Sia was discharged from the hospital.

It was a bitter sweet experience. Because somehow, being at the hospital had made her feel like they were in their own bubble, where no external factors affected them. And even though they had a ton of troubles brewing between them, and from the outside, they had simply ignored everything and focused on their daughter. But now, it was time to get back to the reality.

They reached Sia’s place which had been their home from the past six months during their marriage. Sia was about to walk into the nursery room to place Anika into the cradle, but Ajay led her away from it, towards her bedroom.

“I have placed the cradle in our room. Until she’s three months old, it’s better to keep her close,” he said quietly.

Sia stopped short. “You know I can’t have her close. What if I disturb her sleep with my... nightmares?” she asked.

“You won’t. You already slept next to her at the hospital. And even if you do wake her up, I’ll be there to help out,” he answered.

“No. You won’t,” she said. “You’ll be in your own room.”

There was a loaded silence.

“You don’t have to be worried about me being next to you. I’m not going to demand sex,” he said, and then he ran his eyes over her in a scorching gaze. “At least not until you are ready, and ask me to,” he finished smoothly.

She felt her cheeks turn hot. And stubbornly she attributed it to anger. “I only agreed to take your help for some things, Ajay. I don’t appreciate your high-handed way in handling every aspect of my life.”

He didn’t answer her, but she could see a calculated look in his eyes. “Fine, then. I’ll sleep in my own room and have Anika’s cradle moved in there.”

“No! That’s not—” She broke off and took a deep breath. “But you said she’ll be okay in my room.”

“Yeah. If I was there to help out in case you accidentally disturb her sleep.”

Sia felt torn. She knew Ajay was manipulating her by dangling the temptation of being able to sleep close to their daughter. It was obvious, and it was stupid, but the reverse psychology worked. “I... ok,” she agreed begrudgingly.

 

* * *

 

Ajay freshened up in his bedroom. He returned back to the master bedroom to check on Anika. Sia was already standing by the cradle looking over their daughter.

Moving towards the cradle, he held her hand. “Come,” he instructed gently.

She didn’t say anything. She appeared tired. Even though she had delivered a baby a month ago, the coma had taken a toll on her. She looked too thin in her long sleeveless dress. But despite all that, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

He knew he found her exquisite, mostly because he was consumed by her, than with her actual appearance. But whatever maybe the reason, his body still craved her the same way it did before.

“I had Kamala prepare a meal for us. Let’s eat now,” he said, his voice husky.

She didn’t argue. And went along with him.

 

* * *

 

They spent a quiet evening together. And later that night, Sia had an extra bed placed in the master bedroom for her to sleep in. She was about to slip into that bed, but it was already occupied. By Ajay.

He was shirtless, and was only in his sleep shorts that hung low on his hips.

Heat surged through her cheeks as she admired the deep cuts of his abs and defined muscles that roped around his broad shoulders and arms. Even though he was devastatingly attractive, it hurt to look at him. She couldn’t stop herself, but look at him.

“Are you alright?” he asked softly after a long silence.

“Sia?”

She took a deep breath. “No,” she answered in truth.

He sat up on the bed, looking at her quietly.

“I’m feeling nervous around you, Ajay,” she admitted.

A pained look passed on his face. “Tell me why?” he urged.

She bit her lip in uncertainty. “Because I feel I don’t know you anymore. I feel that the person you pretended to me with me—as a happy-go-lucky guy, with no worries, or past, or... an agenda—I was comfortable with him. I... fell in love with him. But you... I don’t know you, and that makes me feel nervous.”

He got up from the bed and held her face. “I’m still the same guy you fell in love with, Sia. The same guy who loves you desperately.”

Even though he looked sincere, the confusion still lingered in her mind. “I need time getting used to everything,” she said softly.

He didn’t reply. Moving away from him, she got into the big bed they had shared during their happy times, and turned off the lights.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, after breakfast, Sia asked Ajay to set up the baby monitor footage on her phone so she could check on Anika all the time.

While setting it up, the conversation they had the previous night—about her being nervous around him—still lingered in his mind. He was determined to make Sia feel safe and comfortable around him. And more than that, he was determined to earn her complete trust.

It was a sad state of things that from talking easily about wanting a big family together, they were now behaving like polite strangers.

 

“I think I made a huge mistake getting pregnant or even wanting a child,” said Sia.

They were lying on the bed after spending a lazy weekend together.

“Why?” he asked, slowly tracing her palm and wrist with his fingers. “I agree that the way you decided to get pregnant was wrong. But why do you think, you wanting a child in particular is a mistake?”

When she didn’t answer, he prodded. “Does it frighten you to have kids?”

She stiffened at the word frighten, but when she saw that his expression held genuine curiosity, she relaxed.

“I feel I don’t have it in me to be an ideal mother. I don’t even know what an ideal mother should be like. What if our child hates me? What if having a mother like me ruins our child’s future?”

He shook his head in amusement. And then stroking her hair, he pushed it away from her face to see her clearly. “Our child won’t hate you. I know you will be loved as much as you love our child. And besides, I’ll be there to help you,” he said. Then slowly, he smiled wickedly at her. “In fact you’ll definitely need my help. Managing three kids will not be easy without my help.”

He waited for her to glare at him or give him a dressing down for presuming that she would have three children with him. But surprisingly, she only looked at him wistfully.

 

Ajay wanted that wistfulness and ease back in her eyes. He wanted to make whatever promises he had made to her in the past, come true.

“Done,” he said, handing over the phone to her.

“Thanks.” She paused for a second, looking uncertain. “I need to step out for a couple of hours. Can you stay with Anika while I’m gone?” she asked.

“Where are you planning to go?” he asked.

She hesitated a while, before replying. “First, to Varun’s place.”

He frowned. “Why?”

“I have been trying to reach him. He usually gets back to me promptly. And even if he’s away, like he usually is once in a while, he doesn’t stay away for more than two or three days. It’s been more than a week now,” she said, with worry creeping into her tone.

“You don’t have to go,” he said. “I can ask someone to check on him.”

“No! He doesn’t like it when strangers visit him.”

“Then we’ll both go. You are not well enough to go out by yourself yet.”

“I’m perfectly fine, Ajay.”

“No, you are not.”

“The doctors said so.” Her tone held irritation.

“Well, the same doctors were trying to revive you from a coma until a week ago. You still look weak and tired.”

“Don’t try to control me, Ajay. I said I am fine,” she snapped irritably.

“I’m not trying to control you. All I’m asking you to do is to take it easy for a week or so. Until you recover completely. And meantime, if you have any urgent things to do, I can help.”

She watched him with a stubborn look on her face.

He pressed more. “We’ve been through this conversation already, Sia. You need to start taking my help.”

She didn’t reply.

Before he could completely convince her, the phone rang.

Walking towards the intercom placed on one of the bedroom walls, he answered the call. “What is it Kamala?” he asked.

“There is a man asking for Madam,” Kamala’s voice said through the intercom.

“Who is it?” asked Sia.

“He says that... that... he is...” Kamala’s voice sounded uncomfortable.

“Who is it?” Sia asked impatiently.

“He says his name is Manish Goyal. And that... he is Madam’s... husband.”