CHAPTER 7: SHADOWS BETWEEN MEMORIES

CHAPTER7: SHADOWS BETWEEN MEMORIES

Pia's Point of View

There are moments in life when the world feels like it's been tilted slightly off its axis, like everything is still where it was—but somehow not the same. I felt that way as I stood in front of the clinic's reception desk, heart hammering so loudly I thought everyone in the room could hear it.

"Name?" the nurse asked, looking up from her register.

"Pia Mehra," I said, my voice steady—at least outwardly.

"First pregnancy?" she asked, glancing at me over her glasses.

I nodded. "Yes."

She handed me a form and directed me to a small waiting area. I filled it out with shaking hands, not even knowing what I was hoping to find. Answers? Peace? Or just a confirmation that everything was still within the lines of what I thought I understood?

But deep inside, I already knew something wasn't adding up.

---

The technician called me in ten minutes later. The room was clean and clinical, the lights dimmed. I lay back on the examination table, my dupatta folded neatly beside me, heart racing in my chest.

"Are you sure about your dates?" she asked as she prepped the gel.

"Yes," I said, unsure if I was lying anymore.

The cold jelly touched my skin, and I flinched. She moved the probe gently over my lower abdomen, and the screen in front of me lit up.

And there it was. A flicker. A shape. A life.

"There's your baby," the technician smiled warmly, adjusting the image. "Strong heartbeat. Beautiful growth."

I didn't respond. I couldn't.

She moved the device slightly, measuring, clicking, noting something in her system.

"So," she said, after a pause, "you're approximately 12 weeks and 3 days pregnant."

The words rang through me like a scream in an empty room.

Twelve weeks?

No.

No, no, no.

I sat up slightly, ignoring the protest of the cold gel.

"That… that can't be right," I said, my throat suddenly dry.

The technician gave me a professional, gentle smile. "Our dating is based on size and development. It's pretty accurate. You might have had an irregular cycle without realizing it."

I nodded faintly. But the numbers kept circling in my head.

Twelve weeks meant… three months.

We had only been married for one.

---

I sat in an auto outside the clinic for what felt like hours, staring at nothing.

Three months.

This wasn't just a small error in calculation. This wasn't a cycle shift or a slightly early ovulation.

This was a full two months' difference from what I had been told. From what they had known and chosen not to share.

Why?

I tried to breathe. I clutched the scan images in my hands, folded so tightly the edges had started to curl.

My mind raced back. Three months ago… what was I even doing?

And then, like a puzzle piece sliding into place, the memory came flooding back.

The party.

It was before our wedding. Just a small get-together Arjun had taken me to. He wanted me to meet a few of his college friends. The night had been loud, filled with laughter and dancing. I remember sipping from a glass he gave me—light, sweet, fizzy. I thought it was just a soft drink. It had tasted harmless.

But I remember nothing after that.

A blank. A gap.

I woke up in my bed the next day, my head spinning, my mouth dry. Arjun told me I had dozed off early, and he had brought me home. I hadn't questioned it. We were engaged, after all. I trusted him.

But now…

I stared down at the scan report again. Twelve weeks.

That night came roughly three months ago.

My stomach churned.

Could it be?

Did he…?

No.

Arjun would never hurt me. He would never do anything without my consent. He had always been gentle, respectful—even hesitant when it came to physical closeness.

But then why hadn't he told me the truth about the pregnancy? Why did Rhea and he talk in hushed voices like they were protecting me from something?

Or hiding it from me?

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back. I couldn't cry. Not yet. I needed to think.

If Arjun had done something… under the influence… did he even realize it? Did I?

What if neither of us remembered clearly?

And what if… he did remember?

A terrifying silence settled over me.

---

Back home, I slipped inside quietly. Rhea was upstairs resting, and the house felt unusually still. I went straight to the bedroom, shut the door, and locked it.

I sank onto the bed, letting the scan photos fall beside me.

I pressed a hand to my belly.

Was this baby… conceived that night?

I didn't even remember it.

A part of me felt robbed—like something sacred had happened without me even being aware.

But then another part of me whispered: You love Arjun. You trust him. Don't jump to conclusions.

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe through the storm in my head.

Maybe there was another explanation. Maybe this was just a medical error. Maybe Rhea and Arjun had meant to tell me once they were sure. Maybe they were worried I wouldn't take it well.

But why hide it at all?

Why not just tell me?

And why, when I asked Arjun if everything was okay, did he say everything was fine—when clearly it wasn't?

A knock came at the door.

"Pia?" It was Maa's voice. "Lunch is ready, beta. Come eat something?"

I quickly wiped my face and forced my voice to stay even. "Coming, Ma. Just freshening up."

I heard her retreat, and I let out a shaky breath.

I couldn't confront them. Not yet. Not until I had more clarity. Not until I could face Arjun and ask the questions building inside me without letting emotion cloud the truth.

For now, I had to wear the same smile. Pretend I didn't know.

But inside, everything had changed.

Because once you start doubting what you remember—what you don't remember—the world suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.

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