Something brushed against his brows and Akshaj instinctively lifted his hand, assuming some insect was crawling over his skin. His fingers met something slender and soft instead. Startled, he opened his eyes abruptly and found himself staring into a familiar, beautiful shade of grey.

“Good morning,” Lavanya greeted him with a small smile.

Just like that, the frown on his face melted into something softer. “Good morning, darling.” He pulled her closer, and she came willingly, settling her head against his shoulder and pressing a gentle kiss to his chest.

He kissed the crown of her head and asked quietly, “What happened?”

“Nothing,” she replied, her voice muffled against his skin.

He knew that was a lie.

For the past week, she had been unusually quiet. Lavanya was never much of a talker, but she always shared bits of her day with him once they were alone in their bedroom. Lately, she seemed distant, wrapped in a bubble he could not reach. When he had tried to ask her about it earlier, she had brushed him off, and feeling hurt, he had not pushed further. Maybe that had been a mistake. Maybe he should have insisted.

So he tried again.

“You can tell me anything you are feeling,” he said gently. “I will not judge.” Then, as an afterthought, he added, “I will not even try to fix it if you do not want me to. I will just listen.”

That probably worked as she lifted her head and looked at him carefully. “You will not get angry?”

His brows knitted on their own accord. “Is it something that would make me angry?”

“I do not know,” she whispered, her eyes already shining with unshed tears.

He immediately regretted his tone. Without another word, he leaned down and kissed her softly. “Sorry. You know how big of a stupid I am, trying to joke around.”

"Hmm."

"I'll not get angry, Lavanya. Promise."

She sniffed, hesitated, then said it so quietly it barely reached him. “I missed my periods.”

Akshaj blinked.

For a few seconds, his mind refused to connect the dots. His anger. Her menstrual cycle. What?

Then the meaning hit him, slow and heavy.

“Oh,” he said, pulling back slightly to look at her properly.

Her eyes filled instantly. “Sorry, I…”

“Lavanya, it's...” he said, but it was too late. She had already started crying.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration creeping in despite himself. They had been careful. Always used protection. Every single time. He knew no method was foolproof, especially considering how frequently they had sex, but still. This felt too soon. Five months into marriage, and suddenly life was rushed to the next step.

Lavanya sobbed harder, shoulders shaking. “Akshu, what are we going to do now?”

He did not have an answer. Nothing was confirmed yet, and yet his head was already spiraling. Was he really about to be a father? What the hell?

He forced himself to stay calm. “Did you take a test?”

“No,” she mumbled, pressing herself into his chest again. “I felt too nervous to go alone and buy one. I did not want anyone’s help either.”

“That makes sense,” he whispered, rubbing her back. “Hey. It is...okay.”

“But this was not what we planned,” she cried, tears splashing over his skin.

He nodded slowly. It really was not.

They had discussed this clearly before marriage. No kids for at least three to four years. Lavanya needed to repay her education loans. He wanted stability and a stronger footing in his career. Everything had been thought through. Life, apparently, did not give a damn.

He could not tell how far her fear went. Far enough to consider abortion? The thought sat heavily in his chest. He himself was not ready. Not practically. Not situationally. And yet, beneath the panic, something strange and warm stirred inside him.

This was overwhelming. But he needed to know where she stood.

“We should go to a doctor first,” he said carefully. “Confirm it.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“And if it is positive,” he continued, choosing his words, “how do you want to handle it?”

She pulled back sharply. “What do you mean?”

“Lavanya,” he said gently, “are you okay with having a child right now? Or are you thinking about… you know.”

Her expression hardened instantly. “No, I'll never think about our baby like that, I...” she snapped, then stopped herself and glared at him. “Do you want me to abort our baby?”

“Fuck no!” he said sharply. “I was just confused by how scared you were.”

“Obviously, I am fucking terrified, Akshaj!” she yelled. “But... what the fuck were you even thinking?” She shoved herself away from him and sat upright on the bed. “We messed up, yes, but this is on both of us.”

“Yes,” he said, sitting up too. “And maybe we should stop calling our baby a mess-up.” He pressed his lips together. “That sounds horrible.”

“It is not even confirmed yet,” she muttered, tightening the knot of her night suit as she walked toward the bathroom. “You are already acting like a worried father. Ugh!”

She slammed the bathroom door shut.

Akshaj stared at the closed door, completely lost.

Initially, she was angry because she thought he wanted an abortion, and just in a few seconds, she got furious because he wanted to be a responsible father... What??

What the hell was happening to his life?

---

vote. share. comment.

---