Chapter : 17

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Ananya entered the grand foyer of the Mehra manor, her heels clicking against the marble floor with a rhythm that matched the frustration simmering inside her. The events of the day played on a loop in her mind, amplifying her already miserable mood. As if the confrontation with her father and Dhiraj Khurana wasn’t enough, the gnawing pain of her period cramps made every step feel like a challenge. All she wanted was to collapse into bed and forget the world existed.

The warm, familiar scent of home greeted her, and as she rounded the corner into the living room, she paused. Her mother-in-law, Mrs. Mehra, was standing with her arms crossed, a stern expression on her face as she chastised her husband.

"Raghav, you can't just leave your shoes lying around like that! How many times do I have to tell you?" Mrs. Mehra's voice carried the kind of mock severity that only years of marriage could temper.

Mr. Mehra, with his usual sheepish grin, shrugged and muttered something about forgetting, which only earned him a playful swat on the arm. Ananya, despite her foul mood, felt a small smile tug at her lips. Their relationship was the kind of old-fashioned love she had always admired—filled with bickering, teasing, but also an undeniable warmth that permeated everything they did.

As if sensing her presence, Mrs. Mehra turned, her expression softening when she saw Ananya. "Oh, Ananya, you're home. How was your day?"

Ananya’s smile faltered slightly, the weight of the day pressing down on her. "It was... long," she replied, trying to keep the frustration out of her voice. "But it's good to be home."

Mrs. Mehra nodded sympathetically. "Why don't you have some dinner? It might help."

Ananya shook her head gently. "I’m not hungry right now, Ma. I think I’ll just head up to my room."

"Alright, dear," Mrs. Mehra said, her eyes full of understanding. "But if you change your mind, there's some fresh soup in the kitchen."

Ananya nodded her thanks and made her way upstairs, her steps growing heavier with each passing moment. By the time she reached the door to her and Rihaan's room, the cramps had worsened, and she could feel her patience wearing thin. All she wanted was to curl up in bed and sleep.

She pushed open the door and was greeted by a sight that momentarily made her forget her discomfort. Rihaan was sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by his soft toys, his favorite one—Boba—clutched in his hands. He was deep in conversation with the plush toy, his voice animated and full of enthusiasm.

"...And then Anya came to pick me up, Boba. She was busy, but she always makes time for me. Isn’t she the best?"

Ananya leaned against the doorframe, a small, tired smile tugging at her lips. There was something so endearing about the way Rihaan interacted with his toys, his childlike innocence a stark contrast to the harshness of the world outside. For a moment, her frustrations faded, replaced by a tender affection for the man she had married.

She didn't want to disturb him, so she quietly slipped into the room, making her way to the wardrobe to change out of her work clothes. Rihaan was too engrossed in his conversation with Boba to notice her, and she was grateful for the brief moment of solitude as she pulled on a pair of comfortable pajamas.

Once she had changed, Ananya turned to see Rihaan still chattering away, his face lit up with excitement. She knew he had been to the amusement park today, and she could already sense how eager he was to share his day with her. But right now, all she wanted was to lie down and escape the pain throbbing in her lower abdomen.

With a heavy sigh, she walked over to the bed and let her body collapse onto it. The soft mattress provided some relief, but the cramps persisted, gnawing at her insides. She buried her face in the pillow, trying to muffle a groan of pain. Her hands instinctively went to her stomach, hoping to soothe the ache, but nothing seemed to help.

Rihaan, oblivious to her discomfort, finally noticed her lying on the bed. He jumped up, his face glowing with excitement as he grabbed a stack of photos from the table. "Anya, look! Look at the pictures I took today! You have to see them, they’re so cool!"

Ananya lifted her head slightly, trying to muster a smile for him. "Rihaan... I’m really tired right now. Maybe later?"

But Rihaan was too eager to share his joy to take no for an answer. He sat down on the bed beside her, holding out the photos. "Come on, just look at a few! They’re really awesome! Boba liked them too!"

Ananya clenched her teeth, fighting back the wave of irritation that threatened to spill over. She didn’t want to snap at him; it wasn’t his fault she was in pain. But the cramps were getting worse, and all she wanted was a moment of peace.

"Rihaan, please... not right now," she said, her voice strained as she tried to keep her tone gentle. "I’m not feeling well."

But Rihaan’s enthusiasm was boundless, and he continued to insist, his voice filled with childish excitement. "But Anya, you’ll love them! Just one picture, please?"

Ananya couldn’t hold back her frustration any longer. "Rihaan, I said no!" she snapped, her voice harsher than she intended. Immediately, she regretted it, but the pain was unbearable, and all she could do was clutch her stomach, hoping it would pass.

Rihaan’s face fell, the excitement draining from his expression as he realized she wasn’t in the mood. He looked at her for a moment, confusion and hurt flickering across his features. Then, without a word, he got up and left the room quietly, his head hung low.

As the door closed behind him, Ananya felt a surge of guilt mixed with anger at herself. She hadn’t meant to hurt his feelings, but the pain had clouded her judgment. Why couldn’t she just hold it together for his sake? Why couldn’t she do something right?

Her body curled up on the bed, and she buried her face in the pillow, letting out a groan of frustration and pain. The cramps were relentless, and the guilt only made them worse. She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t come. She was too exhausted, too overwhelmed by everything that had gone wrong today.

A few minutes passed in silence, the room dark and still. Ananya’s thoughts were a jumbled mess, a mix of anger at herself and worry about how she had treated Rihaan. She knew he didn’t understand why she was in pain, why she had snapped at him. He was too innocent, too pure to grasp the complexities of her emotions.

Just as she was starting to drift into a haze of exhaustion, the door creaked open again. Ananya lifted her head, expecting to see Rihaan’s hurt expression, but instead, she saw him carrying a tray carefully in his hands. He was focused, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a look of determination.

He walked over to the bed and set the tray down on the side table. Ananya slowly sat up, her body protesting the movement, and looked at what he had brought. A bowl of vegetable soup, steaming and fragrant, sat in the middle of the tray, along with a glass of water and a small napkin.

Rihaan stood there, his hands clasped together, looking down at his feet with a cute pout on his lips. He didn’t say anything, but the gesture spoke volumes. Ananya’s heart softened, the guilt washing away as she realized how much he cared.

"Did you make this?" she asked softly, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear him speak.

Rihaan shook his head, still not meeting her eyes. "Mom made it," he admitted, his voice small. "I just brought it here, for you."

He looked up at her then, his sheepish smile so pure, so full of innocence, that Ananya couldn’t help but let out a small giggle. The pain in her abdomen seemed to ease slightly, replaced by a warmth that spread through her chest.

"Thank you, Rihaan," she said gently, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. She knew how much effort it must have taken him to think of this, to bring her something to make her feel better. It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to her.

Rihaan’s face lit up at her thanks, his grin widening into that big, goofy smile that always melted her heart. He saw her reach out for the bowl and quickly picked it up, handing it to her with both hands as if it were the most important thing in the world.

Ananya took the bowl from him, her fingers brushing against his, and gave him a warm smile in return. "Thank you," she repeated, her voice softer this time, more intimate. Rihaan’s joy was contagious, and despite the pain, she found herself feeling a little better.

She took a sip of the soup, and a satisfying hum escaped her lips as the warmth spread through her body. The flavor was simple but comforting, and it helped to soothe the ache in her stomach. She looked up at Rihaan, who was watching her intently, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"How was your day, Rihaan?" she asked, keeping her tone light and interested, even though she was still tired. She knew how much it meant to him to share his experiences, and she wanted to make up for her earlier frustration.

Rihaan’s face lit up with excitement, the earlier sadness forgotten as he eagerly shifted closer to Ananya on the bed. His eyes sparkled with the joy of sharing his day, and Ananya couldn’t help but be drawn into his infectious energy.

"It was amazing, Anya!" he began, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm. "We went to the amusement park today! There were so many rides and games, and I got to eat cotton candy! You should’ve seen how big it was!"

Ananya smiled, taking another sip of the soup as she listened. The warmth of the soup helped to ease her cramps, and the sound of Rihaan’s voice, so full of innocent happiness, made her forget the stress and pain she’d been carrying all day.

"Did you go on the rides?" she asked, genuinely curious. She knew Rihaan loved the thrill of amusement parks, even if he sometimes got a little scared on the bigger rides.

Rihaan nodded enthusiastically, his hands gesturing animatedly as he spoke. "Yes! We went on the roller coaster, and at first, I was really scared, but then I remembered what you always tell me—that it’s just a ride, and I can scream if I want to! So I did, and it was so much fun!"

Ananya chuckled, imagining Rihaan’s wide-eyed excitement as he faced his fears. He had such a pure heart, and even though he struggled with the challenges life threw at him, he always found joy in the simplest things. It was one of the many things she loved about him.

"That sounds like a lot of fun," she said, her voice softening with affection. "I’m glad you had such a great time, Rihaan."

Rihaan beamed at her, his smile so wide that it seemed to take over his entire face. "And I took lots of pictures too!" he continued, his excitement growing. "Do you want to see them now? I promise they’re really good!"

Ananya set the now-empty soup bowl on the tray and nodded, her heart warming at how eager he was to share his day with her. "I’d love to see them."

Rihaan’s eyes lit up even more, and he quickly reached for the stack of photos he had set aside earlier. He shuffled through them, his fingers moving quickly as he searched for the perfect ones to show her first.

"Here!" he exclaimed, holding up a photo of him standing in front of a giant Ferris wheel, his arms spread wide as if trying to capture the entire wheel in his embrace. "This was my favorite ride! I could see the whole park from up there!"

Ananya took the photo from him, her eyes lingering on the image of Rihaan’s joyous expression. There was something so pure, so unfiltered in the way he experienced life, and it never failed to make her feel grateful for having him in her life.

"It’s a beautiful picture, Rihaan," she said sincerely, handing it back to him. "You look so happy."

"I was!" Rihaan replied, his voice full of enthusiasm. "And this one—look at this one!" He handed her another photo, this time of him holding a large stuffed bear, his face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to carry the oversized toy.

Ananya laughed softly, the sound light and genuine. "Did you win that in one of the games?"

Rihaan nodded proudly. "Yes! I played that game where you have to throw the ball into the basket, and I won on my second try! The man at the booth said I was really good at it, and I got to pick any prize I wanted. I chose the bear because it reminded me of you."

Ananya’s heart melted at his words. She couldn’t believe how sweet and thoughtful he was, even in the smallest of things. She reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately. "You’re too sweet, Rihaan. I’m glad you had such a good time."

Rihaan grinned, his cheeks flushing with pride at her praise. He continued to show her more photos, each one accompanied by an excited story about the rides he went on, the games he played, and the snacks he tried. Ananya listened intently, her earlier frustrations and pain slowly fading away in the warmth of their shared moment.

As Rihaan chattered on, Ananya couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of contentment. Despite the challenges she faced, despite the stress and pain, moments like these made everything worthwhile. She wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world—these precious, unfiltered moments with Rihaan, where his love and innocence shone through in every word and gesture.

Eventually, as the night grew later and Rihaan began to tire, Ananya gently guided him to lie down beside her. He curled up next to her, resting his head on her shoulder, and she wrapped her arm around him, holding him close.

"Anya," Rihaan murmured sleepily, his voice barely above a whisper. "Are you feeling better now?"

Ananya looked down at him, her heart swelling with love and gratitude. "Yes, Rihaan," she whispered back, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "Thanks to you, I’m feeling much better."

Rihaan smiled, his eyes fluttering closed as he drifted off to sleep, his hand clutching hers in a gentle grip. Ananya lay there, watching him for a while, her own eyes growing heavy with exhaustion. But despite the fatigue, she felt a deep sense of peace.

As sleep finally claimed her, Ananya’s last thought was one of gratitude—for the soup, for the photos, but most of all, for Rihaan and the joy he brought into her life, even on the darkest of days.

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