Spoiled • 18+ • Arranged Marriage Story

Thirty-Nine

Was home a person? He wondered. Was it her? He was so sure she hated him but she had proved that she loved him. When they broke apart, he felt sadness wash over him. He had somehow hoped that he would remember everything but yet he hadn't.

    He felt a wave of disappointment wash over him and his headache returned.

      "What's wrong?" She asked pressing her fingers to his jaw. He guessed it must've shown on his face. He withdrew his arm from around her waist and shook his head.

   "Nothing. Just a headache."

    He could hear the disappointment even when she said nothing. Now everything was awkward between them.

  ***

        In the evening, Sakshi bobbed Reena in her arms who was fussing. And because of that Meena was also fussing. Sakshi could feel a headache and her arms were about to collapse. Janvi was in the nursery too bobbing Meena trying to calm her down which was working.

      "They're extra fussy today."  Janvi said.

       "I know," Sakshi whined as she made a shushing sound bobbing the baby around the room. Reena was the first one to calm down and Sakshi put her in her crib. Soon Meena calmed down too and Janvi helped put her in her crib.

       The door to the nursery opened and that was enough for Reena to start fussing again. Sakshi picked her up again, her back aching and her head feeling like it was driven with pins.

    "What the hell Veer?" Janvi scolded him.

    "Kushi is here." He explained.

    "What? This late at night? Is she okay?"

    "You should come to see."

      "I can handle. Go." Sakshi told Janvi and Veer. She say down with the baby but no she was fussing again. She stood up groaning. This was testing her now.

       The door opened again and this time she turned around thinking it was Janvi who had come back to help her but it was Siddharth. Her relief washed away and an air of awkwardness settled in.

     "You need something?" She asked bobbing Reena.

      "Yeah. The cream?" He held the cotton roll and a tube. She had forgotten. The cream for his healing back sores, she used to apply every night.

    "I'll be there after I calm her down."

      He walked in and looked at the sleeping baby. "Minu?" He guessed. Her chest bloomed. "Yes correct." He grinned at her and looked back at the crib.

    The baby in her arms started fussing harder and crying. "Okay! Shhh, it's okay." She bobbed harder but it wasn't working.

    And a sound came from Meena's crib. She was going to be awake too.  Sakshi took the baby out of the nursery and towards her room.

    "Can I hold her?"

    She turned in surprise. "You want to?"

    "Yes." He placed the tube and cotton on the bed and held out his arms.

    "Okay remove your shirt. I'll put on the cream while you hold her." She said and he nodded. She handed the baby over to him as he removed the shirt.

        He sat on the bed bobbing her on her lap. Sakshi cringed as the baby cried harder. 

     "It's okay, my darling. It's okay, my princess." He rubbed her back holding her close to his chest. And wonder of wonders, she quieted down with hiccups. She climbed the bed behind him and squeezed the cream on some cotton dabbing it on his back.