OS: The Unexpected Surprise

"Didi, I took a test and it was negative," Geet said as she walked from the kitchen with a salad bowl towards the dining room.

"But those over the counter tests aren't always correct," her sister called from the kitchen.

Geet sighed. They'd been arguing about the same thing for the past half hour.

As her older sister, Naintara, walked into the room, Geet rushed over and took the large bowl of pasta from her hands. Once that was placed on the table, Geet turned back to her sister who stood with her hands on her hips.

"Trust me. As a mother of two…with one on the way," Naintara said as she rubbed her 7 month, pregnancy belly, "I know what I'm talking about."

"But…" Geet began as the noise level in the dining room suddenly rose.

The two ladies watched as their husbands walked in with Abhay and Priya, Naintara and Adi's two children. Adi and Naintara had met when Naintara was going to school away from home. They met through a mutual family friend. After dating, Adi proposed shortly after Naintara had graduated from college. Four years after getting married, they had Abhay and when Abhay was three, they had Priya. Now, Abhay was nearly 6, while Priya was almost 3, and another one on the way – a surprise.

"Adi, can you get Abhay and Priya cleaned up for dinner," Naintara said as she came around the table to her children, who were covered in grass and mud.

"Of course Babe. Come on kiddos," Adi said.

Geet and Naintara headed back into the kitchen to get the rest of the food.

"Oye!" Adi called to Maan, "Come help."

It wasn't a request, it was an order.

Maan, who had just sat down and was holding a cherry tomato in his hand from the salad, groaned as he got up.

Geet and Naintara couldn't help but giggle.

Maan and Adi had known each long before Geet had ever met Maan. After getting married, Naintara had to move to Arizona because of Adi's work. At the time, Geet was still going to school in her California home town.

Maan had been the younger brother of Brij Khurana, a very close friend of Adi's. So when Maan needed to move to Arizona due to a work transfer, there was no question of where he was going to stay. He'd ended up moving in with Naintara and Adi who only had Rahul, one and a half, at the time. By then Geet had graduated and found a good job out in Arizona so that she could be closer to her sister. Of course, Geet had moved in with Naintara and Adi as well.

Originally, Geet and Maan had started out as friends. Among the three sisters – Naintara, Geet and Pinky – Geet had always been the tomboy. She was always out spoken, always career oriented and her family was her life. At first, her and Maan had gotten along as friends. So it came as a total shock when he asked her out for a date. One date led to another, then another and another. Eventually that first date had blossomed into a beautiful, trusting and loving relationship. Maan had proposed in front of her family during a dinner. It melted Geet's heart because her family was everything for her and the fact that he made them part of that special moment, it touched her beyond words.

They had gotten married within six months, and since then, they've had the most amazing marriage. Of course they had their fair share of fights and arguments, but what couple didn't. It was these arguments that kept the marriage alive and interesting. Besides, the make up sex afterwards – incredible.

"Geet," her sister called to bringing her back to reality.

"What?" she said.

Naintara rolled her eyes.

"I said, go see a doctor," Naintara repeated.

Just then they heard steps and soon Adi and Maan returned with the two munchkins in tow.

"Are you guys still talking about what I think you are talking about?" Adi asked as he placed Priya in her highchair.

"Yes," Naintara said as she then turned to Maan. "Maan…make her see reason and take her to a doctor."

"Bhabi, you act like she's going to listen to me," Maan said as he began picking at the salad again.

Even though Geet and Maan had been married for nearly three years now, he still referred to Adi as Bhaia and Naintara as Bhabi - just like he always had.

"Shut up," Geet said.

"Geet…" Naintara began as she came and placed more food on the table.

"Look, I told you what happened. I skipped the placebo pills a few months ago because of our Hawaii trip so I wouldn't get my period," Geet said.

Both Adi and Maan groaned out loud.

"Can we not talk about………that stuff…while sitting down to dinner," Adi requested.

No one paid attention.

"My body is just getting back to the hormones and the cycle, nothing major," Geet finished.

She had planned and pulled off a surprise birthday trip for Maan just over two months ago. The last thing she wanted was that trip to Hawaii to be ruined by her monthly cycle. So, she did the next best thing. Since she was on the pill, she skipped the placebo pills you were supposed to take during your period, and instead continued taking the medicated pills. That is how she managed to skip her monthly cycle and have an awesome vacation with Maan.

She heard Naintara sigh out loud as she sat at the table between Priya's highchair and the chair in which Abhay sat.

"Look, for my piece of mind will you see a doctor?" Naintara asked. "Stress isn't good for me."

Geet knew her sister all to well. Naintara deliberately rubbed her swollen belly on purpose. She knew how much Geet loved the kids, even the new one on the way.

"Fine," Geet agreed. "But no more talk about this ok?"

Naintara silently smiled and nodded, knowing she'd wont that battle.

---------------

There was knocking on the other side of the bathroom door.

"Geet, get out!" Naintara called.

Geet didn't respond. Instead she looked at the plastic white contraption that lay on her bathroom countertop, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head. Peeing on a stick should not create such stress or fear.

It was positive, the damned test was positive.

No!

To placate her sister, and to get out of going to the doctors, Geet had managed to get her sister to compromise. Geet would take another pregnancy test, and if that too came out negative, then that was the end of the story. Nothing else would be said. Naintara had agreed reluctantly.

No, no, no…this was not happening.

Geet had been so sure that the test was going to be negative – just like the last one. Oh how that had backfired. No she sat in the bathroom, refusing to come out. She'd been in there for nearly two hours – no joke. Geet had made up her mind that as long as she stayed in the bathroom, it wasn't true. It was just wasn't true. The test wasn't positive and nothing was going to change that. She feared that once she stepped out, it would all be real, and Geet was not ready for that.

"I know what the test says," Naintara called again, "Or else you would hole yourself in the bathroom for so long."

Geet remained silent and tried to push out all the thoughts that were racing through her mind. All a million and one of them.

"Geet!" Naintara yelled, "Get out of that bathroom or so help me God…"

She didn't have to go any further because the door clicked and a second later Geet appeared.

"You said it yourself Didi," Geet began in a trance like state, "These tests aren't always correct. It's probably not correct this time either."

"Sure honey, sure," Naintara said as she guided Geet to the couch.

Once Geet was seated, she went and got her a glass of water.

"The only way of being one hundred percent sure is going to the doctors," Naintara said.

Geet knew her sister was right.

---------------

Geet sat in one of the cold rooms at the doctor's office. She was dressed in a flimsy gown that allowed her to feel every draft of air that passed through the vents. She was sitting on the exam table, her feet dangling and the paper underneath her crunching every time she moved.

Her eyes scanned the various charts, posters and paintings on the walls of the room of her gynecologists office. Her eyes fell on her husband, Maan Singh Khurana, who sat on a stool flipping through some magazine.

Idiot! Look him all calm while I'm freaking out.

Of course he'd be calm. Maan had been the one that wanted to start a family a year after they'd been married. It had been Geet who kept putting it off. In all honesty, she had never wanted kids. She'd been the tomboy of the family and had no real inkling to had kids. She was perfectly happy being the dotting Massi to Naintara's kids, she didn't need any of her own. Children were such huge responsibilities – responsibilities that Geet was not read to take on.

When they'd talked about having children, Maan had told her he wanted at least three – he wanted a big family. Geet had flat out told him that three kids were not going to happen. She would settle for one, and that was only because she knew he wanted children so badly. Had Maan not wanted to be a father, they probably never would have had kids.

So now, as they waited for the doctor, she was freaking out while Maan sat peacefully, a smile playing on his face.

Don't smile Mr. Khurana.

She knew Maan was sure that she was pregnant, but she was the woman and she knew her body. She was NOT pregnant. No way, no how. There was a simple explanation for it all. She only missed her period because she'd skipped the pills while on vacation for Maan's birthday. She was absolutely sure that the doctor would come in and simply announce that she had an ulcer. The ulcer would explain the recent spell she was having with indigestion and heartburn.

The door opened and the doctor walked in. Maan put down his magazine as Geet sat right on the edge of her seat.

"Well Mrs. Khurana, we got your test results," the doctor said.

She paused for a few seconds while she flipped through the file.

"I knew it, I have an ulcer," Geet said.

That's ok, it's not the end of the world. You just have to watch what you eat.

Geet was a huge foodie at heart, and now with this ulcer, she was gong to have to change her eating habits, but she could do that. It was no big deal. If anything she'd be healthier.

"What?" the doctor and Maan asked, both confused.

"An ulcer, I have an ulcer. Right?" Geet asked.

The doctor chuckled.

"I can assure you Mrs. Khurana that you do not have an ulcer," the doctor said. "Just as I can assure that you are…"

Geet saw Maan stand up with a grin on his face.

"No. Don't say it. Don't say it doctor," Geet pleaded.

The doctor simply smiled at her and put a hand on Geet's shoulder before continuing.

"You're pregnant," the doctor announced.

Geet felt the color drain from her face as she heard Maan yell and pull her into a bone crushing hug.

"I'm going to be a Dad!" he yelled as he pulled back.

She watched as he did a fist pump in the air before going and hugging the doctor.

"Thank you doctor, thank you so much," he said.

"Congratulations," the doctor said. "I'll give you two a minute."

With that she left, closing the door behind her.

"Oh my God Geet," Maan said excitedly as he took her into his arms again. "You're pregnant!"

"I heard it the first time," Geet said, rather irritated.

She knew he heard the tone of her voice, not that she'd been trying to hide it in the first place.

"Geet baby," Maan said as she pulled the chair and sat in front of her holding her hands, "I know this isn't how you planned it, but it happened. We cant do anything to change that."

Geet sat silently, not saying anything else.

The doctor returned a few minutes.

"By the looks of your test results, I'd say you are at the last of your first trimester," the doctor said.

"What?!" Geet and Maan both yelled.

"Yup, I'd say about 9 weeks in."

"Oh my God," Geet said under hear breath.

"Now I'm not obstetrician, so highly suggest you find one and get an appointment as soon as possible," the doctor said.

"Anything wrong doctor," Maan asked, suddenly worried.

"No no, not at all," the doctor said. "It's just that Geet found out so late. They always want expectant mothers to see a proper OB before the end of the first trimester. We just want to make sure that everything is progressing normally."

"Oh," he said, relaxing some what.

"Here is someone I recommend," the doctor said as she handed Maan a piece of paper. "We've worked closely with mutual patients for over 16 years."

"Thank you doctor," Maan said.

"Again, congratulation," she said as she walked out.

---------------

The entire drive home, the only thing Geet could think of was why, why was God being so unfair to her? She was done living life yet, seeing the world, being spontaneous. She wasn't done being just Mrs. Khurana – she wasn't done just being a wife. Now, God was punishing her by making her pregnant before she was ready.

She walked up the stairs to their small house like a zombie. She sat in front of the TV and simply stared off into space. Of course, that didn't mean she didn't notice Maan pacing back and forth across the living room.

"What are you doing?" Geet asked, highly annoyed.

"What if something is wrong," Maan said. "I mean, you didn't know you were pregnant from the beginning."

"That's not my fault," Geet complained.

"I'm not saying it is," Maan said as he came and joined her on the sofa. "I'm just saying that you haven't been taking care of yourself like you should have been if you knew. So what if something is wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Geet asked.

"They say the first three months of a pregnancy are the most delicate and most important. That is when the mothers take all sorts of prenatal vitamins, they start taking care of themselves. They pay attention to their diets because of all the things you can and cannot eat," Maan rambled.

Maan was right, of course. Suddenly a thought occurred to Geet. She remembered that when you're pregnant, you shouldn't eat raw fish for various reasons – Geet loved sushi. Geet recalled that she'd eaten sushi at least a dozen times in the last three months. What if that harmed the baby?

Wait. Am I really concerned?

She was brought out of her thoughts when she looked up and saw Maan staring down at her in concern.

"What?" Geet said cautiously.

"We can't be too careful Geet," Maan said.

He had an odd look in his eyes.

"We can't do anything until we see the OB and have everything checked out," Maan said.

"We already got the appointment," Geet reminded.

"Yeah but its not for another two weeks," Maan said.

He began pacing again.

"You know what, you're just not going move at all. You're going to stay on this couch and not do anything," Maan said.

"Ok Maan, sure," Geet said.

Clearly this pregnancy was going to his head, more than it was hers.

---------------

Maan's pacing was driving Geet insane. It had been two weeks since they'd found out and it had been two weeks since she'd last saw him sit still. They were now in their OB's office waiting to be seen by the doctor.

"Maan, would you stop pacing," Geet said.

"I can't," Maan answered, honestly.

Lucky for Geet, the doctor entered at the very moment and Maan froze in his path.

"Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Khurana," she said. "I'm Dr. Smith."

"Hello doctor," they both said.

The doctor began going through Geet's file.

"I have all the tests that Dr. Mehra ran," she said, "Looks like you're almost at 12 weeks."

"Yes," Maan answered.

"Well everything looks good from the lab work," the doctor said.

Geet could hear Maan breathe in relief.

"Here's a prescription for some prenatal vitamins I want you to take," the doctor said as she handed the paper to Maan.

Geet watched as he read it and put it in his pocket.

"Why don't we go ahead and do the ultrasound to see how things are going in there," she said as she pointed to Geet's stomach.

Geet lay back as the doctor positioned the drape exposing her stomach only. Maan stood by Geet's head giving the doctor space.

"This is going to be cold," the doctor said.

She squeezed a cold gel on Geet's belly causing Geet to gasp. The doctor placed the wand and moved it around looking for the right spot.

"There we go," she said.

She clicked something and the moving screen froze.

"There is your baby," she said as she pointed to the screen.

Geet was speechless.

They had told her that at three months, the baby is only about the size of an apple. What they all failed to tell her was that the baby – LOOKED LIKE A BABY! She could see the baby – her baby – taking shape. She could make out its body, its head and limbs beginning to form.

Oh my God, that's my baby.

Then, just like in the movies, Geet burst into tears. She didn't know why, but she did. She had a life growing inside of her – her baby, Maan's baby. She mentally chided herself of the kind of thoughts she'd been having recently about the baby taking away her life. She'd been so wrong. This baby – this tiny life – was changing her life but for the better. She was going to be a mother.

She felt Maan take one of her hands into his own as she stared at the monitor in awe. Her free hand made its way to her stomach and she caressed it.

The moment Geet's eyes fell on the screen, she felt her world shift. The baby she was so unsure about was now her life. The baby that she didn't know if she wanted, now she couldn't imagine her life without it. She would do anything to protect her baby now.

Now, she saw this pregnancy for what it truly was – a blessing. A blessing that further cemented her relationship with Maan. A blessing that completed her as a woman.

"Geet, this is amazing," she heard Maan say, "I love you and thank you."

He leaned in and kissed her on the lips gently before returning his attention to the screen.

"I love you too," Geet said.

She squeezed the hand that she held, while he wiped tears away from her face.

She looked down at her stomach and caressed it again.

Though this baby had been an unexpected surprise, it was now a welcomed surprise that Geet and Maan looked forward to.

"Hi baby," she said in a whisper, "This is Mommy…and I love you."

The End