He barged into the room only to freeze on his spot. His panicked eyes met Jiya’s wide ones. She was feeding her. 

“Fuck! I’m sorry!”

He shut the door just as quickly as he had opened it and banged his head against the wall. How could he forget her being there? Would she think of him as a creep? But he didn’t see anything.

He waited outside the room only and after about 10 minutes, he heard her voice.

“Srish? Aa skte ho ab. She’s fed and awake.”

(You can come inside.)

He took a deep breath and opened the door softly. He didn’t look up and stood at the entrance until he heard her voice.

“I know you didn’t mean to barge in. Darr gye the na?”

(You were scared right?)

His tearful gaze met her sad ones. Both of them missed Varsha too much.

“I thought…something happened…uss din…uss din Varsha bhi aise…I’m sorry.”

(I thought…something happened…that day…that day Varsha also…I’m sorry.)

His voice was a broken whisper. She knew it would take him some time to get out of the trauma. She smiled and patted the now awake baby who was pouting at the ceiling.

“She’s awake.”

He took steps towards her and sat beside her. Little Varsha looked at Srish and cracked a smile. His heart soared and he cried holding her tiny hands and kissing them softly.

“I'm always going to take care of you. Protect you and give me every happiness you deserve. I love you so much princess.”

He promised and she cracked another smile before yawning and slowly drifting into sleep. Srish sat there admiring her. Her features. Small button nose, pink pouty lips, soft rosy cheeks and beautiful brown curls. A carbon copy of her mother.

It was past midnight but Srish couldn’t sleep. His thoughts were wandering. What if she wakes up in the middle of the night? What if she turned in her sleep and fell off and hurt herself? What if something else happens to her?

His trauma with Varsha made him think all kinds of negative thoughts. He knew Jiya was with her but his heart wasn’t at peace. 

‘Just once, I’ll just see her once and make sure that she is fine. Yeah! That’s it.’

He explained himself and got out of bed. Jiya’s sleep got disturbed by a knock on the door.

“Door khula hai Srish.”

(The door is open, Srish.)

The next moment, his head peeked in and he quietly got in the room. 

“Kya hua?”

(What happened?)

She asked and he gulped. He suddenly felt like an idiot for worrying too much and disturbing her sleep.

“Nothing! I just wanted to…check on her.”

He confessed in a small voice. She sighed and sat up.

“She’s fine. So rhi hai Srish.”

(She is sleeping.)

“Right! Sorry! I’ll… umm…I’ll leave.”

He started to turn only to stop hearing her voice.

“Ruko. Yaha aao.”

(Wait. Come here.)

He did as asked and stopped against the bed.

“Leto!”

(Lay down!)

His eyes snapped up to hers and he asked.

“Huh?”

“Leto Srish! Waha nhi so paaoge. Stay with her. Make sure she is safe. And sleep!”

(Lay down, Srish. You won’t be able to sleep there.)

“But…but tum?”

(But…but you?)

“Mai yahi hu. Uss side so jaao.”

(I am here. Lay down that side.)

She pointed on the other side of the bed. Beside Vrishti. Srish looked at her for a minute before nodding. He laid beside Vrishti and kept a light hand on her body. Keeping her close. Feeling her close. Making sure she was safe. 

Jiya smiled and looked at the two for a moment before closing her eyes and letting the exhaustion take over her.

Vrishti was almost 3 months old. It took them some time to get used to the routine. Managing a baby was difficult. Both of them were new to it. But slowly, they were understanding things.

They fell into a routine. Both of them slept in the same room with Vrishti between them. Srish still gets scared if he doesn’t see Vrishti for more than 10 minutes when he’s home. 

Jiya had started working from home. Srish had resumed office. He was back by 9 and after that it was his duty to take care of Vrishti. Apart from feeding her, which he obviously couldn’t do since they were not feeding her anything apart from breastmilk for the first 6 months, everything else was his duty.

Jiya never told, but she too needed a break and some sleep. Vrishti was a demanding baby. And handling work and a newborn wasn’t easy. So, Srish made sure to share the responsibility and give Jiya some break after he returned home.

Plus, he loved her too much. Both of them. Jiya still wasn’t aware about his feelings for her and he doubted that she’d ever get to know on her own.

He was playing with Vrishti who was giggling and laughing at the funny faces and voices that Srish made. One second she was all laughs and giggles and the next, she was bawling her eyes out.

Srish panicked and picked Vrishti in his arms and rocked her in his arms. He saw her trying to latch on him and realised that she was hungry. 

He looked around for Jiya and saw the bathroom door locked. He knocked on the door and yelled.

“Jiya? Jaldi bahar aao! She’s crying! And hungry! And crying! Please come out quickly!”

(Come out quickly!)

Jiya could hear the panic in his voice clearly. She quickly finished her business and came out wiping her hands against her dupatta.

“Kuch nhi hua hai Srish! Calm down! Thoda sa ro legi toh kuch ho nhi jaayega. Every kid cries. Panic krne ki baat nhi hai.”

(Nothing has happened Srish! Calm down! Nothing will happen if she cries a little. Every kid cries. There is no need to panic.)

She explained while taking Vrishti from his arms. The girl cried and cried as if she was being tortured. Srish lowered his head like a kid being scolded and mumbled.

“I don’t like seeing her cry.”

She cracked a small smile and Srish made his way outside leaving her in privacy to feed her.

Jiya came out of the room after 15 minutes, making Vrishti sleep and sat beside Srish who had his head in his palm. She kept her palm on his back and felt him freeze.

“Srish? What’s wrong?”

“I just can’t help being scared all the time, Jiya. Aisa lagta hai ki nazre hataunga aur usse kuch ho jaayega. I miss Varsha so much it hurts.”

(I feel like the moment I take my eyes off her, something will happen.)