is that what you wanted me to do? Kill her, because she touched you, kissed you, was with you all night..'

'No..no..but, you are Sona..my Sona..you have a good, kind, and forgiving heart..you love me..I love you..'

'Is that all enough right now?'

'It's what our relationship is based on. We have Arihaan, a baby on the way..'
Rohit went on.

'Stop it! Just stop it! You are not making things easier..'

'But we can..we can make things better, if only you would give me a chance..'

'Chance for what? To hurt me again? To make me look at you and see that scene all over again..please, just stop it..'

'Aise nahin chorr sakta..mein nahin reh sakta tumhare bina..Arihaan ke bina..'

'Seekh jao ge..'

That stopped his tirade and he stepped back, his heart breaking into pieces.

'You can't mean this..hum..'

'Ek baar tum ne mujhe jaane ke liye kaha tha, apne ghar se, apni zindagi se..'

'No, no..aisa mat karo, Sona..mein marr jaunga..'
He pleaded with her, as they both cried.

'Aaj tumhe jaana hoga..mere ghar se, meri zindagi se..I can't live with you..jao..'

'Sona..I can't live without you..no..'
He held her by the shoulders.

'Jao, Rohit..'
Sonakshi leaned her head against the wall, and closed her eyes.

'Meri baat sun lo..aise mat bolo..please..ek moqa..'

'JAO, ROHIT! JUST GO!'
Sonakshi screamed at him.

He knew he was stressing her too much in her condition. But he was having a hard time leaving her like this, crying, hurt.

'Okay, okay! Please, tum ro mat. Mein chala jaata hun. Tum, tum please ro mat! Mera dil phatt raha hai..I'm sorry..tum ro mat..'
Rohit cried.

He moved back, and put his hand on the door handle. He looked back at her, but she stood there, with her eyes closed, not even looking at him. His heart was shattering into fragments, unable to believe this was happening.

'I love you, Sona! I swear it with every breath in my body..apna khayal rakhna..'
With that he left, and shut the door.

Sonakshi opened her eyes, and saw the door close behind him. She hurried to it, and leaning against it, broke down. Completely.

To be continued...