He said and she shook her head, getting up. Jiya too looked at him surprised. 

“Nhi! You can’t do this! I can’t let you do this! They’ll get us married. Teri puri life kharab ho jaayegi Srish. I can’t let you suffer for something which is solely my mistake. I can’t-”

(No!...You whole life will be ruined.)

“Since when are the three of us separate Varsha? Ek ki problem hamesha se sabki problem rahi hai na? Toh phir aaj tu akele kyu suffer kregi? Aur koi life kharab nhi ho rhi meri. In fact, ye waqt apni life ke baare mai sochne ka hai bhi nhi. Right now, only the baby is important. Aur agar tune decide kia hai baby ko rakhne ka toh usse protect krna bhi zaruri hai.”

(One’s problem has always been everyone’s problem right? Then why will you suffer alone this time? My life will not be ruined. The time is not about thinking of my life….If you have decided to keep the baby then we also have to keep him safe.)

He spoke and made her sit again. Varsha was still adamant. And he knew why. She knew his feelings. She knew what he felt for her. She had seen him cry for her. 

“Lekin Srish-”

(But Srish-)

“I think he’s right. You have to think about the baby, Varsha.”

Jiya said and Srish gulped looking at her.

“Tell your parents that the baby is mine. Let’s get married. Give birth to the baby and uske baad chahe divorce le lenge. I just want to make sure you and the baby remain safe.”

(Give birth to the baby and we can get divorced after that if needed.)

He spoke softly but Varsha sniffed.

“But what about-”

She started to speak but Srish cut him off knowing very well what she was going to speak.

“Nothing is ever going to happen there. I have accepted that she can never be mine. And that’s not even important right now. Mujhe iske alawa aur kuch nhi samajh aa raha. Tu sochle aaram se. Jo bhi tera decision ho, ye baat yaad rakhiyo ki hum hamesha tere saath hai.”

(I cannot think of anything else right now. You think carefully. Whatever you decision will be, just remember we are together in this.)

He whispered the first two lines only for her to hear, although Jiya too heard but didn’t ponder much at the time. 

“Haan! Aur kabhi khudko akela mat samajhio. Both of us are going to be there throughout. This baby is going to have two mothers.”

(Yes! Never think of yourselves as alone.)

Jiya promised and Varsha hugged her feeling extremely emotional.

And that was how Srish and Varsha got married. Her parents created a lot of drama and even tried to hit her but Srish and Jiya stood in front of her like walls. Varsha had shifted to Srish’s house and was slowly getting used to the pregnancy.

The baby was healthy and the delivery was expected to be normal. Even Jiya’s delivery was expected to be normal. Both the women were being pampered by Jiya’s family and Srish’s family.

Both of their families adored the three of them. It was only Varsha whose parents were always against her. They never wanted a girl child and had always looked down on Varsha since she was a child. But Srish and Jiya’s families made sure that she got the love she didn't get from her parents.

Srish rushed to the hospital when he received Jiya’s sister’s call saying that she went into labour. Varsha waddled behind him as quickly as her swollen belly allowed.

They saw Jiya’s sister and her husband pacing outside the delivery ward and Jiya’s screams from inside. 

“Thank God you guys are here. Mujhe bhut darr lag raha hai.”

(I was so scared.)

Varsha held her sister’s hand and smiled.

“Relax di! Sab thik hoga. Don’t worry. She is a fighter. And doctors ne bhi toh healthy delivery batai hai na. Everything will be fine. Aap bas mumma banne ki taiyari kro.”

(Everything will be fine….And doctors also said healthy delivery….You prepare to become a mother.)

Jyoti nodded but her eyes were still filled with concern. Varsha then looked at Srish who had his fists clenched. She couldn’t even imagine how he must be feeling. She had seen the man cry for that woman inside. 

She had seen him silently love her from afar since always. Jiya still doesn’t know the real reason why he hadn’t attended her wedding with Arnesh. She thought that he couldn’t get a flight back home from his meeting abroad. 

What she didn’t know was that the meeting and the excuse were both a sham. How could he see her marrying someone else and be okay with it. So he didn’t. He just cried all night. Cursing himself for not taking action earlier. 

Thinking about all the what ifs and crying at his fate. He had stood strong seeing her so broken and crying for her dead husband. He still sees her so much in love with her dead husband that she swore to never get married again.

Varsha clutched Srish’s hand and unclenched his fists.

“She’ll be fine.”

“I know.”

“You should tell her how you feel. Get it off your chest.”

She said and Srish looked at her. 

“You are asking your husband to confess his feelings for someone else.”

She rolled her eyes at his teasing tone and said.

“Stop pretending like we are actually a couple. Mai ulti kr dungi.”

(I will vomit.)

Srish chuckled and held her close. He then sighed and whispered.

“I can’t Varsha. I just can’t. She is still in love with Arnesh and… I don’t want to ruin the bond that we have. The only thing that I can do is… live with it. And deal with it on my own.”

He smiled sadly. Before Varsha could say something else, they heard another voice from the delivery ward. The voice of a baby crying. All of their eyes teared up. The nurse came out with the baby wrapped in a soft cotton cloth.

“Congratulations! It’s a boy. Baby aur mother dono bilkul healthy hai.”

(Baby and mother both are healthy.)

She said, handing over the baby in Jyoti’s waiting arms. The woman broke down looking at the little human. Her husband held her back and the two cried seeing their baby for the first time.

“Congratulations di-jiju!”

Srish whispered while Varsha silently sobbed seeing the beautiful baby. One day, she was going to hold her own baby in her arms like that.

Jiya was conscious a few hours later. She was huddled by everyone. The atmosphere was very happy and cheerful.

“Aap sab ab please bahar wait kriye. Baby ki first feed ka time hai.”

(All of you please wait outside. It’s time for the baby’s first feed.)

The nurse returned and everyone disbursed one by one. Jyoti too started to leave but Jiya held her back.