After a while, Adrijay stopped the car in front of Mohit's house, bringing Sarika out of her thoughts. She got out of the car, helped Tanishk out, and opened the back door for Adhik.
Adhik also stepped out of the car, and the three of them stood waiting for Adrijay, who had gone to park the car.
In no time, Adrijay returned, and all four of them walked towards Mohit's house.
Reaching the front door, Adrijay rang the doorbell. Within moments, Mohit opened the door, smiling as he saw them and invited them inside.
Once inside, they all sat on the sofa in the living room. Shortly afterward, Neeta Ji (Mohit's mother) came out of her room. Upon seeing Adrijay, Sarika, and the kids, her face lit up with joy, and she warmly greeted them.
A little later, Niharika came out with a tray of water glasses and a bowl of sweets. She placed them on the table, and Neeta Ji made her sit down, gently scolding her, "Look, dear, you're about to become a mother. You shouldn't bend like this or do these chores. I and this useless fellow here"—she pointed towards Mohit—"will manage everything together. Anyway, all he knows is giving orders. Now, when he has to do it himself, he'll understand what it feels like to handle everything!"
Hearing this, Mohit made a face while Niharika and Adrijay burst into laughter. Sarika smiled faintly, observing them, and thought to herself, I wish Maa ji also loved me this much… I still remember how she treated me during Adhik's time.
As these memories resurfaced, her eyes welled up, but she quickly concealed her emotions with a forced smile.
Breaking the moment, Niharika complained, "How are you, Bhabhi? It's been so long since you came to visit me. Don't you ever feel like meeting me and Mom?"
(Bhabhi is an Indian term used to address sister-in-law)
Sarika quickly replied, "No, no, it's nothing like that, Niharika… You know how much work there is at home. Then there's the kids' school too. I just don't get the time. Otherwise, I would love to meet you and Aunty Ji often."
Neeta Ji smiled and gently placed her hand on Sarika's head, saying, "You should visit sometimes. I enjoy spending time with you and the kids."
Sarika nodded with a faint smile, while Adrijay quietly observed her. For the first time, he noticed a genuine smile on her face. Otherwise, Sarika always carried a fake smile around the house. When she was with the kids, she seemed like an entirely different person—more alive, more herself.
Adrijay often felt jealous of the children. Sarika spoke so much and so freely with them, but when it came to him, her words were always measured, cautious, as if she was afraid of saying something that might upset him. This particular behavior irritated Adrijay the most. Even that morning, he had scolded her because he couldn't stand how restrained she was around him.
He wanted her to open up, to share everything in her heart with him. Though that had never happened, he deeply wished for a day when Sarika would tell him all her feelings. He wanted to make up for all the years they had spent in silence by spending the future talking, laughing, and living with each other.
Lost in his thoughts, Adrijay kept staring at Sarika until Mohit shook his shoulder and said, "Hey, where are you lost? I've been calling you for so long!"
Adrijay snapped out of his thoughts and said, "Ah… uh… nowhere. What were you saying?"
Mohit, nervously biting his nails, replied, "I need to talk to you in private. Can't discuss it here."
Hearing this, Adrijay got up and followed Mohit to his room.
Meanwhile, Niharika got up, saying, "I'll make hot chocolate shakes for Adhik and Tanishk."
Sarika stopped her. "Wait, I'll come with you. You shouldn't do too much work in this condition."
Niharika smiled and nodded, walking to the kitchen with Sarika.
In the kitchen, Sarika placed a pot of milk on the stove while Niharika handed her the milk from the fridge. Sarika poured it into the pot and waited for it to boil.
Meanwhile, Niharika put tea on another burner and heated oil in a pan on a third. Seeing this, Sarika moved her aside and said, "Didn't I tell you to rest? I'll handle it."
Niharika held Sarika's hand, looked at her, and said, "You do the same at home, don't you, Bhabhi? So today, consider it your day off. I didn't call you here to make you work. I called you as my elder sister—to seek your advice and to talk to you about everything you know, especially about kids."
Sarika smiled and said, "Alright, tell me, what advice do you need?"
Niharika, excited, asked, "Bhabhi, how did you feel during your pregnancy? Did you have mood swings? What did you crave the most? I want to know everything you felt and experienced."
Seeing her eagerness, Sarika smiled, lost in thought, and said, "It felt wonderful. You know, when I found out I was going to be a mother, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. I thought, 'Finally, I'll have someone with whom I can share my joys and sorrows, someone who'll make me forget all my pain, whose smile will wash away my sadness, and whose mere presence will bring me happiness.' I was so happy. It felt like a drowning sun had found a lifeline."
Niharika, curious, asked, "And? Did you have mood swings? Did you have cravings? And what about the pain? Tell me everything, Bhabhi, please!"
Sarika smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I'll tell you. I never had mood swings, and for that, I thank God because there was no one to handle them if I did. I don't know how I would have managed. As for the pain, when I was expecting Adhik, I had a lot of back and spine pain. Sometimes, I'd spend the whole night sitting because I couldn't lie down or sleep due to the pain.
"As for cravings, I didn't have many, but when I was pregnant with Adhik, I often craved sweet and sour things, especially golgappas. Adhik loves sweet golgappas too. During Tanishk's time, I craved spicy food. You know, Tanishk loves spicy food the most in the house. Even though he's so little, he always wants the spiciest food.
"Adhik never troubled me, but Tanishk would kick constantly. You know, when a baby kicks for the first time, it feels amazing. But after that, the pain can get intense. Tanishk was like a football player inside me. But even through all that, I was happy because I knew someone was coming into my life who'd take care of me. Tanishk is still like that—he can't spend a day without me. He always needs his mom."
Niharika smiled and said, "That's because he loves you so much, Bhabhi."
Sarika smiled softly, and the two of them began making the hot chocolate shake together.
Meanwhile, Adrijay, who had come to the kitchen door to get some water, overheard everything.
For the first time, he realized how much he had failed her, how he had ignored Sarika when she needed him the most. He thought back to a particular night:
Sarika had been sitting on the bed, her hand on her belly. Adrijay, lying next to her, irritably said, "Will you lie down or keep sitting there? A man works all day, thinking he'll get some peace at home, but no, Madam has to stay awake and disturb my sleep. You sleep all day at home, and at night, you rob others of their sleep. Look, if you can't sleep, go sit outside. Don't sit here and disturb me. I'm tired and need rest."
Hurt, Sarika placed her hand on her belly and slowly got up. She walked over to the chair and sat down, while Adrijay turned off the lights and soon fell asleep.
That night, Sarika spent the entire night sitting in the chair, and Adrijay, oblivious to it all, slept peacefully.
Now, thinking about that night, guilt consumed Adrijay. Watching Sarika from a distance, he whispered to himself, "I know I've made so many mistakes, Sarika. But I won't make any more. I know you might find it strange if I suddenly start reaching out to you, and maybe you won't take a step towards me. But I'll win you over. No matter what, I'll win your heart. We may have wasted these nine years, but I won't let the coming years go to waste. I'll win your heart, Sarika."
With one last look at her, he turned and walked away.
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