Chapter 32 – A Fleeting Imagination

The room fell silent.

Veeresh had finally stopped talking.

Within minutes, his steady breathing told Poornima he had fallen asleep.

She lay awake, staring at the ceiling.

His words echoed in her mind.

"How nice it would be... you being pregnant while our daughter is getting married."

She closed her eyes.

Without meaning to, her imagination began to wander.

She pictured herself smiling as the family fussed over her.

Veeresh would refuse to let her carry even the lightest shopping bag.

He would walk beside her everywhere, making sure she didn't miss a meal.

She imagined him saying,

Veeresh: "Poons, sit down. I'll bring it."

Or,

Veeresh: "No stairs. Hold my hand."

She smiled to herself.

Then she imagined Aradhya laughing.

Aradhya: "Mom, you're stealing my wedding attention!"

Rudra would dramatically hold his head.

Rudra: "Dad... seriously?"

Adwait would tease,

Adwait: "We're going to have a baby sibling before we become uncles."

Thoshini would happily clap.

Thoshini: "I'll spoil the baby!"

The whole house would burst into laughter.

In her imagination, Veeresh would proudly stand beside her with the biggest smile on his face, making sure everyone knew how excited he was.

She could almost hear him saying,

Veeresh: "My Poons needs rest. Nobody trouble her."

The thought made her smile even wider.

Then reality returned.

She opened her eyes and looked at the man sleeping peacefully beside her.

He looked so content.

So happy.

She reached over and gently brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead.

Softly, so he wouldn't wake up, she whispered,

Poornima: "You'll never stop teasing me, will you?"

Veeresh stirred slightly in his sleep but didn't wake.

Poornima smiled to herself.

The little daydream faded, leaving behind only warmth.

Whether or not any of Veeresh's playful ideas ever came true didn't matter.

What mattered to her was that, after losing fifteen years to misunderstanding, they finally had the chance to dream about a future together again.