As if the happiness has alighted physically in the Verma household, it was that bright and lively. Rivaah was driving through insane happiness, and seeing her smile had enlightened the hearts of everyone that holds love for her. She had four test kits in front of her, all of them positive. And it wasn't just the fact that her son will be fine again brought her happiness, it was the fact that she'll experience motherhood again. She'll give birth to another beautiful soul. And no matter what, she'll cherish, nurture and love that small child. She wants it to be a girl this time. Her baby Reyansh will be a big protective brother. And Murphy, he'll be the eldest of them all. Protecting and looking after his sister and younger brother. Everything will be fine now. She'll be able to smile again without any worry clouding her brain.

"Everything will be okay now.", She mumbled to herself as she stared at the kits.

"We should confirm it though.", Pooja, who took a day half from her college after being introduced with the good news from her mother, said.

"Yeah. We should. I think I should get ready. You're accompanying me.", Rivaah said to Pooja before she got up and went to her bedroom.

As she entered, she saw her son filling the coloring book. He looked up, smiled at his mother before diving back to do his work.

She wanted to get ready as soon as possible and head to hospital. But the sight of her adorable son made her hungry for some cuteness. She crawled beside him on the bed and tried to fit her head on his small lap.

"Mommy, I'm coloring.", He pouted as he looked down at her.

She raised her head up, pecked his lips before laying back on his lap.

"You look happy.", He said as his little fingers sifted through her silky hair.

"That's because I am.", She sighed in content.

"May I know the reason, Madame?", He asked chivalrously in his posh British accent. That made her sigh in delight.

"I'll be that choosy mother who won't ever let you date in peace.", She smiled proudly.

"Date? What's that?", He frowned.

"You mother sometimes forget that you're just four years old.", She said as she nuzzled her face in his stomach. He giggled as her actions cracked a tickling sensation.

"Bub."

"Hmm?", He was trying to reach to his coloring book, and trying to fill the drawings.

"What do you think of having a little sister or brother?", She asked as she twiddled with her thumbs. Her nervousness plunged deep when he abruptly stopped and stared at her before he made a face of deep thinking. His lips pursued as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Little brother or sister?"

"Hmm."

"Like Marcus has?"

She didn't know who Marcus is. But she assumed it to be someone from his nursery class. She nodded and his face elated immediately.

"I would love to!", He squealed and she laughed before pulling his face down to rain kisses all over him. He giggled and tried to push her away.

"In nine months you may have a baby brother or sister.", She revealed with a goofy smile. He gasped, with a huge grin pulling his lips up in a crescent curve before his face completely dropped in disappointment. "What happened?", She asked nervously.

"Why nine months?", He asked and she chuckled.

"Because it takes nine months for God to come down and give it to Mommy.", She said with a shrug.

"He can take a flight to India. Can't he?", He asked innocently.

"Uhm no. God lives very far away-"

"Mom, you think I'm stupid?", He asked narrowing his eyes.

"No, darling. You're the smartest and the most intelligent kid I've ever seen. And I'm not at all biased.", She said honestly as she cupped his small hand in her both.

"Then why are you lying to me? I know that baby comes out from stomach.", He snorted before his eyes fell to her stomach and he gingerly let his hand run across her flat stomach. "Is the baby here, Mommy? Can you feel it?", He asked as he leaned down and pressed his ear against her tummy. "Knock knock. Can you hear me?", He asked and waited patiently for the response.

"The baby can't hear you yet, bub.", She said as she sat up straight to get in the most important part of the conversation. "Darling, we'll have to go back to London now.", The moment she said that, he snapped up to look at her. His doe like eyes wide and accusing.

"Why!?", He asked as he shifted back.

"Because- Because, it is not healthy for the baby here.", She sighed in relief as the lie sounded trustworthy to her ears. And he's a kid after all, just how much time will it take to convince him?

"Why?", He whispered.

"The weather here is not suitable for him. It was not for you too. So I had to move to Dehradun to your Maasi Daadi ", She said biting down on her bottom lip. She was literally praying in her mind for him to believe all her dumb lies.

"What weather is suitable for the baby?", He was falling for her lies.

"Snow.", She knew saying winter won't work as the temperature was already so cold here.

"Snow?", He mumbled to himself. "What about Daddy? Are we going back without him? I don't want to, Mommy.", His bottom lip quivered and he looked on the verge of crying.

"We'll come back once the baby is born.", She said. Until the baby is born, she was determined remove this unnecessary craze of his father from his head.

"I can stay here alone. I don't want to go back.", He murmured in low voice.

She averted her eyes as the guilt began filling up her insides. "The baby and Mommy needs you. We'll be all alone there. You'll let your Mommy live alone there all by herself?", She asked as she fiddled around with the hem of her sweater sleeves.

"No, Mommy!", He said after he crawled up on her lap. "I'll come with you. Don't be sad.", He sniffed as he laid his head over her shoulder. She cradled him close to her chest before kissing his head.

It was an hour later and now she, along with her sister were in the waiting lounge of Dr. Sandhya's office. The same gynaec who first revealed her the beautiful news at the time when she was pregnant with Reyansh.

"Miss. Verma, please follow me.", Rivaah stood up and followed the nurse after informing Pooja to wait for her.

"Oh my God! Hi!", Dr. Sandhya recognized her almost immediately.

"Hi. You remember me?", Rivaah asked, astonished at her sharp memory and the lady nodded.

"Of course!", She said before she gestured Rivaah to take a seat in front of her. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. The reason I'm here is, I think I'm pregnant. I took four pregnancy tests since morning and all came out positive.", Rivaah informed and a bright smile adorned Dr. Sandhya's face.

"That's- That's beautiful! C'mon, let's check you.", She said before she eagerly stood up and gestured Rivaah to follow her queue.

"You're indeed pregnant, Darling! But if you want the solid confirmation, we can run some tests.", Sandhya said after a thorough examination.

"That'll be nice. How much time will it take to produce the reports?", Rivaah asked as she got down from the berth like bed.

"We've fully equipped laboratories here. The results will be ready within few hours.", Sandhya informed her.

"Amazing. I've to take a flight to London tomorrow, will it be okay for me to travel that long?"

"I'll suggest you to not. The first trimester is usually the critical one. However, in second trimester you can definitely travel in planes.", Sandhya said as she sat down on her chair. Rivaah quickly occupied her previous seat.

"But I've done the train travelling when I was pregnant with my first child.", She said with a frown.

"Look, I'll be honest with you. There are chances of miscarriage or premature labor. But it's not that, it'll hundred percent happen. At the end of the day, it's your choice.", Sandhya said with a smile as she placed her palm on Rivaah's curled up fist.

"I need to go back.", Rivaah whispered.

"I'll contact my one friend there. As soon as you land, you can go to her and check yourself.", Sandhya said with an assuring pat. She wanted to try and convince Rivaah more to not take this risk, but people come from different situations and she's not the one to judge someone because of how they decides to tackle them.

"Thank you so much.", Rivaah smiled gratefully.

After her blood was taken, she came back and announced the confirmation of good news to her sister.

"We should take something sweet home.", Pooja suggested and Rivaah nodded.

_

_

_

"Are you coming home or not tonight? Because I've to make the dinner plans according to that.", Anaya said and Kabir sighed. Her tone was one of a mocking and he knew the reason of her sudden outburst.

"Of course. I'm coming home tonight.", He said as he removed his glasses to rub his tired eyes.

"Good.", She mumbled before hanging up.

He resumed back on his work and continued until it was eight in the evening.

"Sir, are we ready to head out?", Karthik asked after a knock.

"Yes, Karthik. Let's go.", Kabir stood up, he collected the contracts that are yet to be read and put it in his briefcase before grabbing his cellphone and car keys.

The duo marched out and took a lift to underground parking. "See you tomorrow, Sir. Good night.", Karthik politely nodded before he headed towards his car.

"Good night.", Kabir said back before getting in his car.

When he reached home, everyone was already settled in dining room except his mother whose eyes litted up as soon as they found him coming. She hurriedly stood up and took his briefcase from him before telling him to wash his hands in kitchen itself. He nodded and removed his blazer. After rolling up his sleeves, he washed his hands in kitchen sink and then joined everyone for dinner.

"I thought you wouldn't come home tonight.", Aarav said and Kabir frowned.

"And why is that? I left last night because her son was crying and may be asking for me. So yes-"

"Her son!?", Anaya dropped the cutleries on dining table, fortunately nothing broke. Aarav on the other side, choked on the rice he was having.

"Yeah, she has a son. His name is Reyansh. He's just four years old but damn the maturity level.", Kabir said, sounding completely impressed.

"She has a son.", Anaya whispered to herself. She looked up at her husband and her eyes watered instantly. "Excuse me.", She said before dashing out of the kitchen. Vihaan stood up and followed her queue. Not long after, Ahana too left her chair.

"What just happened now?", Kabir asked himself.

"Ex-Excuse me!", Aarav left hurriedly.

"What the fuck!?", Kabir hissed before pushing the plate away and getting up. He grabbed his briefcase and blazer and headed upstairs to his room.

It was late at midnight when there was a knock on his bedroom door. Fortunately, he was awake because of some work. "Come in.", He called in. His mind pondering confusedly as to who it must be at this time of the night. His questions were answered when Anaya slowly and as if cautiously, entered. "Yes, Mom? You're not asleep yet?", He asked as he sat straight and kept his laptop on the nightstand beside his bed.

"Uhm, I need to talk to you.", She said as she nervously looked around before smiling at him. His brows furrowed together, though he nonetheless nodded and gestured her to take a seat. "So, how does her son looks like?", She asked, an unknown glint appeared in her eyes. A spark of light that appeared as an admiration and love. He frowned at the hint of smile on her lips.

"You've no problem that she's a single mother?", He asked. Isn't the situation completely opposite than this when you're involved with a person who already has a child or is divorcee.

"No. Why would I? It's really nice to hear that she's doing everything on her own. She's remarkable.", She whispered in awe.

"Yeah she is. Her husband was a douche. She hates him. I mean you should hear her sometimes, the venom she spats for him is completely scary.", He sighed as he shook his head.

Anaya gulped. But a flame of confusion burnt inside her. If she hates him, why is she trying to get back in his life?

"You should marry her.", She blurted out.

"What!?", He sputtered.

"I- I mean, she's a nice young lady. And I'm sure her son must be as adorable as her. And you're not getting any younger lately. So, I think it's high time for you to settle down. Don't you think?", Anaya bit down on her lips, anticipating his answer with her crossed fingers.

"No! And it's just- it's just very casual between us. I mean, she's not ready for dating life, so marriage is a completely dropped topic.", He shrugged.

"So you two just- you know- frickle frackle?", She asked as her hands made weird gestures in air, thickening the awkwardness that surrounded them.

"Yeah.", He whispered and looked down at his lap.

"Okay. Good night.", His mother immediately scurried out and he sighed in relief. That was the most awkward conversation of his life, of course after the accident as the memories before it has been erased off.

Next day he had an extremely busy schedule. All his personal calls were forwarded to Karthik and only he was answerable to them. So when Aarav called, he couldn't contact his elder brother immediately.

"Karthik, put Bhai on call.", Aarav demanded.

"Sir, I'm sorry but Mr. Raichand is right now busy in an important meeting and I'm told to not disturb him at all-"

"Karthik, for fucks sake it's an emergency!", Aarav screamed and Karthik flinched as he immediately forwarded the call back to his boss who annoyedly looked at his cell and frowned.

"A minute please!", He said to the manager who was presenting the PPT.

"Aarav, I'm busy right-"

"She's leaving.", Aarav cut him off. He was panting hard as if he had run miles.

"Who?"

"Rivaah. Bhai, she's leaving.", Aarav breathed out.

"Leaving where?", Kabir abruptly stood up. All the people that included board of directors, high officials and managers too followed his queue and looked at each other as the whispering rose to heights.

"London. She's going back to London."

"Fuck!", He cussed loudly. "The meeting is dismissed!", He ordered before storming out of the board room.

"Can you send me her car's registration number?", He asked as he dived through the doors of elevator and pressed for underground parking.

"I'll do it. She left just five minutes ago. She's heading to CSMIT airport. The model is Hyundai's Elantra.", He said before disconnecting the call.

Millions of questions stormed inside Kabir's mind like some untamable tornado.

Why is she leaving so suddenly?

And why didn't she tell him anything?

How can she leave unannounced!?

His phone pinged with a message and he unlocked his cell before memorizing the number. Tossing the phone on passenger seat, he pressed harder on accelerator simultaneously keeping his eyes on the other cars of Hyundai's Elantra models.

The moment his car tires touched the concrete road of Bandra- Worli sea link , his eyes found the license plate he was looking for. Changing the gear to fourth, he dived through the masses of other cars, chasing straight for one aim.

Rivaah quickly pressed the brakes, as a shiny black Maserati suddenly over took her and stopped right before her car horizontally. Her fingers were gripping the steering wheel tightly, eyes shut closed and heart almost ready to jump out of her chest.

"Mo-Mommy.", Reyansh burst out in tears as the fear enveloped his fragile and innocent mind.

She took a deep breath before opening her eyes. The air was thick, fast and heavy as they were right at the center of the almost empty bridge. She watched, all ready to lash out as the door to the luxurious car opened and a foot stepped out. Her heart began racing in a new fear and brain completely stopped when Kabir's menacing and raging onyx eyes met hers.

"Daddy!", Reyansh yelped happily.

"Kabir.", She whispered to herself, her hand absent-mindedly went to cradle her flat stomach in a protective manner.

_____