𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬: अनुरागी

❀. 4

Shobha had been feeling strange for a few days—nauseous in the mornings, tired all the time. 

At first, she thought it was just the usual stress, but when she missed her period, she had a suspicion. One trip to the doctor confirmed it: she was pregnant! Overwhelmed with excitement, she couldn’t wait to tell Ajay. 

She knew he would be thrilled. They had talked about starting a family, but this news still came as a beautiful surprise.

That afternoon, Shobha decided to surprise Ajay at his office. She spent hours preparing his favorite lunch—paneer butter masala, naan, and kheer. Carefully packing everything into a tiffin, she smiled to herself, imagining his reaction. But that wasn’t the only surprise she had for him. She had also bought a tiny set of baby clothes and wrapped them in a gift box. Her heart raced at the thought of how Ajay would react when he opened it.

When she arrived at his office, she paused for a moment outside his door, watching him through the glass. 

Ajay was deeply immersed in his work, his brow furrowed with concentration. She admired how dedicated he was, how hard he worked to make his business grow. He didn’t notice her at first, so she knocked gently, and when he looked up, his face lit up with surprise.

“Shobha! Tum yahan? Yeh surprise hai!” he said, getting up from his chair with a big grin. 

(Shobha! You’re here? This is a surprise!)

She smiled and walked in, holding the lunchbox in her hand. “Socha tumhare liye tumhara favorite khana le aati hoon,” she said, placing the tiffin on his desk. 

(I thought I’d bring your favorite food for you.)

Ajay’s eyes sparkled as he introduced her to his colleagues and friends, proudly saying, “Yeh meri wife hai, Shobha. Aur yeh mere liye best surprise lekar aayi hai.” 

(This is my wife, Shobha. And she’s brought the best surprise for me.)

But soon, Ajay noticed some of his colleagues glancing at Shobha a little too often, admiring her. Their eyes lingered on her in a way that made Ajay uncomfortable. His smile faded, and he suddenly felt a surge of jealousy.

“Yeh sab tumhe ghoor kyun rahe hain?” he whispered to her, his tone half-playful, half-serious. 

(Why are they all staring at you?)

Shobha laughed softly, teasing him. “Ajay, tum jealous ho rahe ho?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. 

(Ajay, are you getting jealous?)

“Haan! Aur main yeh bilkul pasand nahi karta, koi meri Biwi ko dekhe.” he replied, crossing his arms like a child, making a pouty face. 

(Yes! And I don’t like it at all. When someone else looks at you I don't like it.)

Shobha giggled at how adorable he looked. “Arre baba, tum hi toh mere ho,” she said, patting his cheek.

(Oh my, you’re the only one for me.)

After they ate lunch together, Shobha handed him the gift box. “Yeh tumhare liye ek aur surprise hai,” she said, smiling mischievously. 

(Here’s another surprise for you.)

Ajay opened the box, looking at the tiny baby clothes inside. He was confused at first, holding them up. “Shobha, yeh toh bahut chote size ke hai. Tumne galti se chhote kapde kharid liye?” he asked, scratching his head. 

(Shobha, these are too small. Did you accidentally buy a smaller size?)

Shobha chuckled and leaned closer to him. “Ajay, yeh baby ke kapde hain. Tum papa banne wale ho,” she whispered.