"Gunjan..." he called out for her, but there was no reply. He was sure that she would be in the kitchen, busy eating lime pickle or tamarind. After all she was a month pregnant and already had food cravings and mood swings! He crept up to the kitchen, only to find it empty. He went to the bedroom that they had already begun to decorate for the yet to be born child. She would often go to that room and spend time there, looking at the toys around and hugging the teddy bear. The room had everything, except a cradle. They had been told that bringing a cradle into the house before the birth of the baby brings bad luck.
Anyhow, Samrat tip-toed into the room expecting to surprise her, but she wasn't here too. Now this was getting Samrat a bit anxious and tensed. Gunjan had nausea and black outs in this early stage of pregnancy and he got worried for her. he called out her name but got no response. He ran upstairs to their bedroom.
The lights were dim and he could not see anyone. He went up to the terrace. The door was locked from inside, so Gunjan wasn't on the terrace. He went back to his bedroom. His throat was dry and he began to get nervous. Just as he entered his room, he heard soft sobs. Immediately he recognised that voice and turned around to switch on the lights. He saw his wife, his Gunjan sitting in the corner of the room, with the pink teddy bear in her hands, and with swollen eyes, from which tears kept trickling down her cheeks.
He ran towards her and hugged her tightly. She snuggled close to him and held on to his collar, crying even more bitterly. "Gunjan kya hua? Tum ro kyun rahi ho? kisi ne kuch kaha? Kahin tumhe takleef toh nahi ho rahi? Main doctor ko bulaaun? Bolo na..." but Gunjan just kept crying. Samrat did not know how exactly he should handle the situation. He thought it was another mood swing of hers. Anyway, he just kept hugging her tightly till her sobs reduced and till she decreased her grip on his collar.
He made her get up from the floor and made her lie down on the bed. He went down to the kitchen and got some of her favourite cheese crackles with some water and her regular vitamins that she was supposed to take in this stage of her pregnancy. After she was done eating, Samrat kept aside al the plates and trays, and cupped her face in his hands.
"Gunjan, ab toh bolo ke kya hua..." and with that, tears began to well up her eyes. "Samrat, woh..." her voice became weak. Samrat held her hands tightly in his and pressed her hands lightly, encouraging her to go on...
"meri friend ki bhabhi, woh iss duniya mein nahi rahi Samrat. She died in child birth" and yet she started crying, this time freeing her hands from his and hugging her teddy bear. Samrat knew what the matter was. He knew her fears before she expressed them verbally. He read her mind before she voiced her thoughts. However he wanted her to speak out her heart, knowing that she would feel better, happier and lighter once she pours out her feelings. It was necessary for her, as an expecting mother, to stay happy.
"mujhe pata hai ke tum sirf itni si baat ke liye itna nahi ro rahi ho. baat kya hai Gunjan?" Gunjan had no option but to cry out to him. She hid her face in his chest and wrapped her arms round him. And without looking into his eyes, she spoke in one go. She knew she would stutter if she looked in his eyes.
"Samrat, poornima bhabhi meri di jaisi hi thi. Bachpan se hi hum log kaafi kareeb rahe hain. Kehne ko toh woh meri friend ki bhabhi hai lekin woh hamari behen se kam nahi thi.
Kuch time pehle, jab woh chaar mahine pregnant thi, tab unke pati ka accident ho gaya tha, aur uss accident mein unhone apni dono taangein gawa diya. And he was bedridden. Aur phir kal mujhe pata chala ke unhone ek pyari si angel ko janam diya. ek pyari si baby girl. Lekin kuch hi dair pehle maaloom pada ke di ab iss duniya main..." her voice choked. Nevertheless, she wanted to say it all. So in spite of the hiccups she had due to constant crying, she continued while Samrat only listened to her.
"she died due to excessive bleeding... Samrat, kal ko agar mujhe kuch ho gaya toh hamari baby ka khayal kaun rakhega? Main jaanti hoon ke tum duniya ke best papa rahoge, lekin ek bacche ko uski maa ka pyar bhi chahiye hota hai.mujhe apni fikar nahi hai Samrat, mujhe apni baby ki chinta hai. Kahin poornima di ki tarah main bhi..." Gunjan stopped speaking as she felt his grip tighten around her.
She raised her head and looked into his eyes that were soaked in tears and were threatening to drop down his cheeks. He wiped away her tears and cupping her face in his hands, he said "Dekho Gunjan. Mujhe afsos hai ke poornima di aur unke baby ke saath aisa hua. Lekin iska matlab yeh toh nahi ke tum bhi rone lago? Manta hoon ke di aur uss baby ke saath jo hua, woh galat hua. Lekin zara yeh toh socho, ke hamare baby ko kaisa lag raha hoga, jab tum aisi baatein kar rahi ho? kya humara baby nahi darega?"
He placed his hand on her flat tummy and spoke again "humari angel kitni sad ho gayi hogi, apni mama ko iss tarah se pareshan hote dekh. Lekin meri angel apni mama se zyada samajhdar hai. Kyunki woh jaanti hai ke uski mama aisi baatein sirf iss liye kar rahi hai, kyunki woh ussey pyar karti hai, uski chinta karti hai. Hai na angel?" he said, patting her tummy.
Gunjan felt peace flowing through every cell of her body. The same things were said to her by her friends, but the peace and solace that she found in Samrat's voiced words were something different, something unexplainable. Samrat saw Gunjan smiling and decided that it was time to broaden that slight curve on her face.
"waise meri beti bilkul mere jaise hogi. Smart like Samrat. Tumhari jaise nahi" Gunjan looked at him with an open mouth in disbelief. "kya kaha tumne? Matlab main smart nahi hoon? Hmph, mujhe toh beta chahiye. Rolu polu sa, gol matol sa beta." And so they argued for a while,and Samrat suddenly placed his finger on her lips. "Thik hai chashmish. iss baar beti hogi. Bete ke liye next time okay?" Gunjan smiled widely at him and said okay in excitement, but it was a few seconds later that she caught his hidden meaning that made her go red all over.
Samrat noticed Gunjan's blush and smiled at her. He thanked God for making her smile. And then he leaned on to her, close to her. so close that she felt his breath on her lips, mingling with hers. And slowly and delicately, he placed his lips on hers. Slowly, he cupped her face and deepened the kiss but Gunjan, being a little unprepared for the kiss, pulled back for breath in a little while.
"Sorry jaan, maine dhyan nahi diya ke tum... we should not prolong the kiss. Meri angel suffocate ho jayegi and..." And Gunjan placed her lips on his, since this was the only way to silence him once he began to talk. After they pulled back, Gunjan blushed and Samrat gave a naughty smile at her as always.
She looked up at him and placed her palm on his cheek and her eyes conveyed to him what she wanted to say. Her eyes silently thanked him and in turn, his eyes assured her that he would always be with her, no matter what. And then she winked at him, and Samrat's mouth hung open. She placed a quick kiss on his lips and said "This is the only way to close your mouth" and Samrat smiled at her cute gesture.
He got up and was about to go to the bathroom to change, when Gunjan held his hands. "Kahan jaa rahe ho?" to which he replied "Change karne, aur kahan" Gunjan pulled him towards her and he lost balance and fell right next to her. she traced a finger on his cheek and ran her long slenger fingers on his lips. Samrat knew what this meant. He smiled and he removed her hand from his cheek.
"Nahi chashmish. aisa sochna bhi mat. Tum pregnant ho aur phir..." "Uffo Samrat" She said with an irritated tone. "Tum bhi na. tumne suna nahi ke doctor ne kya kaha? She asked us to be careful, she dint forbid us to..." she blushed as she thought about it and Samrat just passed a naughty grin.
"Forbid us to...?" he asked, indicating her to complete what she was about to say. Gunjan lowered her eyes and spoke in a soft volume "How about me giving you a practical explanation of what she dint forbid us to do?" Samrat placed a kiss on her forehead and proceeded towards her lips, while Gunjan sighed and moaned as she felt his hands cup her curves. She dug her nails in his back and his scalp, feeling the love that he was showering on her.
He traced his lips over her cheek, chin and neck and took off that damn dupatta from her neck, and Gunjan knew that this was just the beginning of the long night that was to follow. He then dimmed the lights before they gave themselves up to each other, in yet another night of blissful love and passion.
Udne Ki Aasha
CID
Web Series
