Chapter #4
When her subtle attempt to dissuade him of the potential mistake appeared to have failed, Meera stopped completely in her tracks to prevent the impetuous man beside her from making a grave misstep: one that could possibly cost him his job. As she hoped, he followed suit and came to a standstill just outside of the area that was set up for al-fresco dining.
She waited as a couple waved past them, nodding genially at them as they crossed. "Shaurya," she whispered, "I hardly think this what Hina ma'am was referring to when she..."
"Aren't you hungry," he queried.
She was famished. Their jaunt around the property had more than whet her appetite, but still, by no means could they dare contemplate what the brazen man seemed prepared to do under the pretext of following his employer's earlier instructions. When Shaurya took another step in the direction of the patrons who were seated in an area exclusively designated for paid guests of the resort, she had no alternative but to stand her ground. Incredulously, his reaction to her firm headshake was to smile patronizingly, and nod in the direction of an empty table smack in the middle of the dining area. Hardly inconspicuous. Finally, with no other alternative, she withdrew the arm she had looped in his. This action, at least, had the desirous effect of getting his attention and making him understand that she would not cooperate with him. She should have known that it would be this that would bring him to his senses. Earlier, he had been adamant that he support her as they had circumnavigated the property. She had denied the held-out hand, a subtle offer at first, but he had unrelentingly insisted on holding her fast, after a near miss had her losing her footing on the damp grass. Saved from the calamity only by his quick reflexes, she was subjected to a side of the man that she had never seen. As she had clung tightly to Shaurya after he had saved her from falling, she had been mortified, both over her clumsiness, as well as the dressing down that had suddenly come from her companion. Her cheeks had flamed, realizing that the mishap had been completely preventable. However, the acute reprimanding he gave her was staggering in itself. She was not mistaken in detecting the fury behind his chastisement. Yet, as quickly as Shaurya's temper had flared, the man just as quickly recovered. The grim expression disappeared, and he immediately apologized to her, leaving her no opportunity to question it. "You have to take care in your condition," he pleaded simply, passionately, when he abruptly finished chastising her. She nodded in return, and after he righted her, looped her arm in the one he offered. "I was afraid of hurting you," she said absurdly, referring to his still bandaged hand. Unconsciously however, her free hand had come to rest on her abdomen; an action that he followed with his eyes, but did not elaborate on further. They had continued onwards, with Shaurya imparting a wealth of information about the luxurious, and as she could tell, highly popular property. She had quickly become comfortable walking with the tall man; a feeling she could only consider mutual, since only her move to distance herself, had been the one thing that got his attention.
********
His plan to escort his wife back to the exact table where they had dined the night before her accident, now thwarted, Shaurya quickly surveyed the area for some other viable excuse that would have her agreeing to dine with him in the space that, if luck should have it, could possibly prompt some hidden memory to the fore. It was his last hope before they returned to their rooms: a vain effort on his part in believing that their love alone would be enough to break through the void that separated the two of them, it seemed. His next step, he now realized, would probably have to be securing the professional aid that had been Sareena had suggested. As if the thought had conjured the one who had been the one to advise the same, Shaurya noticed at a table at the edge of dining area, Dr. Arora and her husband. The couple were due to leave the resort later today, and Sareena had already indicated that she would like to meet with Mehek one final time beforehand. The fact that they were seated at a table for four, allowed Shaurya to summarily preempt the later meeting for another attempt to jog Mehek's memory.
"Chalo, or we will be late for our breakfast date," he urged her, pointing to the couple for whom two cups of chai had been delivered to their table. Shaurya then took her hand and led Mehek across the dining area, before she could further protest.
"Namaste," he greeted the couple, when they reached. "I hope you haven't been waiting too long for us," he offered to the husband and wife, who to their credit scarcely betrayed their shock when the hotel owner appeared suddenly and, before they could respond, was pulling out a chair for his bewildered spouse to sit at their table.
"Shaurya...Meera," Dr. Arora bade with a smile, "You are not late at all." She signaled the nearby waitstaff for more chai, pausing when the other woman at the table held up one hand. "Shaurya, I think would prefer coffee: black, if I'm not mistaken." The doctor's eyes flitted to the man in question who had broken out in a small smile. "You are very observant, Meera, but as I have noted, Shaurya drinks far too much than is good for him, and he could afford to cut back a bit."
A second pair of eyes fell on the man, these ones expressing a concern that would seem unnatural under the normal circumstances of two relative strangers interacting, but quite the opposite in this case. "Chai will be fine," Shaurya stated, a flicker of hope flaring in him.
**********
The meal progressed in a relaxed manner in no small part due to the easy personalities of the amiable couple. For this too, Shaurya would be infinitely grateful to them. Not only Sareena, with her competence who had gained his wife's confidence, but also for her spouse who was charming in his own right.
"All things considered, I do hope that your stay was memorable enough for you to consider returning," Shaurya commented as they were finishing their meals.
"Haan, it has," Vihaan answered for the pair, as he twined one hand with his wife's. "As well as being far more relaxing than not, believe it if you may," he added winking at his spouse. "Trust me, Sareena's days are usually far more complex than anything she has had to contend with in the last few days. And even if she doesn't exactly believe me, it is quite the thing to be able to observe her in action." A kiss to his wife's hand followed.
His comment, a pure provocation to his blushing spouse, had the unflappable physician clearing her throat, and standing suddenly. "Meera, I have had something sent from home for you. I will just go and get it," she stated as she played tug-of-war with her mischievous husband over her captured limb.
Meera nodded at the woman's retreat, and then turned her attention to her husband who also facing the same direction. When the man turned back to the others, he wore a slightly rueful expression. "We have had a good time. She has had the chance to relax, which was most important thing," Vihaan confirmed. "At the same time, I know that she is looking forward to getting home to the little ones as well."
"You have children?"
His attention suddenly drawn to the ringing of his mobile, Shaurya excused himself to take the call once he identified the caller before Vihaan could answer the question Mehek had asked.
The man extracted his wallet to proudly show off the photo of the most beautiful trio of youngsters: two girls and a younger boy. Taking a closer look at them, Meera was left aghast at how gorgeous the three green-eyed children were. "Your children are beautiful," she complimented the man.
In response, Vihaan shook his head. "Our two nieces and nephew whom we love dearly, but no: unfortunately, we have none of our own. Not yet. The fates...have not been as kind to us." He stared intently at the photo before turning to the young woman with him. "If I could be so bold as to offer a word of advice? Right now, your situation may seem completely untenable to you, but there is one thing I have come to know: a child; every child is a gift from God. No matter how implausible or even intolerable the situation is to you, your condition should be revered for the miracle it is. There are so many not as fortunate..." he began, before stopping on noting his wife's return. She held a small package which, after she retook her seat, handed over to the woman across from her. Meera accepted it, and immediately unwrapped it.
"Jaan, what...why?"
Meera's head rose on hearing Vihaan's shocked exclamation. She stared at the pair, noticing the doctor in the midst of assuring her husband of something only the two of them would understand. A short time later, with her hand tightly grasping her husband's, she spoke. "That book is a god-send to the expectant mother. It covers anything you may wonder about your pregnancy. It was...it will be a complete life-line to you. I had a marker placed where in your pregnancy you are." After getting that out, Meera noticed that Sareena's speech was a little more stilted than before and again directed more to her husband. "I...I would rather it come to some use, than sitting on a shelf gathering dust."
"Thank you, Dr. Arora."
"Sareena is fine since you are no longer my patient. I do hope everything at the least works out for you, Meera," she added rather strangely before standing once again, and pronouncing that she and her husband needed to ready for their afternoon flight.
A short time later, Shaurya found his wife, more subdued, if not perhaps a little sullen, sitting alone at the table. She rose when she noticed him approaching, collecting the book that she had been pouring over. She had tears in her eyes he saw.
"I would like to go back to my room if that's okay, Shaurya. I would like to take a rest now."
"Of course," he replied, noting that this time she took the initiative of linking her arm in his for the return walk without any prompting from him.
"Dr. Arora and her husband, left to finish packing," she uttered. Her sadness seemed associated with this fact, but even as they went the relatively short distance, she didn't expound on the issue. He tried to gain a view of book she now had in her possession, but Mehek held it close to her, preventing any chance of viewing it.
*********
"I need my phone... now Shaurya, I need my phone."
He had quickly become accustom to watching the monitor as her labour had progressed, but this contraction, by the printout markings, looked to be a bit more intense than any previous ones. Not that it was the only indicator. The abrupt tightening of the hand gripping his, was a sure enough sign. He turned to face her again.
"Jaan...now is not the time."
"I need to make a phone call," she insisted
He shook his head to deny her.
In between breaths Mehek expressed the dilemma she believed herself in. "I want to let Dr. Arora...Sareena know...After everything, she should at least know that I am about to have the baby...I should have kept in touch more with her...I...I got so busy... her number is in my phone."
Shaurya smiled softly at her and nodded. He fully understood now. He too, was entirely grateful to the physician, and her husband, for that matter. Even if things had not progressed exactly as he had hoped for in the past six months, their generousness at the beginning had gone a long way to Mehek accepting her condition for the wonder it was, until such time that her maternal instincts bested any lingering doubts she had. As hers had, Shaurya's mind cast back to that pivotal moment.
His phone had pinged, another message from Hina, and even though he knew he had to respond to it, in order to circumvent the press storm about to descend on them: now that one intrepid reporter had soused out the news that Mehek Sharma had returned. His wife and her condition paramount now, Shaurya would do all and everything to avoid anything that could bring harm to her, so dealing with this would require his immediate attention. However, at the same time, he feared this turnaround he now saw in Mehek, and what it could possibly mean.
"Bolo...what's wrong?"
Mehek sniffed and turned tear-filled eyes to her co-worker. She flipped open the cover of the book and handed it to Shaurya, so that he could read the inscription:
To my Sister,
So, you may know the miracle beyond the medicine,
Congratulations to you and the best devar a girl could ever hope to have
Love, Naomi xoxo
"It's her book," she sniffled before pointing out the publication date of this particular version on the tome that touted itself as the bible for every newly-pregnant woman. It was eighteen months ago. And then as further proof of her hypothesis, she paged through the highlighted passages, that ended with a final dog-eared page at fourteen weeks.
"They lost their baby," Mehek whispered sadly, "and I do not think that they have been able..."
Shaurya gathered his emotional wife into his arms. Her normal compassion for others, compounded by the strangeness of her own situation; it was no wonder that she was in the state that she was in. He held her and found relief when, without a moment's hesitation she returned his hug, and held fast. "How could life be so cruel," she sobbed.
"Everything happens for a reason," Shaurya answered. "Everything."
He held her for a moment longer before, at his side his mobile vibrated insistently. "I need to go: Hina Ma'am is paging me."
Her head swung up in alarm. It gave him the chance to sweep her tears from her face. "I'm not it in trouble," he promised with a smile. "Take some rest, okay. I'll come back as soon as possible. We will make sure to see them before they leave today." He nodded and stepped away from her. "Just let me know if you are going to leave."
"You needn't be at my beck and call. You are not responsible for me, Shaurya."
"Everything happens for a reason, Ms. Sharma. There is absolute truth in those words," Shaurya answered.
*******
As with everything, Shaurya had the answer to her worry, when he pulled out his cellphone and began dialing. "They are actually returning for a vacation do-over next week," he told her as he waited for the line to connect. He smiled at his wife's furrowed brow, and switched his phone to speaker.
"Dr. Sareena Arora, speaking."
"Dr. Arora...Sareena, this is Shaurya Khanna. I'm here with Ms. Sharma, who has quite stubbornly insisted on me calling. We're in labour."
He had hidden so much from her, Meera thought, as they went through the short conversation with the physician, who straight away brushed aside her apology attempt for not keeping in touch, and ended with her excitement to meet the baby when she and Vihaan returned to the resort the following week.
The call ended just as another contraction began to crest. She would have to wait a little while longer, but she couldn't put it off anymore.
"You are not a chef at all, are you Shaurya," she asked when at last she found a slight respite from her pain.
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
Cricket
