"For you." Sidharth murmured as he handed her a packet. Shehnaaz gave a confused look to her before she opened the packet and found a beautiful, simple yet elegant red colored saree inside.
"Wow! This is beautiful." Shehnaaz smiled brightly while admiring the saree. Its not every day her husband brought her gift but whenever he do, she cherish it with her heart.
"I want you to wear this in tomorrow's puja." Sidharth said to her softly. Shehnaaz gave a small nod in response.
"And this is for my boy. Ayu will wear this tomorrow." Sidharth walked over the bed and placed a shopping bag in front of his son who was busy in playing, but seeing his father, he crawled toward him and sat on his lap.
Shehnaaz shook her head at her son and picked up the bag to see the outfit Sidharth had brought for Ayaan.
"Traditional outfit for Ayu. Not bad." Shehnaaz was highly impressed with his choice which made him happy. He was happy to be reason of her smile.
"Did you liked it? Daddy brought it for you-" Shehnaaz asked Ayaan while showing him the outfit to Ayaan. Little Ayaan examined the outfit for a moment before he smiled, making his parents smile as their 8 months old laugh.
Keeping their distance aside, they enjoyed the family moment from heart.
Shehnaaz was welcomed by bone crushing hug by her mother-in-law when they reached Shukla mansion for puja. Shehnaaz then went in Rita's room with her since Rita had wanted to talk to her. Since with Ayaan in his arms walked in living area where he met his father.
"Hows my champ? Did you missed dadu?" Ashok took Ayaan in his arms.
"Daadoo!" Little Ayaan spoke, pouting his lips as he stares up at his grand father with those innocence filled eyes.
"Oh god! Sidharth, did you hear, he called me dadu." Ashok beamed in happiness where as Sid was grinning at his son. Ayaan has learnt to speak and every word spoken by him, was special to his family.
"Shehnaaz taught him." Sidharth told his father proudly. Ashok laughed and kissed Ayaan's cheek.
"Rita is going to be so jealous." Ashok mumbled, making his son laugh while his grand son was busy in his own world.
Just then, Rohan along with his wife, Tejashree and sister-in-law, Hina came there. Hina looks at Sidharth there was longing in her eyes. Sidharth greeted her politely. Hina averts her gaze away from him, her gaze settled over Ayaan who was in Ashok's arms. Her eyes brighten up as she took step toward him.
"Awww. Such a cute baby. Who's baby he is?" Hina asked Ashok. She pulled Ayaan's cheek and tried to take him in her arms, but angry little Ayaan jerked her hands away, causing her to frown.
"Don't mind, beta. He has bad temper and he doesn't like when someone pull his cheeks except his mother." Ashok said to Hina who gave a nod in response with a small smile.
"Sidharth, take him upstairs. Workers are working here, he can get hurt." Ashok said to his son since decoration work was going on in the house and workers are running here & there to get the work finish on time. Sidharth nodded in response and took Ayaan in his arms, then he went upstairs in his room.
Hina watched with shocked filled eyes, realizing who's child Ayaan was. She didn't knew he also has a child and she won't deny, it hurt her badly.
"He is Sid's child?" Hina turned to her sister and asked her to confirm.
"Yes. Ayaan is Sidharth and Shehnaaz's child." Tejashree confirmed.
"Was it that easy for him to forget me and move on?" Hina questioned in daze.
"His life wasn't easy, nor was his married life. He got married to Shehnaaz, but was never able to accept her as his wife. After three years of marriage, he had fallen for his wife and realized it too. Hina, he waited for you. 3 years before he got married, he was living with just a hope of having you back and he would continued to live that way, but then mom fell ill, she asked him to get married and Sidharth couldn't refuse, even then his heart belonged to you. Can you imagine what pain his wife must have gone through, knowing her husband's love someone else? Shehnaaz went through it. It wasn't his fault that he fallen for his wife, who has always been there, took care of him & his family, showers her unconditional love on him. He doesn't have any control over his heart." Rohan said to his sister-in-law, Hina. Hoping she would understand his point of view.
"Rohan, please now don't give these emotional lectures to my sister. She doesn't need them." Tejashree sighed, she grabbed her sister's hand and took her away from there. Rohan shook his head, knowing his wife was wrong.
Shehnaaz walked inside their bedroom and instantly felt a wave of nostalgia hit her. Nothing has changed in the room, it was like Shehnaaz had left behind two weeks back.
Shehnaaz walked over the bed where her husband and son were seated and busy in playing with each other.
"Shehnaaz" Sidharth called out for her.
"Yes." Shehnaaz look at him. Sidharth patted the space next to him, gesturing her to sit beside him. Shehnaaz hesitated but obeyed. Sidharth wrapped his arm around her, his palm rested flat against her tummy, caused butterflies to dance in her belly.
"You are looking beautiful, Just like an angel." He whispered in her ear in his naturally husky tone.
"I am not an angel." Shehnaaz murmured softly.
"And why do you think that?" Sidharth asked, frowning at her slightly.
"Because i am not perfect. I always think about myself first." Shehnaaz answered with honesty. And it wasn't as a taunt to him. They were her real feelings about herself, which doesn't find wrong either.
"Everyone does that." Sidharth was quick to reply.
"I love myself too much." Shehnaaz replied back.
"Its not a bad thing." Sidharth replied back immediately causing her to sigh.
"I throw tantrums unnecessarily."
"You look cute though." Sidharth passed a cheeky grin to her.
"My mood swings drive people crazy."Shehnaaz sighed heavily.
"Not me. I enjoy them." Sidharth answered.
"What the hell! Whats wrong with you? Here i am pointing out at my flaws and you are speaking cheesy stuff?" Shehnaaz questioned him, confusingly though.
In past Sidharth used to throw her flaws at her face to remind her how imperfect she is, for him. During their arguments, he would always remind her of her flaws which put her down in her own eyes sometimes, for not being perfect.
"Your flaws never mattered to me. They were just an excuse to not to love you but even those didn't stopped my heart from falling for you." Sidharth whispered softly, his eyes bore into hers.
Her breath hitched as he confessed his love. For the first time.
But before Shehnaaz could react, Rita knocked on the door and peaked inside.
"Its time for puja. Come downstairs three of you." Rita said to them. Shehnaaz nodded and got up from the bed and went out of the room hurriedly. She needed time to think about his confession. It happened so suddenly that she doesn't know how to react.
Damn! Hope your mumma gives positive response to my confession." Sidharth picked his son in his arms and said to him, while his thoughts were wondering around his wife.
Sidharth hoped Shehnaaz will give him another chance to prove himself to be a better husband and lover.
