HOLDING YOU

Chapter 24- K.A.B.S?

I am kind of worried about what happened that night... He said that he wouldn't sleep with me before we get married. Frankly speaking, I'm okay with it. But, what bothers me is that Kabir has started acting strangely in the past week... He doesn't call or text much, I rarely get to see him these days and the fun part is, it's not like he's busy with work. He's not even in the office, even though there's a hell lot of work, he doesn't seem to care... I called him yesterday and he cut the call. Some days ago, I heard him telling someone to take care, you'll be fine and a lot of comforting things and it was a woman. I trust him, but I know he's hiding something. I'm worried. We had a huge fight on text today morning. I was in the office and I had no idea where he was, he said that we'll go out and we'll talk. I agreed.

I leave for home early and get ready. He said that he'll pick me up at seven and it was seven-thirty already. I wait for another half an hour. He is not here. I change my clothes and quickly drive to his place. I'm angry. Super angry. The guards let me in and I bang his door, hard.

"Kabir," I yell.

"Open the door." I'm seething.

The door opens and my body stiffens, I can't breathe, I can't think, I don't know. My eyes are wide and I just wish that I were dead before I had to see this. I can't believe my eyes nor can I believe what's in front of me.

"Yes?" She says.

She looks like she's around my age or maybe, a few years younger, her hair is blonde, her eyes are a striking green colour, she's beautiful. My eyes go lower and my heart breaks into a trillion pieces, so badly that I fear she might have heard it. She is pregnant. Her baby bump is extremely prominent, possibly in her eighth or ninth month. Adding fuel to fire, she's wearing Kabir's t-shirt and a pyjama. She's smiling at me. I want to punch her face and I want to set myself on fire.

"Where's Kabir?" I whisper, my voice goes weak. Just like my knees.

"Oh, Kabs is in the shower. What don't ya come in?" K.A.B.S. He even has a nickname besides Kabbie. She has a more developed and heavy accent than Kabir, but there's not much difference.

"Umm... No thanks. I should get going."

"Wait, you're Siya Mehra, right? You work in the bank with him?" Oh, she doesn't even know that I'm in a relationship with him... Why would she?

"Yeah... You are?"

"I'm Ashley Brown." She smiles. I want to ask her a lot of shit but I'm afraid to know the answers. I'm afraid what could a pregnant woman from England, who Kabir hasn't ever mentioned to me, is doing here at his place, wearing his T-shirt?

"Okay." I turn around and leave. I get inside my car and break down. I yell, I scream and I feel some parts of me die. A slow, painful, heart-wrenching death. I drive home, ring the bell and Ruby opens the door. She looks pained to see me in this state. She quickly hugs me and starts rubbing my back. She makes me sit on the sofa and runs to the kitchen to get me a glass of water. I realise that my eyes are burning. I'm in shock. I come to terms with the fact that I haven't blinked even once in the past five minutes or so. I blink rapidly and tears fall. Only the ones that were on the rim of my eyes. No new tears, I don't have any tears left. I'm empty. Ruby and I sit in complete silence for the rest of the night. My head is on her lap and she's gently patting my head. I tell her to go home but she refuses to leave me alone. She has always been around me, whenever I need someone. Always since the past five years. I finally sleep with my head on her lap... I hear my phone ring, it's Kabir. I cut the call, put my phone on silent and go back to sleep.

Kabir's POV...

Almost a month ago...

Siya left the house... I didn't want her to leave, the house feels empty now... Myra too is gone. Why did she have to leave? Oh, because she's not divorced yet, has a husband and a child, she's an independent, working woman with extremely high self-esteem and the last thing she'll do is expect her long-gone ex to become her knight in shining armour. That's fucking why she left, jackass. I answer my question... And it doesn't help much, to be honest.

I go out to take a walk and after some time, Siya texts me. She tells me that she wants a leave to settle things and some shit, I allow her because she might be my heartbeat, but I still am her senior at work... I sit on a bench nearby, with my eyes still glued to the screen. I keep my phone in my pocket and realise that someone is sitting at the other end of the bench. I turn to look who it is and I'm kinda surprised. It's a blonde woman, her face is buried in her hands and she's pregnant. Very pregnant, I mean her belly is swollen enough and she's crying. All alone, at night, pregnant, not a local and crying. I gently tap her shoulder and she quickly looks at me. Fuck. It's Ashley. She worked with me at the bank in London for three years... She left the job because she was getting married and shifting maybe, and then I came here after a year. We were very close friends... Best friend types... Before I can decide what to say, she hugs me tightly and sobs into my shoulder. I hug her back.

"Hey." Hey. Seriously, Kabir?

"Hi." She pulls away and wipes her tears.

"What are you doing here? Pregnant and crying?" I don't know how to do the sympathy talk...

"I got married and my husband came here for a business trip. I found out he was having an affair with some Indian woman, I confronted him... We kept fighting and I don't know but he disappeared with that woman... I have my passport and money, but there's some problem with the procedures... I have to stay here for a month... I don't know where to go, I am eight months pregnant. Plus, I lost my phone..." She keeps weeping. Look, I hated doing this but I just couldn't leave her there saying, "I'm sorry for how fucked up your life is Ashley, but I think I should get going and yeah, it was great seeing you. I hope you'll find a way."

"You can stay at my place, till things get better," I tell her.

"No, no. Don't bother yourself." She's just being polite.

"Oh come on, Ash. I'm sure it's not a great idea to live on the street for a month. You need someone to take care of you." I tell her. She smiles.

"You sure?"

"Of course I am."

"Look, I have huge mood swings, I eat a lot and as it is... I'm still very annoying." She warns me.

"I know. Now, get up." I help her to her feet. And we start walking.

"So, it's a boy or a girl?"

"It's a girl." She runs her hand lovingly over her belly. I smile. I think of the time how Siya would have been when she had Myra... I don't think Vivaan would have been a good husband then, too... Poor thing...

"Any name?"

"Ava." I smile.

"This one is going to be trouble." I laugh, thinking of Ava. Ava "the badass" Singhania. It's been a while since I spoke to her... We reach the house, have dinner, I give her some of my clothes and she goes to sleep in the guest room... I want to call Siya because I probably won't be able to handle a pregnant woman as efficiently as she can but it's late. I'll tell her tomorrow when I go to help her with the new apartment.

The next month just passes by. Siya has a lot of things going on and I don't want to burden her by giving her unnecessary tension about Ashley. I know she'll understand what the thing is but still... Why take a chance? I'll tell her whenever the time is right. In this one month, Ashley is nine months pregnant and she needs a lot of care and attention. I have been the only person to be there for taking her to doctors, giving her medicines and all... I know I can keep a nurse or something, but I don't feel like doing that. I want to be around, I have changed, I've become more sensitive since I've met Siya, again. It could be because I spend a lot of time with Myra and take care of her... I've started feeling humanity... A little more than whatever it was earlier. I'm not able to spend time with Siya these days, I want to talk about this... All this. We kinda fought today morning via text and I was supposed to meet her... But, before I can leave, Ashley accidentally spills coffee on me. So, I go in for a bath, when I come out, I find Ashley sleeping. On the couch, I call Siya. She cuts the call... Maybe, she's angry... I text her but she hasn't replied yet.