“I…I knew about her…since a month before we filed our divorce.”

He looked at her for two complete seconds before asking.

“What?”

“I’ll tell you everything, Dev. Please mujhe bas thoda time dedo. Just two days. Until she gets discharged.”

(Just give me some time.)

He didn’t say anything and looked ahead.

“And Dev…please don’t…don’t tell anyone else…about Devi…atleast not until I tell you everything.”

“You hid my daughter from me and now you want me to keep her hidden from my parents?”

He asked with disbelief. She closed her eyes, knowing how it sounded.

“Please Dev. Just two days. Please.”

“Fine. But once that is over. I am taking her home with me.”

This time, she looked at him surprised. Take her with him? Was he going to take her custody from her? 

He marched off, away from her and she sat there scared. She had no idea how long she sat there, fearing him taking Devyanshi away from her.

She only came out of her thoughts when she got her mother’s call.

“Kaha hai tu Ashu? Devi puchh rhi hai tujhe.”

(Where are you Ashu? Devi is asking about you.)

“Aa rhi hu mumma.”

(I am coming mumma.)

Taashi hadn’t realised she had been crying. She wiped her tears and walked back to the room. 

Devyanshi was sitting on Devyansh’s lap and sipping juice with a straw.

“Ye kaha se aaya?”

(Where did this come from?)

“Doctor ne dia hai. Energy milegi thodi.”

(Doctor gave it. It will give her some energy.)

Her mother answered and Taashi caressed Devyanshi’s hair, making the girl look at her with her innocent wide eyes. 

She finished her juice and passed the glass to Taashi with a wide, proud grin. Taashi chuckled and kissed her head.

Since she was sitting on Devyansh’s lap, that made Taashi bend close to him and she got a whiff of his cologne as she kissed Devyanshi’s head.

Taashi tried not to pay attention to his masculine scent and kept looking at Devyanshi instead. The little girl raised her arms and motioned Taashi to pick her up.

Her IV was out and she was free to move. Taashi picked her up and patted her back as Devyanshi kept her head on her mother’s shoulder and sighed in relief.

Devyansh was lost in his thoughts looking at the two. There were times when he dreamed of the exact scene. His wife and his child. 

Only right now, one of them was his. She wasn’t his wife. 

“Mummy. Aap log ghar chale jaao. Aaram kro. Mai hu yaha.”

(You go home. Get some rest. I am here.)

“Mai ruk jaata hu beta. Akeli kaise sambhalegi tu?”

(I will stay beta. How will you manage alone?)

Her father said. Before Taashi could reply, Devyansh intervened.

“Aap log chale jaaiye aaram se. Mai hu yaha.”

(You go home without any worries. I am here.)

Devyanshi pulled back with a whiplash and looked at Devyansh with a wide grin.

“Aap lukoge?”

(You will stay?)

Her eyes were bright with excitement. Devyansh felt his heart melt. He kissed her little palms and said.

“Agar meri princess kahegi toh zarur rukunga.”

(If my princess wants then yes.)

“Haan! Mumma! Papa lukenge!”

(Yes! Mumma! Papa will stay!)

Taashi smiled and nodded. Her parents nodded too and took their leave. Devyansh saw them out.

He touched their feet out of respect. Her father looked at him solemnly.

“Mai jaanta hu aur samajh skta hu ki aapko bhut si shikayatein hongi. Bhut sawaal honge. Jaayaz bhi hai. Bas itna kahungi ki….aasaan nhi tha uske liye bhi. Wo faisla lena. Par usse apne bache aur apne pyaar mai se kisi ek ko chunna pada. Apne sawaal puchnna, shikayatein rakhna par usko samajhna bhi. Uski muskaan ke peeche wo aanson dekhe hai maine.”

(I know and understand you must have a lot of complaints. A lot of questions. That is reasonable. I will just say…it wasn’t easy for her also. Taking that decision. But she had to choose between her love and her child. Ask your questions, keep your complaints, but also understand her. I have seen the tears behind her smile.)

He joined his hands and left with tears glistening in his eyes. Devyansh stood outside the door, absolutely confused. 

He entered the room to ask her about what her father meant but stopped short, seeing her cuddled on the bed with Devyanshi clutched to her side. 

He didn’t move. He just kept looking at the two. There was no doubt she was a perfect mother to Devyanshi. 

And looking at them, he questioned himself. Could he be the father Devyanshi deserved? He didn’t know. What he knew was that he would give his life to make sure she never feels the absence of anything in her life.

A loud voice came from the adjacent room. Taashi woke up and patted Devyanshi’s back as she stirred and clutched her mother tighter in her sleep.

Taashi looked around confused. Her gaze fell on Devyansh and she asked about the sound while continuing to pat Devyanshi back into sleep.

“It was from the next room.”

Taashi sighed and looked at the little girl, now deep in sleep. She carefully detangled herself and placed a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead, before getting out of the bed.

She then stretched herself. It was a really tiring day. She saw Devyansh look at her with an unwavering gaze and she looked around nervously.

It was the first time in so many years that the two were truly alone. 

“Umm…she’s umm…she’s asleep. She doesn’t wake up at night. A deep sleeper. You can…leave if you want to.”

She didn’t want him to. But she wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay anywhere close to her.

“My daughter wants me to stay. I am staying.”

Taashi nodded and took her place on the two-seater sofa placed in the room. She rested her head back and closed her eyes to give them some rest. 

But she was so exhausted that she was out in no time. Devyansh kept looking at her. Her head kept falling down to one side, making her jerk it right back.

He sat beside her and wordlessly pushed him arm under her neck, giving her the support and she dozed off peacefully.

Taashi woke up to consistent knocking on the door. She stirred in her sleep and the first thing she saw was Devyansh’s neck. She looked up to see him sleeping peacefully. His head rested back on the sofa.

Her head was on his arm and her legs dangling over his thigh. Somehow, she had scooted over his in her sleep. One of her arms dangling loosely around his waist.

She didn’t want to look away or move away. But the knock came again. She realised that he must have locked the door before sleeping. 

She got off of him very carefully. Thankfully, he was a deep sleeper. She unlocked the door and saw a nurse.