What next? FF with the Doc: epilogue page 55 - Page 27

Chapter 15

"Lucknow is a city famous for its evening weathers! No wonder there is a historical reference to "Sham-e-awadh"...BB was talking on the dinner table. Dinner was quite a treat that day: HK had cooked Nidhi's favourite "paneer maharani" and kulchas, she was slowly gaining her appetite and demanding new food varieties these days.

They had just come back after the first ultrasound, and as usual, Nidhi was hyperexcited to share "the first view" with everyone. This time Dr Bharati had insisted that Ashutosh be present at the ultrasound, and would not take any excuse for his absence. And so Ashutosh had sat in the waiting room, feeling acutely uncomfortable, as a lady in her last trimester sitting next to him kept falling on his shoulder. The lady had tried to explain, sheepishly, "I have not slept the last night Dr Sahib, my baby has been keeping me awake...sorry for that..." and promptly resumed her position on his shoulder. Nidhi had gone in earlier for a general health check up and gowning procedure.

"Dr Ashutosh, please come in!" Dr Bharati had called him in the sonography room, "Would you like to see your baby? One second...ahh, there is the little one...hiding behind something...?"

All Ashutosh could see at this point of time was the display of the ultrasound machine and the keyboard and his eyes blurred due to some hitherto unknown emotion. Next thing he knew that Dr Bharati was patting his arm, smiling indulgently, with an expression that said, I know, this happens with every first time father... as he rapidly blinked to clear his eyes. "Everything is fine Dr Ashutosh, just take care of her diet, she needs plenty of nourishment now onwards..." and Dr Bharati was done with them as she handed over the file across.

The drive back home had been silent and Ashutosh was suddenly aware of a strange erotic sensation near his thigh. Negotiating the traffic, he looked down only to discover that the source of the sensation was Nidhi's hand that had accidentally strayed across his leg and was now resting comfortably across his crotch...he looked sharply across and his features relaxed to resemble a smile; Nidhi had drifted off to sleep, unaware of the havoc she was playing with him. He looked fondly at her sleeping profile: she looked so innocent and guileless, his hand reached to stroke her hair and she stirred in her brief siesta.

"Aa gaye hum?" She muttered sleepily, stretched and yawned, "pata nahin kab aankh lag gayi..." "ab khud apne pairon par chalkar under chalogi ya tumhe uthana padega?" Ashutosh smiled tenderly. He remembered what Dr Bharati had told him once before, after Nidhi's pregnancy was confirmed, "You see Dr Ashutosh, in the early stages of pregnancy, a woman's physiology undergoes tremendous upheavals, there is a terrible metabolic strain on her: she will suddenly feel tired, feel hungry at odd hours, have strange cravings and mood swings...she will laugh and cry for a very silly reason or no reason at all!! You might have read it in theory, but to deal with it in practice will be different...enjoy your wife's pregnancy!!!

"Nahin, apne pairon par hi chaloongi..." Nidhi defended her bastion, punched him playfully and finally took his arm, "aur aap uthayenge mujhe to BB kya samajhenge?"

"Arre Ashutosh sab kuchh theek hai na? Chalo, achcha hua...dinner taiyyar hai...Aur Nidhi beta, kuchh khaas khane ko ji chahe to keh dena beta..." BB had taken over a commanding role in the household. "Achha Hiraman, market se bahut saare fruits le aana, Nidhi beti ko kabhi bhi bhook lag sakti hai..." Ashutosh rolled his eyes with an expression that said, aapki to ab panchon ungaliyan ghee mein aur sar kadhai mein...ab to aapka har hukm sar-ankhon par...

It was the month of January and Nidhi slowly settled down in her routine. People at JS were very supportive and generally, Mr Rastogi ensured that Nidhi did not overexert herself. Haneefa Bi ensured that Nidhi ate at regular intervals with liberal helpings of her Nimboo ka achaar. Ashutosh observed this and offered to provide Haneefa Bi with all the provisions required for fulfilling Nidhi's pregnancy cravings.

Anjie and Ranganath had come to visit them once. Nidhi pulled Anjie to her bedroom for a small tete-a-tete,

"Sun Anjie, mera ek kaam karegi? Par tere Jeeja Ji ko pata nahi chalna chahiye..."

"Aisa kya hai Nidhi...ab bhi unse secrets?" Anjie was curious.

"Nahin re...mera chat khane ka bahut mann kar raha hai...unko yeh sab junk food pasand nahin hai na...isiliye...main ek din tere saath aati houn...poora din masti karenge, chat khayenge, please..." Nidhi pleaded as one of her pregnancy craving got the better of her.

"OK...kal Sunday hai na, main tujhe pickup karne aaungi, theek hai, thodi shopping bhi karenge..."Anjie promised her. Both Anjie and Ranganath left soon after having tea.

Nidhi was lying on the bed and reading a book when Ashutosh walked in the bedroom.

Tum dono mein kya khusur-phusur ho rahi thi? He removed his spectacles, deposited them on the side table and climbed in the bed.

"Ladies secrets...aapko janane ki zaroorat nahin..." She turned away to hide the secretive look, but he quickly caught on, "Ab mujhse kya chhipa rahi ho? Kahin disco-visco to jaane ka chakkar nahin hai na? Dekho Nidhi, tumhari iss halat mein kya karna chahiye aur kya nahin, yeh tum sabse behatar jaanti ho...So please..."

"Nahin, main nahin jaanti...kya karana chahiye mujhe? Nidhi asked innocently in a full teasing mood.

"Yeh book band karke, chup chap achche bachche ki tarah so jaana chahiye, OK?" Ashutosh leaned over and pulled the book from her hands. But Nidhi had not left the book and was yanked along ending with her face far closer to his than she had ever expected. Her eyes were still on the book, which he held high above his head, when she chanced to look into his eyes from a distance of a few inches...the eyes of a doting husband, a man whom she adored, eyes that held so much love for her...and closed her eyes as his lips claimed hers. The book fell to the ground and neither of them bothered about putting it away in its proper place.

Next day was Sunday and Ashutosh let Nidhi sleep a little longer than her usual waking time. The entire family was having tea in the garden when Anjie walked in,

"Good morning!! How are things?

"Good morning Anjie beta...aaj subah subah?" BB was reading a newspaper. He folded the paper and turned to Ashutosh, who had just walked out, "Arre Ashutosh, dekh to, Anjie aayi hai..."

"Jeeja Ji, actually mein yahan Nidhi ko lene aayi thi..kya hum dono shopping ja sakte hai? thoda uske liye maternity wear chahiye hoga na...aur mujhe bhi thodi shopping karni thi to..." Anjie was an expert in convincing anyone.

"theek hai, le jao, but let me check, woh uthi ki nahi..." Ashutosh couldn't afford to offend his saali.

Nidhi was up in a flash, ready and showered, when Ashutosh walked in the bedroom to check on her. "Anjie aayi hai..." he began,

"Pata hai...usi ke saath jane ka to kal programme bana rahi thi main..." Nidhi was adjusting her dupatta. Main Jaoun uske saath?

"Theek hai, jao, par take care, that's all..." Ashutosh gave a quick peck on her cheek, "mera credit card nahin chahiye?"

"I am an independent working woman now, Ok, Dr Ashutosh?" Nidhi's nostrils flared and eyes flashed. "OK, sweetheart...as you wish..." Ashutosh remembered "the pregnancy hormones" justification just in time before the unconditional surrender.

And they left. The whole day was spent shopping from one mall to other, looking at different fashions, brands and ended up eating a variety of chats and "baraf ka golas". Nidhi looked at maternity wear, something which was extremely loose fitting around her middle, to accommodate her expanding girth for the time to come, and selected a few dresses. She was looking at a kurta, holding it at a distance, when Anjie giggled from behind.

"Yaar Nidhi, isme tu fit nahin aayegi..ek bada size dekh..."

"Anjie, wait, tera bhi waqt aayega...tab baat karenge..."

"Achha Nidhi, delivery ke baad in dresses ka kya karegi?

"Tere liye rakh doongi... tera bhi to time aayega na?"

It was late evening when they staggered back home with their load of shopping. Anjie went to have a glass of water whereas Nidhi just collapsed on the sofa and BB hurried to her side, concerned,

"Thak gayi na? Bahut exertion ho gaya hoga na?

"Kuchh khaya peeya?" Ashutosh was equally dubious. Anjie had emerged out of the kitchen with a glass of water for Nidhi.

"Ha JeejaJi woh humne ek thele par Cha...chai...HK, chai nahi banayenge?..." Anjie suddenly remembered something crucial as Nidhi glared at her. Ashutosh caught on, like a dog having got the scent,

"thele par Chai?

"Ha, woh kya hai na Jeeja Ji, thele par chai milti hai na, par Nidhi ne kaha ghar jaakar peeyenge...hai na, Nidhi?"Anjie justified, looking at Nidhi for a hint.

"Ha, Wohi to...thele par chai..." Nidhi added hastily as a cover up.

"Nidhi beti, Chai..." HK had got tea for everyone. With that, the storm in the teacup was over, at least, it seemed so...Anjie left, soon after.

Ashutosh was woken up in the middle of night by a whimpering sound from Nidhi. He tried to reach out to her, to pull her closer, but his probing hands could only feel her back...He gingerly put on the night lamp, put on his spectacles and squinted through his sleep: Nidhi was lying in a foetal position, curled up with her knees next to her chest, and moaning with pain!!

"Nidhi, what's wrong? Kya ho raha hai?" He pulled her close and cupped her face. Tiny beads of sweat had broken over his brow as she clutched his hand tightly.

"Yeh cramps aa rahe hai...pata nahi kyoun...OWWW..."

"OK Nidhi, lie down still, fold your knees and let me see..." Ashutosh gingerly felt her abdomen, it was tender. Nidhi was gasping now, her breaths coming in short jerks, her face contorted, clearly in pain..."Kuchh kijiye ji..." she was hyperventilating.

Ashutosh was up on his feet, and called up KGH and asked to be put to the resident doctor. This happened to be Priyanka, an old friend and batchmate of Nidhi.

"Dr Ashutosh, what's exactly happening to Nidhi?"

"Don't know Priyanka, she is having severe abdominal pain. I tried palpating her stomach, which is tender, I just can't diagnose anything... and she is about 8 weeks pregnant, I just want to rule out any threat on that front...why don't you have a look at her?

"OK Sir, get her here..." Ashutosh alerted BB and drove to KGH, with BB holding Nidhi in the back seat. Nidhi was immediately taken for an ultrasound while Ashutosh called Dr Bharati. Dr Bharati had already been alerted by Priyanka and promised to be at KGH in 10 minutes.

"Hey Ashutosh!! what happened?" Dr Bharati obviously didn't need an ambulance siren to announce her presence. Before Ashutosh could reply, Priyanka buzzed in, "Sir, the ultrasound is clear and I started the Duvadilan drip, she is fine now and sleeping..." Ashutosh heaved a big sigh of relief and quickly brought Dr Bharati up to date on what had happened so far.

"So one thing, Dr Ashutosh..." Dr Bharati started, "this is a very common thing. Maybe she has picked up an infection or eaten something that didn't agree with her..." In a flash, Ashutosh recollected her shopping expedition with Anjie a day before, so that's what the cover up was all about!!!

"But for someone like Nidhi, with a history of a miscarriage", Dr Bharati continued, "even through a freak accident, care needs to be taken...first and foremost, she needs to keep calm, second, no exertion and third, the most important: no intimacy with the husband!!! And why are you looking at the floor? are the tiles dirty?

Ashutosh had blushed hard and was looking at the flooring, recollecting all the good time he had had in that direction. He only wished that Dr Bharati would lower her voice by a few decibels, this was a hospital after all...and the time was somewhere in the middle of night. And a few night duty staff had even paused to investigate the source of the fracas.

Dr Bharati might as well been addressing someone a couple of miles away, "so that means that you have erred in that direction, did you? Dr Ashutosh, you are not a medical novice...did I have to tell you all that in one or two letter syllables? She would have gone on, but at this point Priyanka chose to come in and interrupt, "Dr Bharati I wanted you to have a look at this ultrasound, could you please come this way?

Ashutosh took the cue and stood up to leave before Dr Bharati could slaughter him further. "Dr Bharati, if you don't mind, can I see Nidhi now?" "OK, she is fast asleep, sedated...you can take her back once she awakes...otherwise the baby is safe...but you need to take care!" Ashutosh braced for another volley of verbal assault, but Priyanka nudged Dr Bharati, "Madam, the ultrasound..." and whisked her away.

Ashutosh spent the night sitting in the chair by Nidhi's bedside, holding her hand. He had driven BB back home once Nidhi was out of danger. Sometime in the early morning, Priyanka had come in to check on Nidhi and found Ashutosh sleeping in the chair. The sound of her footfall awoke Ashutosh, who simply said, "Thank you Priyanka..."Priyanka smiled at this,

"Well, Anjie is not the only one who looks upon you as her Jeeja, Sir!"