32. Pregnancy BooksInternet?? #4
Shivika was lying carefully in Rakshit's arms with her head resting on his chest while his fingers absentmindedly played with her hair. One of his hands rested protectively over her baby bump as if even unconsciously he wanted to keep both of them close to him.
The warm yellow lamp beside the bed made the entire room feel peaceful and safe.
Shivika looked up at him quietly.
After hearing Rashmi aunty's words earlier, her heart still felt heavy thinking about how lonely Rakshit must have been once.
Her fingers slowly moved towards his face, gently tracing his jaw.
Rakshit opened his eyes slightly and looked down at her.
"What happened?" he asked softly.
Shivika stayed quiet for a few seconds before finally whispering,
"What changed you, Aksh?"
Rakshit frowned slightly. "Hm?"
"Aunty said you never used to care about yourself before," Shivika said softly.
"Then suddenly you started taking care of your health, learning cooking and everything... what changed?"
For a moment Rakshit stayed silent.
His fingers slowly stopped moving in her hair as if he was remembering something old.
Then after a long pause, he finally spoke quietly.
"A few years ago," he began softly, "I visited an orphanage while suffering from fever and a really bad cough."
Shivika listened quietly.
"I kept coughing continuously while talking to the kids there," Rakshit said with a faint smile. "And suddenly one small boy came near me and asked..."
His voice softened remembering it.
'Are you going to die?'
Shivika's brows instantly frowned in confusion.
"I got shocked too," Rakshit admitted softly. "I immediately told him no and asked why he was asking something like that."
Rakshit looked away slightly before continuing.
"He said he had seen someone die because of coughing badly."
The room fell silent for a second.
"And then..." Rakshit smiled weakly, "he held my hand and said he didn't want me to die."
Shivika's eyes slowly softened.
"Because if I died... then who would take care of all the children there? Who would bring books for them... clothes for them... chocolates for them..."
His voice grew quieter with every word.
Shivika looked at him silently, her heart already hurting.
"For the first time," Rakshit admitted quietly, "I realized my life wasn't only mine."
His hand slowly intertwined with hers.
Shivika's eyes instantly filled hearing that.
"So after that day," Rakshit smiled faintly, "I started taking care of myself little by little."
He looked down at her gently.
The simplicity of his reason shattered something inside Shivika completely.
Here she was thinking some big incident must have changed him... but it was just one innocent child unknowingly giving a lonely man a reason to value his own life.
Shivika's eyes overflowed immediately.
"Aksh..." she whispered painfully.
Rakshit instantly wiped her tears with his thumb.
"Why are you crying now?" he asked softly.
Instead of replying, Shivika suddenly started kissing his face lovingly.
One kiss on his forehead.
Then on his cheek.
Then near his jaw.
"Ika..." Rakshit laughed softly between her kisses while trying to stop her.
But Shivika only held his face more carefully.
"You have such a beautiful heart," she whispered emotionally before kissing his forehead again.
Rakshit's smile slowly softened hearing that.
"I think I should tell you emotional stories of my life more often," Rakshit said thoughtfully.
Shivika looked at him innocently.
"Why?"
Rakshit smiled lazily while looking at her face.
"Because of the amount of pampering I'm receiving right now."
Shivika instantly realized what he meant and her cheeks turned red again.
"Aksh..." she whined shyly while lightly hitting his chest.
But Rakshit only chuckled softly and pulled her even closer.
"Hmm?" he teased near her ear. "A few more kisses and I might even start making up sad stories."
"Aksh" Shivika gasped in embarrassment while he laughed softly at her adorable reaction and kissed her forehead lovingly.
"Is baby asleep?" Rakshit asked softly while gently rubbing her bump under the blanket.
"I think so," Shivika murmured sleepily against his chest. "No kicks since the last fifteen minutes."
Rakshit sighed dramatically.
"Okay then, I'll talk to the baby tomorrow. Today baby's mumma took all my time and attention."
Shivika smiled faintly with her eyes closed and tightened her hold around his waist possessively.
"So what?" she whispered lazily. "You are my husband."
Rakshit couldn't help smiling hearing the sleepy authority in her voice.
"Yes, and apparently completely owned by my wife," he muttered lovingly while kissing the top of her head.
Shivika only hummed softly in response, already half asleep in his arms.
Rakshit looked down at her quietly for a few seconds before his gaze slowly shifted towards her bump.
His arms tightened around both of them protectively.
And somewhere in that peaceful silence, wrapped in warmth, love and the soft rhythm of each other's heartbeat, the three of them slowly drifted to sleep like a small complete family.