Even though I was folding clothes and keeping them in the suitcase, I couldn't help but constantly glance at myself in the mirror.

Was I really pregnant?

Why didn't I look it though?

When was I supposed to look it?

"Kya kar rahi ho, meri gilehri?"

(What are you doing, my little squirrel?)

Bhairav Ji was staring at me from the bed. There was a glass of alcohol in his hand as he listened to songs on the radio.

"Kuch nahi..." I mumbled and resumed packing.

(Nothing...)

Bhairav Ji's eyes lingered on me, "Idhar aao... Mere paas." He beckoned. The rings on his hand were shining wickedly.

(Come here... Near me.)

I glared at him, "Aur saaman kaun rakhega? Ek jhalak mei aise irade lete ho aap. Sheher jaane ke liye itna saara saaman lena padta hai... Aapko toh kisi bhi cheez ki phikar nahi hoti."

(And who'll pack everything? You make such sudden decisions. So much has to be packed to go to the city... You're not bothered by anything.)

He drank the entire glass of alcohol and laid down on the bed with his arms propped up. "Biwi ko mai sheher leke jaa raha hu. Train ki ticket toh subah hi le liya hai, aur waha jaakar mere makaan mei rahenge... Aspataal mei mere jaanpooch ka dost hai, ek doctor, usse bhi baat ho chuka hai. Phir bhi mujhse zyada chinta tumhe kyu ho rahi hai?"

(I'm the one taking my wife to the city. The train tickets were already booked for the morning, and after we get there, we'll stay at my apartment... I've already spoken to my good friend who's a doctor. And even after all this, why are you more worried than I am?)

His arguments were valid, but that did little to ease the worry in my chest. Bhairav Ji grabbed my pallu and pulled it off my shoulder when I refused to answer. "Chodiye!" I tried to pull it out of his hands. But who was I kidding?

(Let go!)

He reached forward and wrapped both his arms around me. With one sharp tug, he made me sit on the bed.

"Aise ghabrana bache ke liye sahi nahi hai," he mumbled in my ear.

(Getting this anxious is not good for the baby)

"Ghabrana toh padta hai. Aapke saath joh rehti hu!" I snapped, "Mujhe aise achanak sheher kyu leker jaa rahe ho?"

(Of course, I'll be anxious if I live with you! Why are you suddenly taking me to the city?)

I hissed in pain when he bit my neck. "Bacche ko paida karna utna aasaan nahi hota," he murmured, his voice low but firm. "Tumhari bhalai ke liye hi main tumhe sheher ke bade aspataal le jaa raha hoon. Maa aur Dadi ke khilaaf jaana mujhe khushi nahi deta... lekin majboor hoon."

(It's not that easy to birth a child. I'm taking you to the hospital in the city for your well being. It doesn't make me happy to go against my Mother or Grandma... But I'm compelled to.)

He paused, "Meri pehli Maa ki maut... Baba aur Dadi ki laparwahi ki wajah se hui thi. Tumhe kya lagta hai, main tumhe bhi wahi anjaam jhelne dunga?"

(My birth mother died because of their carelessness. You think I'll let you endure the same fate?)

He squeezed my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes, "Humse bachkar nikal jaana itna aasaan nahi hai, Thakurain... yeh khayal dil se nikaal do. Aur agar koi guzar bhi jaaye woh sirf mai-"

(It's not that easy to escape from me, Thakurain... And even if someone does die-)

I pressed my hand over his mouth, "Chup ho jaiye, Sarkar."

(Please don't say such things.)

There were tears in my eyes. Even though he infuriated me and made my life impossible, I never wanted to leave him. I couldn't imagine either of us leaving the other.

My husband gently moved my hand before leaning forward to kiss me. It felt warm, safe. My nerves instantly calmed down because of his affection.

"Der ho rahi hai..." he mumbled in between the kiss, "Dopahar ka train hai... Subah kaafi samay milegi sab taiyar rakhne ke liye. Chalo, so jao. Sheher ke baare mein sochna chhod do."

(It's getting late... Our train is in the afternoon, so we have enough time to pack in the morning. Go to sleep. Stop thinking about the city.)

My arms instinctively curved around his neck. Bhairav Ji deepened the kiss as he lifted me onto his lap.

"Mmm... Aah..." I moaned when he pressed my breasts.

He began untying my choli, "Kuch dino ke liye shayad hum aise paas nahi aa payenge. Mere makaan mei sirf ek kamra hai aur Bhargav bhi wahi rehta hai."

(We won't be alone like this in the city. There's only one room in my apartment, and Bhargav stays there as well.)

He freed my breasts and massaged them slowly, "Kuch dino ke liye tumhara yeh badan... Shayad chu hi nahi paunga."

(I might not be able to touch you for a few days...)

"A-aise mat kahiye..." I bit my lip when he flicked my nipple with his tongue.

(D-don't say that...)

"Isliye soch lo... Aaj raat mere baho mein apna hawas puri karogi yah... Sheher jaane ke chinta mei, bechain bethogi? Faisla tumhara hai."

(So you better decide now. Do you want to lose yourself in my arms tonight or... Be worried about traveling to the city?)

I gulped. Wasn't the answer obvious?

What did he expect when he had already gotten me so wet?

"A-aapke bahon mei..." I squeezed his arm.

(I- in your arms...)

Bhairav Ji pinched my nipple, "Mere bahon mei kya? Pura bolo."

(In my arms? Say it entirely.)

"M-Mai... Mai... Aapke bahon mei... Chahti hu..." No more words would come out. My face was already red with embarrassment.

(I- I... I want... I want... In your arms...)

"Kya chahti ho meri gilehri?"

(What do you want, my little squirrel?)

"Aapko..."

(You...)

He scoffed. My husband held the side of my face and pushed his thumb into my mouth, "Mujhe kaha chahti ho?"

(And where do you want me?)

"Yaha se lekar..." I squeezed his hand and trailed it down my chin, between the valley of my breasts, down my waist chain and navel, finally stopping right between my legs, "Yaha thak."

(From here... Till all the way here...)

He looked impressed, and before I could comprehend, he gripped my hair, forcing my head back, "Phir ache se maanga seekho... Neeche baitho."

(Then learn to ask properly. Sit down.)

"J-Ji..." He made me kneel on the floor. His grip on my hair was unforgiving, but I felt like such a slut to enjoy it all. Even the pain.

With trembling hands, I removed his dhoti and underwear, just to free his hard cock. The sheer girth made me swallow, and when I took it in my hands, it seemed larger than I remembered.

"Kaam pe lag jao," he instructed coldly and guided my head down his cock. The taste made me even wetter.

(Get to work.)

It was going to be a long night.

***

The train rattled sharply, snapping me awake from my dream where I had been running around an open field with Phool.

"Sirf train ki awaaz hai... so jao. Kuch der mei jaga dunga," Bhairav Ji mumbled while brushing my cheek with his knuckles. I hadn't realised that I was sleeping against his arm for so long.

(It's just the train's noise... Go to sleep. I'll wake you up in a bit.)

The bogey was dark, and I made sure that all our luggage was still intact. Bhairav Ji handed me his bottle of water.

"Kitni der aur legegi...?" I asked, staring out of the window. He leaned over my shoulder to glance outside as well, "Aadhe ghante mei pahunch jaana chahiye."

(How much longer will it take...?)

(We should reach in half an hour.)

His mannerisms revealed that he seemed very much alert and awake. "Aapko neend nahi aa rahi?" I mumbled.

(Do you not feel sleepy?)

"Nahi aa rahi, jaan. Aur sona chahti ho toh so jao."

(No, my dear. If you want to sleep more, you can.)

I shook my head, "Agar aap jaagte rahenge, toh mai bhi aapko sahara dungi. Mujhe ab neend nahi aa rahi."

(If you want, I'll give you company. I don't feel sleepy anymore.)

"Acha?" He mumbled as I hugged his arm again and leaned my head on his shoulder.

(Really?)

"Aur agar-" I yawned, "Aap sona chahte ho toh bata dijiye. Mai samaan ka rakhwali karungi."

(Yes and- If you want to sleep, I'll stay awake and watch our luggage.)

"Shukriya," he kissed my head. It was a relief that all others in our bogey were fast asleep, or I would have died of embarrassment.

(Thank you.)

As the minutes passed, my eyes grew heavy again. I began imagining myself protecting our bags and soon had a wonderful dream about it too, where I had successfully hidden our bags from two thieves.

"Sanjana... Uth jao."

(Sanjana... Wake up.)

Bhairav Ji shook me awake, and before I knew it, we had gotten down from the train.

"Kisine kaha tha ki woh jaagi rahegi," he sighed before handing me the lighter bag.

(Somebody told me that they'd stay awake.)

"Meri galti nahi hai," I muttered, rubbing my eyes, "Aapke karan yeh bacha hai aur bache ke karan thak jaati hu."

(It's not my fault. Because of you, I'm pregnant, and because of the child, I feel tired.)

He gave me a look of disbelief before pushing me ahead by my shoulders, "Aaajkal zubaan bahut tez chalti hai."

(Your tongue has gotten quite sharp these days.)

I was too sleepy to retort. As we exited the railway station, a man came forward to greet my husband, "Thakur Ji, Namaste."

"Namaste, Hariram Kaka," my husband replied promptly. The older man turned to me as well, and I squeezed the back of Bhairav Ji's kurta.

"Patni hai," My husband mumbled, and the old man greeted me as well. "Kaka ko basti de do... Woh hame lene aaye hai," Bhairav Ji instructed. Hariram Kaka took both our bags and kept them in his car. He drove us through the city while talking constantly about my husband and how long it had been since he had visited the city.

(This is my wife. Give the bag to Kaka, he's come to take us home.)

Bhairav Ji sat at the front, talking with Hariram Kaka about work and everyone back at home. From their conversation, I inferred that he hadn't told Bhargav that he'd be coming today. He was very much worried that his brother was slacking off with work and ruining himself with the distractions in the city.

But I couldn't care less about the good-for-nothing devar of mine. Even though Keshav was far more annoying, he didn't have ego issues like Bhargav did.

The city was fascinating at night. There were so many lights everywhere. So many people and so many cars. It wasn't like our village at all. In fact, everyone seemed to be in a hurry even though it was late in the evening.

I saw shopkeepers arguing with their customers, stray dogs waiting for scraps from restaurants, a blind man singing on the side of the road for money, and a lot more strange things.

"Woh kya hai...?" I gasped when I saw a large crowd of people come out of a building termed 'Archana Talkies'. Men, women, and children of all ages were present in the crowd. Their faces were vibrant with emotions.

(What is that...?)

"Wahan picture chalti hai," Bhairav Ji responded.

(Films are played over there.)

"Picture?" I squeezed the car window.

(Films?)

"Haa, awaaz wali. Ek baar leke chalunga," he promised softly.

(Yes, the one with sounds. I'll take you there once.)

I smiled. One day, I'd get to be there in the crowd as well. If I were in school, I'd love to have boasted about it to my classmates.

After we reached the apartment, Hariram Kaka carried our bags up the stairs. Bhairav Ji tipped him as well and mentioned that he'd be at the factory tomorrow. The man left after thanking us.

"Aapne Bhargav Bhaiya se kuch bola kyu nahi?" I tugged my husband's hand.

(Why didn't you inform Bhargav Bhaiya that we'd be coming?)

"Mujhe jaanna hai ki mere na hone par woh kya karta hai," he replied and took off his sandals. But right then, I spotted something by the front door. A woman's footwear.

(I want to know what he does when I'm not around.)