CHAPTER 59
A few days later Rudra returned and saw Sumer talking animatedly to his unclegan in aan. "No Sumer, I don't think so," he replied and walked away from a very distraught looking young man. Minutes later, Sunheri breezed past him and hugged her father from the back, "Thank you so much Bapusa. She was acting exactly the way Shanti was with Samrat even if she was much older. Was that the rule then? Be strict with sons and pamper your daughters. Ranavat certainly didn't dote on him the way he did with Paro.
He walked to the living room where his wife was giggling. He noticed Shatabdi and Maithili bhabhisa were with her. He tried to remember her teenage years. Col. Sisodia wasn't easy on her. That meant his theory was wrong. So what were the rules for parenting, he mused. Will get a handbook like he did when he joined BSD?
"Sorry," he stuttered when he accidently pushed some files on the floor. Paro swiftly got up to help him. "Chill Paro, you shouldn't be moving so quick. It wouldn't have fallen if he wasn't so lost," Shatabdi remarked. He observed his wife carefully. She felt uncomfortable under his stern glance. "Shall I get you some tea?" she asked getting up. He shook his head. "I can make it myself. Have been doing it for years. You just sit here," he snapped.
Maithili's eyes popped out. In the morning, he had stayed in the kitchen observing every ingredient she added in Paro's breakfast. Later he had made numerous calls to his father to check on his wife. Now the concerned husband was turning into the Jallad of old who didn't care about Paro's feelings. She smiled softly at her little sister and turned to him, "I will get your tea. Why don't you look into this, Devarsa?"
He looked at the files of different gynaecologists. Geethanjali ma'am was trying to decide who the best person was to entrust Paro's health to. Since he wanted to do background checks before looking into their medical profiency, the files ended up here. "Why weren't these sent to the headquarters," he asked. Shatabdi shrugged her shoulder. That was the initial plan. But when she realised Sumer was coming here anyway, she offered to do it. "What does he want?" he asked. She replied that it was related to his business.
"A good wife always lends an attentive ear to her husband's problems," Mohini quipped as she entered. Shatabdi rolled her eyes while Maithili returned with the cup of tea to her devarsa. "He wants money and doesn't want to me to ask Dad. He wanted to talk to Bapusa first. Saasuma, I know everything that I have to know about your son. Including the fact that he would discuss all this with his brothers directly rather than me bringing it up," she replied.
Mohini tugged her pallu annoyed. This new bahu had to be shown her place but now was not the time. She saw the files and recognised one of the names. "Dr. Shukla? You want to take Parvati to this oaf. He thinks Maithili can't bear children unless she eats meat. As if vegetarians don't have children," she told them. Rudra quietly kept that file aside rejecting that doctor. "What can Paro eat then?" he asked the matriarch. She was barely able to retain food these days. Everyday he wakes up to the sound of her struggle in the bathroom. "I bought these almonds, cashews, apricots and dates. Blend them with yogurt so that you don't suffer from morning sickness," Shatabdi suggested. He smiled at her gratefully.
Maithili reached to take the bag in when her mother-in-law interrupted. "Beendini, when did you become a doctorni? Your father never told us." Shatabdi bit her lips to hold back her words. Her friend cum sister was pregnant. Of course she would look these things up on the internet. Even if she wasn't around to help, she could trust Jeeja to make the best use of the information she gathered. Obviously, her saasuma couldn't appreciate her efforts.
"You should go to Dr. Kumar," Mohini answered recognising the name of the woman who delived her three children and her nephew. Shatabdi rolled her eyes. The octogenarian didn't even have an MD. "So? She must have delivered over 1000 babies. She can teach those MDs plenty," Mohini replied. Rudra didn't like the octogerian part. What if her frail arms drop his child? Paro would be devastated. "No doctors over the age of fifty," he stated.
Paro was annoyed. She was having a nice time until he showed up. All he expected her to do was sit still and do nothing. He watched every move she made like a hawk ready to pounce at the smallest hint of discomfort. She was having a baby not turning into one. He didn't even look at her without those thousand doubts clouding his eyes. She missed the arms that enveloped her whenever they were alone. His arms were her sanctuary. They were replaced by fond kisses and soft caresses which were sweet but didn't exactly comfort.
"Come along with me, let them sort it out," Maithili said pointing to the quarrelsome threesome. She held her sister's hand and guided her carefully to the terrace. "Tell me what is bothering you so much," she asked as she pulled down the day's laundry from the lines. Paro confided how Rudra's recent behavior was confusing. Her sister realised that father-to-be was also suffering from mood swings that affected Paro. She knew her spirits could be restored by frequent visits from her friends and family. But she didn't know how to help Rudra.
"Devarsa is a soldier first and foremost. That is what makes sense to him. You know this, Paro," she started. Paro gasped. Surely Jeeja wasn't suggesting that he sent away? "He will deal everything like he does his BSD missions. He just needs to understand what the goals are and the various complications that couldarise. Once he has all the details, he will just have to follow the plan," Maithili finished.
Paro's face bloomed as she realised what her sister implied. The safe delivery of their baby was his goal. He was trying to wrap his head around the things that could go wrong so that he can plan contingencies. The only thing wrog here was she was his partner in this and like how Aman bhaisa helped him out at work, she could support him.
"What are you doing here?" growled Rudra the minute he saw her.Why were they risking a sun stroke? Maithili explained that she brought her along so that Paro could strect her legs. "If Paro wants exercise, she can walk in the garden or I can get her a threadmill. She is not to climb stairs," he yelled. He roughly grabbed her hands to the door unmindful of the tears in his sister-in-law's eyes. "Stop," Paro whispered trying to free her wrist. He let go instantly. Before she realised, he had scooped her up and carried her bridal style. He didn't stop until they reached their room.
"Have you lost your mind? Why did you go to the terrace?" he screamed at her. Paro replied that the clothes don't magically walk themselves to their closets. He glared in reply. His beloved wife was starting to sound like his aunt. He needed to make sure she isn't in her company for too long. Kakisa was on her best behavoir but her snappy tongue was always an issue. "Find something here to do," he advised in her softer tone.
A few minutes later when he stepped out of the bathroom, he was shocked to see Paro sitting on the window's edge with needles in her hand. "Paro!" he shouted. The ball of wool rolled to the floor. "The view is nice, I was being careful," she protested. Wordlessly he pushed a chair closer to the window. She sat down and gathered her things.
He watched as she knit a small sweater in baby blue. She looked at peace as she dreamed of the child who would wear it. He noticed a matching bootie next to his watch and picked it up. "This is tiny," he exclaimed softly. Her fingers stopped moving. "It's for a baby," she replied. Shanti's feet weren't this small he recollected. "She must have been a few months old when you first saw her," she replied thoughtfully.
This must be for a new born then. The sole was barely longer than his fingers. What was Paro thinking, bringing such a tiny being into their lives? What if something falls on those miniscule digits? What if he crushes them accidently with his brute strength? They won't even be as strong as his Paro's. How on earth was he going to care for it? He had a tough time protecting the mother, now the child would be a thousand times more vulnerable.
Dilsher watched as his only son stormed into his room and banged his liquor cabinet open. The soldier no longer kept his stock in his room. He cleared his throat in question. "The baby is too small," his son replied. He wanted to laugh but couldn't it. "Cheer up, he will grow up soon enough," he said handing him a clean glass. Rudra sighed, fatherhood wasn't fun so far.