42. Babys Name Revealed #2
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it."
Rakshit walked towards the door and opened it to find three men standing outside, carrying several boxes.
The logo on their shirts immediately gave him an idea of who they were.
"Good morning, sir. We are from BabyComfort."
"Morning. Come in."
He stepped aside, welcoming them inside.
They had already brought the crib. They only needed to assemble it and complete the aesthetic setup Rakshit had selected.
"Guys, please sit. My wife is getting ready. Once she comes out, you can go ahead with your work."
The three men nodded and sat on the couch.
Rashmi aunty brought them water before returning to the kitchen.
"Sir, do you want to change the design, or should we go ahead with what you selected earlier?" one of them asked.
"No, we'll go with the same one. But let's ask my wife first. If she wants to change anything, we'll look at the other options."
The man nodded.
Rakshit sat across from them, casually discussing the arrangements.
He wasn't particularly worried about privacy. BabyComfort had worked on homes for several celebrities, and the company had strict confidentiality agreements regarding their clients and their homes.
After a few minutes, Rakshit looked towards them.
"What will you guys have? Tea, coffee, juice?"
"Nothing, sir. Thank you."
"Juice would do?"
The three exchanged glances before smiling and nodding.
Rakshit looked towards Rashmi aunty, who had already heard the conversation from the open kitchen.
She nodded and began preparing the juice.
A little while later, Shivika stepped out of the bedroom wearing a comfortable gown.
Rakshit immediately stood up.
Shivika noticed the unfamiliar faces and then looked at him, raising her eyebrows.
"Ika, they're from BabyComfort. They're here to set up our baby's crib."
"Oh."
She smiled politely at the three men, who stood up respectfully.
Rakshit walked towards her.
"First, have a look at the aesthetics I planned. If you want to change anything, we'll go through the other options."
He took the iPad from one of the men and handed it to her.
Shivika looked through the design carefully.
The crib had a soft, elegant aesthetic with tiny ducks hang above it.
Her face immediately lit up.
"This is perfect. And these ducks are so cute. Just go with this one."
Rakshit smiled, pleased that she liked his choice.
He turned towards the workers.
"Come, guys. I'll show you where everything needs to go."
He led them into the bedroom and showed them the corner where the crib would be assembled.
Then he carefully picked up their sleeping daughter and brought her outside.
"Let her sleep here. The noise might disturb her."
He gently handed the baby to Shivika before returning to the bedroom.
Once the workers began assembling everything, Rakshit came back and sat beside Shivika.
"You know, you shouldn't have asked for my suggestion. Your choice is always the best."
Rakshit looked at her.
"So what? You're my wife. Your suggestion is important in everything I do."
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
Shivika smiled.
"Aksh..."
"Hmm?"
"I want to drink tea made by you."
His eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Tea?"
She nodded.
"I haven't had it in so long."
She had avoided tea during the later months of her pregnancy because she wanted to be careful for the baby. Now, after so long, she finally wanted a cup.
"I'll make it."
Rakshit stood up instantly.
Shivika smiled at his enthusiasm.
Her eyes then fell on Rashmi aunty, who was busy preparing something in the kitchen.
"Aunty, what are you making?"
"Dry-fruit ladoos. You have to eat one every morning, beta."
Shivika nodded obediently.
"Aunty, Aksh told me about the baby massage thing. Can't you do it?"
Rashmi aunty shook her head.
"No, beta. I know how to handle babies, but I'm not experienced in baby massage. Their bones are very delicate. One wrong movement can hurt them."
Shivika nodded thoughtfully.
But Rakshit immediately lost the colour from his face.
"If it's risky, then why do we need to do it?"
Shivika looked at him.
"There is no compulsion, Aksh. It's just considered good for the baby's movement and fitness. And we won't do anything unless we find someone experienced and trustworthy."
She turned towards Rashmi aunty.
"Aunty, do you have anyone you know who is experienced and whom we can trust?"
"Yes. I have a friend who is experienced. I'll speak to her and ask her to contact you."
"Done."
Shivika glanced down at their peacefully sleeping daughter.
Rakshit returned a few moments later with a cup of tea.
"Careful. It's hot," he murmured, handing it to her.
Shivika took a sip and smiled.
"Aksh, why don't you drink tea when you make such amazing tea?"
Rakshit froze.
For a moment, he looked as though she had unknowingly touched a wound he had spent years keeping hidden.
He turned his face away and took a step back.
Shivika immediately noticed.
"Aksh?"
She placed the cup carefully on the side and reached for his wrist.
He didn't look at her.
"Not now, Ika. Not now. Let me go."
His voice was barely a whisper.
He gently removed her fingers from his wrist and walked towards the other room, closing the door behind him.
Shivika's heart tightened.
She had heard the tremor in his voice.
That wasn't irritation.
That was pain.
She was about to get up when their daughter suddenly began crying.
Shivika looked towards the closed door.
Rakshit would've normally come running at the first sound of their baby's cry.
But he didn't.
And somehow, that frightened her even more.
Behind the closed door, Rakshit slid down against it until he was sitting on the floor.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
The voices of his past began echoing inside his head.
Memories he had buried.
Voices he had spent years trying not to remember.
He pressed both hands against his ears.
"Stop..."
His breathing grew uneven.
Then suddenly-
The baby's cry reached him.
His eyes flew open.
The voices in his head seemed to disappear beneath that tiny cry.
His daughter.
His little girl.
Rakshit immediately pushed himself up and rushed into the washroom.
He splashed cold water over his face.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
He gripped the edge of the sink and took a deep breath.
He looked at himself in the mirror.
For a moment, he didn't recognize the man staring back.
Another tear slipped down his cheek.
He wiped it away immediately.
Then he took one final deep breath, dried his face with a towel and walked out.
When he opened the door, he found Shivika sitting on the bed, feeding their daughter. A soft baby blanket covered her chest while their little girl peacefully fed in her arms.
Shivika looked up at the sound of the door.
Their eyes met.
And she knew.
He hadn't said anything.
But his eyes told her everything his lips couldn't.
The moment Rakshit saw her looking at him, the strength he'd gathered inside that room crumbled again.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
He immediately lowered his head.
"Aksh, please come to me. She'll start crying if I stand up."
"No. Don't get up. I'm just going outside. You feed her. I'll check if they're done with their work."
He turned around, ready to leave again.
(Now will you run away from me too?)
Rakshit stopped instantly.
His shoulders stiffened.
Slowly, he turned around.
Shivika's voice softened.
"Yahan toh sirf hum hain. Batao na, Aksh, kya hua?"
(There is only us here. Tell me, Aksh, what happened?)
Rakshit looked at her with moist eyes.
"Ika..."
His voice broke on her name.
Shivika simply raised her hand towards him.
A silent invitation.
Come to me.
And this time, Rakshit didn't stop himself.
He immediately walked towards her and sat beside her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He was careful not to disturb Shivika while she fed their daughter, keeping his hands firmly around her waist and making sure they didn't wander anywhere they shouldn't.
Shivika's hand immediately went into his hair, gently caressing him while her other hand remained protectively around their baby.
She felt his tears against her skin.
But she didn't ask him to stop crying.
She didn't ask him what had happened.
Somewhere in her heart, she already knew this was something connected to his past.
And she didn't want to force him to open wounds he wasn't ready to show her.
Rakshit had always been patient with her. He had respected every boundary, every fear, every moment when she needed time.
This time, it was her turn to give him the same patience.
And one thing she knew for certain-
She wouldn't let him face his pain alone.
After some time, when their daughter had finished feeding, Shivika softly spoke.
"Aksh, let me make her sleep on the bed."
Rakshit nodded and slowly moved away, looking towards the other side while she carefully adjusted herself.
In the middle of everything, Shivika forgot about her stitches and sat cross-legged.
The moment Rakshit noticed, his attention immediately snapped towards her.
"Ika, are you fine? Why did you sit like that?"
He quickly stood and helped her move her legs into a more comfortable position.
"I am sorry. I should've noticed."
Shivika hissed slightly from the discomfort.
"I'm fine, Aksh. Now come."
She patted the space beside her.
Rakshit hesitated for a moment before sitting down.
Shivika gently took his hand and caressed his knuckles with her thumb.
For a few moments, neither spoke.
Then Rakshit looked towards their daughter.
"I was just a child, Ika."
Shivika's fingers tightened around his hand.
She turned his face towards hers.
"I was hungry," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't find anything to eat."
He swallowed the lump in his throat.
"I saw a man eating a vada pav and drinking chai. He was standing beside his big car."
(Chai= tea)
His voice changed.
It no longer sounded like the voice of the grown man sitting beside her.