Tags: Established Relationship/Hurt-comfort/Pregnancy/Mild Angst/Non-sexual Intimacy

Word Count: 3k words

Aradhya taps her feet rhythmically on the ground as she sets the flower vase properly on the table; it is a habit of hers to continuously arrange things until they are in their exact place. There's an excitement bubbling up in her stomach as well as something else, something that she can't wait to tell her husband about.

Her husband who's yet to reach home.

She's been waiting for him for quite a few hours now, having taken a half-day from her job, not feeling well. Who knew that the reason for her not feeling well would make her feel the most well she's ever felt in her life.

Aradhya looks down at her stomach, which is still very flat but strokes it nonetheless, a giddy feeling rising in her chest. She blinks away the sheen in her eyes and bites her lips to stop herself from smiling widely.

"Why is he taking so long?" she murmurs to herself, looking for the phone and then views the message that Avi had last sent her.

Have a meeting but will be finishing soon.

Soon. When will this soon exactly arrive? Hasn't his meeting got over yet? Till how long she'll have to wait for him?

Aradhya sighs, leaning back into the couch and gazing at the muted tv that's playing a daily soap, name unknown to her. It's a wedding scene, all with the actors decked up in jewellery and flowers.

Naturally, she's reminded of her wedding that happened three years ago. They've both come a long way together, managing their jobs as well as their relationship, and she can only hope that they'll continue their journey together for an even longer time.

It's at that moment when she hears the fumbling of the keys from outside the door, her ears perking up at the noise. She sits up immediately, taking a peek at her reflection on her phone screen and quietly squeals to herself. She can't wait to see his reaction.

The door opens finally and enters her husband in his full glory, his blazer hung on his hand, loosened tie and dishevelled hair, but that doesn't worry Aradhya at all. It's the sight she has been used to for the past three years and even before that.

"Avi!" She exclaims happily, standing up from the couch and walking up to him. He looks up at her at that, gives her a small smile and proceeds to remove his shoes, keeping them in the shoe rack.

Aradhya's smile deters a little not hearing the usual, 'Hey, baby' or a 'what's up love'.

Welp, but she's not going to let it spoil her mood.

"You're back, I was waiting for you for so long." She says, a shy grin once again crawling up to her face, her hands behind her back.

Avinash, though, doesn't look up, now busy setting his blazer on the back of the couch. "Well, I did tell you that I was in a meeting. It went on for a long time."

A very logical answer, something that Aradhya completely understands, what she doesn't understand is that dry, almost irritated undertone in her husband's voice.

"You must be tired then, shall I fetch you a glass of water?" she asks gently.

"I want that orange juice that you make if it's not a problem."

Aradhya is slightly taken aback at the unusual demand, all with Avi drinking that juice only at the breakfast time that too in his office.

She nods nonetheless, "Of course it's not a problem. I'll make a glass of it."

Avi stops removing his tie at that, finally looking at her. "Actually can you make two glasses? I'll take one to the office tomorrow, and give it to my boss. She liked it today, maybe it would aid my promotion a bit." Avi smiles properly for the first time since he's come home and it's while talking about his boss who's a very attractive female, Aradhya would know, she's met her so many times; and his promotion.

Somewhere, it doesn't sit well with her, but she still nods, this time with a sigh accompanying it while Avi goes to the bathroom to freshen up.

In the kitchen, Aradhya looks down at her tummy and then the oranges in her hand, a new and completely useless thought forming in her head, it makes her giggle, nonetheless.

"You'll be my little orange, wouldn't you?" she whispers to the soul in her womb that is yet to take a form. She can't help the teary smile that forms on her face.

Guess pregnancy does make a woman extremely emotional.

She suddenly wishes she could press a kiss to her tummy, maybe Avi would once he gets to know about it. The thought has anticipation building inside her.

Quickly making the juice, keeping one glass in the fridge and bringing one to Avi in his room, Aradhya stands in front of him with a satisfied smile on her face.

Avi quickly drinks up the juice, saying a murmured "Thanks, love". The words have Aradhya's eyes turning into little crescents by smiling so much.

Finally, he's in a better mood.

"Avi?"

"Yeah?"

"I had something to tell you." She sits in front of him on the bed and he looks up from his laptop on which he's typing furiously.

"Of course, but just let me send this one mail. It would take only a few seconds." He replies and a pout replaces the smile on Aradhya's lips.

"But you just came home." She mumbles in her mouth but doesn't elaborate.

Avi looks up at her with a confused look on his face. "What was that?"

Instead of just shaking her head and letting the topic go, Aradhya frowns, feeling slightly annoyed.

"I said that you just came back and you're already back at work."

Avi sighs, straightening up his back from where it was resting on the headboard.
"I'm not back at work, it's just a mail. It'll only take me a minute at most, yeah?"

Aradhya nods, finally letting it slide, knowing the urgency of delivering a mail on time.

"I'll - I'll just set up the dinner till then." She murmurs getting up but is held back by Avi's hand wrapped around her wrist.

A sliver of hope bubbles in her heart at the action. Maybe she'll finally be able to tell Avi about it. She turns around with the same expectant smile but is disappointed when she sees that Avi isn't even looking up at her, his gaze still stuck on the laptop.

"I'll not have dinner, had a heavy lunch in the office." He informs gently and lets go of her hand. The action, somehow, hits right on the spot, breaking her heart a little, but also making her scowl.

"Fine." She walks out of the room, barely suppressing the urge to slam the door and walks to the kitchen.

She plates herself some food, sits on the couch with her phone in her hand and eats while scrolling through her Instagram.

So what if her husband doesn't need food, she does and so does her baby.

Coincidentally, while scrolling through her feed, she comes across the video of a couple; the woman in it revealing her pregnancy to her husband. The husband's reaction has the woman giggling sweetly, as well as Aradhya, albeit with a few tears in her eyes.

The next bite is difficult to swallow down with a lump forming in her throat, an urge to cry simmering in her chest.

She puts back the spoon on the plate and looks down at it with her now blurry vision that she tries to clear up by blinking rapidly.

"I'm not hungry anymore, baby. Sorry."

She puts the plate on the table in front of her, leans back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

A shaky breath escapes her mouth as she tries to gain back her smile, still wanting nothing more than to share the news with her husband and smiling together.

With that thought in her mind, she once again makes an effort, walks to their room and is not surprised when she sees her husband still typing on his laptop.

It frustrates her to no end.

"Is it not done yet?" Her voice comes out snappier than intended but she doesn't amend her tone, doesn't want to.

Her husband looks up at the sudden intrusion and rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly. "That new intern I told you about - he called me and asked for some help. I'm just guiding him through it."

A very good deed, Aradhya should be proud of having such an empathetic husband who cares for all his seniors and juniors alike but needless to say, that isn't the thought that pops into her mind.

"You have the time for the whole world but not for me. Even I work but you don't see me doing that in our time together, do you?"

A frown creeps up to Avinash's temple at the sudden accusatory tone, his hand stilling on the keypad. "We spend time together every day, Aradhya. What's gotten into you? It's - it's just some work. I'll take half an hour, max. You need to calm down."

Aradhya fists her hands at the side, pursing her lips in a tight line to hide their quivering.

"No, I'm not going to calm down. I told you I want to talk to you about something. Doesn't that hold any - any importance for you?" Her voice takes a vulnerable turn at the end but Avi fails to notice it.

"Yes, it does and that's why I am trying to finish this up quickly. But ok, if it's that urgent - tell me. Here, I've kept this aside." Avi says, going by his words and keeping the laptop on the bed. His frown though doesn't melt away, neither does the furrow between his brows or the thrumming of his fingers against the sheets.

He's irritated.

He wants to go back to his work as soon as possible.

It makes Aradhya feel unimportant, and she suddenly doesn't want to tell him about the news anymore.

"Nevermind, that intern needs you more."

She takes her pillow from the bed and extra blanket from the almirah and slams the door behind her, making a bee-line towards the guest room.

A sob escapes her lips as soon as she comes in contact with the cold sheets, a tired sigh heaving out of her mouth thereafter.

"Why couldn't you just tell him? He gave you the chance." Aradhya's mind questions.

"Chance? I didn't want a chance. I wanted an opportunity, the time to express my happiness and time to take in his." Her heart answers.

It takes her a lot of time and effort to calm herself down, knowing that not every time everything can go according to her. It doesn't suppress the disappointment in her heart, though.

Aradhya thinks of calling her mother and telling her about the news even though she wanted Avi to listen to it first.
But that's ok, her husband is busy training his intern and offering orange juice to his boss (for a promotion which would benefit them both, she knows this but doesn't want to tell herself that right now). He doesn't have time for her. She doesn't too.

Making a decision when she looks around the bed for her phone, it's only to realise that she has left it outside on the couch, retrieving which would involve passing through the hallway which consists of their room. But the door's closed, right? Maybe she can quickly go and get it.

Affirming that, she quickly gets up from her bed and opens up the door. The next step that she takes is only to bump face first in a wall; which happens to be Avi's chest.

Great, just the thing that she was trying to avoid.

Rolling her red-rimmed eyes to herself, when she tries to sidestep Avi, he takes a step to the side as well, blocking her way. When she does that in the opposite direction, he does too. It happens a total of four times until Aradhya loses her patience, puts her hands on his chest and tries to push him to the side. He staggers slightly but doesn't back off.

"What? Let me go." She says with a mix of irritation and exasperation which somehow seems funny to her husband.

He chuckles and clicks his tongue, shaking his head in a no.

The action angers her even more and she knits her brows together. "What, you don't want to be a good senior anymore and train your employees?" she asks, unable to hold back the taunting tone in her voice.

Avi huffs out a laugh again at that, taking a step forward until there's a distance of only a few inches between them, which Aradhya immediately increases by taking a few steps back, scowling.

"My interns aren't more important than my wife. I realised it late, I'm sorry. I'm very sorry, love. I promise I'll never do that again." His voice is lowered to that level of gentleness that Aradhya thrives on. He knows that she can't avoid that voice neither the soft and open expression that he's subjecting her to but somehow, she restrains herself.

"Sorry for being the type of man that I'd promise I'll never be. I'll always have time for you." He takes her hand in his and strokes it gently with his thumb. "Now tell me what you wanted to share with me. Please. "

She turns her head away from him, maintaining her stand. "No, you've lost your chance. I'm not telling you anymore. I won't tell you anything anymore. Don't talk to me."

And even though she tries to say this in an angry voice, Avi realises that there's no bite behind her words, instead there is an underlying whine that he wants to replace with a smile as soon as possible.

"Please, baby. Go easy on me this one time. I'm so sorry." He tries coaxing his wife, stepping closer to her until her back hits the wall. He reaches out to her face to tuck in the tresses behind her ear and stroke the skin close to it with his thumb. He moves forward and presses a quick kiss to the spot which makes Aradhya shiver slightly.

"Tell me, please, love.... "

Aradhya's unable to deny the sweet request anymore, a shadow of a smile finally visible on her lips seeing which Avi smiles as well, taking another step closer. His sweet scent assaults her nose but she doesn't mind and looks up at her husband through her lashes. Shy, just as she opens up her mouth to reveal the good news, Avi's phone rings, the shrill noise immediately breaking the serene atmosphere and separating them.

Her face crumples completely when Avi sighs tiredly but picks up the phone nonetheless. Her lips begin to wobble on their own accord and tears accumulate into her eyes. She tries to dash out of the room but Avi holds at her wrist stopping her, trying to end the call as soon as possible without angering his boss (on both the sides of the phone).

Aradhya doesn't stop though, breaks away from his hold somehow, rushes to the couch, grabs her phone and walks out of the door into the fresh air.

The streets are dark at this time of the day, a cacophony of crickets creaking and dogs barking, crystal clear to her ears. It doesn't feel too safe, but she can't bring herself to a stop. Not when she's been ignored by her husband for the umpteenth time today, today when she was planning to tell him about her pregnancy, to tell him that they'll soon be able to swaddle the essence of their love in their arms and to relish in the sweet cries of their baby.

The thought only contributes to seed more doubts in her mind, one after the other.

What if Avi would not be happy hearing the news?

What if he already has an idea of what she's trying to tell him and he's avoiding her intentionally.

What if, what if he'd ask her to-

No, no. That would not happen. Aradhya knows that Avi's not like that and these are just the irrational thoughts surfacing in her mind but they still make her sad. So sad that she's unable to control the tears streaming down her face, her hand busy wiping them off all the while.

Walking mindlessly, she steps on a stone and stumbles on the street. Her hand, instinctively, goes to her stomach first and balances herself thereafter. The thought of the life swimming in her womb reminds her to let go of her anger and walk back to the safety of her home instead of roaming alone in the streets so late at night.

Her stubborn self, for the sake of her baby, agrees to the idea and turns around just to see a figure standing a few steps ahead. It shocks her to no end, a startled yelp dribbling out of her mouth and her feet staggering back. The figure doesn't move but she's still terrified.

Panicked, she continues to move forward, immediately dialling Avi's number on her phone - her ego be damned, she can't let anything happen to her baby.

As soon as Avi picks up her call and she begins telling him about her whereabouts, her phone switches to a blank screen. She belatedly realises that her battery has died.

"Not now, no!!" She whines, shaking her head to herself and quickly walks down the street, turning as soon as she spots a turn.

She bumps into a chest. A very familiar chest.

She looks up to find Avi standing there. He doesn't wait before pulling her into his arms where she goes willingly, a stuttered breath of relief escaping her mouth.

"Avi - Avi, I was so scared." She murmurs into his chest and leans into the touch when he caresses her head.

"Shh, it's ok, baby. I'm here now." He coos and she relishes listening to his soft voice, tightening her arms around him.

Avi rubs at her back, his hand accidentally coming in contact with her stomach. She gasps, flinching away.

The action doesn't go unnoticed by her husband.

He swallows thickly, knitting his brows together. "What happened? D-did you hurt yourself?"

He fusses, now caressing her clothed tummy with his hands but the action only makes Aradhya nervous. She hesitantly takes a hold of her husband's hand and shakes her head when he looks up at her.

Satisfied with the response, he grasps her hand in his and starts walking towards their home.

They both pass the figure that was following Aradhya a few minutes ago. She facepalms when she realises that it was just a rusted post box with a bird's nest on top of it.

Apprehension gets the best of your imagination, doesn't it?

Once in the vicinity of her home, Avi finally loses his hold on her hand which she grabs as soon as he leaves it.

"Where are you going?" she questions, fear and desperation clear in her voice. Avi's gaze softens at that, his lips curling into a fond smile.

"I'm going nowhere, love. Just latching up the door."

Aradhya nods dumbly but makes no move to let go of his hand. Avi chuckles, pressing a kiss on her temple which does the trick and her hold finally loses on his hand.

Taking the chance, he quickly goes towards the door and locks it. Once done, he takes his wife by her hand again and brings her to their room, making her sit on the edge of the bed, closing the door and sitting on his knees in front of her.

He smiles looking up at her. "I'm sorry about earlier, it was my boss so I couldn't ignore the call but I told her that I was busy with my wife and hung up the call as soon as you walked out of the room. I'm really sorry."

He holds her hands in her lap and strokes the back of them with his thumb. Aradhya nods, quickly forgiving her husband and then lets out a quiet sigh.

"It's ok, it was me who was behaving immaturely." She mumbles and Avi smiles at her, shaking his head. "Don't say like that, darling, and you don't have to worry about any more interruptions. I've switched off all the devices. Give me your phone, I'll turn that off as well."

Aradhya huffs out a breath, showing him her phone. "It's already dead."

There's exhaustion in her voice, tired from all the physical and emotional exertion but she's content to finally have her husband's whole attention to herself.

She bends over to rest her forehead on his, exhaling faintly and timidly pulls back when her husband tries to close the distance between them.

"I want to tell you about something first." She informs and he immediately nods, nosing at her cheek before settling back on his knees.

Aradhya gulps, taking a deep breath. The weight of her husband's hands on hers gives her the grounding that she needs. Her gaze flits from her husband to her tummy continuously, bashfulness taking over her features, evident in her red cheeks and little smile.

"Avi, I'm - I'm expecting."

She scrunches her eyes close as soon as she says that, more nervous than afraid to see his reaction. However, she's forced to peek her eyes open just as quickly when no sound comes from her husband's mouth.

She finds him looking at her dumbfoundedly, a confused frown on his face.

"Expecting. . . what?" The cluelessness in his voice pushes Aradhya over the edge until she's giggling, fondness blooming in her heart.

"I married a fool, didn't I?" she states, unable to contain the affection and bends forward to kiss her husband's stubbly cheek. Instead of backing off, she makes her way towards his ear, and mumbles in it, conveying him the news again.

"I'm pregnant."

Aradhya can feel the exact moment when goosebumps bubble over his neck, and pulls back to take a look at his face, only to find him trembling faintly, his eyes blinking rapidly and mouth open into a gasp.

"P-Pregnant?" he asks, a look of awe adorning his face and she nods her head, confirming, a watery smile creeping up to her lips.

"We're going to be parents?" he asks again and her lips form into a fond pout. She nods yet again.

"Oh God, love - we're going to have a baby; our family. I can't believe - can't believe that my baby's going to carry our baby inside her."

The words make Aradhya choke on a sob and she immediately stumbles to his chest, coming down to her knees as well. Avi's arms quickly encompass her in his embrace, pressing kisses on all the places his lips can find.

He pulls back to squish her cheeks and press a final kiss on her nose. "You're going to look so cute with our baby inside your tummy. Oh God, I can picture everything already - the baby bump, you and your cravings, and pregnancy makes you want to spend more time with your partner, right?" he asks excited and she laughs.

"I already want to spend all my time with you, Avi." She says, beaming and he grins in return albeit it being a bit teary.

"Thank you, darling, thank you for giving me the happiest moment of my life."

"Our life!"

"Our life."