ll Dear Arjun ll A Short Story ll Pt. 9 Pg. 23 - Page 6

I couldn't understand how Arjun stayed so calm. Did he still love me? If I was a guy, I'd turn into a fire-breathing dragon if I found out that the girl I loved was pregnant and married to some other guy. I'd be even angrier if she hid the fact that I was the father away from me. I couldn't take Arjun's strength and niceness – I needed him to react. I wanted him to yell at me, get angry, or just show some type of reaction that showed he still cared, still loved me, and still thought about me. This wasn't right though! I felt horrible coveting a married man, wanting him to be by my side, and help me raise OUR baby together, but he had a pregnant wife at home – my "sister".

"7 months?" Arjun finally asked after being in a deep thought. 

I slowly nodded – once, twice, three times. 

"You knew Onir before you left?" Arjun questioned. I knew what he was thinking, I could tell from his eyes. He wanted it to be his baby, he wanted this whole Onir thing to just be a cover up and I so badly wanted to spill it out and run away to Switzerland with him like he always wanted. 

I looked over at Onir, completely lost on what I should say. I could see it in his eyes that he just wanted me to spill the truth, but it was so hard! I ran away from this truth 6 months ago out of fear of embarrassment, isolation, and broken relations, but it's finally come back to bite me and I wasn't ready. More hot, salty tears started to run down my face and I didn't even bother to wipe them away. 

My lips quivered as I responded with, "no. . . I didn't."

"Purvi. . ." Arjun began. I could hear the hopefulness in his voice. "Then this isn't Onir's baby?"

I couldn't bring myself to answer. Everyone was happening so fast – just the other day, I was holding up and staying strong even though I didn't get to hear from Arjun for 6 months. Now, when I finally get to see him, I'm losing control. I ran away from everything just to hide the secret and here I am on the verge of spilling it! God, help me – I don't know what to do!

The sound of the doorbell ringing ruined our bittersweet conversation. Onir silently exited the room to open the door, giving us a bit more privacy.

"Aru," I began. I was mortified when I realized I used his nickname from back when we were in a relationship. "I mean Arjun. . . let's not talk about this now. . . how have you been?"

"No Purvi. I am DONE with listening to you, being played by you, and being used by you! I want answers and I want them now," Arjun said in a stern voice. There it was – my much wanted angry Arjun. 

Tears poured down my face much faster now while I tried to keep a small smile on my face. "I will give you answers! Just not right now okay? We'll talk in private another day. . ."

"Another day?! Are you sure or are you going to go run away from here?" Arjun asked, trying hard to fight back tears.

His words hurt, but I'm glad he was brought back into reality. I deserved his cold words and icy tone. Before I could speak, I heard Onir say, "Oh, Ovi what a surprise!" in an extremely loud voice. The nerve of Onir to call me loud! I quickly wiped my tears and proceeded to my room when Arjun grabbed a hold of my wrist.

"Arjun. . . let me go, please! I don't want to cause more trouble!" I protested, unwillingly trying to loosen his grip on me. Arjun shook his head no as I continued to try to let go. When he heard Ovi coming closer into the kitchen, he let go of my wrist knowing that there was no escape now.

"PURVI?" Ovi's shrill voice made me cry even more. I didn't want any more drama or troubles and I defiantly did not want her to get the wrong idea. "This is where you've been Arjun? Was going to meet Onir some excuse so that you can meet and frolic along with your ex-girlfriend who you always think about?!" 

Ovi's words sent a shock through me. Arjun thought about me too! Just like how I thought about him! Even though I knew I shouldn't, I found secret joy in that. I looked at Arjun with my big, watery eyes. I could tell he tried so hard to do what I asked, but he just couldn't. It was so hard to not take Arjun into my arms at that moment – it really was. 

"Don't you feel ashamed going after a married man? YOU are the reason our relationship isn't working out! All he thinks about is YOU! Even when you're not here, you're ruining our relationship!" Ovi blasted.

"Ovi. . . it's not what it looks like!" I said in a gentle tone while putting one hand on her shoulder. Ovi was quick to push my hand off.

"Oh, so my husband and his ex-fiancee just happened to run into each other and decided to have dinner, is that what it is?!" Ovi was extremely furious. The only thing I could think about at this point was her poor baby.

"It's not healthy to be this angry! Please calm down Ovi. . ." I said, trying to make my tears stop at this point. It was so hard to stop myself from literally slapping some sense into her! 

"As if you care! You always want to ruin my life, don't you? Arjun and I BARELY started getting along just the other day, now you're here to ruin it!" Tears started to run down Ovi's cheeks. I felt some sympathy, but I couldn't take this anymore!

"OVI! I'm not trying to take your husband away from you! He came over here to talk to MY husband about YOUR treatment over dinner and if you don't believe that, then fine! But don't hurl accusations at Arjun or me! We're not dating, we're not having an affair, I'm not trying to take him away from you! Everything's over!" I hollered back at her. What didn't this girl understand? I practically gave up my LIFE for her and the sake of my mom!

Onir came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. "Mishti, calm yourself. . ." he whispered. I looked at him and nodded in response. I peeked over his shoulders to get a glimpse of Arjun. No wonder Ovi was accusing us. We shared a heart wrenching eye lock before Ovi ran out and Arjun ran after her.

I threw myself into Onir's arms for comfort. I was so tired, hurt, confused, and memories of the past were coming back to haunt me. "Onir, I just want to be Arjun's girl again!" I exclaimed while holding on tightly to his shirt. 

"Awh Mishti. . . don't worry, it'll happen. . . I'll help you," Onir reassured as he pulled out of the embrace. "Should we check on the happy couple outside?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"I don't want to ruin their relationship anymore. . ." I began.

"Yeah you do," Onir said with a grin.

I laughed and pushed him. "Be quiet and YOU go check on them!"

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"So he has no feelings for her?"

"Yup. Right now, there's not even any friendly feelings between them."

"Yet they slept together."

"There's other possibilities."

"Like?"

"Ovi could have drugged Arjun and Arjun could have thought it was you or something."

"ONIR! Okay, real possibilities now."

"Well, I've seen couples and women that are just unable to get pregnant, then they go in for a test tube baby. Then again, didn't you say Ovi had a previous relationship with a guy? It could be his baby. . ."

"Ovi really has strong feelings for Arjun, I don't think she would do that. . ."

"Just like how no one would think you'd be pregnant with Arjun's baby?"

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"You can't keep ignoring Arjun's calls you know."

"I know. . . it's just, I don't want to cause any more problems in Arjun and Ovi's relationship."

"How else will you get to be with Arjun again then?"

"How about YOU go over to Ovi and convince her to leave Arjun?"

Onir and I were sitting in the kitchen brainstorming everything – from how I was going to tell Arjun about the baby to reuniting with Arjun.

"You know, he's not going to forgive you that easily. After all, you're pregnant with his baby and you just ran away from him," Onir said matter-of-factly.

"I know. . . I just want to skip to all that and honeymoon in Switzerland," I said with a sigh. I looked up at Onir with hopeful eyes and he already knew what I wanted.

As he walked over to the fridge, he said, "What is it with you guys and Switzerland?"

I sadly smiled to myself while Onir dug through the fridge for a chocolate bar. "Well, after our engagement, on that night, we talked all night on the phone."

"I can barely stand 5 minutes with you – I have to give Arjun some props, the whole night? Wow," Onir chuckled while sliding a chocolate bar across the kitchen table.

I grabbed the chocolate bar and whined. "Chup kar Onir!"

Onir's snickering subsided as he said, "Okay, so what did you two talk about?"

"We just talked about our future – the babies we would have, our honeymoon, all the different foods we'd eat for dinner. . ." I drifted off, thinking of how perfect my life was with Arjun in it.

Onir quickly changed the subject when he saw my mood change. "So, you know how I did a check up on Ovi the other day?" I nodded my head yes and he continued. "She's actually not taking good care of her baby, there's lots of complications in her pregnancy, but she wouldn't even let me lay a hand on her after that!"

"Was it because we're 'married'?" I asked, taking a bite into the chocolate bar after finally unwrapping it.

"I guess so. . . Arjun suggested that we all go to Mumbai and treat her," Onir hesistantly said. "I think this would be a really good chance to tell everyone the truth."

"Mumbai, huh?" I asked. "I guess that sounds good. . . but Arjun has to know first."

"Woha, what? You're actually willing to go back there?" Onir asked with a confused look on his face.

"Well, it's not fair! Arjun just came back into my life. . . sort of! And I don't want him to leave my life so quickly!" I protested while chewing on the chocolate bar.

"Okay, well we have to make this seem realistic. So we won't go at first? Then you run away and go to Mumbai and I'll go after you?" Onir suggested.

"Hmm. . . when are Arjun and Ovi going?" I asked, my heart not wanting Arjun to go anywhere. Instead, my heart just wanted him to stay by my side forever.

"They haven't decided. But Ovi wants to go as soon as possible. . . Archana aunty and Manav uncle are flying in soon," Onir informed.

"Okay. . . we'll leave a few days after them," I said. "I want to meet aai aur baba!"

"What will we even do in Mumbai?" Onir asked.

"You'll see. . ."

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Dear Arjun,

I love you and that's all I really know. I hope you're not suffering everyday like I am without you. I've been dying just to experience what your hugs and kisses still felt like. I could have really used your comfort at times from these past 6 months, but I really don't deserve it. I finally got to see you again and hear your voice. It really hurts knowing how bad your relationship with Ovi is. I don't know if you know this, but I really miss you – I miss us. I'm going to try my best to make things right again, don't worry!