32. Pregnancy BooksInternet?? #3
"Chole bhature?" she asked excitedly like a child getting her favourite thing.
Rashmi aunty smiled while bringing the bowl to the table.
"You have been craving it since afternoon, so how could I not make it?"
Shivika immediately hugged Rashmi aunty from the side carefully.
"You are officially my favourite person now."
Rakshit, who was pulling the chair for her, sighed dramatically.
"Amazing. I worry, take care of you twenty-four hours a day and still get replaced by chole bhature."
Shivika sat down while hiding her smile.
"Food has a special place in a pregnant woman's heart."
"And what about husband?" Rakshit asked while sitting beside her.
Shivika pretended to think seriously.
"Hmm... manageable."
Rashmi aunty burst into laughter while Rakshit looked offended.
"Manageable?"
"Yes," Shivika nodded proudly before taking the first bite. The moment she tasted it, her eyes closed in happiness.
"Oh God... this is so good."
Rakshit couldn't help smiling seeing her this happy over something so simple.
Rashmi aunty started serving hot bhaturas one after another while Rakshit naturally tore pieces for Shivika and dipped them in chole before feeding her.
The actions came so naturally to him now, as if taking care of her had become his second nature.
"Slowly," he murmured softly when she hurriedly took another bite. "No one is stealing your food."
"You don't understand cravings," Shivika replied while chewing. "At this point even the baby starts dancing after smelling favourite food."
Rakshit smiled faintly and instinctively rested his hand on her bump under the table for a second before feeding her again. The small unconscious gesture made Rashmi aunty's smile soften even more.
"You know," Rashmi aunty said while watching them,"I have rarely seen a husband take this much care during pregnancy."
Rakshit simply shrugged as if it was nothing special.
Shivika looked at him instantly.
Rashmi aunty shook her head fondly.
"Still, not everyone reads books, remembers medicines, tracks meal timings and handles mood swings this patiently."
Rakshit looked at Shivika before speaking casually, "The least I can do is make things easier for her."
The simplicity with which he said it made Shivika stare at him quietly for a moment.
Without realizing, a little bit of chole got stuck near her lips. Rakshit immediately wiped it gently with his thumb before she could even notice.
Shivika's cheeks instantly turned pink.
"Aunty is here," she whispered under her breath while glaring lightly at him.
Rakshit looked completely confused.
"What did I do now?"
"You know very well," Shivika muttered while looking down shyly.
Rakshit smirked slightly hearing that.
A few moments later, Rakshit again brought a bite near her mouth. Shivika looked at him quietly before taking it.
"Aunty, what does your husband do?" Shivika asked curiously between her bites while Rakshit silently smiled beside her.
Rashmi aunty wiped her hands on her saree pallu before replying warmly, "He works in a government office, beta."
Shivika nodded thoughtfully for a moment before another question naturally slipped out of her mouth.
"Then... if he earns well, why are you still working so hard here?"
The moment she asked that, Rashmi aunty's eyes unknowingly softened. She glanced once at Rakshit before smiling faintly.
"When I first started working for Rakshit, our family condition wasn't good," she explained gently. "At that time, this work helped us a lot. He helped us without ever making us feel small for it."
Rakshit quietly looked down at his plate while Shivika listened silently.
"But when our situation became stable and better," Rashmi aunty continued emotionally, "I still couldn't leave this house... or him."
Shivika frowned slightly, not fully understanding.
Rashmi aunty smiled sadly.
"Because I knew if nobody reminded him to eat, he would simply forget."
Shivika's eyes instantly shifted towards Rakshit.
"He used to eat only because he never liked wasting food," Rashmi aunty said softly.
"If I cooked, he would eat quietly. But if someday food wasn't made..." she paused emotionally, "he wouldn't even try to make something for himself."
The smile slowly disappeared from Shivika's face hearing that.
"He lived like someone who had stopped caring about himself," Rashmi aunty whispered unknowingly.
Rakshit sighed lightly.
"Aunty..."
But Rashmi aunty continued lovingly as if years of emotions were finally flowing naturally.
"I used to remind him," she said while smiling emotionally. "Otherwise this boy could survive the whole day on coffee only."
Shivika quietly looked at Rakshit, her heart aching hearing things she had never known before.
"But I don't know what changed after the last few years," Rashmi aunty said with a genuine smile now. "He slowly started taking care of himself. He even began learning how to cook new dishes."
Rakshit looked away awkwardly while Shivika kept staring at him.
"He started focusing on himself again," Rashmi aunty finished softly.
Shivika felt something tighten painfully inside her chest hearing that.
She wanted to ask him what exactly changed him so much... what made him start living again... but she already knew he wouldn't answer such things in front of Rashmi aunty.
So she silently decided to ask him later when they were alone.
The dinner suddenly felt much more emotional now.
After finishing her food, Shivika slowly stood up and drank some water quietly.
Then without saying anything, she walked towards Rashmi aunty.
Rashmi aunty looked at her in confusion when Shivika gently held her hand with both of hers.
"Thank you, aunty..." Shivika whispered sincerely.
Rashmi aunty looked at her softly. "For what, beta?"
The words hit straight in the heart.
Rakshit looked up immediately while Rashmi aunty's eyes unknowingly became moist.
Shivika smiled emotionally while holding her hand tightly.
"You stayed when he needed someone the most."
Rashmi aunty gently caressed Shivika's cheek lovingly.
"And now you're here for him."
Shivika's eyes instantly shifted towards Rakshit, who was already looking at her quietly.
There was something deeply emotional in that silent eye contact.
As if both of them understood each other without saying a single word.