Their life had shattered after that day. The dreams they had created of a life around the baby were then most likely to be minus one soul. Maan knew instantly what he wanted when the doctor said either the baby or the mother. He wanted Geet to live. He believed they could have another baby later on or even adopt. Maan knew this decision was selfish but to him life was unimaginable without Geet by his side. She was his life and with her gone Maan knew he would be nothing but an empty man. He didn't impose his decision on Geet though. No matter how much he desired something he wasn't going to force it on a person. Especially not Geet, he loved her and wanted to do everything to make her happy. Time was an unknown factor so Maan only wanted her to see her happy every second of the day.
Geet in the first few days after the news hit wanted to do nothing but hid under the covers. She wished so hard that it was just a horrible dream that she would wake up from. She never mourned the fact that she might die young with much of her bucket list left unfinished. She cried only for the unforeseen future in which she might be leaving her baby and her one and only love with so much sorrow. But she knew Maan would love their baby and give her so much love that she didn't have to worry if she didn't make it through.
Although her decision was set from day one they had to make it official with the doctor. Geet knew what Maan wanted even though he didn't tell her. His lips said I'll support whatever decision you make but this eyes said don't leave me forever. Her eyes stung at the thought. Geet didn't want to leave him either, not now, not ever. But life put her in a position such that she had to decide whether to be selfish and live while putting the baby in danger or risk her own life and possibly die by saving the baby. The decision was clear to her but it was bitter. Though they both were the loves of Maan's life Geet knew one had to risk their life for the other to have a full chance to survive.
So she finalized her decision. She wanted the baby to be healthy when born and put chemotherapy on hold. Geet noticed Maan wouldn't look at her while she told the doctor. She knew he didn't want her to see the battle within. How he was trying his best to hold himself together and support her decision while wanting nothing but the opposite. But Geet knew what she was doing was right.
"Maan, look at me." Geet asked but he wouldn't turn his face. She cupped his cheek and felt wetness. Her eyes also clouded with water seeing drop after drop stream down his face. "Maan please don't do this. Please don't cry for me. I want you to be happy for me."
"How can I be happy Geet? How can I smile knowing you might not be around to see our daughter grow up?"
"Maan, I will always be one way or another." She wasn't surprised when those words were no consolation to him. So she smiled and tried to be normal as she could. "Come on Maan, you're sounding as if I'm certain to die. You never know I might just pull a fast one and make it out."
Maan realized she was trying to ease his pain. Trying to console him of the fact that she might survive but he wasn't stupid. He knew the chances were slim and couldn't stop himself anymore from speaking his mind. He took her hand and kissed it then pleaded. "Geet please take the treatment. I can't bear the thought of life without you. What's going to happen to us if you don't…?" The rest of his words got choked in his throat and pulled her tightly in his arms.
Geet bit her lip so he wouldn't hear her cry bitterly and once she was composed enough she replied the sad truth. "You know I can't Maan. I won't be selfish and put the baby in danger or take away your right to love your own baby. I've had my time with our baby. Now I want you to make sure you also have that same time and so much more."
Maan realized she was crying despite her best efforts. He gently caressed her hair. "How will the baby and I survive without you? Our family will always be incomplete."
She slowly pulled away and wiped his tears away with her lips before placing a tender kiss on his own. "No Maan, I will always be with you. I will watch over you forever from up there. I will be by your side forever in the form of our daughter. You will always see me and feel me near. I won't ever be too far from here." She said while rubbing his heart then gently placed a kiss sealing her promise.
Maan realized she wasn't going to change her mind. So he did the only thing left, which was support her. Thereafter he didn't let Geet out of his sight. Maan wanted to spend each minute with her whether it be awake or in slumber. They tried to normal as possible but like all truths it lingered in the air like a dark cloud. Despite it they smiled often and joked like their old ways. They went to the park or the movies or anything they hadn't already done because they wanted their baby to experience as much as she could with them together, all three of them as one family. Soon though Geet's health began to falter, weakness started to control her life. The cancer was accelerating and her body wasn't able to keep up. Becoming bedridden was the first mark of Geet's body slowly losing the battle.
Their home's rose garden was as far as she could make it on the best of days. Then finally it became unfeasible to stay at home, her condition gradually worsened and the hospital became her new home. There too Maan stayed day and night, keeping a vigil by her bedside. He signed over everything to Adi to fully focus on Geet and their baby. He knew their days together were numbered when she couldn't breathe on her own and had to be put on a ventilator.
Few days later Geet was in labor. She was weak for natural birth so doctors performed a C-section. The baby was seven pounds and five ounces. She was beautiful, just like her mother and was demanding just like her father. Once Geet was awake Maan brought the baby for her to hold but she was scared because she was so weak but he helped her. He wanted Geet to cherish the sweets moments they had now knowing she might not be able to tomorrow.
The doctors and nurses wept when their precious baby was finally born. They felt the pain Maan and Geet went through during this whole ordeal and now hoped that Geet could get treatment and start recovering. They had immediately started chemotherapy after delivery but it was difficult to guess what the outcome would be. The cancer had progressed radically. Maan did the only thing he knew that could help now. Turn to God and pray asking for nothing more than the wellbeing of his love. He watched her lay on the bed hours on end with her eyes closed. He wondered what she dreamt of during this period. He could only guess but hoped it was of happy times they both shared, the times of when they were dating, their wedding, and of course the short lived time with their baby as a family.
It had been a week now since they had started chemotherapy and every day they were hoping for good news. But it never came and sad truth had to be accepted. Geet's life was now given the sentence of a day minimum. Maan wept with each passing minute at the fact that her time was complete yet her life was incomplete. Though Geet said she lived her life the way she wanted to and was happy Maan knew it wasn't so. She had many hopes and dreams in life and being a mother was one of the most important. Her life ended before it even really started. They together had only lived half of their life the rest with their child was to forever remain incomplete.
Maan silently cried at her side with his head buried in the mass of white sheets. When felt Geet's frail hand ruffling his head he immediately looked up and held the hand within his own. He softly kissed it. She wanted to say something and so the mask was removed. There were tears in her own eyes but she was determined not to let them spill. "Can I see her one last time?"
Maan nodded and went to the crib where she was sleeping then placed her in Geet's arms before sitting on the bed next to her. Geet softly brushed her cheek and softly kissed it. "Be the good girl you are my love. Try not to worry your father too much. He forgets the littlest of things so it will be your job to keep up with him now on. I will be with you both always but promise me you will take care of your father for me. And never forget Mama loves you dearly and always will." With tears streaming from her eyes Geet gently kissed her forehead smiling.
Maan watched on completely broken. Geet turned to him and hugged him one last time letting more hot salty tears run. "I don't have to say anything to you Maan because I know you will love and cherish our daughter always, probably even more than I would have."
"Geet you sacrificed so much for our baby. You gave up your life for her that's more than I wanted to do." He was ashamed and looked away.
Geet pulled his face near and shook her head. "Don't hold yourself guilty Maan. I know how much you love me and wanted to see me around but I love you just as much and I want you to live with our baby also. We had our time together, our daughter and I had time together also within me so it's your turn to have time with her."
He looked at her pale white face with disbelief at the fact that it truly was the end. "I just wish you were also here with us for the journey. The way it was supposed to be."
Geet kissed him softly one last time before placing her forehead against his. "Maan maybe this was the way it was supposed to be." Maan closed his eyes allowing the pool of tears to spill over his cheeks. With their daughter in their arms Maan and Geet cherished the remainder of their time together.
It was short lived though as expected and Geet passed away within hours. After shedding what was left within Maan realized he had to be strong for their daughter. Her life was a blank canvas that would be filled many things not under his control but the ones he could Maan wanted to make sure they were ever present. He wanted to give her all the love and happiness in the world she deserved. He had to forge ahead and make sure a smile was always on his face so one could always be on his daughter's. He was everything to her and she was everything to him from that day forward. Their hearts would be content with feeling Geet so near yet they would also burn knowing she was so far at the same time. It was the sad truth that would always remain. Each one of them lost a love for the rest of their life that was so rightfully to be theirs.
So my biggest sorry for the ending! Even while I was writing this I tried so hard to make it happily ever after but I just couldn't. I had my mind set from day one that this is how it's going to end as sad as it is and couldn't come around to change it. So apologies for the tears if any were shed and I will humbly take the expletives and things hurled this way.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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