The court room was as silent as it could be, with both their lawyers standing beside them, but everything seemed to have frozen around him as he watched Preeti uncap the pen and lean forwards to sign the divorce papers. Once she was done, she took steps back, and tilted her head to look at him, and Vivek found himself mechanically moving ahead to pick up the same pen, to sign the same papers that were supposed to seal their fate.

And just like that, they were done.

Three years of their marriage ended with a few stamped documents being submitted in the court.

The grounds of their divorce had been sited as 'irrevocable mutual differences', and even the six month deadline didn't do them any good, if anything it pushed them further away from each other.

As the lawyers moved forwards with the papers, Preeti looking at Vivek and took a deep breath. She knew he was a good man, but he wasn't good for her anymore, and she didn't want a compromise in the name of a relationship for her entire life.

"Knowing you had been a pleasure Vivek, I would never deny that. Being your girlfriend and lover was beautiful, but I can't say the same about being your wife. I hope you would understand that, and not hold bitter grudges against us, and our relationship", she extended her hand, and Vivek found himself shaking it, but he could not manage to speak anything. He was scared if he did, he would begin crying, and that wasn't something he wanted to happen, atleast not in that moment.

Preeti stared at him, reading the restlessness in his stance like a pro. She knew he didn't want the divorce, but she could not stay in an unhappy marriage anymore. She could not let his family step on her self respect every day, and she didn't want to hold only bad memories of their relationship, moreover she was afraid that if they didn't split now, even the beautiful reminders of their love, their courtship and their initial married life would also be overshadowed by the arguments, the baseless accusations and their rage, and she didn't want to forget the love they had.

Those were few of her most treasured memories in life. She would hate for them to fade away because of the dust of hatred settling over it.

Vivek watched her turn on her heels and walk to her parents, who smiled at her before her dad wrapped her arm around her, and her mother held her hand, as they walked out of the court room. He could see her brother and sister-in-law waiting for them. As the family walked out, Vivek's eyes fell on his family standing by the other door. He could clearly see the scowl his sister had adorned at Preeti's retreating figure, and also the cloud of disappointment all over his mother's face darkening as he took his steps towards them, his father nonchalant, like always - it only made him walk slower.

"This is why I say love marriages don't work out. He humiliated all of us all those years ago by choosing a girl on his own - without paying heed to the backlash we had to face by our family and society, and now this tag of divorce on our family name. I don't know what to say anymore", Vivek blocked their voices out as he walked past them, not answering to anyone calling him from behind. It was suffocating him - everything that was happening around and he desperately hoped that some fresh air would help him breathe better, atleast a bit so that his lungs won't feel like they have been overworking themselves.

He kept walking, with no sense of time or direction, and stopped only when he noticed a park around. His feet dragged him inside, he wanted some water but was carrying nothing, so the next best step was to just sit down and try to calm himself - more so calm the avalanche of thoughts buzzing inside his head, so he sat down, his gaze fixed on the ground and his elbows resting on his knees as he crossed his fingers and sighed.

He wondered what would help stop this pain that felt like a tight noose around his neck. Should he sit and think day by day, incident by incident, fight by fight - exactly when and what went wrong between him and Preeti? Or should he rather bury this part of his life deep down in some part of his being and force himself to move forward? He did have a life before Preeti, he could certainly have one without her again, couldn't he?

"Here", a soft voice echoed and Vivek raised his head to see a bottle of juice dangling towards him. It was then he realised that someone else was occupying the bench facing the opposite side. The two benches were kept such that their backs were joint, but they faced opposite sides.

"Don't look at me like I am giving you poison or something. You look in dire need of water and I happen to have extra - juice, not water but pretty sure it would do", the woman blabbered, rolling his eyes and it jerked him out of his own circling thoughts.

"Thank you", Vivek mumbled, and Vidhi had to really strain her ear to hear what he said but she shook her head and spoke nothing, turning her back to him and concentrated on the children playing before her - a grin automatically graced her otherwise chubby face.

Vivek gulped down the entire bottle in one go, and it was that which made him realize how thirsty he had been. Ofcourse he wasn't sure that the juice would quench his thirst, but it did momentarily. It was when he turned his face to return the Tupperware bottle that he paused and took a good glance at the woman and her big belly.

"Shit, I am sorry", his sudden apology made Vidhi face him and his concerned expressions made her realize what it was about.

"Chill", she laughed, "I have plenty in supply", she pointed towards the maternity bag lying beside her - that obviously he had not noticed before, "It's my nine month. I am prepared with everything in extra all the time. You never know when is the time", she smiled and took the bottle from him and kept it in the bag.

Vivek couldn't tear his eyes away, the woman's face had a beautiful glow and she was constantly smiling as she fidgeted with the bag to find something but gasped when the box of tissues fell down on the ground. Vivek got up in a reflex, half circled to the other side and picked it for her - Vidhi grinned and took it from him, keeping it back after removing a tissue. She them shifted the bag closer to herself, making place for him to sit on the same bench as she moved her heavily pregnant ass to the side.

"I am Vidhi", she forwarded her hand and Vivek looked at her hand for a split second before looking back at her, and then shook her hand.

"Vivek", he spoke, and watched her nod.

"Are you okay Vivek?", Vidhi immediately asked, taking him by surprise. She giggled looking at how wide his eyes got, and shrugged.

"Don't mind me, my harmones are all over the place, so I ask what I want to - to anyone. You looked so heartbroken when you were sitting there", she blabbered yet again, but this time, Vivek slightly smiled at her enthusiastic energy. She was asking someone why he was sad - while being all smiling and excited - he hadn't seen anyone like her.

"I am", he confessed, taking a deep breath, "heartbroken - walked in here after signing my divorce paper in the family court", he realised he hadn't spoken that aloud since it got finalized, and now, talking about it made him feel like he was hit with a truck of bricks.

Vidhi, on the other hand, had no such qualms. She looked at him and licked her lips before speaking again.

"Love or arranged, your ex-marriage I mean?", She was more interested in the story than his sappy eyes filled with pain.

"Love", he chuckled, more seeing her excitement than feeling the irony of the situation, "but as it turns out, love isn't ever enough".

"But if it was a love marriage, you must have dated and got to know each other before tying the knot! So I am guessing that would mean you had plenty of time to work on trust and understanding and all other essentials", Vidhi pointed out and it made Vivek pause and think about their life before marriage. He didn't remember ever being happier than he used to be in those years - the only exception was the day they got married. That was his happiest day.

"We dated for two years, and yes, we did work on trust and understanding - but I guess that was only between us - when our families got involved, we couldn't balance it", he sighed, closing his eyes for a split second, before he opened them and looked at her, "we had been married for three years, fighting for more than half of it and blaming each other and our mindsets for the last year. Even the court's mandatory six months could not help", he continued, thinking about Preeti in the back of his mind.

"Then I am sorry to say Vivek, you only signed divorce papers today, your marriage had ended long ago", Vidhi uttered softly, even though quite blunt with her words.

Vivek nodded at her and exhaled deeply, "I guess it did, but I still love her. Have loved her all this while, and I don't know how to unlove Pretti at all. She is the only love I have ever known - ofcourse the romantic one I mean", he answered, taking Vidhi's words quite sportingly.

He realised talking to her was not only easy, but also took his mind off the horrible thoughts he was having. And he could not have this conversation with his family either way - so a heavily pregnant stranger was a better option.

"Tell me something about Preeti", Vidhi asked, clearly intrigued. Vivek smiled, and Preeti's memories filled him to the brink. He could still remember the smell of her hairs, or her favourite perfume.

"Preeti is, well, just Preeti. I have never known anyone like her. Extrovert when she likes, completely shy other times. She loves cooking and hates baking - but also enjoy hogging on cakes and pastries. The best thing about her is she never makes an opinion about anyone or anything - she gives them fair chances, tries to understand all the perspectives and then take a stand - but once she does, she is firm on it", Vivek fondly spoke, a little red tinting his cheeks,"her hair - I am obsessed with how beautiful they look, and she is obsessed with trying different hairstyles and products and whatever they are called. I love when she wears a saree to only tease me - I love watching her in sarees, she hates them because they are too much hard work for her", he chuckled to himself, lost in his thoughts as the scenes ran through his mind, he could still picture her running inside their bedroom, trying to find her comb on time, or hurriedly packing him tiffin and running out without hers, or making them coffee late night so they could sit on the terrace and just talk, or listen to their favorite playlist.

Vidhi smiled again, but this time she knew he wasn't even aware of her smile. He was in a world of his own, and she knew because she went there a lot too - remembering the father of her child.

Her one hand went to caress her womb as a reflex, and she looked down at her baby, grinning. When Vivek's trance broke, he found her talking softly to her baby instead.

"You need to talk like all the time?", He laughed, and Vidhi flushed as she looked up to glare at him.

"I am just trying to keep my baby entertained", she pouted, and was about to say something more when she grunted instead, gasping. Vivek frowned, and sat up straight.

"Vidhi, are you okay?", He asked, but she seemed to be frozen with shock. She turned her head to him in dramatic slow motion and shook her head in a no.

"I think my water just broke", she mumbled, gasping again as the first bits of pain began hitting her.

Vivek was taken aback, he had absolutely no idea what was to be done or what he was supposed to do. He saw Vidhi take deep breaths to calm herself down when it hit him.

"Vidhi, where is your husband?", He asked, hoping to give him a call, he was sure the husband would know what was to be done.

"I am not married", Vidhi spoke in one breath, and turned her face to him, " just grab my phone - it's in the front pocket of my bag - and book me cab to City Hospital. My gyanec is there, my files are in my bag - I will manage the rest", she managed to croak out, holding her belly as another contraction hit her. Vivek flinched at her groan.

"I have a car", he stood up, looking extremely confused and completely out of his comfort zone, and his expressions made Vidhi chuckle. She breathed heavily and shook her head.

"It's okay Vivek, you don't have to do this because You were here when my water broke", she smiled, and in good spirits, "I have everything managed and planned. I did everything alone throughout this pregnancy, I know what's to be done further too. Just book me the cab or give me my phone", she extended her hand to him.

By then he had managed to calm himself a bit and wasn't freaking out as much as before. He quickly put everything inside her maternity bag, zipped it and picked it up, and held her extended hand instead.

"Shut up, I have a car and nothing better to do. So we are going to the freaking hospital your gynaec is at", he watched her laugh but ignored it and helped her to his car. She kept groaning every few minutes, but also continued to blabber about how great his gyanec was. Vivek tuned her out, by then he knew she loved talking people's ear off.

They reached the hospital pretty soon and because she was a regular there through her pregnancy, she was quickly taken to the labour room. Her contractions had started becoming frequent and she was almost screaming by then.

Vivek stood outside the labour room, his face drenched in sweat. He took in a deep breath and sat down on the bench outside, trying to calm his otherwise thudding heart. He had not been in a hospital for a child birth ever - not for his sister-in-law, and not for any of his friends, this was a weirdly strange experience to have today.

He watched a lady doctor come out and stop by him, frowning.

"You are with which patient?", She asked, and Vivek gulped. Though she looked in early fourties, her eyes were stern as she looked at him, scaring him a little.

"Vidhi", he mumbled, not knowing how to explain further.

"Don't tell me you are that douchebag boyfriend of hers", the doctor frowned more, her eyes hardening at his sight, it was clear she cared for Vidhi, "Because of you she had to shift cities and go through the pregnancy alone - so that her family's name isn't ruined and her little sister could get married, and you couldn't even take the responsibility of your actions? You-", Vivek cut her off before she could blast him more.

"Mam I am not. I am just a stranger, she was with me in the park when she went into labour", he clarified hastily, raising his hands up and the doctor seemed to calm down at that, huffing.

"Oh, I am sorry young man. It's kind of you to bring her here then, thank you", she immediately aplogised, "You can leave if you want, we will take care of her from here", she was quick to offer a smile.

But Vivek could not move. He didn't know what or why - if it was because her boyfriend had bailed on her, or because she was apparently alone in the city, or maybe it was just pity - but he didn't want to leave.

"Uhh, do you mind if I just stay until -", he stammered, and the doctor chuckled, nodding.

"You can wait here, but remember child birth happens immediately only in movies. It's hours long process in real life", she patted his shoulder and that made him smile, as he agreed.

But before he could sit, the nurse came running out.

"Doctor, the cord has prolapsed. The fetus is extremely distressed -", that's all Vivek could listen before the doctor and the nurse ran inside in lightening speed. Vivek felt his throat dry as he punched the words he heard into his google search bar. He didn't realise his hands were shaking.

"No please no, nothing should happen to the baby or Vidhi, please", he pleaded to the Almighty as he looked up and closed his eyes, "she has been through so much alone for this - you can't take this away from her", he requested softly.

Among all this, he had completely forgotten his own suffering which a few hours earlier was feeling like this heavy weight on his chest - he almost believed he would not be able to survive that, or would atleast need quite a few drinks to drown himself in. Contrary to his thoughts, he was now sitting in a hospital, hoping and praying for a stranger woman and her baby to be alright.

Hours passed like centuries for him and everytime the door to the labour room would open he would feel his heart in his mouth, but when finally the doctor he recognised walked out, his heart began to thud loudly against his chest.

"You are still here?", She smiled at him when she saw him, "Congratulations it's a girl, the mother and the baby are both fine".

He never knew eight words could make him so happy, he felt his heart swell with joy as he looked at the doctor.

"We would shift her into herr room in a few minutes, you can see her", the doctor smiled again and left, but Vivek could not stop smiling. The nurse was carrying the baby behind the doctor and gave her to him on doctor's gesture.

She was so tiny and pink, her eyes would flutter everytime she moved. Vivek held her gently and could not take his eyes off the little angel. She didn't seem to mind the attention anyway.

When half an hour he walked into Vidhi's room, she was already awake, but looked exhausted.

"Oh there you are, I want to hold my baby", she pouted and asked, gesturing for him to come closer. Vivek handed her, her child and watched Vidhi grin her widest as she placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"My baby", she softly whispered in her ears and held her close to her chest.

"I don't understand", Vivek's voice made her look up, "How are you so happy and positive about the entire thing? How are you smiling so genuinely knowing that someone left you, and you had to change cities because of society and all of that?", Vivek asked, and it made Vidhi chuckle. She eyed him to sit down, he did by her foot.

"Preeti left you, are you angry on her?", She questioned instead.

"Disappointed Yes, angry probably not", he answered truthfully, "I am hurt to loose her, I love her so much and it hurts but I know it's the same for her too. She tried her best to save us until she couldn't. And a lot of it was my family's fault. And mine too. I will always miss her, always long for her, maybe struggle with moving on all my life - but will also cherish our memories together. She is the love of my life, she will always be", Vivek confessed, his eyes stuck on the little one than her mother.

"Ditto", Vidhi grinned, "Just because Sumit bailed on me, I can't let go of the beautiful memories we have. He gave me this beautiful treasure for life. Of course I am not saying he wasn't wrong or a coward - he was, in every sense, but I don't hate him because he loved me completely when he did. Maybe he does till today", Vidhi smiled as she rubbed her baby's cheek.

"As humans we need to hold on to 'half full' than seeing the 'half empty' Vivek, give them the benefit of doubt you know. They might or might not be the best humans, they might have hurt us, and they have left us too, for whatever reason, and I atleast am never going back to Sumit, even if he comes and apologize to me for putting me through all this - yet I don't hate him. Yet I remember our happy moments, and those memories still make me happy. Life is short to spend it being sad. Happy moments are so scattered and finite - we need to make the most of them. However we can. Wherever we can", this time she didn't smile like the goofball she was being since morning, her smile reflected the maturity life had bestowed her with.

"Sometimes good things do fall apart Vivek, and we don't know why, but we can always hope and try that because it has already happened, it has for the better", she rocked her baby as she started to cry all of a sudden, but also calmed down at her mother's cooing.

Vivek's phone rang and he stood up, declining it for the moment. Then he paused and grinned at Vidhi, walked closer and kissed the baby.

"I took the liberty to fiddle with your phone and save my number in yours and vice versa", he shrugged, smiling mischievously, "as much as I hate the mother talking my ears off, can't meet my little angel without her mom, so you see".

Vidhi laughed.

Her laughter echoed through the room as he walked away, calling back on his phone.

The day wasn't the worst of his life, not even close.

I hope you liked this one day from Vidhi and Vivek's life.

Until next time,

~Srishti ❤️