Chapter 25

Part: 25

Mohini and Brij sent Mahi with Shabd with heavy hearts. They gave hundreds of care tips to Mahi. DM assured them to take care of Mahi like a mother."Main ussey pura maa ki pyar doongi. Wo meri beti hi hai. Shabd har haftey ussey aap sey milaney ke liye lekey ayega. Aap bhi jab mann chaey apney beti ko dekhney aa saktey hai. Nau mahiney aatey hi aap ussey le ja saktey hai. Aakhir uski bhi pehla pregnancy hai. Har ladki ko pehla pregnancy mein maa ke paas rehney ki bahut mann karti hai."

Mohini and Brij relieved a little after DM's assurance. They promised to visit every now and then. Raaji and Soni also promised to talk to her every day. Shabd and Mahi took blessings from everyone and left.

Mahi sat in the patio attached to her bedroom thinking deeply when Shabd came up with a tray of some light snacks and tea. "Humari rani kyon udaas bhaithi hai? Maa ki yaad aarahi hai kya?" Mahi smiled at him and shook her head but shadow in her eyes revealed something else to Shabd. He dropped his hand around her and kissed her forehead. "I'm sure you will be missing me more when you were with your maayka. Haina?" Mahi smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder "Shabd aisa kyon hota hai. Har ladki apni maayka ko kyon chodna padta hai? Can't the girl stay with her husband and parents under same roof. Pata nahin kaun yeh rivaz ko shuruvard kiya tha. Bahut dard hoti hai donon ke bagair rehna. Jab mein yahan rehti hoon, mummyji ki yaad satati hai. Jab maayka jaati hoon tumhey bahut miss karti hoon. Har waqt tumhari dooriyan bahut jada satati thi magar iss baar mein mummyji ko bahut miss kar rahi hoon. Maayka chod key kuch gantey huvi bhi nahin phir unki yaad aaney lagi hai."

Shabd caressed her cheeks pressing her closer to his heart "I know it's difficult situation for a girl. Yehi humari reeit rivaaz hai. Anyways, I promise you to take to your parent's house every week if not every day. Jab tum door hotey ho, mein bhi tumhey bahut miss karta hoon.'"

Mahi relaxed in his embrace for few minutes and had tea and snacks talking to him about everything in the world. Most of their conversation ran around their babies. They fought for deciding some names to the kids. They walked to DM for solution and DM suggested them to write down all pairs in a paper and sort out.

Mahi became busy in writing the names in next few days. She learnt knitting small socks, sweaters from veena. Veena visited her almost everyday. Raaji and Soni took turns to entertain Mahi. Mohini visited her every other day bringing many delicious dishes, sweets, snacks along with her. She expressed all the time her dissatisfaction for not taking enough care of Mahi with her own hands. DM got used to her soft taunts as she couldn't convince Shabd for Mahi's stay in maayka. Brij was still angry though not expressing it out in front of Shabd and visited Mahi every other time of Mohini's visit. Nani maasi came once in a while to visit Mahi.

Shabd's routine changed now. He took complete care of Mahi as he promised before. He was starting his day by waking her up, taking coffee and breakfast to the room by the time she finished brushing. He was going to work when Mahi forcefully was pushing him out of the house. He was calling every other minute enquiring about her day. She teased him at his enquiries "Shabd! Tum ghar chodkey ek ganta bhi nahin huva. Meri day kahan shuru hua tha? Wahin ruk gayi jahan tum chodkar gaya tha, mujhey kuch karney dey toh tab batoongi day kaisi rahi!!" Whenever he heard this type of reply he presented himself in front of Mahi making Mahi blush for his affection. He was coming back home at 4 and was keeping snacks ready for Mahi who had been getting up from her short nap "Shabd! Tum meri halat bigad raha hai, aisi khilaye toh main jaroor moti hojaaoongi aur lazy bhi. Aur bachon ko tumhey hi sambhalna padega." Shabd pouted his mouth but cheered with excitement immediately for her approval to look after kids.

DM was enjoying their playful fights and making arrangements to welcome the new born. Shabd allotted his work to Suhani and Raj on Yashwant's advice and enjoying more time at home. Mahi became hefty and was moving around house slowly. DM noticed and predicted she would deliver much before anticipated time.

One day just a day before her completion of eighth month Shabd took her out for walking. "Shabd! I'm not able to move at all. Lagta hai mere peth tight hogaya hai aur uspey bachon ko move honey ki kahin space nahin hai. I can't walk today. Please, aaj ke liye choddo mujhey."

Shabd didn't allow her to go to bed after dinner and made her take few steps in the balcony. She suddenly felt pain in the stomach. Shabd screamed DM's name and carried Mahi downstairs. Mahi was crying with pain and remembering her mom. Shabd first time felt bad for keeping her away from her maayka. He immediately called Mohini and informed Mahi's condition. He rushed Mahi to the hospital where she was taken into emergency. She delivered a boy in an hour and felt unconscious. Doctor informed them "ek ladka ko janam detey hi Mahi behosh hogayi thi. And we are arranging for an operation to take out the other baby out."

Mohini and Brij rushed to hospital just then and startled to know about Mahi. Brij unhappily stared at Shabd and prayed for Mahi's recovery with safe delivery. Mohini gestured him with eyes not to show his anger on Shabd now. Shabd felt bad for Brij's looks but realized his mistake to keep Mahi in distance from her family. "But I took good care of her. This was just happened in course of time."

Raaji and Soni also reached in few minutes. Mohini informed them before she was leaving or hospital. Shabd apologised to them about his insistency to keep Mahi with him and two sisters consoled him as he did nothing wrong "ismein kya galati tha, Shabd? Why are you holding yourself responsible for this? Daddyji ki baton ko bura mut maan na. Baap haina humesha beti ki dard ke liye damaad ko hi kusurvaar mantey hai." Shabd smiled as understanding them.

After an hour Doctor told them that Mahi gave birth to a girl child. The family can see them in few minutes. Mahi was still unconscious when she was brought into the room. The nurse brought two kids and Mohini put them in Shabd's hands one by one. Shabd dropped tears of joy seeing his own blood in front of his eyes.
Everyone carried the kids one by one and asked Shabd to choose the names and he kept it secret until Mahi opened her eyes.

After an hour Mahi opened her eyes. Everyone surrounded her enquiring her health. Mohini and Shabd brought two kids and showed to Mahi. Mahi excited to see two tiny tiny bundles and carried them with her two hands. "Mummy ji! In donon ko mein kaisey sambhaloongi?" Mohini laughed at her innocent worry and pressed her two cheeks. "Hum kiss ke liye yahan hai, Mahi beti?"

Everyone laughed and insisted to reveal their names. She looked into Shabd's eyes for approval and spelled the names out "Deep, Diya"

Everyone yelled their joy out and congratulated once again both new parents. DM, Yashwant, and nani massi came to see the kids and Mahi in the evening. Mohini and Raji were sleeping in the hospital to take care of two kids. Shabd was bringing the food for Mahi and spending most of the day with two kids.

Second day, Mohini and Raaji went home to make some arrangements as Shabd was taking care of kids and Mahi in the hospital. He was admiring at the kids for their tiny body parts and their cry, smiles in the sleep. "Mahi! yeh dekho donon mein kitna farak hai. Ek araam sey sotey toh ek roney ki expression de raha hai. Khaash yeh donon ek hi gender ki hotey, donon identical twins honey ki chances bahut hotey aur bhi maza ajaata." Mahi smiled at his affection, "Koyi baat nahin, ageley samay donon ladkiyan ko ya ladkey ko janam dengey." Shabd was excited for his wife's initiative "kya baat hai, Mahi! tum bahut akal ki baat karney lagi? I never mind for having another two pairs of twins. After all tum saat diye toh pura cricket team hi banwadengey."He winked and pressed her cheeks.

Mahi blushed at his adorable talk and hid her face in his neck curve. Shabd's heart filled with joy and love on his wife "Meri rani! Ghar kab ayengey?"

"Mummiji kehrahi thi ki humey pehley apna ghar le jaayengey aur naam karan ke baad wapas bhejdengey." Mahi revealed the plan of her parents. Shabd pouted his mouth "again leaving me?" Mahi pleaded silently with her eyes and Shabd agreed with great difficult remembering his earlier mistake for keeping Mahi away from her parents.

Three days later Mahi was discharged from hospital and taken to Malhotra's house. This time DM and Shabd couldn't refuse at the plan.