Part 40
Dear friends,
Thank you all for the prompt reply to my query. I see that most of you want Riddhima to have a baby. I respect your opinion but at the same time, though this is only a fiction I want to keep it as realistic as possible. That's been my aim in whatever I write. So all of you wait and read the upcoming parts to see what happens.
Love, ssh57.
A: Riddhima, don't you remember my mother's youngest brother, Gopal?
When she looked puzzled as to why he was mentioning that person, (whom she could never stand,) now, he went on to say "Remember he used to come over for the vacations? Of course! How could you forget him, he was your ardent admirer."
Riddhima just glared at him. So he quickly continued "He was 2 years younger than me? I used to call him Gopal mama, just to tease him.
R: Armaan that was years ago. Then people had 10-12 children. These days people don't have more than two. So such things don't happen.
Armaan didn't seem convinced but decided to drop the matter for the time being.
The evening passed off with the contractor he had called, to start with the hospital construction. He had brought a blue print and discussed it with them at length. Armaan suggested some modifications in it. He agreed to incorporate them and get back to them in a few days.
Suja had called immediately after reaching home, but couldn't talk much as she had get Priyam ready for school. She also had an appointment with her gynac that evening. So Riddhima called her to find out what the doctor had to say. Suja told her that accoding to the doctor, her pregnancy was progressing well. Nevertheless, she had advised her to have a routine sonography to further ascertain that the child's growth. The only problem was she had to go to the town for it and Prakash couldn't take leave.
R: We are coming there during the weekend na? You fix an appointment for Monday. Even if I can't come with you, athaan will. That is if you don't mind.
S: Of course not amma, why should I mind? That seems perfect. I'll do that.
"Where does she want to go?" Armaan asked after she had cut the call. Riddhima explained it to him and he nodded in agreement saying "Yes, she shouldn't go anywhere alone in this condition."
The next morning Riddhima wanted to go to school, but Armaan asked her to wait for a couple of weeks more, till she had had the next check-up at Apollo Hospital. Irritated by his refusal, Riddhima just walked out of the house. Armaan didn't stop her. He knew she would go to her uncle's house only and that her anger would subside if she poured it all out to her best friend, her Balu mama. He was happy that she respected his words and didn't disobey him, even though she wasn't happy with his decision.
In the meantime, he sat with his laptop and googled to search for information about 'pregnancy, post renal transplant.' But the more he read, the more it confused him. There were so many women claiming that they have healthy babies after their renal transplant, but none of them of Riddhima's age.
At the same time there were several articles highlighting the dangers of the immunosuppresent drugs, which an organ transplant patient had to have, to prevent organ rejection, to the unborn baby. The baby would not develop an immune system. But the thing that worried him the most was the risks he would be putting his Riddhima through, because of her diabetes and her age. Was it worth all that, to give her the greatest joy every woman dreamt of, to have a baby kicking in her womb? He couldn't decide.
Seeing her enter he quickly shut down his computer. When she went into their room, he followed her and saw her folding some clothes and putting them in the closet. He went and hugged her from behind. When she tried to remove his arms from around her waist, he pressed his chin on her shoulder asking "Still angry with me?" She didn't reply, but continued doing what she was doing. When she closed the closet, he turned her around to face him. Holding his ears he apologized saying "Sorry I stopped you, but it was only in your interest." She didn't say a word.
He pulled her to sit down beside him on the bed and explained, "The immunosuppresents which you are taking, makes you susceptible to infections. School means so many people. They themselves may not be ill, but they could be carriers of some infection which their body can resist, but you might catch it. That's the last thing we want at this stage. Your recovery has been smooth so far. That's why I" She didn't let him even complete the sentence. She just pulled his face down and pressed her lips against his cheek. Before he could even react to it, she hid her face in his chest, hugging him tight.
Smiling at her action he hugged her tighter and placed his chin on her head. But when he felt something wet on his chest, he pulled her a little away from himself and saw tears flowing down her cheeks. "Hey, what's this? Are you crying because you kissed me?" he asked, wiping them. Hitting his chest playfully she said "You are so concerned for me and I got angry with you."
When Armaan said "If this is what I get every time you are angry, I'd like you to get angry more often" and laughed, he got slapped on his arm. Pouting like a baby he complained "This is the reward one gets for doing good." She came out of the hug, just pulled his cheeks like she would a naughty child and walked away from there, leaving him staring at her disappearing back.
Two days later Riddhima's cousin, Kamala, called to enquire about her health. "Everyone in my school is talking about your school function. I heard you've taken that good-for-nothing man back into your life."
R: Please akka, don't talk like that about athaan. Had it not been for him, your sister wouldn't have been alive today.
K: Ya, I know that. The only good thing he did was to leave you alive.
R: Akka what are you saying? He was the one who donated his kidney and saved my life.
K: You might have forgotten all that he put you through all these years. Even after suffering so much in life, you haven't learnt to judge people correctly. If it hadn't been for my advice, you wouldn't have either done your training nor earned the status you have in the society today.
R: I totally agree with you. And I can't thank you enough for it.
Armaan who was listening to the one sided conversation felt very disturbed hearing her words. He understood that it was her Kamala akka calling and also that she was speaking ill about him. Then why was Riddhima agreeing with her and thanking her?
R: But Akka, Love is not only to forget but to forgive too, not to just see but to understand, not to just hear but to listen, not to let go but to HOLD ON !!!! You know I've always loved him, whether he was with me or not. Otherwise wouldn't I have followed you other advice also and got married to one of the many matches you found for me?
K: You've always been adamant and think with your heart. You don't know what's good for you. What will you do if he leaves you again and goes off to the US?
R: If that's my fate, so be it. But I don't think he'll do anything like that. Ok bye akka, don't worry about me, everything is going to be fine.
When she cut the call and turned around she saw Armaan standing staring at her. She raised her eyebrows in question. When he came near and held her hands she noticed the tears in his eyes. "What's it athaan?" she asked him lovingly. He took her to the sofa and made her sit next to him, but facing him. Then he said, "Could you please repeat what you just quoted about love to your akka?" When she did, he hugged her saying "Where did you learn such beautiful quotes?"
"I'm a well read person Dr. Armaan, being in the profession I am." She said with a naughty glint in her eyes.
A: Yes, extremely well read inspite having started so late. Each day I live with you Riddhima, I fall down in my own eyes, over and over again. I feel ashamed of myself and really wonder if I deserve your unfaltering love.
R: Athaan, didn't we decide, we are going to start afresh and forget the past?
A: Even if we want to, people won't let us. I'm sure your akka was talking about the past, didn't that bring back sad memories?
R: No athaan, I've locked up the past and thrown away the keys. I only have pleasant thoughts of our lives together now.
They were distracted by the ringing of the phone. It was Suja. She had called to say that the sonographist was not available on Monday, so she had made an appointment for Friday, that was the following day. She wanted to know if it was possible for them to come the next morning. Armaan, who had picked the phone, assured her that it was no problem at all and that they'd be there the next morning. Her appointment was only at 2 pm.
Immediately Armaan called and arranged for a call taxi to pick them at 8am the next morning. That night after dinner while Riddhima packed their clothes etc., he meticulously packed the required amount of all her medicines. His main duty was to ensure she didn't miss or even delay a single dose of her medicine. He also took as much care about her diet and exercise.
The next morning they reached Suja's house around 10. Priyam and Prakash had already left. Suja welcomed them with a broad smile. But since she had just finished cooking, she was sweating and looking tired. Seeing her Riddhima's eyes filled with tears. "How are you Kanamma?" she asked touching Suja's cheeks.
S: I'm ok amma. And now that you are here, I'm double ok.
Armaan smiled at them and handed over the sweets and flowers they had bought for her on their way. And of course Priyam's favourite biscuits too. "The house seems empty without Priyam" Armaan remarked. "Say it's peaceful" Suja said and moved towards the kitchen. But her appa pushed her to sit beside her amma on the sofa.
S: I was just going to get some water for you people.
"I can get it," he said and went to the kitchen returning with 3 glasses of water. When they had finished drinking he collected the glasses and went to the kitchen saying "You both catch up, I'll just be back." He returned a few minutes later with a glass of fresh orange juice in his hand and handing it to Suja said "Here have this. You look drained out." Looking up at him as she took the glass from him, Suja's eyes filled with tears. Holding his hand she said "Appa don't pamper me like that. I'll miss it after you both go away in two days."
Handing the glass to her and rubbing her head he said "Enjoy it while it lasts kanamma. That's the least I can do for you." Now it was Riddhima's turn to shed tears. "I should be the one taking care of you and see I'm myself ill and need someone to take care of me." She grumbled. "It's ok amma. You mere presence is enough. I don't want anything else. Even imagining my life without you sends shivers down my spine."
After some chatting, lunch and a nap it was time for Suja and Armaan to leave. When Armaan said "Why don't you also come along Riddhima? We'll be going by cab only, she said "No athaan, you both go. I'll take some rest and then my chellam will also come back from school." Actually in her mind she thought it unlucky for three of them to go for such an important work.
As soon as they left the house, Armaan said "Suja I want to discuss something very important with you." She understood it must be something about her amma only. So she asked "Is there some problem with amma's health?" He shook his head and said "No. So far she's recovering much better than the doctors expected her to."
S: Then?
A: You were the only one who was with Riddhima during her hardest days. Tell me how she felt about not having a child of her own? Did she ever express her wish to mother a child?
Suja was thoughtful for a minute and then said "She never expressed any such thing verbally. But she showered me with so much love, I don't know whether even a real mother would. And she'd talk endlessly about her sons, especially Karan. And every time she mentioned him, her eyes would mist. I'd sometimes feel so jealous of him. He was so lucky to have had two mothers right from the day of his birth, when I didn't have even one."
Then turning to him she asked, "But why are you asking that now?" Armaan hesitated for a moment and said "I was thinking if Riddhima wanted, she could have a baby now." Suja seemed too shocked for a moment. Then she asked "Is it possible? Did you and amma talk about it?" Armaan told her Riddhima's POV in the matter and also explained to her all that he had read about it on the net.
S: It would only be a miracle if she could. And as a mother I know what it feels to have a baby kicking in your womb. Nothing in this world is comparable to that joy. Tell you what, I'll talk to my gynac about it and you too talk to her doctors at Apollo Hospital. Then we'll see what can be done.
Armaan gave her shoulder a squeeze saying "That's perfect. You've taken a load off my chest. For the last few days my head's been muddling over this."
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
41