Fascinated
Fascinated
"Really?!" she asked with uncertainty.
Seeing Ira nod, she smiled like a fool.
"What about Vivan?" she asked. Will you leave him for me? The words, fortunately, didn't leave her tongue. She trembled in excitement. Her leg jerked a little, and palms shook in anticipation.
"I didn't think about that!" Ira said with a blank face. How could she have forgotten about Vivan?
"If you spent Valentine's day with me, won't he get jealous?" Reeya asked, blurting out the question distressing her. Which husband won't be jealous if their wife abandons them on Valentine's Day?
'Jealous... Why would he be?' Ira wasn't sensible enough. She scratched her head and wondered what to do with her husband.
"Did you fight or something?" Reeya narrowed her eyes in concern.
"No.." Ira was quick to shake her head and deny. Vivan never fought with her.
"Then?" She was puzzled. Aren't couples supposed to celebrate Valentine's together? Strange.
"Umm... Don't worry about it. I will think of something." Ira's mind was occupied in attempting to convince Reeya somehow. Scenes of the movie, where she stood crying in the middle of the street looking at the couples, were stinging her. There was a lump in her throat. Yes, those moments were torture, but she would make sure, that they do not happen in this lifetime.
"Alright." She smiled, feeling giddy.
She was drawn to Ira for two reasons, one; she was her role model and second; she was pregnant. She was fascinated by it. God knows how many times she stopped herself from trying to touch her stomach in public. The thought of the baby inside the small place was so alluring. It was an instinct to reach to her womb. However, knowing Ira's personality, she controlled her curiosity. She didn't want to upset her friend.
"How does it feel to be a mom?" her voice was tinged with a bit of longing. How does it feel to have a baby?
It was a difficult question. How do I feel?
Her face changed. After some thought, she confessed.
"Scared... All your life, you have been selfish thinking about yourself before anything. And suddenly one day, you are to change your priorities and make sacrifices for someone else. That thought was terrifying." She paused, took a breath and continued, "A crying baby irritated the hell out of me. I wanted to shut it somehow up." And this fear had cost her the grief of an entire lifetime. Will I be a good mom? Can I be responsible for them? Give them a good future?
"Unimaginable fear, frustration, and heartbreak." she bit her inner cheeks, the question made her flustered. There was a touch of bitterness in her voice. The taste of blood, made her stop biting her cheek. She gulped water, to wash off the taste, not wanting to puke later.
She then shook her head and smiled, "But there is also love, excitement, power, and pride. Pride of being a woman, a wife, and a mother."
"It feels like magic." her voice softened. She touched her belly, gently like a rare gem. "When you realize a part of you will be born, it's fascinating." Her babies were her starlight in the darkness.
"A new life is stirring in me, a tiny heartbeat, a playful kick..."
"In short, Pregnancy was the beginning of a new life for me. The day I was reborn as a different person." She expressed everything without any reservations.
"Ira, I am so happy for you." She said with her sincere gaze, but her voice was coated with a tiny bit of envy.
Pregnancy had made Ira gentle, affectionate and compassionate. 'I'll protect you, my family.' '
Reeya stared at the girl who wore a mature smile, like a person who had been through all adversity and heartache, made out alive with a warm heart of gold. She had stood unwavering in all those times, when she should have been down. She faced all her problems, and was now holding on dearly to her husband and her children, her 'family'.