59. SOFT SMILE
AAROHI:
I wake up before him today. For a few seconds, I simply lie there quietly.
The room looks exactly the same as always.
The curtains move lightly with the breeze, soft morning light spreads across the walls, and a faint pink Holi stain still remains near the window frame.
But I do not feel the same anymore. Slowly, my hand moves toward my stomach.
It is still flat. Still normal. And yet somehow different.
A strange mix of emotions settles inside me.
Happiness. Nervousness. Disbelief. Mother.
The word feels too big for someone like me.
I slowly turn my head toward Veeransh. He is still asleep beside me, one arm loosely wrapped around me even in sleep.
His face looks calmer today. Softer somehow.
Last night keeps replaying inside my mind.
The way he reacted. No anger. No hesitation.
Just shock first, and then warmth. My throat tightens slightly at the memory.
I had been terrified to tell him. Terrified he would feel trapped.
Terrified he would think life was moving too fast. But instead, he held me like I was something fragile and precious.
Maybe I underestimated him. Maybe I underestimated us.
A soft knock suddenly echoes through the room.
Veeransh stirs instantly, almost instinctively protective.
The moment he opens his eyes, he looks at me first. "You are okay?
" he asks softly. I smile faintly and nod.
"Yes." Another knock follows immediately.
He sits up slowly. "It must be the doctor.
" My heartbeat skips at those words. This is it.
Official confirmation. The doctor enters the room carrying her small medical bag and calm smile.
"Good morning," she greets warmly. Maa follows behind her looking equally worried and excited.
"How are you feeling, beta?" Maa asks gently while sitting beside me.
"I am fine," I answer softly even though my palms already feel sweaty with nervousness.
The doctor begins preparing everything for the blood test. "It is routine," she explains reassuringly.
"Just to confirm everything properly." Veeransh stands unusually close beside the bed while she prepares the needle, almost as if he thinks I might disappear if he moves away.
The doctor ties the band around my arm and I immediately look away because I hate injections.
Veer notices my expression instantly. Without saying anything, he takes my free hand gently into his.
"Relax," he murmurs softly. I glare at him lightly.
"Easy for you to say." A faint smirk touches his lips but he squeezes my hand reassuringly anyway.
Thankfully, it ends quickly. The doctor carefully labels the blood sample before standing up again.
"We will get the report by afternoon," she says calmly.
Even though she already sounded completely certain yesterday, hearing that official confirmation is still important somehow.
The doctor sits down afterward and looks at both of us seriously.
"Until confirmation comes, and even after that, you both need to be careful.
" Veeransh responds before I even can. "What kind of careful?
" The doctor smiles knowingly. "I see someone is already in father mode.
" He does not even deny it. Instead, he continues watching her seriously while she turns toward me.
"First, no outside junk food." Instantly, I glance toward Veeransh and he raises one eyebrow exactly like he predicted this already.
"Second, no skipping meals," the doctor continues firmly.
I sigh quietly under my breath. "Even if you are not hungry, you need to eat small portions regularly.
" She continues listing things calmly. "Less oily food.
Less spicy food. More fruits. Green vegetables.
Proper hydration." Maa nods seriously beside me like she is memorizing every word carefully.
Then the doctor adds another warning. "And not too much sleep.
" I blink in surprise immediately. "What?
" She smiles slightly. "Too much sleeping during the day will make you lazy and lethargic.
Rest is important, but balance matters."
Veeransh gives me a pointed look instantly while I pretend not to notice him.
The doctor continues speaking. "Be careful while climbing stairs.
No running. No sudden jerks. No heavy lifting.
" I mutter softly, "I do not lift heavy things.
" Veer coughs lightly beside me. The doctor gives me a gentle but firm look.
"This is still the early stage. Very delicate.
Try not to take stress." Stress. That word hits strangely.
I had not even realized how much fear and worry I was carrying silently inside myself.
Then the doctor turns toward Veeransh seriously.
"You need to make sure she feels safe and calm.
" He answers immediately without hesitation.
"She will." The certainty in his voice melts something quietly inside my chest. The doctor smiles warmly before standing up again.
"Once the report comes, we will plan the next check-up.
Until then, just be careful." Maa stays behind after the doctor leaves.
She gently cups my face in her hands. "Are you happy? " she asks softly.
Unexpectedly, my eyes begin filling with tears.
"Yes," I whisper honestly. Maa smiles warmly and kisses my forehead.
"It is God's blessing." After she leaves too, the room becomes quiet again.
Just us. Veeransh closes the door slowly before turning toward me.
"So," he says calmly. "So," I reply back awkwardly.
We stare at each other for a few seconds before he suddenly walks closer and kneels down in front of me.
I blink in confusion. "What are you doing? "
He looks directly at me. "Looking at the mother of my child.
" My cheeks heat instantly at his words.
"You are being dramatic." He shakes his head slightly.
"I am being honest." Slowly, he places his hand over my stomach again.
"So this is why you were craving pickles.
" I immediately swat his shoulder lightly.
"Stop." He smiles without moving his hand away.
"And ice cream." "And sleeping." "And mood swings.
" I instantly cross my arms. "I do not have mood swings.
" A quiet laugh escapes him immediately.
I try not to smile back but completely fail.
Then suddenly, nervousness crashes into me again.
"Veeransh ji." "Hm?" His eyes lift toward mine instantly.
"What if I do not know how to do this?" He looks confused.
"Do what?" I hesitate slightly before whispering, "Be a mother.
" The words sound much smaller outside my head than they did inside it.
"I have never even handled babies properly before.
What if I make mistakes?" He studies my face carefully before standing up and sitting beside me instead.
"We will both make mistakes," he says calmly.
I immediately make a face. "That is not comforting.
" "It is," he insists softly. "Because we will make those mistakes together.
" I look at him quietly. "And what if I get emotional for no reason?
" He raises an eyebrow slightly. "You already do.
" I glare at him instantly while he grins shamelessly.
"And what if I cry randomly?" "I will handle it.
" "And if I crave strange things at two in the morning?
" "I will bring them." "And if I get angry? " "I will survive."
That finally makes me laugh properly. He leans closer afterward until his forehead rests lightly against mine.
"You are not alone in this," he whispers softly.
"Not even for one second." Something heavy inside my chest loosens instantly.
I did not realize how badly I needed to hear those words.
Later, after he leaves downstairs for some calls, I remain alone in the room for a few quiet minutes.
My hand drifts toward my stomach again automatically.
It still feels unreal somehow. Inside me, a tiny life is slowly forming.
Half him. Half me. A small part of our love and everything we survived together.
I think about the beginning of our marriage.
How distant we once were. How broken everything felt between us.
And now somehow, we are here. Maybe life truly has strange ways of healing people.
Quietly, I whisper to myself, "Be strong.
" Not only for me. Not only for him. But for the tiny heartbeat that will someday become the center of our entire world.
When Veeransh returns upstairs, he finds me smiling faintly to myself.
"What are you thinking about?" he asks quietly.
"The future," I answer honestly. He steps closer.
"And?" I look directly at him. "It feels less scary now.
" He gently takes my hand into his. "It should.
" Because today this is no longer just a suspicion, a hidden secret, or a quiet guess.
Today it is real. And so is the life growing silently inside me.
The next morning feels completely different somehow.
Yesterday carried uncertainty. Today carries confirmation.
I wake up earlier than usual with nervous excitement fluttering inside my chest. Even though the doctor already said everything clearly yesterday, seeing it written officially in a report feels permanent somehow.
By late morning, the report finally arrives.
Maa calls me downstairs gently. I walk carefully, slowly, remembering every single instruction the doctor gave me yesterday.
Now every step on the staircase suddenly feels dramatic.
Veeransh already stands near Maa holding the envelope tightly in his hands.
He glances at me once before opening it carefully.
I immediately notice how tightly his fingers grip the paper.
He is nervous too. He reads silently for a few moments before his expression softens visibly.
Then he lifts his eyes toward me. "It is confirmed.
" Even though I expected those words, hearing them officially still makes my heartbeat race wildly.
Maa immediately clasps her hands together emotionally.
"Thank God." Warmth spreads quietly through my chest. Veeransh hands me the file and I open it carefully.
Inside is not only the blood report but also a detailed meal chart.
What to eat. What to avoid. How much to sleep.
Which vitamins to take. I sit down on the sofa and begin reading everything seriously.
Breakfast includes milk, soaked almonds, poha or upma.
Mid-morning requires fruits. Lunch includes dal, roti, sabzi, and curd.
Evening snacks include coconut water or juice while dinner should remain light with khichdi or simple sabzi-roti.
Avoid junk food, spicy food, oily food, packaged snacks, and excessive sweets.
I immediately make a face. Veeransh notices instantly.
"What?" he asks calmly. "This is too healthy.
" He almost smiles at my misery. "That is the entire point.
" Dramatically, I close the file. "I do not want green vegetables every day.
" Maa laughs softly beside us. "Things will not go according to your wishes anymore, beta. "
I pout immediately while Veeransh watches me with that calm firmness again.
"You heard the doctor." I narrow my eyes suspiciously at him.
"You are enjoying this." "Very much." After lunch, which is unfortunately another forced healthy meal, I walk toward the garden.
The winter sunlight feels soft and warm against my skin.
I sit quietly on the swing beneath the neem tree while enjoying the breeze.
After a few minutes, Suhana joins me carrying two glasses of fresh juice.
She hands one carefully toward me. "For our VIP bhabhi.
" I roll my eyes instantly. "Stop." She grins mischievously.
"How are you feeling?" "Normal." "Scared?
" I hesitate slightly before nodding. "A little.
" Her expression softens gently. "Do not take stress.
We are all here." Her words are simple, but comforting.
We sit quietly for a while watching the gardener trim plants nearby.
Suddenly she smiles. "You are going to become the cool mom.
" I laugh immediately. "How do you know? "
"Because you are already emotional and dramatic.
" I gasp dramatically. "I am not dramatic.
" She only raises one eyebrow knowingly.
I sigh dramatically afterward. "Fine. Maybe a little.
" Both of us burst into laughter again. Then her expression softens slightly.
"Bhabhi, are you happy?" My eyes lower toward my hands resting gently over my stomach.
"Yes," I whisper honestly. She smiles warmly.
"Bhai seems very happy too." A faint smile touches my lips instantly.
"He has not stopped staring at me since yesterday.
" Suhana giggles immediately. "He was already protective before.
Now he is going to become unbearable." Almost as if summoned by her words, Veeransh suddenly appears walking toward us with his usual calm expression.
But the moment his eyes find me, all his attention fixes there immediately.
"How long have you been sitting here?" he asks seriously.
I check my phone casually. "Maybe two hours? " His brows immediately pull together.
"Two hours?" "I am only sitting." "You should rest." I sigh dramatically.
"If I go upstairs now, I will fall asleep again.
" "Good." "No," I protest immediately. "Then I will not sleep at night.
" He folds his arms calmly. "The doctor said you need rest." "The doctor said balanced rest." Suhana watches both of us with complete amusement.
"Bhai, relax. She is not climbing trees.
" He ignores her completely and looks back at me seriously. "Did you eat properly?"
"Yes." "What exactly did you eat?" I blink slowly because why does he need details?
"Sabzi." "Which sabzi?" "Palak." "And?" "Roti.
" "And?" I stare at him in disbelief before muttering weakly, "Curd.
" He studies my face suspiciously while I complain softly, "I do not want green vegetables every single day.
" He exhales slowly. "Aarohi." "Why can I not eat something normal? " "This is normal." "This is boring."
Finally, he sits beside me on the swing and lowers his voice slightly.
"It is not about taste anymore." Something about the way he says it quiets me instantly.
Then gently, he places his hand over mine.
"It is about you staying healthy." I look at him silently.
"And the baby," he adds softly. That word still sends warmth spreading through my chest every single time.
Suhana suddenly stands up dramatically. "I should leave now before bhai gives me a lecture too. "
Once she leaves, silence settles between us again while the breeze moves softly through the trees.
"Are you tired?" he asks more gently this time.
"A little." "Then go rest." "I do not want to lie down.
" "Why?" I sigh softly. "I feel lazy when I sleep too much.
" He studies me carefully for a few moments before speaking quietly.
"You are overthinking." "Maybe." He leans slightly closer afterward.
"You do not have to prove anything." I frown in confusion. "Prove what?"
"That you are strong enough. Or active enough.
Or capable enough." His voice softens gently.
"You only need to take care of yourself now.
" Something inside my chest loosens quietly at his words.
I did not even realize I had been trying so hard to act normal.
As if nothing had changed. As if I was not carrying something delicate and precious inside me now.
Slowly, he stands up before offering me his hand. "Come."
I look at his hand for a moment. "I can walk myself.
" "I know. But still." In the end, I take his hand anyway.
He does not hold it tightly. Just enough.
Protective without suffocating me. As we walk back toward the haveli together, I glance sideways at him.
"You are going to become very strict, are you not?
" "Yes." I sigh dramatically while he smirks slightly.
"But only because I care." And honestly, that makes it impossible to argue with him.
Because beneath all the firmness, there is love.
And beneath that love, there is fear. The good kind of fear.
The kind that only exists when something precious is involved.
As we step back inside the haveli together, I realize something quietly.
My life has shifted completely. Not loudly.
Not dramatically. But softly, like a new rhythm beginning inside me.
And even though I complain endlessly about green vegetables, schedules, and rest, deep down I already know something very clearly.
I would do absolutely anything for the tiny life that now depends on me.