Part 40: Arrivals
Riddhima sat up and stretched her arms lazily. She looked over to see her husband sleeping with his mouth open. She giggled and leaned over him. She placed a finger under his chin and closed his mouth.
"This is one habit I'm wishing my baby doesn't inherit from you." Riddhima whispered before kissing his lips softly.
Even though her kiss was as light as a feather's touch, it woke Armaan up. He groaned lazily.
"If you wake me up like that every day, I'm never going to be able to get out of bed." He smiled at her.
She blushed and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Thank you for the dress...it's beautiful."
"It was beautiful...it can barely be called a dress anymore..." He looked at the torn and ripped fabric piled on the floor. He chuckled and caressed her hair lightly. "I'm sorry I've been stupid about this...I should've listened to you."
He felt her shrug her shoulders. "Well...we spent a week and a half sightseeing and touring around...so not a complete waste of a honeymoon."
"Oh, last night alone made up for that week...I had no idea that pregnant women could be so...wildly passionate...I'm sure the remaining four days of our honeymoon will be a rollercoaster ride." He teased and felt her smile wide. He imagined a hue of crimson all over her cheeks.
"What changed your mind?"
"I...I did what you told me to...I Googled it." He said sheepishly.
Riddhima burst into waves of laughter. She propped herself up on her elbow to look into his face, still laughing. "You actually Googled it?" She paused and he nodded. "Unbelievable! And Google told you to buy me a dress?"
"Uh...no...That was Kripa's idea..." he admitted honestly.
"You talked to Kripa about this?" Riddhima because serious suddenly.
"I...I needed her advice...she's pregnant too and I'm sure she felt similar things...why? Did I do something wrong?" He said at once worried that he'd messed up again.
Riddhima shook her head. "You shouldn't have asked her...I mean...when she was pregnant, Angad wasn't there by her side...she dealt with all this differently..."
After a few seconds of silence, Armaan spoke. "I guess you're right...but she didn't sound upset..."
"Wait a minute...you talked to Kripa and never gave me the phone?? How could you not let me speak to my best friend?" Riddhima sat up, looking angry.
Armaan was flustered and speechless. "You wouldn't speak to me and you were in your room..."
Riddhima gasped. "Haww! Now you're arguing with me??" She lashed out as she got off the bed and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
Armaan stared at the door open mouthed and then looked up at the ceiling. "Beta Armaan...you're going to die by the baby is born." He muttered and walked to the bathroom door to try and pacify her.
- - - - -
"Okay...what? Seriously...is there something on my face? You've been looking at me all weird for the past fifteen minutes..." Angad frowned at Kripa.
"You look really good today..." She said looking at her fingers.
"Just today, Patel?" Angad teased bringing his face closer to hers.
Things were almost back to normal with Angad and Kripa since Khushi and Arnav had left. He spent all her time with her. Taking care of her meals, needs, sleep. It had become a routine for him to sleep in the same room as hers. Kripa had gotten back into the habit of waking up, cuddled in his arms safely. She knew it was bad for her because in a few days, after the baby is born, she would leave and wouldn't have that moment anymore. But that was the exact reason why she didn't distant herself from him. She wanted to make the best of the time she had left with him.
"I guess you looked even better yesterday when we went out for dinner, Khanna." She mumbled.
It had been a date after a long time. Angad had noticed the joyous glow on her face all night just as he had noticed all the appreciative glances they'd gotten from strangers in the restaurant. Not that he was unaware of the fact that they looked great together as a couple, but it still felt good.
He brought his face even closer and she closed her eyes. She took a shaky breath.
"And you need to stop wearing that after shave...it drives me crazy...and it doesn't help that I've been feeling restless since yesterday..."
He smiled and touched his lips to hers. She smiled into the kiss and ran her fingers through his soft hair. This felt natural...to both of them.
"Exactly 9 days till your due date..." he whispered while she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah." She said simply, void of any emotion.
"I guess you better enjoy the quiet...the day after tomorrow Khushi will be back, mom and dad will be back the day after that...and then the baby...it's about to get very loud in this house after five days of peace." He caressed her arm.
As if on cue, his phone rang loud and shrill. Kripa laughed out loud.
"So much for peace." She muttered as he answered the call.
"What's up Arnav? Had enough of Khushi's tantrums?" Angad teased.
"She's out shopping and as far as her tantrums go, I have to deal with those for the rest of my life. That's not why I called...we've kind of hit a hurdle with this meeting...the delegates want to speak to you so I suggested that we do a video conference...do you have a couple of hours?"
"Yeah sure...I'm taking Kripa for dinner but until then I've got time..."
Arnav smiled smugly at Angad's response. "Alright...Call me once you're ready to join the conference."
Angad hung up and looked at Kripa. "I've got some work to do...will you be okay on your own for a couple of hours? I'll just be in my room."
"I'll be fine...I'll watch a Hindi movie while you're gone...that way you don't have to suffer through another one for me." She rolled her eyes making him laugh.
Angad kissed her forehead and walked into the room, grabbing his laptop with him.
- - - - -
Kripa was aw-ing at the Shahid-Kareena kiss at the end of Jab We Met when she felt something twisting in her lower abdomen for the tenth time. She gasped and tried to get up from her 2 hour sitting position only to find that it brought more pain along.
She got up off the love seat slowly, and waddled her way out towards Angad's. Not bothering to knock, she threw the door open and stood there staring at Angad who was typing something on the laptop.
"Just sending this e-mail...I remember our dinner plan...and its only 4pm...Reservation's for 6." he said before he looked at her.
Her eyes were wide, her hand clutching her belly possessively. Angad stared back with wide eyes. She was breathing as if she'd just got off the treadmill.
"I need to go to the hospital." Kripa said through clenched teeth.
"Now?" Angad asked.
Kripa sucked in a breath, bent forward slightly, and froze. "NOW!" She screamed about five seconds later. Angad tossed his laptop off of his lap and jumped off the bed, heading towards Kripa.
"Okay okay...be calm...don't freak out...don't be nervous...we'll call your doctor and I'll drive you there and everything will be fine."
"Angad..."
"No, don't worry...trust me. I've got this. I'll take care of this. It's going to be fine. Just relax. Okay...breathe...relax...be calm...it's alright...nothing to be nervous about" he kept mumbling as he paced back and forth in his room, aimlessly, clearly nervous.
"ANGAD!! I'm fine! You're the one making me nervous!"
"Okay okay...I'll calm down..."Angad led her towards his bed but she stopped when he tried to lay her down.
"If my water breaks it could get...messy." Kripa looked at him sheepishly.
Arnav gaped at her. "WHO THE HELL CARES!?! SIT!!"
One he sat her down, he picked up his phone but then realized he didn't have her doctor's number.
"My phone's on my side table in my room" Kripa told him.
Angad ran into her room, found the phone and scrolled through her contacts. He thanked her for being smart enough to save his number as baby doctor'. He called and let them know that Kripa Patel was in labour and that they were heading to the hospital.
"How far are your contractions, Kripa?" Angad asked guided by the nurse.
"I'm not sure...considering the last two...about eighteen minutes apart...lasting about seven seconds each time" Kripa sounded slightly breathless.
Once he hung up, he went to Kripa's side. Both her hands were clutching his bed sheets, using the bunch of bed sheets in her hand as a stress ball. Her back arched and her hand searched for more purchase on the bed sheet when he took her hand in his. She squeezed his hand tighter as the contraction passed. Once it passed, she settled back onto the bed.
"Can you get my bag? It's under my bed. It has a sticky on it that says Baby Time' on it." Kripa suggested.
"I don't think I should leave you alone..."
"I'll be fine...eighteen minutes between contractions, remember? I have another 17.5 minutes before it hits." She giggled.
He nodded and ran out of the room. He froze in the doorway of her room. He'd forgotten why he was there. When it hit, he scrambled around looking for the bag, missing the obvious note on the bag.
When he finally managed to grab the bag and get back to his room, Kripa's back was arched again and she was clutching the headboard with both hands, her face red as a tomato.
"Oh...Crap...They're getting quicker!" she heaved once it passed.
Angad's mind cleared suddenly. He ran out to his car with the bag, shoved it in the back seat, started the engine and ran back into his room for Kripa. He was about to lift her when Kripa stopped him.
"It's not some movie you idiot! You don't have to carry me...I can walk." Kripa complained.
Angad supported her as she slowly made her way out the house. She doubled over about ten steps from the car, and let out a tiny moan of pain. She swore when she got back up again.
Angad was just about to help her in when she froze. Angad braced himself for another circulation-cutting squeeze from her or a scream. Instead, she turned to him.
"Okay...I don't want an epidural...but just in case I lose it at the hospital...remind me that I don't want an epidural...even if I beg for it! PROMISE ME!"
"Okay okay!! I promise!" Angad said without a second thought.
Angad broke pretty much all traffic speed limits as he drove her to the hospital. After getting her registered, they settled in her birthing unit. The nurse came by and gave Kripa a hospital gown.
"Put this on sweetie. And just press that button on the side of your bed when you're ready for your doctor to come in."
Kripa took the gown and walked into the washroom to change. When she stepped out again, the nurse was setting up the IV for her. Angad wasn't in sight.
"Um...excuse me...where is the guy who came with me?" Kripa asked.
"Oh you mean your Boyfriend? He's gone to change."
"To change?" Kripa asked confused.
"Yeah...he's staying in the room with you for the delivery...he needs to be in scrubs."
Kripa smiled to herself as she started waddling towards the bed when another contraction came. She bent over, placing her hands on her knees and held her breath. The nurse came and helped Kripa up onto the bed. After hooking up the IV with Kripa, and putting on other needed instruments, she told Kripa to relax.
"You won't be too long. You'll be holding your baby in a few hours. Now, sweetie, did you say you didn't want an epidural?"
"Uh...no...I don't." Kripa tried not to think about how much worse the pain was about to get.
"Okay well...you're at 5 centimetres...it's quite not time yet...just a little longer sweetheart." The elderly lady smiled and left.
A few minutes later, when Angad entered, Kripa was in the middle of another contraction. She gasped in a deep breath once it passed. He cautiously walked towards her and held her hand again.
"I've called the family, they're taking the first flight they can manage...they'll be here within a day's time. Mom suggested I don't bother Armaan and Riddhima...Khushi, I'm assuming, is on Arnav's tail, forcing him to leave right away. How are you doing?"
"I feel great!" Kripa looked at him.
He wondered if she was being sarcastic but he knew she wasn't when she kept a hand on her baby bump and affectionately whispered, "a few more hours..."
"I'm sorry you have to be here and see all this...but thank you for being here...I'm glad." Kripa smiled at him.
He frowned in confusion. How did she do that? How was it that she could forgive everyone so easily? How was it that she wasn't holding a grudge against him for leaving her when she needed him by her side?
Just when Angad was done forming his next sentence, the nurse walked in after a knock on the door. She smiled at Kripa and Kripa smiled back.
"Sweetie, if you want, you can walk around. It might help actually. Just make sure you take the IV pole with you. And you my dear" she turned to Angad, "you can walk with her...preferably with a glass of ice chips."
Angad nodded at her and got up to help Kripa off the bed. "Let's go. We're going for a walk."
After an hour of walking up and down the hallways of the maternity ward, Angad took her back to her unit and helped her lay down. To his surprise, she fell asleep within minutes. Even as she slept, she could tell when her contractions were happening for her expression would change. She woke up and looked at him a few hours later.
"You look scared out of your wits." She smiled at him and gasped in surprise at the pain. Angad pushed the button next to her bed in alarm, and Kripa's nurse rushed in.
The nurse did her checks and shook her head at Kripa. "Nope...not yet...it's your first baby, honey...it will take longer than that...I say at least four more hours."
Angad wanted to get up and shake the lady by her shoulders. Kripa squeezed his hand in response to his expression.
"I'm fine...you need to calm down...this is just the beginning."
"This is just the beginning?" He hissed.
Kripa chucked and shook her head at him.
- - - - - -
"Look, it's been sixteen hours since you walked into my room, telling me you needed to come to the hospital...and they're not doing anything! You're in even more pain than before and it's happening with shorter gaps!" Angad complained to Kripa, practically begging her to let him give a piece of his mind to the staff.
"That's how it's supposed to be!" Kripa tried to reason. Angad wiped her sweaty forehead with a napkin and tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear. Her face was even more red and clammy now.
"Explain that to Khushi. She'll be here in a couple of hours. They had no flights until early in the morning and apparently she terrorized the airport in Vancouver." Angad frowned at her.
The nurse returned and Angad glared at the lady. Kripa tightened her grip on his hands while the nurse did her checks. She looked at Kripa and smiled.
"Alright...your wait's over...You'll be holding your baby in about half an hour if all goes well." The nurse hung the clipboard at the foot of Kripa's bed and left.
Kripa took calming breaths, the nervousness finally hitting her.
"You'll stay with me, right?" She asked Angad without looking at him.
"Of course, I'm not leaving your side for a single second." He assured her.
A team of four people, including the elderly nurse, walked in and before Angad had time to process much, he'd found himself on Kripa's right side of the bed, one hand on her head, the other holding one of hands, encouraging her and soothing her through the process. After twenty minutes of extreme efforts, Kripa fell back on her pillow with a sigh, gasping for air.
"It's a girl! Birth at 8:27 am." The doctor announced while the nurses cheered for Kripa.
The doctor handed a pair of clippers to Angad and following the instructions, he cut the umbilical cord, separating the new born from Kripa. They rested the newborn on Kripa's belly for a couple of seconds before she was whisked away. Angad was holding Kripa's hand as he followed her terrified gaze.
"NO...NO!" Kripa yelled painfully. "HELP HER! MAKE HER BREATHE! PLEASE!"
Angad's breath caught in his throat. Kripa's nightmare. He looked at the baby wrapped in the doctor's arms as they suctioned her nostrils and rubbed her back. He felt tears stinging his eyes as he felt Kripa's head trembling against his chest as she sobbed.
The few seconds seemed like hours but at last a high-pitched wailed echoed in the room. Angad let go of the breath he'd been holding. Kripa turned to look at her daughter and her tears of grief were soon replaced by tears of joy. In a few minutes, the nurse brought her bundle of joy to Kripa.
"I...I did it!" Kripa exclaimed looking at her daughter.
"You did!" Angad said, beaming a broad smile. "She's beautiful!"
"Do you want to hold her?" Kripa looked at him after a few minutes of admiring her daughter.
Angad looked unsure even as Kripa handed him the baby but somehow he had the hang of it. He lifted her closer to his heart and in that moment, his father's words came rushing back to him. A man becomes a father when he first holds his baby. Angad couldn't take his eyes off of the little life that slept peacefully in his arms. All of a sudden, all his worries and fears went out the window. He couldn't understand why he'd been running from this. This felt right, natural. It was as if he was made to be a father. He smiled at his daughter.
You stupid, stupid fool! If you hadn't been so stubborn, things would be way different now. You wouldn't have missed out on the last seven months with Kripa. She would probably be wearing a wedding band on her ring finger...if not that, then at least an engagement ring. Her parents would be waiting outside this very door, eager to meet their granddaughter. But no. You had to be a coward and leave her. Look at the baby in your hands! You would have missed out on HER if your mother hadn't convinced Kripa to stay at your house. Kripa would have gone away and you would have never seen the face of the angel that's making you feel so happy this moment. What're you waiting for now, you idiot?! Apologize to Kripa! Beg her to take you back! Beg her to not take your daughter away from you! Shut your damn male ego and set sh*t right in her life. Get your lady and your daughter back in your life you stupid foolish a**h**e!
Before the voice inside his head could yell at him some more, he turned to Kripa. He still held his daughter possessively.
"Thank you." Angad looked at Kripa at last and found her crying silent tears. He leaned down and kissed her, signing that he wasn't about to let either of the ladies go away from him.
- - - - -
"Oh My God!!" Khushi shrieked as soon as she entered the room Kripa was staying in.
Arnav closed his eyes and covered his face with his hand stopping at the foot of Kripa's bed. Angad had nearly fallen off the edge of the bed. Kripa giggled as Khushi hopped on the spot, overly excited to get a glimpse of the baby girl. Kripa handed her to her aunt and watched Khushi awe and coo.
"Apart from the nurses and the staff...you're the third person to ever hold her." Kripa informed her.
Arnav gave Angad a congratulatory hug and gave Kripa a brotherly kiss on her forehead before he walked to Khushi and the two started a glaring battle over who gets to hold her. Just then, Angad's phone vibrated on the side table, and he left to take the call but not before he kissed Kripa's forehead. A few minutes later, he came back, looking slightly worried. Kripa questioned with her eyes but he just shook his head, suggesting that everything was fine. He frowned at Khushi then.
"Oye!" He reached out for his daughter. "Stop hogging her. Let her stay with her mommy...if she stays with you for too long, she'll become like you and I'm sure Arnav agrees that one Khushi is more than enough." Angad teased as he handed the baby to Kripa.
Khushi's jaw dropped. "How mean! Seriously, Kripa...couldn't you find anyone better than this jerk that is my cousin? And why aren't you saying anything, Arnav!"
"What...?" Arnav said shrugging innocently. "He is right...I mean...Baby, one Khushi is more than enough..." Arnav raised his eyebrows making Khushi gasp.
She glared at Angad and Arnav, stomped her foot, and stormed out of the room while Arnav followed her, muttering apologies. Angad chuckled and looked at Kripa.
"I'll help him out..." He said before turning to follow the couple. He stopped when he saw Naina and Dilip walking in.
Despite the jet-lag, the excitement was clearly visible on their faces. The acknowledged him with a hello and went straight to Kripa. A repeat of the earlier scenario happened except with more tears. Naina and Dilip, both were quite sentimental as they held their grandchild.
"Mom? Dad?" How're you already here?" Angad asked after a few minutes.
"We managed to get last minute tickets to a direct flight. If it were up to me and your mother, we would have made the pilot fly even faster..." Dilip said, still looking at his grandchild.
Khushi and Arnav walked in, hand-in-hand. Arnav winked at Angad and the two men exchanged a quick smile.
"Have you through of a name?" Khushi asked, excitedly.
"I have three. Arushi, Amara, and Kaira." Kripa smiled lovingly at her daughter.
Khushi pouted. "But I wanted to name my daughter Arushi."
Arnav chocked on the water he was drinking at the moment. Angad slapped his back while Arnav tried to clear the cough. Everyone else was looking at Khushi with raised eyebrows.
"W-what?" Arnav blurted, his eyes squinting slightly at Khushi's stomach.
Khushi looked at her own stomach and then at Arnav when she understood everyone's reactions.
"Oh...no! I meant...When I have a kid...if I have a daughter...I want to name her Arushi...I thought of it long ago...you know...Arnav...Khushi...put together our names and you get Arushi'." Khushi explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Kripa's eyebrows were still raised in amusement. "Okay then...it's between Amara and Kaira."
About an hour later, the family stood to depart. Angad also started bidding them by when Kripa tugged at his hand.
"You should go home and rest too...you've been here since yesterday afternoon." She said gently.
"So have you." Angad said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"I slept for a few hours yesterday, remember? You've been up all night. You're even getting dark circles." Kripa scrunched up her nose.
"But I'm not going to leave you alone..." Angad said determined.
"I'm not alone...I have nurses here. You need to sleep..." Kripa said a little more sternly.
Naina and Khushi shared a knowing smile. This side of Angad's was what both of them wanted to see and, of course, they had their doubts before but now, seeing Angad talking to Kripa, observing him with the baby...they were assured that all will be well.
"We'll stay. We didn't have a flight so we went back to the hotel and slept..." Arnav interrupted.
After more stern statements from Kripa, Angad reluctantly agreed to go home. In a way, he was glad to be going home. It had been an overwhelming twenty hours.
Surprise Surprise! Another update! Woot woot! Who's on fire?? Katie's on Fire! I hope all of you read the note before the chapter! Please make it easier for me guys! I don't want to stop sending PMs to all my lovely readers who take the time out to comment or hit the 'like' button but at this rate, I will stop sending out PMs for updates.
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Love,
Katie <3
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