Candy Cigarettes, Baby Love|✓

Chapter 6

Mahi wakes up on an immensely comfortable surface; soft and plushy. The unfamiliar surface leads her to observe the lightings of the room which are also very new and beautiful.

This isn't her room.

It's after another thirty seconds that she remembers that she is in Arav's house, in his guest room. After rubbing the sleep off her eyes, she realises that a figure is standing on the doorway, seeming as if he's just tiptoeing his way outside.

"Arav?" she croaks out before he can go any further, making him stop and turn to her with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Hey, did I wake you up?" he asks and before she can answer, adds, "did you sleep well?"

For a minute, Mahi forgets everything and concentrates on giving him an answer that wouldn't decrease the length of his smile. "Amazing. The bed's very comfortable." She says, patting the mattress and the length of his smile still changes but to an inch more. She deems it safe.

"I didn't want to wake you up, I was just checking up on you but I guess I'm not as stealthy as I think of myself to be." He says sheepishly, and the smile never leaves Mahi's face.

"Well, if you're up then freshen up, we'll have some breakfast," Arav continues and takes a few steps towards her, extending his hand which she takes without thinking.

"This is the bathroom." He directs and opens the door to reveal a flashy bathroom, not too luxurious but still exquisite for her middle-class eyesight.

"Before you judge me for my choice, the idea of a bathroom this grand was of my mother, like I had told you yesterday." He clarifies and Mahi smiles, putting her hand on his forearm.

"Hey, you don't have to give excuses. You have earned this, it's nothing to be ashamed of." She empathizes and Arav sighs. "Not to mention, the bathroom is beautiful."

Arav smiles at that and gestures to the toothbrush stand on the basin. "I've put a spare toothbrush for you here." He pauses and hands her a bag. "These are some clothes. I'd send someone in the morning to get you some. I hope you don't mind." He says bashfully but Mahi just awes at his thoughtfulness.

"You didn't have to do that. But thank you so much."

Nodding, Arav leaves Mahi on her own and when she steps inside the bathroom, for a moment she's forced to stand in front of the mirror and look at herself - at her messy bun which has now come undone, at the spots on her cheeks which she never bothers covering up, and the dark circles that glare back at her through the mirror.

She normally isn't self-deprecating but today in this rich lighting and shining tiles, she feels plain-looking. Her face seems dull and eyes tired, but her lips are twitched upwards. And that's not because of this luxury surrounding her, but the people. After a very long time, she has felt the happiness and the excitement of getting to know someone; maybe for the first time ever.

Feeling giddy, she quickly showers and gets herself dressed in the new clothes that are a bit lose on her but she manages. At the back of her mind, she knows that she has to go to work, and that too very soon, but she doesn't let the thought hinder her happiness. Not yet.

A minute later when Mahi gets out of the bathroom and walks into the hall, she's met with a sight that has her knees buckling up from laughing too much and hands clutching her tummy.

The baby's currently peeing on Arav, his diaper adorning the tabletop while the fountain sprays, unrestrained.

Arav tries to change the baby's position as quickly as he can but till then it's too late, his shirt is soaked; sticking to his chest, and the baby is letting out a relaxed giggle.