The Accidental Match

V

♪♫ Yeh moh moh ke dhaage,

Teri ungliyon se jaa uljhe,

Koi toha toha na laage,

Kis tarha girha ye suljhe,

Hai rom rom ek taara,

Jo baadalon mein se guzre,

Yeh moh moh ke dhaage,

Teri ungliyon se jaa uljhe...♪♫

________________________

His mother didn't come back after that fiasco three months before. Maybe because Adira had made a visit to her to give her the implications of the threat she gave.

She didn't hear from her uncle or his family. She only got the property papers of the house, signed in her name.

A month ago when they came, Viaan had asked why was that house so important to her and she gave him the simple truth. It was her parents' home. They built it for her and she had spent her childhood there—it had too many memories of her parents to let it go.

They had discussed and decided to renovate it from the outside and turn it into a vacation house for the family. Its location on the outskirts of the city also helped with the idea.

Adira came out of her thoughts when she heard a scream. "Ahhhh!!!"

She ran out of her room when she heard Meera's scream. She reached the living room and saw Meera clutching her belly with a pained expression as Siya ran toward her with worry written on her face.

Meera was in labour.

Adira ran toward Meera and somehow managed to get her out of the house and inside the backseat of her car with Siya.

"Siya, call someone! Papa, chacha (Uncle), anyone! And put them on speaker." She told the girl while driving as she gave her a phone.

In a minute, Armaan's voice echoed inside the car and a panicked Adira told him about the situation. Armaan hung up after assuring them that he would reach the hospital as soon as possible.

Armaan and Viaan had gone to their respective offices for some work and Veer had stayed at home but ten minutes before the labour Meera had demanded black current ice cream so Veer went to get that and Rivaah would return tomorrow, around noon, from her book signing event.

"Deep breaths, Bhabhi, take deep breaths! Just a few more minutes, we're almost there." She reassured; to Meera or herself she didn't know.

They reached the hospital and Meera was taken to the ICU. Armaan had called in the hospital so everything was ready for her beforehand.

Adira took Siya in her embrace—calming the girl—and said sweet nothings to her.

Almost fifteen minutes later, the Singhania brothers reached. Veer looked dishevelled, Armaan was calm but his eyes expressed his worry and Viaan had a blank face as he looked at Adira.

One look at Viaan had Adira tearing up, all the demons she had put at bay till now, surfaced. Viaan understood how difficult it was for her—to watch Meera and to relive her own horrors.

He realized her brain had taken her back in time when she lost her child.

In two strides Viaan was beside her and she broke down as soon as he took her in his arms.

"Bhabhi—" she tried but couldn't get the words out.

"It's alright. She's alright—they both are. And you're alright too. Nothing will happen to them, Ira." Viaan's voice was soft; gentle as if she would break if he talked a pitch higher.

It took some time but Adira calmed down and trusted that Meera and the baby were safe.

After almost five hours, the doctors came out with a smile.

"Congratulations! It's a boy!"

⪡▪⪢

"How are you feeling?" Viaan asked.

It had been an hour since they came back from the hospital. Veer had insisted on being the one who stayed with Meera and others didn't argue knowing Meera needed him there with her.

Adira had tucked Sia in bed as Armaan was on a call with Rivaah; giving her the good news.

"I'm fine." She said while putting lotion on her hands as they were getting ready to sleep.

"You almost had a panic attack, Ira." He said calmly from the edge of the bed where he was sitting.

She had started liking each other in the past few months. She loved his attentiveness, care, and smiles.

She took a look at him and went toward him with a smile. "Exactly, almost. You were there for me, Viaan."

He took her hand and tugged her forward. She stumbled and dropped on his lap as he snaked his arms around her waist. "I don't want you to live like this. One incident and it triggered your bad memories."

She cupped his face in her hands and touched her forehead with his. "I'm fine. I swear."

"I know I'm no one to make a decision but please, see a therapist. It might help overcome your fear and traumas."

They had been talking about this for a while now. Viaan had suggested Adira go for therapy but she had refused saying she was fine. But Meera's incident showed them that she was nowhere close to fine. She still had unhealed wounds that needed to be treated.

Adira sighed. She knew what he was saying was right. "First, you're not no one; you're my husband and you have every right to put your advice and opinions forward or tell me when I'm doing something wrong. And second, I will go for the therapy. I would take trial sessions and if I think it's helping only then I will continue with it."

Viaan gave her a charming smile. "Done, Mrs. Singhania."

"Now hug me, will you?"

Viaan chuckled and embraced her in a long, warm hug.