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Scene 14
Madhu was sitting on the couch with an evident frown while RK was restlessly walking around the room. There was a bag kept on the bed and RK was packing stuff for Madhu's stay at hospital.
"I am not going to live there forever.. It hardly would be a 2 days stay.." Madhu stressed for the tenth time.
"But you might need these things.." RK said as he packed.
"I would definitely not need the PSP.. or the 7th dress you kept in the bag.. or those sandals.."
"What if your clothes get spoilt.. or your slippers break.. and dont say you wont get bored in the hospital room.. you would need a PSP.."
"Ohh.. so i am going for a picnic.. yes.. very well.. but even then its a 2 day stay and i would be delivering this baby.. why would I get bored..?" Madhu exclaiimed. "And moreover you just kept that novel.."
"What if you dont feel like reading novel.." he said shrugging.
"I hope the hospital management lets us in and doesnt mistake us to be hijacking their room" Madhu said rolling her eyes.
"No they wont.. everybody takes some luggage with them.." RK said as if stating the obvious.
In an hour they were sitting in the hospital waiting for their room to be alotted. Another couple also sat in front of them waiting.
"Is it your first delivery?" The woman asked Madhu with a smile and she nodded happily.
"I see you have just landed from your flight.. sir.." the man asked RK seriously staring at the big bag. Madhu suddenly looked at him with wide eyes and then burst into a giggle. Rk glared at her annoyed.
"No.. Its my wife's.." RK said embarrassed.
"Ohhh.. but" the man was about to say something when he suddenly quieted down. Seemed like he had recieved an elbow hit from his wife.
Soon they were given the room and they settled in. Madhu was looking at him with pursed lips. RK stared at her irritated and finally gave in to the irritation. "What?"
"Have you just landed from your flight?" Madhu teased him and then burst into laughter again.
RK glared at her angrily for a few seconds but then he too joined the laugh.
They were now sitting on the bed together when suddenly the door flung open. Padmini and Malik came in rushing.
"Madhu.. Are you okay?" Padmini asked worriedly.
"Yes mumma I am fine.. stop worrying now.." Madhu said with a bright smile.
"I told you Padmini.. My daughter is a strong girl .. You were worrying uselessly.." Malik said patting her head lovingly.
"Yes as if you were very calm.." Padmini replied.
Madhu laughed looking at her father. She knew Malik would have been double worried than Padmini.
"Rishabh? Are you going somewheee?" Padmini asked scandalized as she saw the big bag kept near the door. She felt it highly irresponsible on his part to leave her daughter at such a time.
RK opened his mouth to clarify when Malik interrupted. "You didnt tell anything like that.." Malik said equally confused and worried.
"wait.. I am not going anywhere.. this is Madhu's luggage.. we will be staying here for a few days" RK exlaimed not believing how could they think like that.
Madhu burst into another laugh hearing them. "I have been telling him again and again but he thinks this amount of packing is normal.. half my household is in this bag.." Madhu said with a laugh
Padmini smiled at him feeling guilty that she took him totally opposite.
After a few minutes the door opened again and Radha peeked through.
"Madhu.." she called delightedly as she came in.
She turned back and whispered "come in. " Mohan followed behind her with hesitant steps.
RK saw him and suddenly all thoughts left his mind. After 11 months he was seeing his own father. He was shook and frozen with a blank mind. He seemed a bit older to RK. Had he really gotten weak in his memory or its just that he had seen his father after so long.
"You should have told us that you were coming here.. we would have brought you.." Radha said to Madhu after she had kissed his forehead.
"RK was too fast mummy.. Nothing much was in my hands.." Madhu said with a slight frown.
Mohan's lips twisted into a smile hearing her. He knew RK liked to do all things on his own. He had been like that since childhood. Those long lost memories of RK fighting with him to not interfere in the army base that he was building out of blocks, played infront of his eyes.
"Helloo papa.." Madhu said with a bright smile and Malik was shook out of his thoughts.
He came forward and kissed her forehead. "I see my girl is looking very beautiful even in the hospital gown.." Mohan said smiling cheekily.
"I know that.." Madhu said feigning arrogance and then burst into a giggle.
The elders greeted each other meanwhile as RK stood shocked at the amount of comfort and frankness Madhu shared with his father. She used to visit his house every other week or so but he thought things were just formal and customary.
"Padmini ji.." Radha called to her seriously as she looked down at something intently. "Are you going somewhere?"
Padmini looked at her confused and saw her gaze directed to the bag.
"No Radha ji.. its not ours.." Padmini said with a chuckle while Madhu burst out in a full fledged laugh.
RK looked at her annoyed. He rolled his eyes and his gaze fell on Mohan who was looking at him with a strange smile. The look told that he knew to whom the bag belonged. RK looked back at him though he couldn't smile. His mind was going through a lot of clashes. Suddenly whatever he had believed and felt anger over for all these months seemed justified. He didnt feel the same anger anymore. He somewhat felt that his parents did the right thing and that confused him even more.
"That bag which looks as if for 10 day's couple stay is actually my bag for 2 days.. prepared by your son.." Madhu told her.
Radha's eyes widened hearing her and then she shook her head. "How can I not know..?"
They all sat around Madhu while having random talk. All the while RK kept faking his smile as he was himself fighting with a good amount of confusions. His parents did injustice to him by marrying him off at such a short notice because of no justifiable reason. He wasn't even mature enough for the marriage. But then why is he not feeling the same anger for them? Why does he feel that what they did was correct?
Soon Madhu's pains started worsening and everyone started running around preparing for the delivery. The nurses came and Madhu was shifted to the labour room. She was as if trying to muffle her screams because she kmew RK would panic seeing her pain. But RK stood by her like a calm ocean. He held her hand as he stood beside her. The doctor had allowed RK to be with Madhu during the delivery.
"Madhu." RK called to her while she shut her eyes close with all her might.
She nodded her head to him.
"You dont need to hide your pain today.. I am there to cover up for your immodesty here.." he said with a chuckle and Madhu too broke into a slight chuckle hearing him.
He held her hand tightly and patted her forehead. Whenever Madhu would scream too hard he would kiss her forehead and told her that she was not alone. Soon they heard the cry of the baby and Madhu let herself lie exhausted. RK kept sitting with her as he kept staring at her. Madhu looked at him confused as she expected him to go look at the baby now but he just sat with her and stared at her blankly.
"RK.." She said softly between the deepened breaths.
"Are you okay?" He asked her worriedly.
She smiled shocked hearing him. "How can I not be okay when my husband supported me so much... and by the way husband now you can cry if you want... I am there to cover up for your immodesty.." she said.
RK broke into a chuckle but along with it fell a tear from his eye. He had been controlling himself for Madhu till now but the truth was he was shook from inside seeing her pain and scared for her. He couldnt see her in so much pain.
"Congratulations both of you.. You have a princess in the house.." the doctor said as she forwarded a white bundle to RK.
RK looked at her shocked and then looked the bundle intently. A tiny face peeked from inside of it and stared at him with big doe eyes. He couldn't understand what he was supposed to do with the delicate baby. He wasnt even able to forward his hands to hold the her..
"Come on.. take her.." Madhu prompted him.
"No way.." he aaid scandalized. "I might hurt her.. You keep holding her doc.." he said to the doctor.
"That cant be done Mr. kundra.. You need to take your baby in your hands..." The doctor said smiling at his stupidity.
"Madhu you take her.." he said still staring the baby.
"Come on RK.. dont be a child.. You can never hurt her.. Go on.." Madhu said again.
RK finally forwarded his hands and the doctor placed her caarefully in his arms. RK stared at her amazed not believing his eyes.
"She was in there all these months?!" RK asked amazed.
"Yeah.. even I cant believe that.." Madhu said delighted as she stared at her too.
"Do you think she knows us?" RK said.
"Aammm... she should but i am afraid she doesnt know us.." Madhu said sadly. "I wish she knew she was in me.."
"She would know soon.." RK said comforting her.
"I had made so many plans for her.. but now that she is here I cant believe it.. I never seemed to realize that this moment would shake me so much.." RK said as if reflecting something.
"I don't know... I am scared.." Madhu said sadly.
"Why?" RK asked her..
"Are we even ready for this..?" Madhu asked scared
"Trust me Madhu she is the best thing that has happened to us.." RK said with a confident smile as she looked at her straight in the eyes. "Thank you so much.."
Madhu smiled hearing him. Suddenly she felt that this was what love is. She doesn't need to feel butterflies in her stomach or he doesn't have to necessarily say those 3 words. There was no need of the romantic dramas that she had read or heard of. Even if he never says now, she knows that he truely loves her and she loves him back.
"Madhu.." suddenly RK interrupted her thoughts.
"Yes" Madhu said.
"Did I tell you that I love you?" RK asked confused.
Madhu's eyes grew wide hearing him. She moved her head to left and then to the right.
"Ohh i must have forgotten. I love you Madhu.. So much that these words are too small for the feelings I have for you.." RK said to her.
"I love you too RK.." Madhu said with a smile as tears fell through her eyes. "But I cant believe you can forget to tell me such a big thing!!"
"But then you should have known it na.. Its obvious.." RK said as he stared at the baby amazed.
"Yeah I think you are right.." Madhu said with a smile.
"Besides Nothing could have been better than our daughter being a part of this monent.." RK said looking at their daughter again.
"Now let me hold her too.." Madhu said with a frown.
"How can I even move with her in my hands..?" RK exclaimed.
"Just put her in my hands..!" Madhu demanded forwarding her hands.
"No I can't!" He argued back.
Just then Radha and Padmini entered with Malik and Mohan following behind. Radha and Padmini broke into a laugh seeing RK sitting stiffly with the baby in his arms while Madhu demandingly forwarding her hands with an evident frown.
"Ohhoo Rishu.. This is not the way.. let me show you.." Radha said in an instant as she rushed to see the baby. RK looked up at her as his face suddenly beamed with joy. He suddenly had this urge to celebrate his fatherhood with his mother. Radha bent down and carefully picked the baby.
She kissed her forehead as she admired her. RK was intently staring at her with a persistent smile. While Padmini took the baby from her, Radha's gaze fell on the childlike smile of RK. She burst into a smile and ruffled his hair with love as she used to do in the past.
After some time all were settled in the room. With Madhu and Malik caressing the baby and Padmini cutting fruits for Madhu. Mohan stood outside in the balcony staring at the blank space. RK stepped out in the balcony hesitantly. He had seen Mohan looking lovingly at him a few times during the day but he knew he was not those kinds of fathers who could come up in open declaring their love.
RK stood beside him and stared ahead trying to find the correct words. Its been an year since he talked to his father and it seemed somewhat strange now.
"So much has changed" Mohan said suddenly.
RK looked at him and found him still staring ahead. "Hmmm" he sounded nodding his head.
"You stepped out of our house as a stubborn kid and now you are a father yourself.." Mohan said in an amazed tone as if he himself was going through that realization. "I wish I had been a part of this journey. I wish I was there to see you transition into the lovely responsible person that you are now.."
"Responsible?" RK couldn't help but ask out of curiosity. That wasn't the kindof compliment he had recieved much.
"Yeah.. I can see that.. The way you behave with Madhu.. and now your daughter.. You are clearly a changed man.." Mohan said with a smile finally looking at him. But his smile soon dropped.
"I can never eliminate this remorse of not being able to fulfil your expectations from me as a father.." he said hurt as he looked away.
There was silence for a few seconds as RK too tried to gather his emotions.
"It was a strange feeling.." RK suddenly spoke up. "When the doctor handed her to me.. I can just not get that feeling in words.."
Mohan looked at him and a smile crept his lips. His son was finally sharing his feelings with him. He was happy to be a part of his happiness.
"Madhu was almost scolding me for not giving her the baby.. But at that time.. I thought that even my slight movement could harm my daughter.. what if I lift my hands and she falls out.. what if she gets hurt.. I was just stiff.. not able to move.. And i swear Dad.. I could have stayed that way all my life if that meant to safegaurd my daughter.." RK turned to face him while Mohan's smile dropped as a number of emotions started overpowering him.
"And today I can understand you Dad.. I am sorry for behaving so stubborn.. I understand now that any thought of some harm coming to me would have made you so desperate to take all.kinds of available measures to keep me safe.." RK completed. Mohan could no longer hold himself and he pulled RK into his arms and both of them hugged each other as they tried to control the tears that were forming.
They heard a sob after a few seconds and parted to find Radha standing at the door. RK went to her and hugged her. "Sorry mom.. I shoud have understood you.." he said while Radha cried burying her face in his chest.
"Even we are sorry Rishabh.. We should have tried to talk it out properly instead of blackmailing you and giving ultimatums.. we should have understood you.." Mohan said as he patted his shoulder.
Madhu saw the three of them uniting and she smiled brightly at the sight. Finally RK was complete again. He had sorted out his life and now they would start the new world of their own. She looked at her daughter and kissed her with happy tears.
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Finally it has ended.. haha.. sorey for making you all wait for so long.. but couldn't have done it any faster.. and for the abrupt end.. I am sorry again.. 😔
I hope its not exactly bad..
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