Chapter 119 - Fortune

| Innaya |

"Calm down, sweetheart." Eshan rubbed my back as he tried to hold me steady in his arms.

"Arjun, what's it? Is that a dog?" Eshan yelled out.

I anxiously looked around to search for the source of that sound.

The barking did not sound angry though; it was as if happy or excited kind of barking.

Arjun did not reply as he emerged out of the other side. I cautiously looked behind him, and I stepped back more into Eshan at the sight of a large golden retriever following behind him. Why I knew so vividly about the breed was because of my cynophobia. It was the same breed that caused me a lifetime of scare and till today, I could not forget about that incident.

"What the hell!" Eshan hissed from behind me.

I could feel my breathing turning heavier as that dog followed behind Arjun.

"Arjun, get Fortune out of here. She's cynophobic." Eshan urgently addressed to him as he rubbed my forearms.

My eyes were trained on that dog. I wanted to turn on my feet and run away, but my feet were stuck on the ground. I could not move. That dog's attention was still on Arjun as his big eyes happily looked at Arjun. His tail wagged excitedly and there was that big grin plastered across his face, with that large tongue hanging outside.

And, like a slow-motion, it happened. Dog's eyes snapped in our direction. He stared at us for a couple of moments, I held his gaze. By this time, Arjun and he had appeared before us.

Arjun seemed to be not caring about Eshan's warning as he did not take away his dog. He sat on his knees as he petted the dog's head with his left hand, and his right hand caressed the dog's neck.

"Is he scary for you?" Arjun asked me pointing to the dog beside him who by now had sat on its hind legs, curiously glancing around and enjoying Arjun's love.

I could not speak. I just waited for the dog to make a move. In my childhood, I loved dogs, but after that incident of getting attacked, I could not bring myself to share the same emotion towards them. It was as if some invisible wall was built in my heart.

"His name is Fortune. He's a service dog. Do you know what service dogs are?" Arjun asked. Then without waiting for my reply, he continued, "They help people who are going through hard times. They help people in reducing their stress. Fortune came in my life when nothing seemed to be working for me. I could see myself sinking in darkness. Just like a sun giving life with his presence to this world, Fortune entered my life, brightening it."

"You know, who brought Fortune in my life?" Arjun questioned as he looked lovingly at the dog whose name I realized was Fortune. I had no idea who brought Fortune in his life or why. Honestly, I would have not cared if his previous words did not make me think about what had happened in his life.

"Who?" I asked before I could realize what I was doing. My eyes flickered between Arjun and Fortune. Eshan silently held me. He did not seize his motion of rubbing my arms and at some point his hand had come around my waist to my front, pulling me back to his chest.

Arjun smiled, his blue eyes turning to the man behind me. I understood his unsaid words. Eshan. Eshan had brought Fortune in Arjun's life. Would my husband ever fail to surprise me with his thoughtfulness?

"Eshan had found Fortune when he was still a pup, barely a couple of weeks old. What you see before you now, is all hard work of this husband of yours," Arjun said. "Fortune was his pet for a year. He gave Fortune to me, and that brought a considerable change in my life at that time. Though it was hard for him to hand over his baby, yet he did that. I should thank your husband for it. I did not realize how the last three years went with Fortune around me. He's one of the best things happened in my life"

As if Fortune, understood Arjun as he licked Arjun's hand, barking excitedly. As if telling him, that he too felt the same, his tail wagged continuously showing his happiness.

I, on the other hand, had a very tough time dealing with this new piece of information. Eshan loved dogs, then why I had not seen one in this house? Was it because I mentioned about my cynophobia? That did not make any sense? I told him about it on our first day in Mumbai. At that time it was impossible for him to make the dog disappear magically if he had any.

So, if he had a dog or not? Was he going to bring one later? And, because of my phobia of dogs, he did not bring any. Was it because of me that Eshan had to suppress his likings and had to avoid doing things he loved? My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I could not arrive at any conclusion.

"No, it's not what you are thinking. After separating from Fortune, I could not bring myself to raise another one. And, later our business expanded I got busy with frequent foreign trips and office work, so I had no time to look after the pet. It would have been cruel on my part to not look after the pet, so I didn't have any," Eshan spoke, clearing my confusion.

How was he able to read my mind?

I craned my neck to look at him.

"It has nothing to do with you. Don't overthink it," Eshan explained when our eyes met.

"Innaya, see, Fortune wants to greet you," Arjun announced startling me once again. Abruptly I turned my head, in time to see Fortune standing on his four legs before me. His big eyes stared at me.

His movements were slow, steady, and calm. If it was before I would have gone into a panic attack by now, but the diverting talks of Arjun and Eshan somewhere reduced my anxiety.

The fear was still there. I could still feel the palpitation in my heart. However, the need for running away from this place was not that prominent. I could still hold on for some time unless the Fortune decided to be misfortune.

Eshan left my side for a while as he crouched down on the ground before Fortune. I firstly glanced at his right hand that held mine and then I watched him slowly bringing the palm of his left hand towards Fortune's face. He did not forget to hold onto me.

"Good boy!" Fortune sniffed Eshan's fingers. His nose then rubbed against Eshan's hand as he tail started wagging again at that fast pace. His tongue came out next as he licked Eshan's palm. "Did you recognize me now? Oh! Good boy, yeah... That's like it. Did you miss me?" Eshan talked to Fortune as he patiently waited for Fortune to familiarize himself with him.

I could care less about what was unfolding because of the hand holding onto me. The warmth from Eshan's palm helped me in staying put or I would eventually leave when Fortune stepped towards us.

"Do you want to touch him?" Arjun asked me. I did not realize when he stood up and came beside me. When I heard his voice, it was only then that I noticed his presence.

I shook my head little too forcefully at the prospect of being anywhere near to that dog physically. I was cynophobic for a reason. Life was not any kind of drama where you could get over your fears within a snap of fingers. Everything took time to happen, develop.

Loving Eshan was the best example of that. It took me more than five months to develop feelings for him. It took me months to feel safe in his arms. It took me months to open up about my past. It was not a one-day thing. Then, how could I leave behind my fear and get comfortable with the dog- no- their Fortune?

"No. That's not necessary," Eshan answered too, and I was grateful for his considerate thinking.

"Okay, then I need to talk about something. Let's go inside," Arjun said as he took my free hand in his. "Eshan, you play with Fortune. See, he missed you," he added looking at the dog enjoying Eshan's petting and rubbing as he laid on the floor on his back.

I glanced at his hand holding onto me and then to Eshan's hand. Honestly, I was scared of what he wanted to talk or bring out next. After Eshan, he was the person I had spent most of the time with. We had developed an understanding and built mutual trust. I knew he would not hurt me intentionally, but he had no idea what would trigger me. Unless I told him, how he was to know. Eshan would never tell about my past to anyone even if that was his best friend. I was sure about that in my heart. I decided to listen to what he had to say, and I wanted to thank him too for all that he did for me.

"Okay," I agreed.

Giving a last glance to Eshan, who looked at me with concern, I slightly nodded at him. I withdrew my hand from his and attempting a small smile at him, I turned to get back inside with Arjun.

"Bring us something to eat in your study after some time." Arjun reminded to Eshan when we were at doorsteps.

* * *

If you are not reading this at W e b n o v e l .com, then the content you're reading is stolen! Please support the author at [https://m.w e b n o v e l.com/book/13985109706862805 ]'

* * *