Author's POV

The hushed whispers and soft giggles reverberated in the KULKARNI BHAWAN.

The dark black blanket was decorated with those enchanting white stones.

A woman with white skin like a swan, long black hair which lay on the couch, sat there — her hands adorned with glass bangles which clicked together, and the anklets were curled around her ankles.

Her fingers ran through the small boy’s hair who lay on the couch, putting his head on her lap while his legs dangled up in the air.

Ashwini's mind was a whirlwind as she thought of the permission she needed to take from her husband.

Four months had passed since their marriage, but she was afraid to ask him if she should take Vardan with her.

Would he agree?

“Mumma,” Vardan twisted suddenly, jumping from the couch and disappearing into one of the rooms.

Ashwini’s brows squinted as she swept her head in Vardan’s disappearing sight.

“Vardan!” A current jolted through Ashwini as she heard the voice.

A man in a crisp white kurta stood at the entrance of the hall, his eyes — unwavering — focused on the door behind which his son had just disappeared.

Ashwini’s payal jingled as she stood up from the couch.

“Daddy, sit beside Mumma,” Vardan’s hushed, loud voice came, and Ashwini sat in her place, rooted, when she saw her husband coming her way.

Amit sat quietly. Ashwini tapped her feet absentmindedly, relentlessly. Her hand fisted her saree on her lap, while her other hand supported her chin as she tried to ignore the presence of a certain someone.

The jingling sound of her anklets vibrated in the silent corridors.

Amit’s hard eyes fell on Ashwini’s feet when they didn't stop after some beats — Ashwini froze.

The pink bloomed on her flushed white cheeks as she caught his eyes.

“Daddy!” The loud voice of their son took both of their attention as their heads turned towards him.

Vardan jumped into Amit's arms, circling his small hands around his neck and kissing his cheeks.

Ashwini’s eyes squinted slightly when she noticed how he ignored her presence — as if he was not the one making plans to melt his father for the permission.

Vardan turned his head to Ashwini, raising his brows a little in order to ask if she had taken the permission or not.

Amit’s eyes swept between the duo. Ashwini's breath hitched as she felt Amit's eyes on her.

“Baba called me today. Bhai — I mean, he will come tomorrow. So can we go there for a few days?” Each word came out in a mere whisper when she uttered her bhai’s name in front of her husband.

Her brother would be the last topic he would want to talk about.

“Offo, Mumma, Daddy will agree!” Vardan chimed in.

“Daddy, I want to meet my fliend,” Vardan’s puppy eyes and that cute pout melted his father's heart.

Ashwini's heart thumped loudly as Amit didn't even glance at her all the while.

She gulped, twisting the edge of her pallu more tightly.

“He is your Nanu, okay? Aur waha jaake kisiko pareshan mat karna.” Amit kissed his son’s cheek while murmuring a silent permission.

Ashwini’s heart jumped in excitement as Vardan quickly jumped out of his father's lap, going towards his mother now.

---

Ashwini gently patted Vardan to sleep while Vardan's head was in the crook of her neck and his hands clutched her stomach tightly.

Ashwini hissed in pain when Vardan’s grip tightened around her stomach. It had happened for the fifth time in recent days that Vardan had gotten a shock in his sleep.

Ashwini ran her fingers through his hair as she pressed a soft, lingering kiss on his forehead.

The door unlocked, and Ashwini gently freed herself from Vardan's grip. She gulped when the sound of footsteps neared her.

She took the pillows from the side and arranged them opposite Vardan.

She knew that Amit would be sleeping here with his son today as they were leaving tomorrow.

She fixed her pallu while turning around — towards the door but —

“Mumma!” Vardan cried in his sleep suddenly, and Amit rushed to his side, sliding into the comforter, gently tapping him to sleep again.

“Mumma will pack your bags, baby. I am here, okay.” Amit whispered while taking Vardan in his arms.

Ashwini turned around, stepping out of the room.

The fabric of the saree rustled when the wind coming from the windows touched her skin.

She unlocked the room which she didn't even enter during the day — only in the morning.

She stepped in. After taking out the moisturizer, she opened her pallu, letting it fall on the floor.

The blood dripped a little from those scratches. Ashwini hissed as she dabbed the moisturizer on them.

The hollow roar of the door reverberated in the eerily silent room, and Ashwini’s breath disappeared from her throat.

Ashwini's eyes widened, and her lips parted when she noticed Amit standing there with Vardan in his arms.

Amit’s eyes dropped to the floor the second he saw her in that state. After inhaling a deep breath, he moved towards his cupboard — not looking up for even a beat.

Ashwini quickly secured her pallu in its place while fixing her messed-up pleats a little.

Ashwini's breath hitched when she caught him coming towards her. She shifted a little.

Her gaze was fixed on the floor, very well aware of the approaching footsteps.

“This moisturizer has not helped for the past four days.” Ashwini's heart hammered wildly in its cage when her gaze landed on the antiseptic cream placed on the dressing table — in front of her.

The door locked with a soft sound, and Ashwini’s hold loosened on her pleats.

She took the antiseptic cream out of its box and applied it gently, while the thought — the thought that her husband noticed how she was unable to treat these marks for four days — swelled her heart.

•°. 🪷*࿐