A familiar warmth enveloped her from behind, and she knew it was Arjun, returning from a long day at work.
“Good evening, babe” his voice was softer than usual, filled with enthuisam.
She leaned back, a small smile gracing her lips. “Welcome back, Arjun. What's got you in such a good mood?”
“Maybe it is. Or maybe, it's the joy of returning home to you, my love"
"Oh, Mr. Romantic, you are in an extra good mood today," she remarked, her curiosity rasing by his sudden change.
As the words left her lips, her mind suddenly realized the underlying motive behind his unusual charming behavior.
With a playful smile, she continued, "Hey wait, are you seeking my approval for a Goa trip with your friends this weekend?"
“Who needs Goa when I have you right here.” he said as he gazed deeply into her eyes.
“Hmm, you seem to have something on your mind.”
His eyes sparkled as he leaned in for a kiss on her forehead.
“Guess,” he whispered.
She paused, a flicker of hope in her eyes. “Hey, wait… any good news about our discussion on having a baby?”
The sparkle in his eyes dimmed and he stepped back, his expression turning serious. “Nikitha…”
"We have talked a lot about this. Why do you bring this up every single time?”
“I know we discussed it before marriage,” her voice carried a tinge of fatigue. “But my feelings have changed. It's something I wanted now.”
His tone softened, but his desicion remained firm. “But my feelings haven't changed. I'm not ready for that step, not now, ever.”
“Arjun…” she began, her heart heavy with unspoken longing.
“Nikitha, you agreed to my decision of not having a baby before, and that's the reason we are married,” His words carried a weight of regret. "Why do you always do this and make me feel guilty?”
She took a deep breath and confessed,“I know we talked about this before we got married, and back then, I was on board with you. But these past five years... they have changed me,"
She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "People change, evolve. We are not the same people we were back then, and we can't ignore that. Decisions we made in the past can be reconsidered if they are not good for both of us."
She explained, her eyes meeting his, silently pleading for understanding in this new chapter of their journey together.
But he held his ground. “But I don’t change. I thought you understood that.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Just imagine a baby for us, Arjun. How beautiful our life could be.”
Her heart ached, but she knew she had to accept his decision.
"We have discussed it enough. I can’t give you what you want. I’m sorry,” He snapped, his words laced with frustration, stroming abruptly towards the bedroom, and with a forceful push, he slammed it shut.
Nikitha's heart weighed heavy. Just then, her phone rang. Her heart sank as she saw her mother-in-law's name flash on the screen.
She took a deep breath and answered the call, bracing herself for the inevitable question about any good news regarding a baby.
"Hello, Aunty," Nikitha greeted her with forced enthusiam.
Her mother-in-law's voice carried an expectation. "Nikitha, any good news? Have you been to the doctor?"
Her throat tightened. "Not yet, Aunty. We are taking things one step at a time."
There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by a sigh. "That's an expected answer. Don't delay too much. We all are waiting for good news."
As Nikitha hung up, a wave of emotions washed over her. She couldn't help but think about the societal pressure on women to have children and how often they were blamed for not fulfilling this expectation.
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