Part 23:
August 15, 2014
"Raghu'"
"Yeah?"
"he's the size of a raspberry."
"What is?"
"Your brain."
"what are you talking about Antara?"
Raghu looked up from the paper he was reading and looked up at Antara who was carrying his cup of coffee and crying. Perplexed he stood up and carried her into his arms. He carried her into their bedroom and put her on the bed. She burst out crying, sobbing all over his shirt.
He was utterly confused. What had he done? Was she rethinking the pregnancy?
"Out into'.*sobs*'.and'.she's so tiny'"
"Antara, please calm down. Tell me what's wrong?"
"OUR BABY IS THE SIZE OF A RASPBERRY!!" Antara cried even louder. A worried Ajji and Rukhsaar came running to the door. They met the eyes of a very shocked and confused Raghu. He asked for help but Ajji shook her head and smiled at the doorway as Rukhsaar held onto her ajji to stifle her laughter.
"Is that good?!" Raghu tried to help.
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because Antara stood up fuming. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PREGNANCY DO YOU. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU. IF I ASK YOU HOW MANY RUNS SACHIN HAS MADE IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE YOU CAN TELL ME LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND BUT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE SIZE OF OUR BABY!"
"well antara, you are just barely only a few weeks along. Doesn't that mean it's really tiny?"
"TINY! IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE? TINY. RAGHUNATH NAIK. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ON GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS."
"but antara i don't really know anything about this stuff." He admitted lamely as he blushed and looked longingly at his ajji and sister for help. They both continued to stand at the doorway and let Raghu endure the wrath of Antara.
Antara just cried harder.
"okay, how about this. From today onwards, you and me are going to tackle this together. I haven't don't this before, " Raghu tried to rationalize with Antara. She nodded wiping her tears with the back of her hand. He held her other hand and gently guided her back onto the bed. He held her by the shoulders. "I want to be in this with you. I'm sorry that I haven't been. But from now on. It'll be a team effort okay?"
Antara nodded. Ajji and Rukhsaar finally intervened and sat on both sides of Antara. "And we're here to help."
"And I think, that it's really cute that our baby is the size of a raspberry. She'll be the cutest raspberry in the world!" Raghu smiled trying to pacify Antara.
Finally he saw the dimpled grin he had been waiting for.
"She? Does that mean it's a girl?" Najma asked.
"I'm hoping it is not." Antara answered .
"Oh a granddaughter! How exciting!" Ajji said.
"Just what I need. Another crazy woman in my life." Raghu mumbled.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Rukhsaar, Ajji, and antara screamed simultaneously.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Raghu got up and looked at antara questioningly, almost as if asking her permission to go to work. She blinked a yes. He pecked each of the three women's foreheads and ran out of the house before he endured any more hormonal tantrums.
"I have got to pick up some books on my way home." Raghu thought to himself as he started the car.
A few weeks later:
Antara went to go pee again. Raghu watched her out of the corner of his eye. That was the third time since dinner. He got back to his book What To Expect When You Are Expecting and read, "9 weeks ' schedule a pre-natal visit if not already done so."
Before antara could get back, he picked up his cell phone and dialed Prasad's number. "Prasad I need you to schedule a meeting with Dr. Patel. No, Dr. Zarna Patel. The famous Ob/Gyn. Yes I know you are an architect. As soon as possible. And Prasad'Thank you."
Raghu ended the call and placed his hand on the bridge of his nose. He heard Antara puking out her dinner in the bathroom.
"Why did they call it morning sickness if it happens 24/7?" He thought ruefully as he walked to the bathroom with lemonade for his wife.
A few days later:
"Remember antara, that you will only be barely be able to hear the baby's heart beat. So I think we should just focus on the basics. I read that we should just inquire if the baby is the right size. Also, let's ask for a copy of your vitals. To keep track. I think it's really a good idea that we track how you are doing ourselves too. To make sure that the Doctor doesn't over look this. Although I don't think we need to worry, Dr. Patel is the best OB/GYN I could find. I think it's best and smart that we opted for an OB because you never know what will happen. Of course, nothing will happen. Don't worry Zoya. Nothing will happen."
Antara smiled as she looked at the babbling Chintu beside her. He was driving at barely 30 miles an hour. He was afraid that he would encounter something unexpected on the road and he didn't want to harm the baby. Over the last two weeks she had seen her husband become a protective father. Even though the baby wasn't born Raghu now was protecting the child as well as Antara with all his might. This meant that Antara was receiving double the attention she normally would. Not that she was complaining. She was frankly scared out of her mind about the pregnancy. She hadn't managed to tell Raghu this because it had only been a while since she had rantara all this, he was scared enough for the both of them.
Raghu grit his teeth as he parked the car. He was beyond terrified. There was so much he wanted to tell antara. So much that he needed to tell her. How he was afraid. He wasn't sure. He opened the door for Antara and helped her climb out. He held her hand firmly as they walked into the clinic.
"Mr. and Mrs. Naik." Raghu informed the clerk as Antara took a seat. She looked around the room and saw other ladies. She remembered she will be huge again
"Well how soon do you want it to be antara? It's a baby. It won't grow according to your needs. It has a mind of it's own!" She thought to herself as Raghu joined her taking a seat next to hers.
Raghu looked around the room and saw the husbands of the wifes smile excitedly towards their wives. He was as excited too but still scared ." He thought.. He wasn't sure what type of father he would be to both of his children. He wasn't sure what a father's love was, and if he wasn't sure what it was how was he supposed to provide it? He had poured over books upon books since Antaras pregnancy announcement. However, he didn't know what would happen once the baby came. What if he hurt it? Dropped it? The babies in the pictures looked so tiny. As thick as his bicep maybe, if not smaller. He could easily hurt the baby.
Note:
I had not got any ideas of how raghu should be like during antaras pregnancy so i got these from a asya ss
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
