A/N : After long time, we are here again... !
Tarika rested her back against the bathroom door with a thud and slide down on floor. She wiped the sweat drop from her temple away and tried to calm herself down. She looked down at her hand.
Two red lines.
She perfectly knew the meaning but she didn't want to believe. She just couldn't.
_Positive_. Her mind screamed. But she denied to believe.
She took a deep breath.
'It can be false positive.' She told herself, 'And. and... it can be due to other causes too. Yeah. it can be.'
'But I missed my period!'
'Only by three days though.'
No, no no. This was not helping. She knew she's just cooking up things. She was suspicious already and that's why she did the test only after three days of her miss period.
She heard her phone ringing in her bedroom. It was ringing from quite a long time now.
She stood up and washed her face. MAKING herself strong she came out of the bathroom.
Her heart skipped a beat seeing the caller id.
Abhijeet.
How would she face him! And what telling him.. breaking the news to him.
It started ringing again. Tarika picked up the call.
"Hello!" Came an anxious voice.
"Haan bolo."
"Tarika Kab se phone kar raha hu mai tumhe! kaha thi!" He asked suppressing his anger and tension too.
"Mai washroom mei thi.."
"Oh acha.. etna late ho gaya tum ai nahi abtaq! Tabiyat thik hai na tumhari?"
"Mai.. mai thik hu.."
"I am not liking the tone of your voice. Sab thik hai na Tarika.. batao... You are scaring me."
"Abhijeet.. mai thik hu baba.." Tarika tried to talk back in a normal way, "Or mujhe ek hour or late hoga... tum tension mat lo. I am fine. will meet you in lab haan?"
"Hmm.. okay..." he said unwantedly.
Tarika hear someone calling him over the phone.
"Mai rakhta hu.. naya case ayaya hai."
"Okay.. bye."
Tarika cut the call.
She sighed. she had to do the confirmatory test too. She got ready and left.
Tarika entered into the bureau. Her heart beating fast. The report would come by evening. She couldn't help nervous! She saw Abhijeet entering into interrogation room so she waited in his cabin. No she wouldn't tell him anything yet.. not before the report arrive
She sat on the sofa for a while but then got up, restless.
She began walking back and forth in his cabin, worried about the report. It was like she almost knew what it would be. Her intuition was almost never wrong.
"Arrey Tarika tum yaha?"
His voice made her stop the walk abruptly.
"Kya hua?" He softened his tone further.
Tarika shook her head.
"N...Nahi... Kuch Nahi."
Abhijeet closed the curtains of his cabin and walked close to her.
He placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Kuch toh baat hai."
"Mein Bina Kisi baat ke Nahi aa Sakti kya Yaha?" Tarika turned her face away from him in fake anger.
Abhijeet took a moment to study her. She could feel his gaze piercing through her.
He held her chin and gently turned her face towards him, their noses almost touching.
"Zaroor aa Sakti ho... Magar iss waqt koi baat zaroor hai."
"Acha!" She raised her voice in an attempt to make him stop this topic, " toh tum hi bata doh ki kya baat hai."
"Y-ye mein kaise bata Sakta Hu"
"Bata Bhi Nahi sakte aur meri baat Bhi Nahi maan rahe ki kuch baat Nahi hai!" She almost shouted.
Abhijeet said something in response but she couldn't discern his words. Her vision blurry, she had to strain her eyes to make out that his lips were moving.
The sudden exertion made her feel faint. She was losing her balance, expecting to fall down with a thud when Abhijeet swooped her into his arms.
He made her sit on the sofa and grabbed a glass of water. Her head resting on his chest, he made her drink it.
"Tumhari awaz se lag hi Raha tha ki kuch toh baat hai," he spoke once colour returned to her cheeks.
His one hand holding her waist securely, he placed his other hand on her forehead. Then he placed it on her neck.
"Bukhar toh Nahi hai...phir achanak ye chakkar."
"Weakness ki wajah se hua Hoga."
"Achanak aise weakness Nahi aani Chahiye... Chalo doctor ke paas chaltein Hain."
"D-d-doctor... Ki kya zaroorat hai?"
"Mein urgent appointment leta Hu," he took his phone out, ignoring her protest.
"Abhijeet... Doctor ki koi zaroorat Nahi hai..."
"Tumse kisine pucha?"
"Arrey... Mein doctor Hu na. Mujhe pata hai."
"Harr Baar yahi bolkar Taal deti ho tum!"
"Mai doctor ke pass se ho ai hu.." Tarika lied.
She just had urine test. She was scared to do a ultrasonography. So much scared and also she was getting late for lab.
"Kya kaha Dr ne?"
"Wo bad aisehi.. nothing serious."
"Tumhe kaha tha naa Doctor ke pass jana ho toh mujhe lejaya karo.."
"Ku mai.."
"Kuki mujhe tumpar is mamle mei bharosa nahi hai.."
"Fine.. i will. Ab mai lab jau.. two news cases hai.. bohot kam hai.."
"Is halat mei keisey?"
Tarika stood up.
"Dekho thik hu mai.. n mai lab mei beithe beithe hi kam karungi.. thik hai?"
"Hmm.." Abhijeet said reluctantly.
He could understand. Dr Salunke was demanding her presence since morning. And he couldn't blame him. 3 new dead bodies plus two previous cases! That's a lot to do. A lot.
Abhijeet too stood up.
"Abhijeet.." she touched his cheek, "Mat lo tension na. Case pe dhayan do. ACP sir bhi nahi hai.."
Abhijeet nodded.
"Tum khayal rakhna apna," He took her hands in between his, "and sorry."
"Sorry ku?"
"Mai bohot hi bura partner hu tumhara Tarika... na tumhe time de pata hu or nahi security.. I feel so low.. loser."
"Phirse yesab sochne lage! Please na Abhijeet."
He nodded.
"Mai chalti hu.."
Abhijeet nodded. Just then his land line phone rang and he picked up.
Tarika walked off. She stood at the threshold and looked back at him. He smiled at her, still talking over phone.
Tarika smiled back.
She's having a bad feeling...
The day was busy for both of them. Tarika almost forgot about the report.. almost.
She asked the lab to send the report to her home not bureau. She knew there's chances Abhijeet would find out the report. And if he did he would opened the report himself and Tarika didn't want him to.
Around 10 she left for home.
"Abhijeet mai ghar ja rahi huu.. " she said over phone while entering into her car.
"Tabiyat thik hai na ab?"
"Haan baba."
"Hmm okay. dinner skip mat karna.. mai ata hu free hokar."
"Late nahi hoga tumhe?"
"Wo toh hogahi.."
"Mai sone wali thi jaldi.."
"Tum so ja na.." Abhijeet said firmly, "I will just have a glance and leave.."
"Nahi.. mai keh rahi thi tum rest.."
"Dr Tarika, are you trying to avoid me?" Abhijeet wanted to know in a demanding voice.
Tarika thought. Yes, she's avoiding him. But!
Tarika rested her back against the seat with a thud.
She had to avoid him.
"Tarika?"
"Please Abhijeet... I'm really tired."
"Sab theek hai na?"
...
...
"Hello? Tarika?"
"Abhijeet I'm driving... Baad mein baat karte Hain."
"Theek hai."
She was about to cut the call when she heard his voice.
"Tarika," his tone softened, "ek Baar bol doh ki kya chal Raha hai... Please..."
_Please._
It sounded so desperate, so helpless... So heart wrenching.
How she wished that she could tell him exactly what was happening. But alas, she didn't have those rights just yet... She wasn't his wife yet... She had always believed that official declarations, rituals and a name wasn't essential if love was true... But maybe, she was wrong after all.
"Sab theek hai Abhijeet," she said with a sigh.
"Tum itna kyu sochte ho, hmm?" She added after a brief pause.
"Khaas logo ke liye sochna padta hai."
"Achaaa?"
"Hmm," he continued in his serious tone, "aur tum itni khaas ho mere liye... Lafzo mein bayaan Nahi Kar Sakta."
'Kaash,' Tarika thought, 'Kaash tum ek Baar... Bus ek Baar bayaan Kar dete Abhijeet... Just once.'
"Tum itna mat Socho abhi... Koi problem hogi toh mein khud tumhe bata dungi."
"Mein Nahi puchunga tumse... Par Tarika... Jab tak mujhe dikhega Nahi ki sab theek hai tab tak I won't stop thinking about it... I can't!"
This hurt Tarika even more. What if the result is positive...
No, no... She shouldn't think like that.
"Uff Abhijeet... I'm tired. Aaj ache se soungi toh I'll be fine...kal khud hi Dekh Lena."
"Theek hai kal subah mein tumhe Lene aa Raha Hu."
Tarika opened her mouth to protest but she dropped the idea almost immediately.
He was too stubborn to yield to her protests in situations like this.
"Haan... Kal subah milte Hain."
"Ghar paho-"
"Pahonchkar message Kar dungi," she cut him, "I know the drill senior inspector Abhijeet."
Abhijeer smiled.
"Take care." he said and cut the call.
Tarika too hanged up and sighed. She wished everything would be alright.
She reached her house and checked her mail box first. She indeed got the envelope from clinic.
She took that inside and placed that on table, not able to open that. she got fresh and tried to have some food but he mind was roaming around that small envelope.
He phone biped. She checked. It's a message from Abhijeet.
'Don't skip dinner.'
She smiled and replied him back saying okay. He sent a smile emoji.
Tarika sat on dinning chair and had some food with great difficulty. She felt nauseated, so she ran to the sink.
Ah, first trimester of pregnancy can be real bitch.
Wait! Did she just say she's pregnant!
No, no, no. she must not.
It was getting too much for her.
She marched towards the central table where the envelope was kept. She at first sat down not wanting to have a fall due to sudden exertion anymore.
She opened the envelope.. just the comment part.
Positive.
She read the level of beta hCG... level confirms pregnancy. Yes it did.
Tarika stopped for a while.
Everything's finished.
Finished! But Why!
Abhijeet always had told her that he wouldn't ever run away from his responsibilities.
That's the point. Responsibilities! Like its a burden. He would only marry her, if he do, just for the kid... just to rectify his deeds.
No, what if he denied!
He couldn't
What if he blamed her saying she had done it purposefully to make him marry her!
It would kill her.
He won't blame you Tarika... He won't
But deep down she knew Abhijeet won't say a single thing to her. Not even how and why.. he would just accept. And then.. with would ask, let's marry..
And this would kill her.
But he would probably accept his love for her too.
Won't make any difference... may be he would.. but just under the circumstances.
Tarika's head started to spin.
He phone rang. It's Abhijeet calling her.
"Hello.." she managed to speak.
"Tarika.. kya hua?" He's panic.
"Kuch nahi.. I am sleepy.."
"Oh.. sorry to disturb you.. but wo Manoj murder case ka file lab mei le gai thi na tum.. mil nahi raha hai.. "
Hearing his voice she broke down. She placed her hand over her mouth to suppress the cry.
"Tarika.. Tarika.. ro ku rahi ho tum.."
Tarika broke down even more.
"Damn Tarika.. I knew something was wrong. I am coming. You wait."
Abhijeet sat inside his and he was about to start the car when his phone rang. He received the call. It was from one of his informers. He talked with him and cut the call with, "Accha aata hoon abhi."
He reluctantly went to meet the informer. But _she was always in his mind_. Around 11.30 pm, he got free finally from his duty and he went towards her home.
Tarika was still sitting on sofa thinking what to do..what to say to Abhijeet. She knew that she couldn't hide anything from him. She checked the time. Abhijeet had called her before two and a half hrs. She knew that he got busy in his work and that's why he's getting late. She didn't want to be a burden on him, she didn't want to disturb him, she didn't want to come between him and his duties. She was afraid of all of these.
Her chain of thoughts broke with the door bell.
Tarika knew who it was. She quickly wiped off her tears though she knew that he knew she's crying. She gathered courage and opened the door. Abhijeet was standing on the door looking at her. She tried to hide her eyes with, "ander ayo.."
Abhijeet went in locking the door behind him.
Tarika tried to turn away from him. But he held her firmly by the shoulders.
"Kya hua?" He asked anxiously.
Tarika said nothing. She just covered her face with both her arms, trying not to cry.
As Abhijeet's hands went around her back, she burst into a sob.
He pulled her closer to him.
Another sob.
Hearing this, he held her tight, trying to comfort her. But it only made her cry harder, this time uncontrollably.
"Tarika..."
He tried to separate her but her grip around him was firm.
"Tarika..."
He tried again after a while. This time too, she didn't budge.
Somehow, Abhijeet managed to make her sit on the sofa.
His trembling fingers gently touched her face. He wanted to ask her what happened but he could see that she was not in a condition to talk.
So he just made her head rest on his shoulder, patting it in between.
After a while, when her sobs subsided, he kissed her forehead.
"Mein Bhi Dekhu?" He asked, eyeing the envelope.
Ever since they sat on the sofa, Abhijeet had seen her looking at it multiple. Yes, she was discreet but nothing escaped him, especially when it was about her.
She managed to nod slowly.
As Abhijeet got up, she held slipped her palm into his.
He turned around, rather surprised. She had never done this before.
"Let it stay there... Please?"
Abhijeet gave her curt nod and grabbed the envelope with his free hand. He sat on the sofa, carefully opening it.
A few minutes passed and his eyes were still fixed on the report.
He read and reread multiple times.
_Positive!_
A/N : Read and Review !