Published on 31st January 2023.

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"I would never fall in love again until I found her"

I said, "I would never fall unless it's you I fall into"

I was lost within the darkness, but then I found her

I found you

– S H R U T I –

"It's too hot here."

"Go inside." Akriti said while biting on a bright red apple. I rolled my eyes and shook my head in negative. She acts like a bitch sometimes.

"You're so rude!" I whined and took another samosa to eat, while a half eaten piece remained in my other hand. I quickly ate it up before they could see how much I was having.

"Damn! It's too good." Aditi moaned and I raised my brows. I looked at her and my gaze went towards the burger in her hand. When she took a bite, a loud sound of crunch hit my ears.

It sounded so good!

I quickly kept my samosa in a plate and took the only burger left to curb my cravings. Just when I took my first bite, a felt a kick in my belly.

The baby liked it too.

I took a huge bite, quickly chew it and gulped it all inside. I loved it! Before I could finish the last piece I heard a loud shrill voice, which ofcourse belonged to my son. He ran towards me in wobbly steps and jumped upon my legs as soon as he reached me.

I knew what he wanted. He opened his mouth and I stuffed the last piece of my burger in his mouth. He loved to eat my meals but hated his own. Kids!

He widened his arms, in hope to reach me and I quickly did as he wished. He sat on my lap and reached the french fries in my plate. He picked a piece with his tiny hands and sucked it slowly instead of chewing it. It's a more usual sight to see him sucking upon his food. Seeing him chew his food would be a weird thing to see. Only he knows what he has in his mind.

He wriggled and tried to jump down my lap. Before letting him go, I wiped the ketchup mess he had created on his face. I put him down on the floor and he ran towards his toys in a jiffy. It's been six months he started walking and ever since then he never stopped. We had to keep all our important stuff out of his reach.

"God! Why is my baby so active today?" Aditi sighed and sipped water while rubbing her bump. "Don't trouble your mother sweetheart, I'm already exhausted."

Akriti's laugh resonated throughout the garden as she giggled, "You wonder? Just think about me. It feels like I'm holding two watermelon in my stomach."

"Di, atleast you don't feel the kicks now. My third trimester is eating me alive." Aditi sighed and took a deep breath.

Were they arguing about how much their to-be children were troubling them?!

"Mumma..." Adit shouted as he walked out of house with a huge tray in his hands. He placed the plate filled with golgappe on our table and shined his teeth, "I made them." There was no way he could fry them!

"You're sure?"

"Hero fried the puris and I made this water." He said and placed two-two pieces in everyone's plate. Atleast someone's husband was caring about his wife's cravings. Unlike mine who let's me eat only bland food in the name of health.

"You're growing up to be such a good boy, Adit." Aditi held his cheeks and pulled them lightly. Adit had completed his seven years and was into the eighth. "I wish my baby turns out to be like you."

"Masi, have it." He placed the veggies and the water in Aditi's plate and she quickly helped herself, "Do you like it?"

"I love it. They taste so good." He smiled and put another puri in her plate.

"Adit, you forgot your mumma?" Akriti whined and Adit quickly ran to her and served her, and then me. "They're yummy... Where's your hero?"

"He's in the kitchen."

"I'll be back in a minute." Akriti stood up and stepped back into the house. Adit walked to Ishu as he saw him struggling with his toy pieces. He placed the blocks one over another in hope to make a good structure and Ishu snatched the next piece from his hand. Adit snatched it back and put it on the structure to complete his art.

But then, Ishu pushed it all down with his hands which made Adit shout, "Masi!"

God!

What was I gonna do with these kids?

✨

"Mama..." I heard Ishu's voice while my hair was put on work. Ishu was out in the bathroom, enjoying in his mini-tub.

"Ishu, mumma is bathing. I can't come there now." I said and took a deep breath. This was definitely taking centuries. "Rishu, what are you doing with my hair?"

"I'm washing them."

"I know but... it's been so long."

"You want them clean, don't you?" I was about to reason but he stopped me midway. "Let it set. I'll be back in a minute." I slumped back on the wall and groaned. He promised me he'll finish it fast, but here I was, a heavily pregnant lady sitting with her head filled with shampoo. I couldn't even open my eyes just because of the flowing drops of the soap.

I heard his voice as he said something to Ishu, to which he responded in some no. The next thing I heard was Ishu giggling and Rishabh joining him.

God!

What were they laughing on?

Were they talking about me? About how I am and how I look? How could they do that? How could my own flesh do that to me?

"Come on. Let's wash 'em up." Rishabh's voice reached my ears as he walked in the shower area and turned the shower on. He massaged my scalp while rubbing the foam off my head. When my head seemed clean, he helped me in washing up and wrapped me up with towel. He bent down on his knees and made me wear my undies, "How are you sweetheart? Feeling good?" He stuck his ears on my stomach as if he could hear what our child was saying.

He stood up and pecked my head before helping me with all my clothes. He rushed in the bathroom again while I walked out to living room, where I saw ma.

"Slow down Shruti. You don't need to run." I slowed my speed and walked into the kitchen to find something to eat. "Beta, where are you going? Food is on the table." I sighed and walked out to where she was. Sitting on the chair, I took a plate out for myself while ma checked my forehead with her palm. "You were alright last night. Did something happen?" I shook my head in negative and bit a slice of apple. "Did Rishi do something?"

I dropped the apple in plate and looked at her. Unknowingly, some salty water found its way to my eyes. "He... Ishu and he teamed up against me."

"Teamed up?"

"They were laughing on me behind my back."

Tearworks found their way through my eyes as they flew down my cheeks, escaping somewhere midway. I didn't care where they went. I don't want to care about anybody when nobody cares about me.

"Laughing on you? You must've mistook it Shruti. They're kids, why would they do this?"

Rishu?

Kid?

Was this joke of the year?

"Agar apka Rishi baccha hai to phir main to paida bhi nahi hui." (If your Rishi if a kid then I'm not even born yet) I stood up and was about to go when she stopped me.

"What I meant to say is Ishu is a kid and Rishi would probably have been playing with him. There's no reason they'd laugh on you." She said and wiped the water off my face. "Think about it. I know pregnancy hits hard but you can't let such petty matters take a toll on your and baby's health."

I shook my head and she caressed my head while her other hand added other varieties of fruits to my plate.

"You know, when I was pregnant with Rishi, I used to be so content. He was such a happy baby, he never caused any problem while his stay inside. But things were pretty much reverse when he came out. When I was pregnant with Radhika, I would constantly tear up like you do now. Pulkit had to-"

"Papa would've been caring for you." Although he seems like a tough man, he cares for her more than she knows. Some things are easily visible to others' eyes.

"Caring? He used to fight with me for small things." She sat beside me, "Once, we divided all the chocolates I had bought into three parts. A few for Rishi cause he was still a kid, the remaining was split in half between us."

I could bet it would've been some silly fight!

Papa wouldn't fight over small things with anyone.

"Rishi and I had already finished our shares and I craved for more. Actually, it was Radhika who wanted it. So, asked it from Pulkit. You know what he did?" I shook my head and she continued, "He denied. He said I had already had my share and couldn't have more. It was unlawful according to him. But when Rishi asked for the same, he surrendered his entire collection to him. He's such a hypocrite."

I laughed out aloud when I understood what she meant to say.

"Why are you laughing Shruti? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine ma. I just had a glimpse of something funny."

That was really silly!

THEN WHAT WAS I DOING?

I was acting silly too, for no reason.

Maybe, ma was right. Maybe they were not laughing on me. But...

"Ma... ma." All my worries absconded in air as I saw Ishu walking out. He ran towards me and held my hands, asking me to lift him up. Ma, who was just beside me picked him up and he happily sat on her lap. "Ma!" He screamed and then smiled when he saw us laughing.

He used to call her ma too. He had always seen Rishu and I using the term ma, hence he was habitual to it.

"Ishu, where are you? Let me do your hairs." Rishu walked out with a comb and a pair of tiny shoes in his hands. "Here you are." He sighed as soon as he saw Ishu which made his laughs stop entirely.

Ishu hated it even someone touched his hairs.

Exceptions: I and ma

"You don't run away from your papa. Atleast wear your shoes." He walked towards Ishu who tried to climb on the dining table to run away. Ma held him on time and Rishu sighed, "Okay, peace. Ma will help you out. I won't touch your hair, I promise." He passed the comb to ma who helped Ishu with his hair.

He sat quietly all through the time. Situation would've been different if it was Rishu in place of ma. The least thing I can imagine is earthquake. I slipped his tiny feet in the shoes and he was about to shake them off but I held his legs firmly, signing him not to do it. He blinked his eyes, as if he wanted to tell me that he understood what I wanted him to do.

"Papa..." He almost jumped when he saw papa walking inside. Papa has a schedule of going to park in the morning, where he and people his age-group do yoga and talk about everything from one world to another. And Ishu always gets excited when he comes back.

Ma took Ishu to papa and Rishu immediately sat on the empty chair beside me. "Kuchh khaya?" (Had anything) I nodded and showed him my plate which had a few pieces of fruits left. He took a piece and chew it, "It's not sweet enough. Wait, let me cut another."

I held his hand and stopped him. "No, it's okay. I'm gonna have my breakfast, I don't want to have fruits anymore."

He nodded and his hands groped my extremely swollen belly. It was like a daily routine for him. Not just this time, it was same when I was carrying Ishu. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Just wondering how we'll have another addition to our family in a month. From changing diapers to waking up at extreme times in night, we're gonna experience it all over again."

I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair when he kissed my belly. He moved up and placed the same lips on my mouth. My eyes widened and I looked around to search ma and papa. Although they were in the living room, not here, my heart was beating heavily. I don't want them to see our PDA by any means.

Before I could respond, he pulled back and pecked my cheeks, and then trailed it up to my temple.

"I'm hungry. Let's start with the breakfast." He said without any shame. He's such a...

✨

– R I S H A B H –

FUCK!

I was late.

With minimal noise, I shut the door of my car and walked towards the main door. As soon as I hit the bell, papa opened the door and then turned his head to the wall clock.

"It's half past 10. Where were you?"

"I had work papa. I couldn't leave it." I had to look upon it. I was the only one who started it and I'm the one who'll take it forward and let it going.

"I understand but try to be back earlier. Ishu was getting all fuzzy about you." I nodded and was about to walk back to my room when he stopped me. "Have your dinner first. Change later." I nodded and undid my jacket.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Everyone's had their dinner and sleeping." Before I could ask about Ishu, he began, "Ishu's sleeping too." I sighed and heated the dinner before serving myself. Although I had some snacks in evening, but I still had a lot of space inside me.

After completing my dinner, I quickly walked back to my room and entered inside on toes. Ishu slept beside Shruti, snuggling into her chest while his mother had her protective arms around him. I didn't want to wake him up when he had just slept. As for Shruti, it would be a nightmare if she gets up now. Her health isn't going too good nowadays and our daughter's not sparing her a bit.

She doesn't even let her sleep peacefully!

Changing into pyjamas, I walked back into the room and halted in my steps when my gaze went towards Ishu who was sitting on the bed beside Shruti, making himself ready to cry. Before he could make a sound and wake her up, I shushed him up. I paced towards him and picked him up in my arms.

"Why are you up?"

I mean, he just slept.

But who was I asking to? He sleeps when he wants to and wakes whenever he wishes. No-one can control his decisions.

He wrapped his tiny arms around my neck and snuggled into my chest. I understood what he wanted. "Papa's here." I patted his back and kept my head close to his' while moving all about the room.

I was tired indeed, but never for my own kids.

✨

"Rishu..." As if her moans weren't already a turn-on for me, her gorgeous figure made it more difficult for me. Having two kids made her body thick just at the right places, just how I loved them. "You're so good!" I could feel myself being close. "Rishu!" Her arms clutched my shoulders and pinched it tightly.

"Aah!" I sat straight and saw Shruti beside lying me, fully dressed. I looked towards myself and sighed when I saw all the clothes I wore last night. I was dreaming!

DAMN!

This celibacy is making me insane.

I wonder how I used to live before her. Things weren't the same then.

"Rishabh, help me. I can't get up." I quickly wrapped my arms around her back and help her sit. Before she could ask for something, I filled a glass of warm water and handed it to her. "Thank you." I smiled and ran my fingers through her hairs. "When did you come?"

I couldn't. You woke me up, you minx.

"I had some work last night. Was a little late." She nodded and held my hands as she put her steps down the bed. She walked into the bathroom to pee. Till the time she returned, I covered Ishu with quilt properly and bordered the bed with all the pillows I could find.

"Rishu..." I turned around when I heard her voice and hummed. She wrapped her arms around me and took a deep breath, "What were you dreaming about?"

"What? When?"

"Don't try to act. I know you better than anyone else." What would I say? I was horny and having a wet dream of her. I remember the last time we properly did something, it was months ago. The last time I made love to her was the week when we got to know about the second pregnancy. Her gynecologist warned us to refrain from hanky-panky. There were no major complications in pregnancy but doctor wanted us to be on the safer side.

"You don't need to hide it. I'm your wife." She held my face in her palm, brought it down to her level and kissed my cheek, "Let me help you."

Now this is what I fear!

It's easy for her to start daring things. But I'm the one who bears the consequences. She's well aware of what I'm going through yet she never leaves a chance to seduce me. She knows that I can't do things to her yet she plays her games on the snap of her fingers, and that's the thing I hate the most.

Before I could realise what was happening my shirt was off my body and I felt it when the chilled gush of air touched my upper body. She was about to pull the waistband of my trousers but I stopped her.

"Shruti, I can handle it. Go and rest." She shook her head in no and held my hands.

"Let's bathe together." I was about to take a step but my instincts told me to stop. A loud sound resonated throughout the room as I sneezed. "Rishu, you–" And the series followed until itch in my nostrils stopped. "You're okay?" I nodded. "How did this happen?"

"Actually I had..."

"You had?"

Was I going to tell her about it?

No!

She'll eat me alive.

"Rishabh... Are you going to tell me or do you want to sleep on the couch." Couch? Hell no! Then truth it is.

"Last night, I... I had some ice-cream." I closed my eyes and said everything in a go. I was ready to bear the consequences.

"You banned me from eating ice-cream and were enjoying it on your own. You're such a hypocrite!" I wasn't carrying the baby, she was. But I couldn't tell this to her now. Her arm was about to hit my chest but I held it midway.

"I'm sorry, I won't eat it again. I swear." I held her hand, brought it near my face and kissed the back of her palm. She gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes. "I apologized. Don't be angry. It's not good for our daughter." She sighed a deep breath before nodding her head. "Is the offer still valid?" Her eyes narrowed and I smiled.

"Shut up!" She rushed towards the bathroom and I walked in just in time, before she could close the door. It took me a lot of persuasion, but it all ended with me helping her bath and her helping me with my morning horniness.

Time slipped by smoothly as Ishu woke and I made him bath. I quickly rubbed oil all over his body and gave his muscles a firm massage. As usual he was adamant on running away so I had to block his way with my legs. "Ishant, stay still. I don't want a dance show right now. You can show your skills when we go out." He narrowed his eyes, just the way his mother does.

"Pa... Pa."

"We're done, mama's boy. Congratulations." I made him wear his clothes and combed the few strands he had on his head. We walked out and he tried to jump down from my hold when he heard his favorite voices. My nieces!

They sat on Shruti's either sides and had their ears on her belly, over our daughter. "Mami... I want to see baby." Anika whined and I chuckled. Ishu rushed towards Shivika, the younger sibling and sat beside her. She was his best friend. They were only a few months apart and could understand each other's baby language easily.

"She'll be with us soon." I said.

"Sister?" Anika asked and Shruti shook her head in disbelief. We didn't know what it was but my belief strongly said that we were having a girl, our daughter. I hummed and sat adjacent to them.