She opened her drooping eyes smiling tiredly at him... and the rush of tenderness and love he felt for this beautiful woman overwhelmed him...making him forget what he wanted to tell for a moment..
'Paro.. eki hi bachcha hah...' Rudra whispered as he gently brushed away the damp tendrils of hair off her sweaty forehead.. 'tujhe aur takleef mein nahi dekh saktha..'
'bolenath ko do... manne bhi do...' her eyes drooped shut even before the half formed sentence was completed.. Rudra smiled tenderly as he shook his head indulgently and gazed at her for a moment.. he wanted to swoop down and kiss her damp brow but she was so tired.. exhausted after the birth and he didn't want to disturb her.. she needed her rest today..
Instead he finally concentrated on the little bundle of joy next to his wife, wrapped up like the beautiful gift he was.. a part of him and part of his paro... he was overcome by love and swooped down and kissed making the little bundle squirm as his mooch tickled him. He grinned.. 'so like your maasa...' he whispered...
He sat there all night long watching as the two most precious people in his life peacefully slumbered.. And he never knew when sleep claimed him and he was jolted up as an unfamiliar little cry rent the air around him... He woke up blinking to see his Paro slowly leaning against the headboard as she scooped their little son in her arms, cradling him as she with her free hand fumbled with the buttons of her dress.. and he watched fascinated as their son latched on to a breast greedily and Paro winced for a bit.. making him come out of his fascinated stupor...
'dukh raha hai?' he asked.. his eyes worried.. and she turned her head towards him as the most exultant smile burst from her as she shook her head even as she caressed a petal soft cheek of her son as she turned down to watch him with eyes brimming with love..
Rudra got up from his side of the bed and came around and swooped in and finally dropped a kiss on her silky head as he whispered, 'you are amazing Paro..'
She smiled impishly at him and asked, 'toh.. maara doosra beta bhi...' he kept his fingers on her lips stopping her and said in his strictest voice 'nahi! sirf ek bhachcha!' and she pouted and then giggled turning her attention back to her son..
He spent that day with his wife and son and soon realized that though their son seemed to have inherited his mother's placid nature, he needed a lot of work.. as he said to Paro with a chuckle..
Days passed.. and every morning he would reluctantly leave the two of them and go to work.. and look forward all day for the evening when he would have them in his arms again.. Life has never been so good..
Paro was lying in bed playing with her son who was gurgling happily as she blew raspberries in to his tummy giggling at his gurgles... Enjoying these beautiful days with her baby boy..
Falling in to a routine as days went on happily..
5 months passed..
Paro was powdering her baby before getting him dressed to go and greet his babusa at the door with her, as was their habit.. he was a little cranky as he was teething..
Finally dressing him up in a cute little sailor outfit she called out to jija ruefully looking at her own wet ghagra, and and handed over her Druv for a moment before going back in to the bathroom to change her own clothes..
Changing back and she came out watching how jija was cradling and soothing Druv allowing him to bite on her finger.. quieting him for the moment.. Paro came and sat beside them watching contentedly.. her little Druv was lucky to have not just one, but two moms..
And as she heard the sound of the phaphatiya she excitedly stood up as Maitili watched indulgently as maasa and baby quickly went out of the room towards the front door.. Rudra was returning home after a week due to border duty..
Later that night..
As he laid beside Paro contentedly, cradling her in his arms after making love to her.. He gently brushed her damp hair off her brow, and looked at their son.. 'he grew a lot this past week..' he whispered huskily.. 'and I am missing out..'
Paro turned her face towards him and with that gentle smile touching her lips said' he missed you too.. We both missed you.. but major saab.. had you not been on duty that day at the border we wouldn't be here today together with our Druv..' and he nodded kissing her once again as she burrowed her downy head on his chest..
3 more months later...
Paro looked up exhausted as she rinsed her mouth with some water. She was feeling under the weather and Druv was very active and keeping her at her feet all day crawling somewhere or the other and now a days he was just beginning to hold things and stand up. And he needed constant attention. She washed her face and gently made her way out of the bathroom to relive jija so she could go out with Samraat bhaisa for their outing that evening trying to hide from her how sick she felt because she knew jija would cancel her outing and stay back. She held her smile as she squatted down beside Druv and said 'jija aap jaaiye..bhai sa intezaar kar raha hogi' (jija go, Samrat bhai must be waiting) Maitili dropped a kiss on a squirming Druv's head and patted Paro's head and made her way out.
'Major saab was late...' and Paro watching at the clock constantly, only kaki sa was home and despite being sick twice more she didn't want to ask her to look after her Druv. Finally she picked up a now a little fractious Druv in her arms and made to the bed to put him to sleep, 'no waiting for babusa for you today..' she said as she tried to rock him to sleep. After a long time she gently laid a now sleeping Druv in the crib trying not to jolt him as he was a light sleeper like his babusa was.
She stood up to go and check if the table was laid out for Rudra and swayed as she stood up. She sat back for a moment till the dizziness passed away and holding on to the banister slowly made her way down.
As she reached the final steps of the staircase her vision blurred and she didn't remember anything as she slipped in to darkness.
Rudra opened the front door with his key as he thought ruefully that Druv must be asleep by now and Paro staying hungry till he came back because she always waited for him to come back at night before eating. But today work had been quite hectic...
And his thought process froze as he saw the sight of her on the ground at the foot of the staircase and with a shout he sprinted towards her. He cradled her as he checked her for any injuries and was thankful for a moment when he found none. But he now worriedly tried to rouse her and when she didn't stir he picked her up and carried her to their bed and called up the doctor. She finally stirred as he sprinkled some water on her face.
'Paro kya hua?' he asked her worriedly as she blinked trying to make sense of things.
'manne yaad nahi' she uttered looking a little lost.. she was pale, Rudra noticed and tried to comfort her telling that she had fainted and doctor was coming to check on her.
'Druv..' she tried asking and he looked up at his son still sleeping soundly and said 'he is still sleeping,,'
As the doorbell rang he went down and escorted their family doctor to the room and impatiently waited while she called him back in. Finally as the door opened he practically sprinted inside worried, asking what was wrong with Paro.
And Paro who was sitting on the bed a little sheepishly shushed him at that pointing at Druv who was stirring at the sounds. Mouthing a soft sorry he turned to the doctor again and asked what was wrong with her.
The doctor smiled and told him not to worry too much as Paro was just a little weak and handed a prescription for vitamins, and he looked on from their family doctor to Paro who was again blushing a bit and was about to ask, when he finally heard, 'major saab aap phirse babusa banne wala hai!'
Rudra looked stunned for a moment and the doctor wished them and left.
'Major saab... ' she shook him, 'kuch kahiye na..' (major saab.. tell something) Paro looked worriedly at him.. who was sitting beside her without telling anything.
'maaf kardo Paro..' he finally said.. (forgive me Paro)
'yeh aap kya keheraha hai?' she looked a bit shocked.. (what are you talking about?)
'mera wajaase tujhe phirse takleef hoga...' (because of me you will again be in pain) he still looked contrite.. and Paro shook her head in disbelief and said, 'major saab.. thodi takleef hogi... par iske badle kitni khushiya milegi..' (what is a little pain when in return of that we get so much happiness..)
Finally as he looked a little less worried, she cuddled up to him and said with her lips against his heart 'hamaari Druv ko usse bhi chota bhai milega' (Our Druv will get a brother even smaller than him..)
'usse jalan hoga' he whispered back, she giggled as he continued, 'hamaara hi beta hai!' (he will be jealous, my own son na...)
And as if on cue Druv started fretting and she detangled from him and went towards his crib as he followed. He picked him up gently rocking him as she cuddled to his side keeping her head on his shoulder watching them.. and happily whispered 'hum do.. aur hamaara do..' keeping her hand tenderly on her still flat tummy... (the two of us and our two babies..)
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