It had been three days since Aditya and Pallavi discovered that she was pregnant.
The news had filled both of them with overwhelming emotions and they had immediately shared it with their families. Everyone was overjoyed, especially their parents, who could not stop talking about the arrival of the first grandchild.
Pallavi had insisted on traveling to Chennai to meet everyone in person but Aditya firmly refused the idea. No matter how much she argued, he convinced her that traveling during the early stages of pregnancy would not be safe for her health and even the baby.
From the moment he learned about the pregnancy, Aditya treated Pallavi like a fragile glass doll.
Every small thing terrified him.
That afternoon, Pallavi sat comfortably on the couch, her eyes fixed eagerly on the main door. Their families would arrive any moment and excitement was clearly visible on her face.
Meanwhile, Aditya was busy dry-mopping the floor for the third time, making sure there wasn’t even a tiny drop of water anywhere.
“Why don’t you just buy a microscope and inspect the floor?” Pallavi teased him.
Aditya shot her a warning glare before walking towards the bathroom to inspect that area as well.
“This is a bathroom, keeping it dry twenty-four hours a day is practically impossible.” he muttered under his breath while wiping the floor again.
After ensuring the bathroom floor was safe, he returned to the kitchen while Pallavi sat nervously biting her nails, glancing repeatedly between the main door and the kitchen.
Aditya walked towards her carrying a glass of fresh juice and sat beside her, resting one arm protectively behind her on the couch.
“Pavi, drink this juice, baby,” he said gently.
Pallavi immediately pouted and turned her face away from him dramatically.
“Don’t talk to me. You should have gone to the airport to receive our family.” she complained.
Aditya chuckled softly before holding her chin and kissing the tip of her nose.
“Baby, I booked a car for everyone, remember? There wouldn’t even be space for me inside. Do you want your husband to run behind the car all the way home?” he said patiently.
Pallavi instantly shook her head seriously, making him smile. He slowly helped her finish the juice before glancing towards the kitchen to make sure Rani was busy cooking.
Once he confirmed she wasn’t looking, Aditya gently held Pallavi’s chin and kissed her softly. Pallavi instantly melted into the kiss while Aditya lovingly caressed her cheek.
“Stop stressing about everything. I know you are excited to meet everyone, but right now I only want you to focus on your health and our baby.” he whispered softly against her forehead.
“You and our baby are my entire life, Pavi. After what the doctor said about your weakness, I can’t take even the smallest risk. Please understand me.” his voice grew more emotional.
Pallavi’s expression softened immediately. She leaned against his shoulder and intertwined their fingers.
“I’ll take care of both of us,” she assured him gently.
At that exact moment, the sound of a car horn echoed outside the gate. Pallavi immediately stood up in excitement, but Aditya quickly caught her hand and silently reminded her to walk slowly.
Together, hand in hand, they stepped outside. The moment their families entered through the gate, emotions overflowed instantly. One by one, everyone hugged Pallavi and Aditya warmly, showering them with blessings and excitement.
Aditya could clearly see how emotional both families were about welcoming their first grandchild.
But amidst all the happiness, he also noticed the complicated emotions flickering in Pallavi’s father’s eyes… happiness mixed with fear and worry for his daughter. Everyone entered the house while Rani greeted them warmly and served coffee.
“Rani, thank you so much for taking care of our children,” they said emotionally and Rani smiled shyly at the affection.
“It might become difficult for all of us to stay in this house together. I’ll book rooms in a nearby hotel. We can spend the entire day together here and return there at night.” Pallavi’s father said thoughtfully.
Before anyone else could respond, Aditya spoke up immediately.
“Uncle, I already spoke to the house owner. He agreed to let us use the house next door for a few days. It’s already cleaned and ready, so all of you can stay there comfortably.” he said while handing over a set of keys.
Everyone looked at him pleasantly surprised while Pallavi smiled proudly at how thoughtfully he had arranged everything beforehand.
Everyone walked to the house next door and Aditya unlocked it for them. The place had already been cleaned and arranged comfortably, making the elders visibly relieved.
“Refresh and come over for lunch,” Aditya said warmly.
Pallavi immediately insisted on staying back with her family and after listing a dozen careful instructions and warnings, Aditya reluctantly agreed before stepping outside. Pallavi’s father quietly followed him.
Once they were far enough from the others to speak privately, Pallavi’s father let out a heavy sigh.
“Uncle, I think we should’ve told aunty about Pallavi’s condition earlier. She wouldn’t have pressured Pallavi about having children immediately. Pavi stopped taking the tablets because of her words.” Aditya said and pain crossed the older man’s face instantly.
He cursed their situation silently while Aditya explained everything the doctors had told him regarding the pregnancy, the risks and the precautions they needed to take. For a long moment, both men stood in silence.
“I think aunty deserves to know the truth now. She should understand Pallavi’s condition properly. I don’t want anyone overwhelming her with too much excitement or carelessness.” Aditya said seriously.
Pallavi’s father slowly nodded. “I’ll speak to her once we return to Chennai,” he assured him quietly.
A few minutes later, both of them returned to the house. Inside, Deepika and Pallavi were sitting together on the couch laughing softly. Deepika had her palm resting gently on Pallavi’s abdomen.
“Hi, baby, I’m Deepika aunty and I’m definitely going to be your godmother. What will you call me once you start talking? Hmm… let me guess. Call Pallavi ‘mamma’ and call me ‘mommy.’ You are my baby too. I’ll take you away to Chennai and spoil you with all my love.” Deepika cooed with excitement.
But the moment those words left her mouth, Aditya’s jaw tightened instantly. He walked forward and sat beside Pallavi on the opposite side before pulling her gently closer to him.
“My son or daughter will call only Pallavi their mamma, mommy, or mother and our child will stay only with me and my wife.” he said calmly but firmly.
The sudden seriousness in his tone made the atmosphere tense for a second. Pallavi immediately glared at him for being blunt with Deepika, but Aditya simply shrugged unapologetically.
“Uncle, I think Deepika is finally ready for marriage. You should probably start searching for a groom now.” Aditya said teasingly trying to ease the awkwardness.
Everyone chuckled lightly at his words. Pallavi raised her brows curiously at Deepika, but Deepika instantly rolled her eyes in clear refusal, making the family laugh again.
Soon everyone gathered at Aditya and Pallavi’s house. After lunch, Aditya once again picked up the mop and began wiping the floor carefully. The family watched him in complete bewilderment.
“He does this every three hours. He keeps checking if the floor is wet.” Pallavi explained helplessly.
Pallavi’s father immediately took the mop from Aditya’s hand.
“It’s good that he’s being proactive. At least he is making sure she stays safe.” he said supportively while continuing the work himself.
“Aditya, how about sending Pallavi with us to Chennai for a few weeks? We’ll take good care of her. Or maybe you can request a transfer to Chennai?” Pallavi’s mother said but Aditya immediately shook his head.
“Aunty, I understand why you want her with you but I genuinely can’t stay away from her. And getting a transfer immediately isn’t possible. You are always welcome here whenever you want. Don’t worry… I’ll take care of my wife.” he replied respectfully.
Deepika looked towards Pallavi hopefully. “Pallavi, don’t you want to come with us for at least a few days?” she asked softly.
Pallavi instinctively looked at Aditya. The moment their eyes met, Aditya firmly shook his head, silently rejecting the idea.
“Deepi, your brother-in-law will go mad if I leave him alone,” she joked playfully. “And the doctor already said traveling isn’t safe right now.” Pallavi said further and everyone eventually agreed she was right.
Later that night, Pallavi and Deepika sat together watching television while the rest of the family chatted nearby. Aditya finally stepped out of the bedroom after finishing some office work on his laptop.
He walked straight to the kitchen and returned a few minutes later carrying a glass of warm milk along with Pallavi’s medicines.
Without saying a word, he sat beside her, his eyes automatically checking whether she looked tired, uncomfortable, or stressed, the same silent fear constantly lingering inside him despite all the happiness around them.
Deepika quietly watched as Aditya wiped the milk from Pallavi’s lips with his thumb before absentmindedly licking the drop from his finger like a muscle memory and walking back to the kitchen to wash the glass.
There was something so natural and intimate in the way he cared for Pallavi that it left Deepika silent.
A few minutes later, Aditya returned and stood beside the couch.
“Let’s sleep, Pavi,” he said softly.
Pallavi nodded and Deepika immediately took the hint. She wished them good night and returned to the house next door where her parents were staying.
Aditya and Pallavi lay cuddled together while he gently caressed her hair.
“Aadhi, don’t you think we should consider amma’s suggestion? We may manage alone for a few months but once the baby is born, we’ll need our family around us. Even they would want to see the baby every day.” she asked softly.
Aditya remained quiet for a moment before humming softly. “We’ll think about it,” he replied, not wanting to upset her.
The next day passed warmly and peacefully.
Pallavi’s mother, Aditya’s mother and Rani were busy in the kitchen preparing special dishes for Pallavi and the family. Meanwhile, the men sat in the hall watching cricket while Pallavi and Deepika played ludo together.
After an extremely heavy lunch, Pallavi grew sleepy. Aditya immediately closed the bedroom door behind them so she could nap peacefully without anyone disturbing her.
By evening, Aditya and Pallavi’s father decided to step out and buy the street food Pallavi and Deepika had been craving all afternoon. Before leaving, Aditya even messaged Rani reminding her to keep an eye on Pallavi in his absence.
Instead of stopping at a food street, however, Aditya parked his bike in front of a large gated apartment community.
Pallavi’s father looked at him in confusion.
“Uncle, I cannot shift to Chennai immediately. And honestly, Pallavi’s treatment is better coordinated here. She needs regular monitoring from both the gynecologist and neurologist. If we move to Chennai, every single precaution I take for her will be questioned constantly. Here, the doctors already know her complete condition.” Aditya said and Pallavi’s father slowly nodded in understanding.
“But why are we here?” he finally asked while looking at the luxurious apartment building.
Aditya took a deep breath. “The house we are living in right now isn’t safe enough for Pallavi anymore. This apartment has advanced safety features and better interiors. The floors can be fully carpeted. The kitchen has anti-skid flooring. The bathrooms are designed as dry-floor bathrooms. It’s also very close to both the hospital and my office. I’m planning to buy a flat here for us. Before showing it to everyone, I wanted you to know my plans first.” Aditya explained everything carefully.
Pallavi’s father remained silent for a long moment before speaking emotionally.
“Aditya, I’ve trusted every decision you’ve made regarding my daughter’s future so now you must agree to one thing for me.” he said quietly and Aditya looked at him attentively.
“I don’t want you taking a heavy home loan. I’ll give Pallavi’s share from my savings.” Pallavi’s father said and Aditya immediately hesitated but the older man placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with pleading eyes, the eyes of a father who only wanted his daughter safe.
Seeing the pain behind that expression, Aditya finally nodded silently.
The following day, Aditya booked a cab for the entire family and brought everyone to the apartment complex. Holding Pallavi’s hand carefully, he walked ahead while the rest of the family followed behind curiously.
A realtor unlocked one of the flats and stepped aside. The moment Pallavi entered, she froze slightly.
“Pavi, I think it’s time we move into our own home.” Aditya said softly and gently squeezed her fingers.
“This place is close to my office and the hospital. Just look around first before saying no.” he said further and slowly showed her every corner of the apartment.
It was a spacious three-bedroom flat with a large hall and a beautiful modular kitchen. The master bedroom looked elegant and luxurious, almost like a suite from a five-star hotel. Attached to it was a balcony overlooking the landscaped park inside the apartment premises.
Then Aditya opened the bathroom door and Pallavi gasped softly.
The bathroom had a separate shower cubicle, safety rails and completely dry flooring designed to prevent slipping.
“I’ve already asked them to carpet most of the floors. The kitchen has anti-skid flooring and the bathroom is a dry-floor setup.” Aditya explained quietly.
Immediately, Pallavi understood why he wanted this house so badly. Every detail had been chosen only for her safety.
“Aadhi, are you sure about this? What if we relocate to Chennai later? And how will we manage all this with only your salary?” she whispered emotionally.
Before Aditya could answer, Pallavi’s father stepped forward and pointed towards the brochure excitedly.
“I love this home and I want my daughter and son-in-law to live here. No more arguments. Book this flat immediately. I want to relax peacefully knowing my daughter is safe here. And look, there’s even a swimming pool.” he declared firmly.
Everyone laughed softly at his sudden excitement but Pallavi still looked uncertain. Understanding her hesitation, Aditya gently took her to one of the guest rooms and closed the door behind them.
“Pavi, Please agree to this. I want a permanent home for us. Imagine our baby growing up here… My Pavi being the queen of this house.” he whispered softly while cupping her face. His eyes were filled with longing and hope.
Then, like a man trying to convince his entire world, he kissed her forehead, her eyelids, the tip of her nose and finally pressed several soft kisses against her cheeks almost pleadingly.
Before Pallavi could respond, there was a knock on the door. Aditya opened it to find his parents standing outside smiling warmly.
“Aadhi, did you both forget that you are our only son ?” his father said and looked between Aditya and Pallavi lovingly.
“Everything we have will eventually belong to both of you. Book this flat. I’ll arrange the cheque for the full amount. You can use the money from Pallavi’s father to furnish the house and buy everything needed.” Aditya’s father said further.
Before either of them could react, Aditya’s father pulled both his son and daughter-in-law into a tight embrace.
2 comments
Happy chapter, beautiful 😍❤️😍❤️
thank you so much