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The next morning when I wake up, Aarvi is already rubbing her eyes and she gives me a million-dollar smile, the one I had seen her giving during Amaya’s birthday party. I quickly cuddle her to me and kiss her forehead.
“How’s my baby doing today?”
Her body temperature looks good. Hopefully, her fever has gone.
“Good.” She plays with the front button of my nighty. Though I got my stuff from the Villa yesterday, I couldn’t arrange it, so just like the night before I chose to wear one of the nightgowns from the wardrobe. It’s decent enough and very simple, just like I prefer wearing, especially because I’m not the only one in the room. I have Aarav Raichand too sleeping on the same bed and I didn’t want to give him any ideas by choosing the other sexy lingerie from the closet. I wonder how I wore them before around him. What were his reactions to those? How was our night routine? Did Aarvi sleep between us? What about our intimacy? Whatever moments I’ve had with Aarav so far in the last few weeks, I could guarantee there was no room left for improvement in the kind of intimacy we both must have shared before my accident. It’s already off the charts. My stomach clenches as I imagine Aarav and me making out on this very same bed every night in the past.
Just when Aarvi asks me something again, I realize Aarav is already up and staring at me from the other side of the bed as if reading my dirty morning thoughts.
“What … what did you say?” I ask Aarvi, shifting my gaze on her.
“I want chocos.”
“You’ll get chocos and after that, you’ll have a sponge bath.”
“Sponge bath?” Her face glows.
“Yes, sweetheart, sponge bath.” I tickle her and she giggles tossing to Aarav who picks her up and makes her sit on his stomach.
“No good morning kiss to Daddy?”
I sit on the bed, tying my hair into a bun. It’s time to begin the day but I don’t move my gaze from the father-daughter. Aarvi leans down and kisses his father’s cheeks and in return, Aarav does the same.
“Mommy, give daddy a good morning kiss.”
Uh-uh!! That’s not something I expected Aarvi to demand. Aarav holds my gaze as if waiting for my answer. Of course, I am not kissing him though we have kissed him in the past when I didn’t even believe I was his wife. Kissing him then was different, now it bothers me. Maybe because I don’t want him to have high hopes.
“Mommy, come,” Aarvi calls me out again.
“Mommy is shy.” Aarav interrupts.
“Mommy don’t feel shy. Come.”
I adore my daughter’s innocence, but when I see Aarav’s restless face as if to complete what our daughter is demanding, I get even more nervous.
“I kiss only good babies. Like I kissed you, Aarvi. Your daddy doesn't listen to me always. So, no kiss for him.”
Aarav raises his brow.
“When did I not listen to you?” he argues.
“The list is endless, Aarav. Don’t make me start in the morning.”
I get down from the bed and take out the thermometer from the bedside. Reaching Aarvi, I ask her to hold the tip of it under her tongue so that I can check her fever. Aarav, slides his fingers on my hand, sending goosebumps on my skin. I move aside to get away from his touch, but he pulls me to him and forces me to sit next to him and Aarvi on the bed.
“This new version of you is a killer, Jaan. You were never this feisty before.”
I give him a cold stare before focusing on the reading on the thermometer. Fever gone. I sigh in relief.
“You can’t tame me, Aarav. I’m not the woman I used to be once.”
Aarvi gets down from the bed to get her teddy whom she also wants to take for a sponge bath. I am about to follow her when Aarav keeps me glued to the bed.
“I’m not taming you but protecting you, Jhanvi. Life has given us another chance, don’t waste it. Let me show you what we had.. what we could still have. Your memories coming back or not doesn't matter to me. My connection is with your heart, and you too know it’s beating for me.”
Whenever he talks all this, my breathing goes shallow and heat rises in my cheeks. Aarav cups my face and just like every other time I become numb.
