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The blanket's soft folds, a fragile shield,
Malini's form, curled up, her heart revealed.
Abhishek's concern, a worried glance,
Is she hurt? Is she ill? A troubled dance.
He approaches slow, the blanket's gentle sway,
Pulled away to reveal her tear-stained face.
She clings to him, a desperate hold,
A fragile bird, her heart laid bare to unfold.
"What's wrong?" he asks, his voice a gentle breeze,
Malini's fear, a whispered plea.
"Childbirth's pain," she trembles with fear,
A primal dread, her heart does peer.
He calms her down, a soothing tone,
"Yes, childbirth's pain, but why now, alone?"
She looks up, her eyes wide with fright
"I'm pregnant... you'll be a father... tonight?"
The words hang, a stunned silence deep,
Abhishek's shock, a disbelieving leap.
Yesterday's wedding, a blur in his mind,
A child? Already? The thought left behind.
Her innocence, a poignant, painful thing,
A lack of knowledge, a heart that clings.
To the unknown, the unexplored, the unseen,
A fragile flower, in a world not so serene.
In 1846's darkness, she navigates the night,
Abhishek's shock, a slow-burning light.
He holds her close, a gentle, guiding hand,
A new reality, a life to understand.
•·•·•·•·•·•·••●❍•❅•°•❈•°•❅•❍●••·•·•·•·•·•·•·•
16th April 1846
Calcutta, Bengal
ABHISHEK POV~
With a heavy sigh, I push open the creaking door, stepping into the dimly lit room.
The faint scent of sandalwood and smoke lingers in the air, clinging to my clothes after a long, taxing day.
My shoulders ache, and my kurta clings slightly to my back from the humidity.
I shrug off the shawl draped over me and reach for the old wooden chair by the corner to place it down.
But just as my fingers begin to lower it—
Something in the corner of my eye stills me.
I squint.
There's a shape in the bed.
A lump.
Curled.
Still.
The shawl slips from my fingers and lands silently on the floor.
I turn my head sharply.
There she is—Malini.
My wife.
A small figure, completely hidden beneath the blanket, curled tightly as if shielding herself from the world.
My eyebrows pull together, instinctively.
Why is she in bed already?
Is she unwell?
Did something happen?
She's not even facing me.
She's tucked so deep in the covers, it almost looks like she's trying to disappear.
Panic rises in my chest before I can reason it away.
Is she crying?
Is she hurt?
Without a moment's pause, I step closer and lean at the bedside.
My hand reaches out gently, pressing over the mound of the blanket where I guess her back is.
"Malini?" I whisper, my voice low, careful. "Are you okay?"
"Malini?!" I call out softly but urgently, my heart skipping a beat as I lean closer and gently tug the blanket away from her face.
The fabric rustles under my fingers, and her flushed, tear-streaked cheeks peek out.
Her lashes flutter as she slowly opens her eyes, dazed and heavy from crying.
"What are you doing like this?" I ask, my voice trembling with concern. "Are you in pain? Did something happen? Are you hurt? Why were you hiding under the covers?"
I can't stop the questions—they tumble out in a rush.
Her lips part, and a tiny voice escapes. "Abhi…"
She says my name like it's the only thing anchoring her.
I gently tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "What happened, phoenix? Tell me. Please."
Her red-rimmed eyes lock with mine, lips trembling, body shaking faintly—as if she's holding back more tears.
"I'm… feeling scared," she whispers, and without warning, she lunges forward and clings tightly to me.
My arms instantly circle around her small frame, as if my embrace alone can ward off every fear she carries.
"What? Why? What happened?" I murmur, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed. My fingers slowly stroke the back of her head, calming her like one would soothe a frightened child.
She buries her face into my chest, muffling her voice into the soft folds of my kurta.
Her arms tighten around my waist like she's afraid I'll vanish if she lets go.
"I… I heard childbirth is very painful," she confesses in a trembling whisper. "I'm scared, Abhi."
Her voice breaks slightly at the end.
My brows pull together in both confusion and concern.
"Childbirth?" I echo, blinking. "Why are you scared of that now?"
She doesn't lift her face from my chest, only tightening her arms around me.
"Because… it hurts a lot," she murmurs again, like a frightened girl trapped in an unfamiliar world.
"Yes, I know it's painful—very painful," I murmur, fingers trailing softly through her hair as I cradle her closer. "But why are you scared about childbirth now, phoenix?"
My voice stays calm, coaxing, though confusion simmers beneath the surface.
It doesn't make sense.
Childbirth?
It's something that might come… years from now. Maybe.
Not now.
Not this soon.
Her small fingers fidget against my side, and then she lifts her head—just slightly—her chin still resting against my chest.
Her teary eyes glance up at me beneath lowered lashes.
"Because… I'm pregnant, na…" she whispers, the words tumbling out so quietly I almost think I imagined them.
I freeze.
My hand halts mid-stroke.
My breath catches in my throat, and for a heartbeat, the world seems to still.
I blink, unable to move, unable to think.
Did she just…?
Her voice comes again, smaller, shyer— vulnerable.
"I'm pregnant, Abhi."
This time, it lands like a quiet storm in the room.
Her cheeks flush a deep pink, and she lowers her gaze, as if afraid of how I might react.
As if she's confessing a crime.
My thoughts scatter.
Wait… is she joking?
Is this some strange prank?
But one glance at her eyes—so full of fear and sincerity—and I know.
She wouldn't lie about this.
Not her.
And besides… We just got married yesterday.
My frown vanishes in an instant, replaced by a cold, unsettling chill slithering down my spine.
Wait—
Did someone… do something to her?
A sharp breath catches in my throat.
No. No, no. Please, no.
My hands shoot forward and I gently cup her face, tilting her chin up and pushing her back slightly to see her more clearly.
My eyes scan her for any bruises, any signs—anything.
"Are you alright?" I ask, trying to keep the panic from cracking in my voice.
My heart pounds like a war drum, deafening in my ears.
"What are you saying, Malini?" I press, staring deep into her wide, unblinking eyes. "Tell me clearly."
She bites her lower lip, almost shyly.
Nervously.
"I'm going to become a mother… and you, a father."
~ When one needs patience and one needs to understand.
჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻.✾.჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻
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