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Arnav was awake for a long time…! He must take a decision now, putting the safety of his family first.  He looked at sleeping Khushi and her swelling belly.  His heart filled with fulfillment….! 

“I know, you are capable of taking care of yourself and everyone in the house… Even this little one, pulsating in you…!” He gazed with moist eyes, not wanting to disturb her sound sleep by touching her.  She stirred a bit and opened her eyes.  He tried to look away, startled. 

“I know… what is going on…” she spoke and he turned to her.

“What is going on?” he asked defiantly.  She jabbed her finger on his chest…

“In here..! The storm is brewing up…!” she said smiling…!

“No!” he lied.  She shook her head… Sitting up she said…

“Wait…!” She went to the washroom and he switched on the lights.  Sleep had disappeared for both, from the room.  When she came back, she was looking fresh and smiling….! He gaped…

“You know what…?” She sat on the bed and pointing at her tummy…said

“Whoever it is inside… is going to be nocturnal…!” she grinned in response to his angry gestures. 

“Shut up..!” he said turning to move out.  She grabbed his wrist…!

“Arnavji…!” she suddenly looked serious…! He felt a knot in his stomach.  

“So jao, Khushi…! You need a sleep…” he said pulling the duvet to tuck her in, but she shook her head…!

“No!” she said gravely and then cupping his face …

“Thinking of going away from all of us…?” she uttered to his shock.  He gasped speechless, sucking in his breath… 

“How does she know?” he thought shocked…

“How do I know?” She asked smiling smugly…

“Your turmoil… reflects in here…” she pointed at her heart.  His eyes mellowed down, he inched closer..! She kept her hands on his shoulders…!

“You still think you can handle everything?” she asked gravely.  His eyes flashed…

“Yes! Everything is under control… I will handle it…!” his voice trailed as she shook her head…! 

“Don’t you think, the burden on your shoulders is mounting with all these recent developments?” she asked and he swallowed. Indeed the mounting pressure was overwhelming for this mighty ASR too! He wouldn’t accept it.

“No! I can manage…! I have strong shoulders, Khushi…” he said trying to move away.  She again held his hand to stop him from going away…!

“For once… try to release the burden from your shoulders and keep the baggage in that corner….!” She said to his bewilderment and continuing… “Aap toh Devi Mayya ke Charanon main Rakhsnay se rahain…! You wouldn’t surrender to Devi Mayya…! I know…So at least keep it in some corner and see the lighter version of yourself…” she actually grinned.

“What crap!” he gritted angrily but she shook her head…

“No! Not Crap..!” she said solemnly and then turning to him again, resting her head on his shoulder, said…

“I  am wiser now… When I was a kid, babuji introduced me to Devi mayya and said ‘When you feel lonely, She will be there with you in your agony, in your loneliness, in your pain… caressing you, consoling you..!’  …

“I took it seriously, as a gospel truth and started talking to my Devi Mayya…She became my friend, my second self... She never responded… but I felt her presence,  May be my babuji’s presence … My happiness, my joys, my achievements, my grief, my pain, my burden… I started sharing with her…” 

He merely gaped not knowing where the conversation was going…

“Has she lost it…Is she out of her senses?” he thought for a fleeting second… But she had continued looking lost…!

“May be that was my blind faith… the circumstances, the turmoils, the ups and downs in the life made me wiser…! It wasn’t my blind faith… It was my support system… My defense mechanism…! Whenever I felt, the emotions, the situation is going out of control … I ran to my support system, my Devi Mayya and after talking to her… the burden got bearable…!” she said and he opened his mouth to argue but she had gone beyond…

“Arnav ji… tell me… don’t you feel there are situations beyond your control?” he just gaped not knowing what to answer.  He wouldn’t say yes, admitting he was wrong and couldn’t say No, because that would be a lie…! 

“I know… there are things beyond our control… We just can’t do anything but watch helplessly…” she said grasping his arm tightly as if wanting to hold on to him…

“Stop this… and go to sleep…” he knew he wouldn’t win her in argument.  She smiled shyly…

“You know? I am not telling this to you…” he just growled, grumbling…!

“I am talking to the baby..” he grabbed her angrily. 

“Don’t you ever do that again.  When I am with you… I want your undivided attention…You get that?”  He barked.  She flicked his nose fondly, teasing him more.  He stood up angrily striding away…! 

“Arnav ji…” she called out from behind and he stopped at the door.

“Ek Baar Kar ke toh dekhiye,,,Just for once… Try throwing your burden somewhere .. And look at your own life with different perspective…” she urged and smile appeared on his face….

“I am doing that right now…!” he came in, tucked her under the duvet, sliding himself in, making room for both of them…. No no… three of them under one duvet…!