A Loveless Arranged Marriage Chapter 13. Double Surprise

  Previously, we saw that Rishi presented Deepa with an admission form from Srikanth Academy for UPSC examination coaching as a birthday gift. Deepa initially tried to reject it, but later accepted it. The next day, Deepa resigned from her job and enrolled at Srikanth Academy for UPSC examination coaching. On March 31, she attended her first class at Srikanth Academy, where she befriended Christy. Some days later, at Arvind’s house, Shahina was searching for a pregnancy kit. Let’s see what happens next.

  After Shahina found the pregnancy kit, she went to the bathroom. While she was in the bathroom, Arvind waited anxiously in the hall for the result. After 5 minutes, Shahina came out of the bathroom. When Arvind saw her, he asked, "Hey Shahina, what happened?" Shahina replied, "Hmm, how can I say this, Arvind?" He said, "Hey, don’t make me nervous. Just tell me what the result is." She handed him the pregnancy kit and said, "You can see for yourself." When Arvind looked at the pregnancy kit, he saw two pink lines.

  Seeing this, Arvind was overjoyed. Nervously, he asked, "Hey Shahina, does this mean you’re..." Shahina nodded her head in confirmation. Arvind, filled with happiness, hugged her and kissed her forehead. Shahina then said, "I’m finally pregnant; we’re going to become parents." Arvind pulled her away and said, "Let’s go to the hospital right now." Shahina replied, "Yes, I was about to suggest that."

  They headed to the hospital. On the way, Shahina informed her manager, "Hello, sir, I need a half-day leave. I’ll be available in the office after lunchtime... I’m going for a check-up right now... Thank you, sir, goodbye." She ended the call. Arvind then asked her, "Hey Shahina, call Rishi and put the phone on speaker. I need to inform him about my half-day leave." Shahina called Rishi and put the phone on speaker. Rishi answered the call and asked, "Hey Shahina, what’s going on?" Arvind replied, "Hey, it’s me, Rishi." Rishi responded, "Hey Arvind, where are you?" Arvind said, "Hey Rishi, I need a half-day leave. I’ll be back in the office after lunchtime." Rishi asked, "Can you tell me why?" Arvind replied, "I’m going to the hospital right now." Rishi, shocked, asked, "Hey, is everything okay?" Arvind said, "I’ll explain later." Rishi responded, "Okay, fine. Try to get back to the office as soon as you can." With that, Rishi ended the call.

  After that, they both reached the hospital. After waiting in the lobby for an hour, they entered the doctor's office. The doctor took both a urine and blood sample from Shahina. After the urine test, the doctor confirmed that Shahina was pregnant. She said, "Ok, Shahina, it may be your fourth or fifth week of pregnancy, so please be cautious." Shahina replied, "Sure, doctor." The doctor added, "You can collect your report in two days." Shahina responded, "Hmm, fine." After that, they both left the hospital and got into their car. While in the car, Arvind asked Shahina, "Hey Shahina, I want to celebrate this moment. Where should we go? I'll leave it up to you." Shahina replied, "Hmm, I'm feeling a bit hungry. Can we head to a restaurant?" Arvind smiled and said, "Ok, as you wish, Your Highness." They both headed to a nearby restaurant.

  At the restaurant, Shahina ordered chocolate ice cream, a samosa, and pomegranate juice, while Arvind only ordered a lime juice. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant. While walking to the car, Arvind asked her, "Are you satisfied now?" Shahina replied, "Hmm, it's okay, but I still feel like eating something sour." Arvind looked at her, and she said, "Don’t look at me like that; it's just pregnancy cravings." Arvind laughed and said, "Ok, I'll buy something for you later." After that, they got into the car. On the way, Arvind stopped to buy some sweets. Afterward, they continued driving to Shahina’s office.

  When they arrived, Arvind dropped Shahina off. As she was leaving, Arvind said, "Hey Shahina, from now on, I'll pick you up and drop you off at the office." Shahina smiled and replied, "What sudden care!" Arvind said, "Sudden care? How many times have I offered to pick you up? You always said our office times are different." Shahina chuckled and said, "Hey, I was just kidding. Ok, bye," and she entered her office.

  After some time, Arvind reached his office, just as lunchtime was starting. He went to the canteen and met his colleagues, where he gave them all peda (an Indian sweet). Rishi asked him, "What’s going on, Arvind? Giving us all sweets?" Arvind replied, "Wait, I’ll tell you," as he handed out the sweets. After distributing them, he announced Shahina’s pregnancy. Everyone was happy for him and congratulated him. Akshaya then asked, "Hey Arvind, how many weeks is she pregnant?" Arvind replied, "Around 4 or 5 weeks, according to the doctor." Akshaya said, "Oh, please remind Shahina to be cautious. The first three months are critical, as miscarriages are more common during this period."

  Arvind asked, "Hmm, okay. What else happens during pregnancy?" Akshaya explained, "During the early stages, women tend to get very hungry. Their sense of smell becomes heightened, so they might no longer tolerate certain odors. Also, women can experience bleeding in the uterus and vomiting. There are many things; you should refer to some books." After hearing this, Rishi chimed in, "So, did you experience these symptoms too?" Akshaya replied, "Yes, it was a tough time for me. And at that time, Kathir didn’t know what to do, so I often called my mom for advice."

  While they were talking, Sunny couldn’t understand the conversation due to the language barrier. He said, "Hey guys, at least speak in English. I can’t follow what you’re saying. Look, Ibrahim’s silent too because of this language barrier." Arvind replied, "Alright, we’ll speak in Hindi." After that, lunchtime ended, and they headed back to work. On the way, Rishi informed Deepa over the phone about Shahina’s pregnancy, and they both decided to visit Arvind’s house after Rishi's work.

  A few hours later, when Rishi’s workday ended, he went home, picked up Deepa, and they both headed to Arvind’s house. When they arrived, Arvind was surprised and said, "Hey Rishi, you didn’t tell me you were coming!" Rishi grinned and said, "I didn’t tell you because it’s a surprise!" Arvind laughed and replied, "If you’d told me earlier, we could have prepared something for you and Deepa. But no worries, we’ll make something now." After some light conversation, Arvind and Shahina started cooking.

  Once the food was ready, they were about to have dinner when Arvind said to Rishi, "Hey Rishi, I’m going to have some alcohol. Would you keep me company?" Rishi replied, "You know I don’t drink," to which Arvind said, "I know, I’m just asking for your company. You can have some juice." Rishi smiled and said, "Alright, I’m fine with that."

  While heading to the balcony, Shahina asked Arvind, "Hey Arvind, are you really going to have alcohol tonight?" Arvind smiled and said, "It’s been two months, dear; please let me have some this time." Shahina sighed and replied, "Okay, fine, but don’t come into the bedroom tonight." Arvind chuckled and said, "Hmm, alright." Meanwhile, Deepa asked Rishi, "Hey Rishi, do you drink alcohol?" Rishi replied, "No, I’m just giving him company, nothing more." Deepa nodded and said, "Hmm."

  Rishi and Arvind then went to the balcony, where Rishi had orange juice while Arvind sipped his drink. Inside, Shahina reassured Deepa, "Don’t worry about Rishi; he’s not into alcohol." Deepa replied, "Hmm, but does Arvind drink often?" Shahina answered, "Yeah, but only in moderation." Deepa said, "Oh, I see," and the two women started having dinner.

  Meanwhile, on the balcony, as Arvind drank, he said to Rishi, "You know, today I feel like my life is complete. I have a caring partner, a good job, a home, and soon a baby. Everything feels perfect." Rishi nodded and said, "Hmm." Arvind continued, "But I still miss my family. When I found out about Shahina’s pregnancy, I was so happy, but at the same time, I couldn’t stop thinking about my mom and dad. I know they would be happy for me, and that’s what makes me sad."

  Rishi responded, "Don’t worry, one day they’ll accept you and Shahina. At least your sister is still in touch with you. Share the news with her; I’m sure she’ll be happy." Arvind sighed and said, "It’s been three months since we’ve spoken. She doesn’t even reply to my messages anymore. I don’t know what’s going on. But Rishi, the only thing that has ever made me and Shahina sad is our parents’ disapproval. We don’t show it, but we feel the weight of it. Some nights, I hear Shahina crying because she misses her parents, though she never talks about it with me."

  Rishi reassured him, "Don’t worry; things will change someday. For now, let’s just enjoy this moment." After finishing their drinks, they had dinner. Once done, Rishi and Deepa headed back home.

   Five months passed, and during that time, many things happened in Rishi and Deepa's lives. They celebrated Eid with Arvind and Shahina, and one day, when Deepa was late returning from the coaching center due to heavy rain, Rishi went to pick her up. Deepa began to excel at her coaching center, gaining recognition for her knowledge, and many other events filled their days. Yet, despite everything, their relationship remained strictly platonic.

  Then came September 12th, Rishi’s birthday. The sky was heavy with clouds, blocking the sunlight like defenders in a Kabaddi match, preventing the raider from reaching the midline. Rishi followed his usual routine, waking up and heading out for his morning jog. Afterward, he heard Deepa’s voice coming from her room, so he quickly made her a cup of tea. Entering her room, he noticed books scattered across the bed while Deepa was reading the newspaper. He handed her the tea, saying, "Here’s your tea, Deepa." She looked up and smiled, "Thank you, and happy birthday, Rishi!" He replied with a simple "Thanks," and added, "Okay, carry on with your studies," before turning to leave.

  Just as he was about to exit the room, Deepa called after him, "Hey Rishi, I want a treat from you!" Without turning back, he said, "Okay," and went to the balcony to do some exercises.

  Later, Deepa was leaving for her coaching center. She waved goodbye to Rishi before heading out. Rishi, too, left for work, stopping by a temple on his way to his office. At work, his colleagues greeted him with birthday wishes. In the afternoon, Deepa helped her classmates with their studies before packing her bags at 1:45 p.m. Christy, one of her classmates, asked, "Sis, you’re leaving early today?" Deepa smiled and said, "Yes, I’ve got some work today. You keep studying. Bye!" With that, she left the coaching center.

  As day turned to night, Rishi headed to the parking lot to get his car when Arvind approached him. "Hey Rishi, can you drop me home? My car’s at the service center." Rishi agreed, "Sure, no problem." Arvind then added, "Also, can we pick up Shahina from her office?" Rishi nodded, "Consider it done."

  About 25 minutes later, they arrived at Shahina’s office. Shahina, now in her 27th week of pregnancy, greeted Rishi with a "Happy birthday!" as she got into the car. Her belly had become more noticeable, and Rishi exchanged a warm smile with her before they headed towards Arvind and Shahina’s home.

  On the way, Arvind asked Rishi to take a right turn. Confused, Rishi said, "Hey Arvind, shouldn’t we take the second right for your residence?" Arvind replied, "I know, but I need to buy some medicine for Shahina. There’s a pharmacy nearby; just drive there." Following Arvind’s directions, Rishi continued to drive, eventually stopping when instructed. However, when he looked around, there was no medical shop in sight—only an orphanage.

  Perplexed, Rishi asked, "Where’s the medical shop?" Arvind smiled and said, "It’s on the next street." Rishi, still puzzled, asked, "Then why did you ask me to stop here?" Arvind glanced at Shahina before replying, "We have some work here at the orphanage. Please wait for us outside; we’ll be back in five minutes." With that, Arvind and Shahina headed into the orphanage, leaving Rishi waiting in the car.

  As they disappeared inside, Rishi’s thoughts raced. "This is strange. Is Arvind planning some sort of surprise? But no, he’s usually upfront about everything. If he wanted to surprise me, he’d have done it earlier in the day." Still, a hint of curiosity lingered as he waited for them to return.

 After waiting outside for a few minutes, Rishi's phone rang—it was Arvind. "Rishi, come inside the orphanage," Arvind said. Rishi's suspicions were growing, but he followed Arvind’s instructions, curious about what was happening. As he stepped into the orphanage, he began searching for Arvind, but instead, a child stopped him. With a smile, the child handed Rishi a rose and pointed towards a door. Rishi tried calling Arvind again, but there was no answer. So, he followed the child’s direction and opened the door.

  To his surprise, the room was filled with children, each holding a rose. As soon as Rishi entered, they all wished him a happy birthday in unison. He was overwhelmed with gratitude, accepting the roses from the children one by one. As he looked around the room, he noticed familiar faces: Deepa, Arvind, Shahina, Akshaya, Ibrahim, and Sunny were all present.

  The celebration kicked off, and Rishi's heart was full of joy. They spent the evening celebrating with the children, sharing laughter and happiness. After the birthday festivities, they served food to the children in the orphanage. While the children were enjoying their meal, Rishi turned to Arvind and said, "Hey Arvind, thanks for this surprise. I really didn’t expect this." Arvind smiled and replied, "If you want to thank anyone, it should be your wife. It was all her idea; we just helped bring it to life."

  Shocked, Rishi turned to Deepa, "Did you plan this?" She nodded, smiling softly. He responded, "Thank you. This is the best surprise I’ve ever had." Deepa smiled and said, "You're welcome, Rishi. This is what I love to do—celebrate by bringing joy to others. Just look at the happiness on the children's faces. Nothing in the world can beat that." Rishi, feeling reflective, added, "Also, thanks for something else." Deepa raised an eyebrow, "For what?" He replied, "I’ve been earning for seven years now, and not once did I think about donating. I had no idea it could feel so fulfilling. From now on, I’m going to donate part of my salary to this orphanage every month." Deepa beamed, "That’s wonderful, Rishi. Keep it up."

  After the celebration, everyone began to leave. As Rishi and Deepa prepared to head home, Arvind and Shahina were going in a different direction. Rishi called out, "Hey, Arvind, where are you two off to?" Arvind grinned and replied, "I’m going to get my car." Rishi, confused, reminded him, "But you said your car was at the service center." Arvind chuckled, "That was a lie, my brother. I asked Ibrahim to bring my car here so I could get you to the orphanage. Mission accomplished—now, see you later!" With a wave, Arvind and Shahina headed home.

  As Rishi and Deepa drove back, Rishi laughed, "I never imagined Arvind would lie like that! And Shahina, too, acting like she didn’t know anything. Even Akshaya, Ibrahim, and Sunny played along so well." Deepa chuckled, "It was all part of the plan to surprise you." Rishi smiled, "Still, Deepa, thank you for everything today." She replied with a sigh, "That’s the third time you’ve thanked me today." Rishi smiled warmly, "Because it really was a unique surprise. Every year, I celebrate with friends, but this... this was special. All thanks to you."

  Deepa smiled and shook her head, "Alright, but no more ‘thank yous’ now." They arrived home, both feeling content with the day, and retired to their rooms to rest.

  And that’s how this chapter ends. Stay tuned to find out what happens next!