His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Sam picked me up at noon. The first thing I noticed about him was how awfully dressed up he was in his khaki pants and branded sweater, and I wondered if it was just to pick out the babies’ beds with me or if he had something going after that. but I didn’t want to offend him by asking

“Two? Why do you need two?” Sam asked me when we were walking through the aisle of one of the only two maternity stores my hometown had, and some eyes turned towards us. I could see realisation flicker in an old lady’s eyes when they set on me and then going to my belly, but she looked away just as quickly.

“Twins need two beds,” I remind him.

“Twins?” His eyes widen.

“I didn’t mention?”

“No.” A little smile spreads over his lips, “Two. Wow. Double trouble.”

I smile, walking over to the white beds, just the kind I had imagined, and check the tag hanging. The colour of my face drains when I see the price on them: 350USD.

350USD wasn’t a lot and I was well aware there were cots that cost much more than this, but it was a lot to someone trying to save every last cent. I had expected 400USD for both, but this was one at the price of t

two.

“Is everything okay?” Sam asked, probably noticing how the happiness in my eyes faded.

“Yeah” I pass him a meek smile, “I was buying a cot instead of a crib to save down the line, but I can buy just one. It’s too big for an infant. They can share for the first few months and when they begin to outgrow the space, I’ll just buy another.”

“Or… I can buy the second one for you,” he offers.

“Nonsense!”

“No, really. I obviously missed your baby shower or a gender reveal party or any of those things they do these days, so consider this my baby shower gift?”

“I didn’t have a baby shower.”

“Blasphemy,” He teased, “We should totally have one now”

“Party of three? Luna being the third, by the way.”

“Come on, you’re not that lonely.”

“I am.” I raise my shoulders, walking to the baby clothes section. hadn’t bought any yet, and I figured this was as go time as any to start collecting some clothes. I didn’t know the geaders yet, so I was picking out only the gender neutra onesies. “I mean, I can always call Alice, but…

My voice fades and when it doesn’t pick up again, he quietly adds. “I don’t think you should do that.”

“Why not?”

דיי

may

back here and she may have not reacted to

us as I process his words before replying,

passing me a pastel yellow onesie with various

1/4

nod, pushing back the heaviness making its way to my chest. I was hurt, so I hurt the people around me. I knew apologies. were due, but would she really

make it two. It was my quick

I’m buying one. Scratch that,

part.

to gift you

such an expensive

Soph. I’ve known you since we were kids and now you are having kids. You really think gifting a cot is expensive? Because you need to wait around and see

at him reluctantly. “Are you

even offer if

and he smiles back as we head to the billing counter with my

cashier says, her grey eyes

the cots separately.” Sam tells her for

of the cots.” I

a notepad. “Please write the address at which you want the cots

says, and I hand her

“Twins?” She asks.

making

about fifteen years ago.” She smiled back while processing my cart, her eyes filled with a happy

prepared as I can be,” I

a job overseas wh months pregnant, can

as quickly as my expression.

and puts his hand around my should lightly, guiding me out with the bags

be Gabriel. This

thought finds its way into my mind, I get silent and I remain

back.

the shopping bags outside my front door.

didn’t even eat

2/4

“I just lost appetite.

He buzzes, sitting on the stairs by the wooden porch

“What’re you doing?”

the place next

me sit, because it was getting harder and harder. It really was a miracle that I count contain my pee

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