“Where were you?” Anjali asked as soon as Rajvir got home.
“I was in a meeting, love. I am sorry I am late” Rajvir said convincingly and pulled Anjali closer.
And Anjali fell in Rajvir’s arms with tears in her eyes. She was so much in love with him. They were college sweethearts. Anjali had fallen for her husband, back then at first sight. He was a popular kid in the campus. An amazing cricketer and a bookworm at the same time. Nobody could beat him at ranks and on field as well. Anjali had confessed her love to Rajvir after 4 months. Rajvir had never noticed her but he started noticing her after he got to know about her feelings and found her very interesting. An amazing painter, poet, a student of arts and beautiful. He loved creative people because he dint have that kind of a talent. They continued their relationship for 6 years before they got married. Rajvir finished his law studies and Anjali became a psychologist. The love remained the same and they got married after 2 years of their professional practice.
They have been married for 2 successful years now. Anjali is 8 months pregnant and has taken a break from her practice.
When Rajvir looked at her he was shocked to see her cry.
“What’s wrong” He looked worried
“Nothing. Try coming home early from tomorrow” She requested
“Baby, you know how lawyers work. I am sorry I get late everyday even after promising you but I can’t really give up on my clients” He explained
Anjali understood. She let it go that night. They had their dinner which was cooked by Anjali and fell asleep.
The sun kissed Anjali’s cheeks when she opened her eyes next morning. She woke up and checked her phone it was 10:30 am in the morning. She had over slept. Obviously she knew that Rajvir must have left by now. He leaves at 9am every morning. She was so grumpy she started crying. What was happening to her she wondered. She had seen in movies that pregnant ladies have their mood swings. But she hadn’t seen it till this extreme. She called Rajvir because she really wanted to talk to him. As soon as he answered the call she started yelling.
“How could you just go like that? Why dint you wake me up? Are you going to do this every time? Or you have just lost interest in me? If you want I’ll go aw—“
“Shut up!” He cut her statement. He dint want her to finish it at all. “Are you crazy? What is happening to you?”
“I don’t know but I really feel that you have lost interest in me” She repeated herself.
“You are going mad!” He stood up from his chair. He was angry.
“Yes. I am mad. That’s what you think? Then think. But you know what you are doing.” She went on.
“Anjali stop. You don’t know what you are saying! Please calm down” he tried to calm her down but she wouldn’t listen.
“I am leaving you and going. When you come back home you will not see me. You will never see me in your life” She threw the phone at the wall.
The phone got disconnected.
Anjali sat on the bed and cried. Cried so loud that she couldn’t breathe. But then she thought of the life inside her. She dint want to hurt her child in anyway. If she is so grumpy it will affect the child too. She stood up to have water and tried not thinking about anything. She started reading a book. But suddenly a thought came to her mind. Rajvir dint come home nor did he call back after she hung up on him. Is he really having an affair or he really doesn’t want her anymore.
She wanted to stop thinking about all this. But she couldn’t. She knew she was wrong but she couldn’t help but think. Anjali wanted to pick up her cell and call her husband and apologize to him but she was very embarrassed. It was 2pm, the doorbell rang. She got up to answer the door and she suddenly felt something move inside her. It was a sweet pain. She walked keeping her hand on her belly. It was Rajvir. He was hiding something behind him. As soon as she opened the safety door his hands came forward. He smiled and she couldn’t stop smiling either. He had got her favorite pink and red roses bouquet. He brought home lunch too. Her favorite Risotto and Pasta were home.
While eating Rajvir bought up what happened in the morning.
“I am sorry” She quickly apologized.
He accepted her apology by kissing her forehead.
She fell asleep after having lunch. Rajvir sat in the hall thinking. He stared at the cordless that was broken.
What was happening to his wife? They were not normal mood swings. He wanted to speak to somebody and confirm if this was normal. He called the gynecologist but she remained unavailable. He dint know what to do. ‘Should I call mummyji?’ He thought to himself. But he came to a conclusion that it was a bad decision. She is miles away and she will get worried about her daughter.
Anjali’s best friend Neha was a therapist too. She was the one who told Anjali that what she felt for Rajvir was love. Rajvir always thanked her for whatever she had done for them. Even when they used to fight when in college Neha would be the one who would resolve the issue. They laugh when they think about it now.
He decided to call Neha and ask her.
“Hello Rajvir!! How have you been? How’s Anjali?” She was excited to know.
“Actually I called because I wanted to speak to you about something” Rajvir sounded worried.
“Is she ok? Her health?” Neha was really worried now and she was waiting for him to answer.
“Can we meet Neha? Can you come home?” His voice broke when he asked.
“I am on my way.” Neha knew Rajvir was in tears. She was on call when she picked her bag and began to run.
She was home in half an hour. Rajvir informed her not to ring the bell. She called when she was at the doorstep.
Neha settled in and Rajvir made coffee for both of them.
“What happened? Where is she?” Neha asked worriedly
“She is sleeping. I wanted to talk to you.” He said and handed the coffee mug to her. “She is having her mood swings Neha. I don’t know what to do. I know she’s pregnant but I have a company to run. My clients are complaining, she is breaking things at home if I am not at home. Help me. Just tell me its normal and this will pass” Rajvir broke. He couldn’t take it anymore. They had never had an argument of that kind in the last 10 years.
“Hey Hey..” Neha got up and sat beside Rajvir. “It’s normal. Let me speak to her. You don’t cry. If you are weak who’s going to take care of her?” She kept her hand on his shoulder while Rajvir kept staring that the floor with blurry vision.
“Neha she means the world to me. She dint want to have children for another 2years. But it happened. But she was happy to give me the news. And what if she is having second thoughts?” Rajvir couldn’t stop sobbing. All these thoughts were disturbing. It got worse because Anjali was standing and she heard this conversation.
“Second thoughts?” She yelled. Rajvir and Neha both shocked to see her standing there.
“Baby No –“Rajvir got up to hold her.
She backed off. “You think I am having second thoughts about my child?” She was in tears too. “I am having second thoughts about our marriage!” She couldn’t believe herself. Rajvir was shocked to hear something like this coming out of Anjali’s mouth. It hurt him. “You wanted a child. I kept it. What do you do? You are busy working! I am alone here at home for 10hours in the day! And you are telling me I am having second thoughts?” She stopped to breathe.
“Anjali you are misunderstanding him.” Neha jumped in.
“Neha, we are not in college anymore. We can take care of this. You don’t need to interfere in our marriage.” Anjali gave it back to her as well.
They knew she was over reacting. But Rajvir raised his voice. “Don’t you dare tell her anything Anjali”
Anjali was taken aback with this tone. She was scared of him now. Rajvir realized he had made a mistake and caught Anjali by her hand. She screamed. “Go away. Leave me alone.”
Neha looked disappointed. Rajvir shouldn’t have. Not this time. “Rajvir you go. Can I be with you Anjali?”
“I don’t want anybody here. I don’t want to see anybody.” She cried. She felt weak from the inside.
“Please Anjali for the baby.” Neha said very softly
Anjali looked at Neha and touched her belly. Took a deep breath and closed her eyes for 5 seconds. She felt dizzy and Rajvir held her at the right time. She still dint want to see Rajvir. She pushed him and told him to leave.
Neha looked at Rajvir requesting him to leave. Rajvir took his keys and left. He dint want to. He wanted to be there for his wife. They always talked about things, never left each other alone.
She was her best friend. She couldn’t see her like that. She couldn’t even see them fighting. Before it got worse she apologized. “I am sorry Anajli”
“You should be. Why dint you come talk to me first?” Anjali asked her.
“I am sorry. Forgive me” It was no use arguing with her when she was in this mental state.
Rajvir couldn’t stop thinking of her wife. At one point of time he dint believe the child never even came to his mind. He just wanted his wife to be okay. All he cared was about her health. He cried and cried. He hadn’t felt so weak ever in his life. It would’ve been so easy if his mother was around. He thought to himself. He could’ve just asked her where he was going wrong in taking care of his wife. But she had gone. In fact she was never there for him. His dad blamed him for his mother’s death. She had died after giving birth to Rajvir. It was his mom who had given him his name. The hero, the warrior – Rajvir. It was after so many complications he was still fit and fine when he was born. But 2 days later she passed. He was 10 when his dad actually told him that it was because of him that she had passed away. He knew, it wasn’t his mistake but he couldn’t get that out of his head. Even though his dad had never mentioned it again it was stuck in his head. He dint want to lose his wife.
When he had met Anjali he wanted to give her a perfect life. But he was failing. He kept blaming himself and the phone rang.
It was Neha. He wiped his tears and he realized he was driving without a destination.
“Hey!” Neha exclaimed. “Come home. Her water broke!”
“WHAT!” he took a U turn and his phone fell. “I am coming” He screamed. He dint have to time to pick his cell phone up.
The only thing he prayed while she was in the delivery room was to keep her wife safe. He kept worrying. All their friends had come by now. And in that crowd of 8 people he saw his dad walk in the lobby.
“Dad” he went to him.
“Son I am sorry.” He took his son in his arms.
He exactly knew why he was apologizing. But he dint want anything from him except for a little comfort.
It was a girl. A pretty little girl. And the family had grown.
Anjali knew she was suffering from pregnancy depression. She apologized for what she had said and done to him in these months. Rajvir dint care. He met her before even meeting the child. He wanted to be partial, he wanted to tell his girl that he loved her mother more than he loved her.
