Chapter 233 - Let’s start again.

Warning Slightly Mature Content:

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|Innaya|

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Eshan whispered near my lips as his fingers traced meaningless patterns across my stomach. My eyes closed on their own accord, feeling his face being so close to me. Also, his butterfly-like touch, trailing across my skin as the dragonfly skims across the water, created ripples of exhilaration.

"Innaya?" Eshan skimmed his nose on the side of my face, rather enjoying my helpless condition of putting me a spot where I was losing my ability to think. I could think about nothing else but Eshan.

"H-huh?"

I lost all the rationality. His closeness did weird things to me. Locked in such confined space, unable to move much because of the swollen ankle, and rendered speechless because of his advances… I forgot to speak.

My voice, just like the coin thrown in the vast ocean, was lost. I did not even dare to find it, for I knew it was worthless. 

Silent.

Too silent.

The air in the room had turned into some kind of impending pressure, which felt oppressing as well as relieving at the same time.

"Sweetheart. Why are you so silent?" Eshan said again, leaving yet another kiss on my cheek. He chuckled a bit, that low sound of his entered my ears earning a fluttering glance from me.

"Leave it. I'll speak to our child." Eshan caressed my stomach.

Child? 

That broke the spell Eshan was casting with his bewitching voice, and paralyzing actions.

"Child? What child?" From over the clothes I held his wandering hands, stopping them from raking havoc over my consciousness. He knew better than anyone else. I was not pregnant. Why had he brought that topic downstairs? Why was he bringing it again?

Eshan had mentioned that to his mother. And, at that point, she had said that I should abort-." 

No. No. I did not want to think about it. I shook my head, trying to throw that thought, her words out of my memory and mind.

Just thinking about murdering the child which was non-existent, I could not even breathe. The feeling of dread crawled across my body, making me feel the fright that I had felt early. My whole body stiffened.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Eshan withdrew his hands and walked to the front from behind me. Stopping by my side, he then cupped my face. "Are you thinking about Mom's words?" 

I nodded absentmindedly, gripping my stomach as if hiding from the world, even Eshan.

Eshan sucked in a sharp breath on noticing my sudden action. 

"I won't let any harm come to you and our children. Not now, and not in the future. Do you hear me? I won't let any harm touch you. Innaya, trust me." 

Those brown orbs similar to the molten chocolate stared deep in my eyes. Staring intently in the pool of the sincere love they offered, slowly his steadfast feelings regarding the words he spoke broke through the cloud of uncertainty and fear around me.

Eshan squatted before me, his palm going for my stomach. This time, I watched curiously what he wanted to do, without moving my gaze from his face. Hypnotized, I noticed a plethora of emotions flashing across his face.

His eyes twinkled with the excitement of discovering a precious thing. His lips stretched in a wide grin that showed his undisguised happiness. His face shone with gentle tenderness which he did not mask. Was that how he would behave in the future when there would be an actual baby in there? Was he waiting so eagerly for his child?

Just those emotions dancing on his face made me want to fulfill his wish. If having a child meant that I could give him this happiness, then I wanted to do it. For him. For Eshan.

It looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent. Eshan blinked, withdrawing his hand.

"Let's carry on with the task in hand. We can always discuss this matter in the future. We have time." he said, bringing his hands on my shoulders. 

I grasped his hand, coming out of the thoughts of the future. Yes, we could always discuss the matter in the future. I became aware of my state. If he moved his hands a little carelessly, the dress would fall as the zip was undone.

"Can you step out? I need to use the washroom," I said. I needed a moment to calm down my rapidly beating heart. 

Eshan smiled. "Want to send me away?"

I averted my eyes from his face. That was my intention. I could hardly handle this side of his.

His hands trailed on my shoulders, ready to push down the dress hanging on them. I immediately held his hands. "W-what are you doing?"I stammered.

"Was not that you, who said I could see you," he paused deliberately, "without the veil of the clothes."

My mouth dropped in shock. I was transported back to the day he left for his trip. Every small detail of our six month wedding anniversary was etched in my memory. We were so happy that day. On the next day, everything was ruined, as the wheel of time had spun, throwing us in the dark abyss with no return.

"Don't be sad. Let's start again. We'll erase this painful month from our memory. How about, let's say while sending me from our home you slipped on the staircase. Watching you in pain, my heart ached. I couldn't bear to leave you all alone and in pain. So, ignoring all swarming calls, I canceled the business trip at the last moment," Eshan said, his eyes hopeful.

"And, then I took you to the hospital. We quarreled a bit because your HB dropped. You're angry at me for scolding you. Your brother appears to support you and scold me. Returning back, we got a surprise visit from dad and mom. How does it sound?" He raised his eyebrow questioningly. 

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