Chapter 13 #2
“He’s gone,” she cried, her voice muffled against his chest. “Kriti’s husband... he died last week in a road accident. That’s why she came back home two days ago. She has no one else, nowhere else to go.”
Ruhaan felt a sharp pang of sorrow in his chest as he held her. Kriti’s husband was dead? That was so tragic. He struggled to find the right words to comfort her as Naina continued.
“Uncle... he was the first to accept her when she came back. He’s angry at himself now, for keeping his distance these past two years. If only...”
“I’m so sorry, Naina,” he whispered. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
She sobbed harder and he let her. A while later, Ruhaan gently pulled away, cupping Naina’s face in his hands and wiping away her tears with his thumbs. “We can’t change what’s happened,” he said softly but firmly. “But you need to stay strong for your sister now. Your family is all she has.”
Naina nodded, trying to gather her strength. Ruhaan’s support meant everything to her in that moment. She wiped her tears and tried to muster a small smile.
Ruhaan, seeing her fragile smile, decided to lighten the mood, even if just a little. “So,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips, “what are you hoping for? A niece or a nephew?”
The question caught her off guard. For a moment, she blinked at him, unsure how to respond. Then, a small smile tugged at her lips. “A niece, I guess,” she said, her voice still shaky. “I’d love to spoil her with all kinds of dresses and cute accessories.”
Ruhaan chuckled softly, relieved to see a bit of her spirit returning. “Well, I’m rooting for a nephew. Someone I can teach cricket and football to; someone I can spoil and take to matches.”
That’s when the doors to the labor room swung open, and a doctor emerged.
Naina’s family rushed forward, clustering around the doctor.
Ruhaan couldn’t hear what was being said, but he saw the moment the news hit them.
Mr. Kundra stumbled backward as if physically struck, while Mrs. Kundra’s hand flew to her mouth in horror.
Naina who was still with him, immediately stood up. The expressions on everyone’s faces told her something was wrong. Without waiting, she rushed over to her family.
“I’m so sorry,” the doctor repeated. “We did everything we could, but there were complications. Kriti... she didn’t make it. The baby boy is healthy, but we couldn’t save the mother.”
The world around Naina collapsed in an instant. She felt her knees buckle, and before she knew it, she was falling. Ruhaan was at her side in an instant, catching her before she could hit the floor, his strong arms wrapping around her as she collapsed into him.
“No...” Naina whispered, her voice breaking as this news crushed her. “Kriti... this can’t be happening...”
He held her tightly, his heart breaking for her as she sobbed uncontrollably. The Kundras stood shell-shocked, unable to process the cruel twist of fate that had turned what should have been a joyous occasion into a tragedy.
***************
The two weeks following Kriti’s tragic death had been a whirlwind of emotions for everyone involved.
The Kundras were deep in grief, their home filled with a lingering sadness that seemed to seep into the walls.
The joyous wedding preparations had come to a grinding halt, replaced by mourning rituals.
Even Ruhaan hadn’t been able to speak to Naina during this time.
Whenever he tried to reach out, he was met with the news that Naina was busy caring for her nephew, Kriti’s newborn son.
It was understandable; Naina was now the only maternal figure the baby had, and she had thrown herself into the role with fierce determination.
He respected that, but it didn’t make the situation any easier.
He missed her, longed for the comfort of her presence, and felt a sense of helplessness that he hadn’t experienced before.
When his mother decided to invite the Kundras over to discuss the wedding arrangements, he was relieved.
He hoped to see Naina, to finally talk to her, but she didn’t come.
Instead, her uncle Subodh and aunt Malti arrived alone, explaining that Naina couldn’t leave the baby.
Kaushalya welcomed the Kundras into their home, and they all settled in the living room.
“We understand if you want to postpone the wedding,” she began, her tone polite but firm. “Given everything that has happened, we can always push the date ahead. It’s important that everyone is in the right frame of mind for such an event.”
Subodh and Malti exchanged a look, hesitating before responding.
“We appreciate your understanding, Kaushalyaji,” Subodh said slowly.
“But we’ve discussed it, and we think it’s best to keep the wedding as planned.
It’s what Kriti would have wanted... and we believe it might help us all move forward. ”
Ruhaan listened carefully, sensing that there was more on Subodh’s mind. The older man seemed uncomfortable, almost as if he were hiding something. He finally decided to speak up.
“Is everything alright with Naina?” he asked with concern. “She’s been through so much... I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
Subodh shifted in his seat, his discomfort growing more apparent. “She’s... attached to the baby,” he admitted after a pause. “Very attached. So much so that...”
“That what?” Kaushalya interrupted, her patience wearing thin.
Malti sighed, her eyes filled with sorrow. “Naina has taken on the role of mother for Kriti’s son. She’s with him constantly, and it’s as if she can’t bear to be apart from him. We’ve tried to convince her that we, as his grandparents, can take care of him, but she... she’s made up her mind.”
Kaushalya’s frown deepened, her confusion turning to concern. “And what exactly does that mean for the wedding?”
Subodh took a deep breath, knowing that what he was about to say would be difficult for the Singh family to hear. “Naina wants to bring the baby with her when she marries Ruhaan. She wants him to be a part of your family, to raise him as her own.”
The room fell into a stunned silence. Ruhaan himself was unable to process what Subodh Kundra was saying.
Naina wanted to bring Kriti’s child into their home?
Into their marriage? It was a thought that hadn’t even crossed his mind, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it.
Before he could respond, Kaushalya’s voice cut through the silence.
“Absolutely not,” she declared, her tone leaving no room for argument.
“Why would my son raise someone else’s child?
I understand that Naina is attached to the baby, but she has to think about her own life, her future.
She’s engaged to Ruhaan now, and she has responsibilities as his wife and as a daughter-in-law of this family.
Bringing that baby here will only bind her to the past and keep her from moving forward. I won’t allow it.”
Subodh and Malti Kundra looked crestfallen, their earlier hopes dashed by Kaushalya’s harsh response. They turned to Ruhaan, hoping for a different answer, but Kaushalya quickly interjected.
“Ruhaan feels the same way,” she insisted, her voice brooking no dissent. “He understands the importance of focusing on his future with Naina. Bringing that baby into this house would be a mistake.”
Ruhaan’s heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to find his voice. He had never seen his mother so resolute. The Kundras, clearly hurt, still tried to reason with her.
“We’ve tried to explain this to Naina,” Subodh said quietly. “We’ve told her that we would take care of the baby, that she could still visit him and be a part of his life, but she refuses to leave him behind. Has she spoken to you about this, Ruhaan?”
Ruhaan shook his head, feeling a pang of hurt that Naina hadn’t confided in him. “No, she hasn’t mentioned anything to me.”
Kaushalya scoffed, “Of course not. She’s been too busy with that child to even speak to her fiancé. If this is how it is now, imagine what it would be like if we allowed her to bring the baby here! If Naina can’t change her mind about this, then perhaps this engagement should be reconsidered.”
The room erupted in chaos. The Kundras looked horrified, and even Ruhaan’s father seemed taken aback by his wife’s harsh ultimatum.
Ruhaan found his voice at last. He stared at his mother, shocked that she would even suggest calling off the engagement. “Mom, wait,” he said. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. We need to talk to Naina about this, understand what she’s feeling—”
But Kaushalya cut him off, gripping his arm tightly as she fixed him with an intense stare.
“Tell me honestly, Ruhaan. You’re not ready to lose Naina, I understand that.
But are you ready to be a father right now?
To raise a child that isn’t yours? You’re still young, with your whole life ahead of you.
Are you prepared to sacrifice your dreams, your ambitions, your expectations of married life for someone else’s baby? ”
He hadn’t thought about it in those terms before. The idea of raising another man’s child, of taking on that responsibility so soon, filled him with a sense of dread.
Seeing Ruhaan’s hesitation, Kaushalya pressed on.
“This isn’t just about you, Ruhaan. It’s about both of you.
Naina has to understand that bringing this baby into your lives will change everything.
It will place a burden on your marriage before it even begins.
You deserve a chance to build your life together, to create your own family.
If Naina can’t see that... then maybe this engagement isn’t meant to be. ”
His mother’s words, harsh as they were, held a kernel of truth he couldn’t ignore.
He wasn’t ready. The thought of becoming an instant father, of taking on such a massive responsibility when he was still figuring out his own life, terrified him.
He liked Naina, but was that enough to overcome the challenges they would face?
As the silence stretched on, the tension in the room reached a breaking point. The Kundras looked devastated, realizing that their hopes for Naina’s happiness were crumbling before their eyes. Kaushalya stood firm, her expression a mixture of triumph and concern for her son. And Ruhaan....
Ruhaan just glanced at Subodh and Malti, their faces lined with worry, and knew they were waiting for him to say something, to offer some kind of reassurance. But all he could do was stand there, silent and conflicted, as the reality of the situation sank in.
Finally, Mr. Kundra spoke, his voice heavy with resignation. “We... we’ll speak to Naina again. Try to make her understand the situation.”
Kaushalya nodded curtly, “See that you do. And make it clear that this is non-negotiable. Naina has to make a choice. If she wants to be with Ruhaan, she needs to understand that bringing that baby into this family isn’t an option. If she can’t accept that, then this engagement will have to end.”
As the Kundras prepared to leave, their shoulders slumped in defeat, Ruhaan felt guilty.
He wanted to say something, to offer some hope or comfort, but the words wouldn’t come.
He watched helplessly as they walked out the door, feeling as if he were watching his future with Naina slip away with them.
Once they were gone, Kaushalya turned to Ruhaan, her expression softening slightly. “I know this is difficult, beta. But you have to think about your future. You’re not ready for this kind of responsibility.”
He nodded numbly, still unable to form a coherent response. He liked Naina, wanted a future with her. But a future that included raising her sister’s child? That was something he hadn’t bargained for.