"What are you doing in my room?" Madhu asked as she walked out of her bathroom wearing a rose color bathrobe. Her wet hair was dripping down her neck and her face looked so fresh and clear like early morning dew.

Rk was looking at the photos hung on the wall behind her bed post.

"Um... Sorry, I was just looking at these photos of Ruhi." he said distractedly as he kept his gaze on one particular photo. It was actually a collage which either he hadn't closely noticed before or if he had seen also he didn't get what it was.

"It's your scan report right?" he asked. He had gone with Sofia for the doctor's check up and he was stunned seeing scan image of her baby. Unconsciously Sofia had grabbed his hand and held it tight as she looked at her baby on the monitor with tears streaming down her cheeks. She was shell shocked seeing her little bean. Rk too had tears but for a different reason... his thoughts were on Madhu and how lonely she would have felt without him by her side. His guilt had hit him hard as if he was hit by a tornado.

"Yes!" Madhu said and looked at Ruhi who was sleeping on the bed without any care for the world.

"I took that scan the day you kicked me out of your life." Madhu whispered. She still couldn't forget the awful day. She might forgive him or she already had forgiven him for his deeds but surely she can never forget what he did to her. She can never trust him and get back to him. She was only trusting him with Ruhi as he could see his love for her in his eyes.

"There should be three scans right? Only two scans are here?" he asked as if he hadn't heard what she said.

Sofia's doctor had told them she will need to schedule two more scans to check the growth of the baby and that's how he knew generally three scans will be taken and sometimes four.

"I didn't take the third one." she said.

"Why?"

"How will I take when I had her in my hand?" she asked with a smirk. He gave her a confused look.

"I told you I had an early delivery. I had her when I was just seven months pregnant with her. The third scan was scheduled on the ninth month and there wasn't any need for it."

"Oh!" he said. "Is this Ruhi's first pic?" he asked. I had missed a major part of Ruhi's life. He thought sighing softly.

"Yes, taken after a month from her birth."

"Oh why?"

"I didn't get to see her for more than three weeks. She was kept in incubator as she had breathing issue. She loves to scare her momma." Madhu shook her head dismay.

"She was so small." he said focusing on Ruhi's photo.

"But now Ruhi is sprouting like a bean. She is growing fast." Madhu grinned happily and lying beside Ruhi on the bed she kissed her tiny fist hand.

"I'm happy she is having a normal growth for her age." Rk smiled.

"I can't believe in couple of months she will turn 2 years." Madhu said looking at Ruhi in awe. "You know, Rk... she was this small..." she showed a small gap between her hands. "... So soft like cotton and so pretty with pink cheeks. She looked just like an angel." She said with tear brimming eyes. Madhu gets excited whenever she talks about Ruhi. Rk thought with a smile.

"You should have been there with me at the time of Ruhi's birth, Rk. I missed you so much then. I hated you for not being my side to hold our daughter for the first time but at the same time I loved you for giving her to me. I will always be thankful for giving Ruhi to me." Madhu gave him an emotional look.

Rk looked at Madhu's eyes intently which was conveying him a secret message. He tried to see through her eyes but she averted her gaze back to Ruhi.

"Yes. Our little angel." Rk smiled and joined them on the bed.

"Oh God! How I wish she stays like a baby... our baby forever. I don't want her to grow big." She cried suddenly getting emotional.

"She has to, Madhu. She has to grow big and one day she will go to school, then to college, then she will find her true love and get married to him and she will have kids... it goes like a circle." He hesitantly patted Madhu's shoulder wishing she doesn't flinch to his touch and luckily she just smiled at him.

"I know. Our baby girl will make one hell of a bride. I just wish she finds the best man who will never hurt her and love her unconditionally." Madhu said wiping her tears with the back of her hand. She caressed sleeping Ruhi's cheek and kissed her temple. When Madhu looked up Rk was looking at her yearningly. He yearned for her love. He will be happy even if she shows him an ounce of love.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing." he looked away from her. He had lost the right to expect anything from her.

"Where were you this morning? Ruhi wanted to play with you... you weren't there so I played with her and then put her to take her noon nap."

"I... um... I went out..."

"Where?" she probes

"I took Sofia to the doctor for her check up." he said in a rushed tone.

"Oh!" she went silent for a minute before asking "How is she? How is her baby?"

"They are fine."

"Hmm..." she hummed and looked away.

"What?" he asked sensing her reticence

"I...Um... want to ask..."

"Ask what?"

"Are you going to be a 'baby daddy' for Sofia's child too?" she asked him in a whisper. She wanted to get that out of her chest. She wanted an answer from him. She can't go on with her insecurity and irrational anger.

"What nonsense?" he sat up on the bed angrily.

"I know you won't but..."

"But what?"

"Do you like Sofia? Are you planning to father her child as well? Tell me, Rk... you want another baby which I can't give you right?... so you are doing all this to her... taking care of her... pampering her... going to doctor's appointment with her... enjoying her pregnancy phase... as if the baby is yours."

"Stop it, Madhu... just stop!" he shouted at her.

"Don't shout" she said in a whispered tone and patted Ruhi's little tummy as she stirred in her sleep.

"I'm sorry... but listen to me carefully... Sofia is like a sister to me" he clarified to her. But what about her? Does she sees you in the way? She could have feelings for you right? Madhu thought. "... and she considers me as her brother only..." Rk answered to her unasked question. "...her baby will be my niece or nephew and I truly care for her and her baby. She is a nice girl but not as strong as you to fight against the odds." Rk said looking up at the ceiling. "She is so weak and she needs someone to help her cope up with this difficult phase of her life so I'm just helping her..." he said affirmatively.

"How can you say she is weak? Single mothers are more stronger than any power you know?"

"You don't know, Madhu... She is so weak and stupid. she was even ready to give up her baby for her so called moronic boyfriend... but then I told her not to kill her baby." Sofia had discussed with him about her thought to abort her child and get back to her boyfriend as she couldn't forget him and live without him but Rk advised her not to do so. he said if her boyfriend truly loved her then he will come back to her. If he hadn't then it was his lose. "...because now I know how wonderful babies are" he said placing his hand on Ruhi's head smoothing her hair. "I told you the same to do just like Sofia's boyfriend... to abort our child... God! I feel like a monster in my own eyes for saying something so horrible... How can I even think of killing my own child? That's so unforgivable..." he shut his eyes tight and shook his head in disbelief. "I'm sorry Ruhi. I'm so sorry." he kissed Ruhi's hand. Then he looked up at Madhu who was looking at him blankly. "...Thank goodness you didn't listen to my words... I really feel so proud for you, Madhu and I do respect you more for putting your foot down and refusing to my demands. You didn't go weak and beg me but you just held your head high and walked out of my house that day with determination to bring this little one safe to this world. And you succeeded Madhu." he smiled proudly. "I adore you, Madhu... I truly adore you for being such an amazing mother to our child." he took her hand and squeezed it. Madhu gently extricated her hand from his hold.

"Well, I told Sofia about you... and she realized what a big mistake she was about to commit. She promised me that she will try to be one better and dedicated mother to her child like how you are to Ruhi." Rk said. She smiled convinced with his honest explanation.

"Oh and Ruhi will be my only child." He promised to her.

"You sure?" she asked for confirmation. She didn't know why she felt so possessive of him and why she wished him to be only her child's father.

"I would love to have another baby...with You!" he said looking straight at her eyes. "But I know that can never happen so I am more than happy with what I have." he said and kissed Ruhi's forehead.

"I'm sorry." she muttered softly. She felt relieved.

"You still dance?" he asked changing the topic. She frowned.

"I mean you still dance in the bathroom wearing bathrobes?"

"How do you know I dance in bathroom?" she asked raising her brow.

"I have seen you dance in my bathroom... in this same baby pink color bathrobe for the song Payaliya Kahe Mein Piya Ghar Jaau..." Rk closed his eyes relishing the moment which happened two years ago when they were together and happy as a couple.

Madhu's cheeks turned to the color of pretty pale pink in embarrassment and she quickly sprinted to the dressing room to get dressed.

"Your momma got shy" Rk laughed and kissed Ruhi's little foot. Ruhi's little feet felt so cold when he pressed his lips against her foot.

"Madhu, always keep her warm... see, her hands and legs are so cold." Rk complained to Madhu when she walked back to her bedroom wearing pale green crop top and black jeans. Rk slipped in Ruhi's puny hands and legs in her woolen hand knitted gloves and socks. A minute later Ruhi discarded her hand gloves and kicked off her socks in her sleep.

"I tried till I get tired and finally I gave up... Your girl doesn't like to wear those things..." Madhu said as she covered Ruhi with her velvet blanket which she kicked off too and rolled to her front in her sleep.

"I love her so much... but she is so adorable when she is asleep." Madhu muttered.

"Contrary to your opinion... I find her so adorable when she is awake and keep talking her sweet gibberish talks, giggling and laughing, running and playing around the house in merry. Oh God! How much I love her!" and you! He said proudly.

"Okay! She is adorable, always!" Madhu agreed with a laugh. "Because she is my daughter"

"OURS!" RK corrected her. She smiled at him and nodded her head agreeing with him.

They both remained silent for few minutes just looking at the ceiling.

Ruhi rolled in her sleep and got comfortable by placing her head and upper body on her Papa's torso. Rk smiled and brushed the shock of hair on her forehead aside.

"So how is life for you?" Madhu asked casually.

Rk turned his head and looked at her surprised. He hadn't expected such friendly talk from her. Is she softening to him, finally? He wondered.

"You asked that question to me?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yep"

"Well, my life has never been better. I feel complete with you and Ruhi in my life. You both are my air to breathe, water to quench my thirst, my living reason, my very life. You both have filled the void in my life." He said with a genuine smile. Madhu remained immune to his words.

She didn't dare to keep any hope for better life. She was happy with Ruhi.

She can't afford to trust him again and let her heartbreak yet again. His last betrayal was enough to last for her life time. So she willed herself to stay strong and never to melt for his words of love and affection.

He might feel complete with them in his life but the hollowness in her heart can never be filled by him. She was trying to maintain a cordial relationship with him for Ruhi's sake but she wasn't wholly at ease with his presence.

She was actually waiting for a slip up from his side so that she can throw that at his face and mock him saying she was right in not trusting him.

"So you are enjoying your fatherhood?"

"Absolutely... I love being Ruhi's daddy... I love doing things to her..."

"Even changing her diapers?" Madhu asked teasingly.

"Uh-huh!" Rk stammered.

"What?" She smirked.

"To be honest... That was horrible the first time I cleaned her poop. I nearly fainted." He laughed and rubbed Ruhi's back as her sleep got disturbed due to his laughing.

"Sleep, darling. Sleep" he cooed her. Ruhi lifted her head off his chest and drowsily looked at her daddy before laying her head back on him and falling asleep again.

"Rk.."

"Hmm?"

"I want to ask you something?"

"Ask me, Madhu. You know you can ask me anything so don't hesitate."

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "Can you..."

... To be continued!

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