Twisted Hearts – Chapter 29

Pallavi was now six months pregnant and Aditya’s parents had permanently moved in with them since his father had retired from work.

Pallavi’s parents visited once every month and stayed for a few days before returning to Chennai. Deepika, however, had left on the second day after the housewarming ceremony and had never visited Aditya and Pallavi again. Still, she spoke to them over calls on alternate days.

Somewhere deep inside, she had finally decided to keep her distance so she could truly move on with her life and stay firm in her decision. She wanted them to remain happy together, so she buried herself completely in her teaching career.

Meanwhile, Aditya continued focusing on work but Pallavi remained the center of his world.

Even though his parents and Rani were there to care for her throughout the day, Aditya never stopped worrying about her for even a moment.

No matter how much Pallavi insisted that he focus more on his job instead of constantly stressing over her, Aditya never listened.

On the days he had to go to the office, he made sure she had breakfast and took her medicines before leaving home. During lunch breaks, he would call to check whether she had eaten properly and during her afternoon nap, he would contact either his mother or father just to confirm that Pallavi was sleeping peacefully.

On his way back home every evening, he always called her to ask what she wanted to eat and returned carrying her favorite snacks.

That evening, Aditya parked their new car in the basement parking area. They had bought it a month earlier because Aditya no longer wanted Pallavi traveling on a bike during pregnancy.

After greeting his parents with a smile, he walked straight into their bedroom. Pallavi was standing before the mirror gently looking at her growing baby bump.

The soft glow on her face made her look breathtakingly beautiful. Aditya paused at the doorway for a moment just to admire her. Then slowly, he walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting one palm protectively over her stomach.

Pallavi smiled at him through the mirror and leaned back against his chest comfortably.

“Our baby is growing, Aadhi. The bump has become bigger than last week.” she whispered happily while placing her hand over his.

Aditya smiled softly and kissed her bare shoulder since she was wearing a soft single-strap maternity gown.

Her hair was tied into a messy bun, exposing the back of her neck. Unable to resist, he leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss against her nape.

“You look beautiful, wifey,” he murmured lovingly while rubbing his cheek gently against hers.

Pallavi giggled softly and ruffled his hair playfully. Aditya slowly guided her towards the bed, holding her hands carefully before making her sit comfortably.

Then he knelt down before her and pressed a tender kiss against her baby bump before resting his head gently on her lap.

Pallavi lovingly ran her fingers through his hair while Aditya closed his eyes with a contented groan.

“It’s been almost a month since we went out anywhere so tomorrow let’s go watch a movie and have dinner outside. Maybe we can leave early and do some shopping too. I think my wife needs more maternity gowns.” he said softly caressing her stomach and looked up at her with a smile.

Pallavi smiled warmly while continuing to play with his hair. Just then, Aditya suddenly felt a tiny movement beneath his palm and his eyes widened instantly.

“I think we are having a girl,” he declared with a grin and Pallavi blinked in surprise.

“Why do you think so? It could be a little Aadhi too.” she asked amused but Aditya immediately shook his head dramatically.

“No chance. If it were a little Aadhi, we would already be getting strong kicks and nonstop trouble.” he said confidently and gently stroked her bump again.

“But these movements are soft and gentle. I think we are having a cute little Pavi. My little angel is already calm, loving and gentle like her mother.” he said and smiled lovingly.

Pallavi looked at him with complete amazement before bursting into soft laughter at his logic while Aditya continued talking to the baby as though their daughter was already listening to him carefully.

A week later, Aditya and Pallavi arrived at the hospital for her monthly check-up. First, they met the gynecologist for the routine examination and ultrasound scan.

“The baby is healthy and the weight is also good. Continue the medicines. Now, I would like you to meet the neurosurgeon for a few tests,” the doctor said.

Pallavi looked at her in confusion. “Doctor, why the neurosurgeon?” she asked before turning to Aditya, silently urging him to question the doctor further.

“Mrs. Pallavi, I was informed about your accident. Your reports mention that you experienced seizures after the surgery, so it is safer to evaluate your nerves and neurological responses. We only want to ensure that you are fully prepared for the delivery. These are routine tests usually done for women with a history of accidents or seizures,” the doctor explained gently, offering her a reassuring smile.

Aditya led Pallavi out of the room and softly squeezed her hand. “Didn’t you hear the doctor? It’s just a routine test. Nothing to worry about, baby. Come,” he said, trying to calm her.

They reached the neurology department, where the doctor suggested a normal neurological examination along with an Electroencephalogram (EEG), a test commonly done to detect seizures or abnormal brain activity. The doctor explained that it records the electrical activity of the brain and is generally safe during pregnancy.

Pallavi refused to stay alone inside the room and Aditya requested permission to remain beside her during the procedure. The moment the electrodes were fixed to her head, Pallavi started trembling in fear. Aditya immediately held her hand and gently asked her to look only at him. The staff members also reassured her that the procedure was completely painless.

It took a few minutes for Pallavi to finally relax and once the test began, she slowly realized there was no pain at all.

Almost three to four hours passed before all the tests were completed. Pallavi was completely exhausted and Aditya decided to collect the reports and consult the doctor later.

Once they returned home, Aditya helped her freshen up and prepared her for a bath before asking her to sleep and rest. But Pallavi refused to let him leave, so he lay beside her, cuddling her gently until she drifted into sleep in his arms.

That night, Pallavi’s parents and Deepika arrived, since the baby shower had been planned for two weeks later. It was the first time Aditya was seeing Deepika after the housewarming ceremony. Not wanting to make things awkward, he simply smiled at her politely.

Pallavi, however, was overjoyed to see her parents.

“Tomorrow we should go shopping for sarees. And now that you have so many friends in the apartment, we can book the party hall for the baby shower. We also need to decide the menu and the return gifts for the guests,” Pallavi’s mother said excitedly, already making a mental list of preparations.

“Aunty, our apartment has a party hall within the premises. I’ll speak to the association manager tomorrow. If it’s available on that date, we can use it. If not, we’ll book another hall outside. But let’s plan the shopping for the day after tomorrow. I have an important meeting at the office tomorrow,” Aditya said and everyone agreed to his suggestion.

The next day, Aditya arrived at the hospital and collected Pallavi’s reports before meeting the neurologist. The doctor carefully reviewed the latest results and then looked at Aditya reassuringly.

“There is a slight variation in the readings, but it is very minimal and not dangerous at the moment. Considering her medical history, her condition is surprisingly stable even at six months of pregnancy. The baby is also developing well,” the doctor said.

Aditya finally let out a small breath of relief, though the worry in his eyes still lingered.

“Then she is safe, right, doctor?” he asked quietly.

“For now, yes. But we still need to be extremely careful during the final months. Natural labor can put significant pressure on her body and brain because of pain, stress and fluctuations in blood pressure. We do not want to take that risk. That is why we are planning an elective LSCS between thirty-four and thirty-six weeks, depending on her condition. Delivering slightly earlier through surgery will be much safer for both the mother and the baby,” the doctor explained calmly.

Aditya thanked the doctor and left for his office. After locking the reports safely inside his cabinet, he leaned back in his chair and relaxed for a moment before resuming his work.

The next day both families arrived at a saree boutique for the baby shower shopping. Aditya personally selected nearly thirty sarees and draped each one over Pallavi’s shoulder before rejecting them with disappointment.

Finally, Pallavi picked a soft golden saree and handed it to him. Aditya casually draped it over her shoulder, stepped back to look at her and immediately gave a thumbs-up sign.

“Baby, this is the first saree you actually rejected and now you like this saree ? ” Pallavi said glaring at him.

Aditya instantly tried to remove it and search for something “better,” but Pallavi quickly pulled him back and hugged the saree protectively against her chest.

“You better bill this saree and move on to selecting outfits for everyone else, or I’ll simply wear one of my gowns for the baby shower,” she threatened playfully.

Aditya reluctantly agreed while the rest of the family continued choosing their clothes. Pallavi selected a half-white shirt and dhoti for him and once the shopping was completed, Aditya asked the family to return home while he took Pallavi to a jewelry store.

He asked the salesperson to show the best anklet designs and Pallavi couldn’t stop admiring him as he carefully inspected each piece for her.

“You can stare at me all day later, but right now I need your help choosing the best one,” Aditya said, making her smile.

“You are the best. So anything you choose will automatically become the best,” she replied with a wink.

Aditya completely forgot about the anklets and simply kept staring at her until the salesman awkwardly cleared his throat and tapped his shoulder. Embarrassed, Aditya finally picked one and got it billed.

Later, Aditya booked the party hall within their apartment community and personally invited the neighbors, friends and his colleagues from the office for the baby shower ceremony.

Two days before the function, Pallavi sat on the couch watching Aditya and the rest of the family happily pack return gifts for the guests. He looked unusually cheerful and every now and then he would wink at her from across the room.

Unable to handle the teasing smiles from everyone anymore, Pallavi quietly escaped to their bedroom. Within seconds, Aditya jogged after her despite the loud teasing from both families.

He jumped onto the bed dramatically and watched Pallavi carefully choose matching jewelry for her saree. Silently, he got up, closed the door behind him and gently held her hand.

Without a word, he slowly twirled her around and began swaying with her in a soft dance.

“You seem very happy, Aditya,” she whispered softly.

Aditya nodded and rested his forehead against hers. “I’m happy because I have you. Now finish choosing the jewelry while I go have a word with the caterer.” he replied gently and kissed her forehead before walking out of the room.

Pallavi stood before the mirror for a long moment, her hand slowly resting on her baby bump. A soft smile spread across her lips as she lovingly caressed it.

” We are lucky baby, your appa loves us a lot. He is going to spoil you with all his love ” she whispered and touched Aditya’s face from his photo on the table.

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