LOVEMAKING KE SIDE EFFECTS: PART 2 (ASYA)
Hi guys
I am back with part 2 of this series. Sorry for the delay. Had too many distractions during the holidays J
Pregnancy Ke Side Effects
"Zoya? Zoya? Where are you? Kahan chali gayi?" Asad had just returned from his office. He got a bit worried when he didn't find her anywhere. "Ammi tho kitchen mein hain, so she couldn't have gone out with her. I have told her to not leave the house without someone these days. KITNI BAAR KAHA HAI AMMI YA MERI NAZRON KE SAAMNE SE DOOR NA HONA! Kabhie kisi ki baat sunti hi nahin hain!" He was livid at her callousness.
As the weeks had gone by, her morning sickness had gradually become an all day affair. She was about 10 weeks pregnant and the doctor had reassured them that her symptoms would abate or become milder after the magical 12week first trimester mark. Lately, Zoya had been spending more time in the bathroom than in their bedroom. Scents, flavors, certain foods or even a slight movement would trigger a bout of sickness. Her appetite was close to nil. Most of her favorite foods would end up in the garbage can or toilet bowl, depending on whether she had consumed them or not.
"ZOYA!" He yanked the door to the porch and was relieved when he saw her sitting on the bench with her back to him.
With soft footsteps, he walked towards the bench and sat down next to her. She sat with a large bowl in her lap and palm covering her lips. Her droopy shoulders and swollen eyes melted his anger.
Placing his arm around her, he asked her gently, "trying to get some fresh air?"
She nodded and tilted her head, resting it on his broad shoulder. Even though she had been sick, her spirits had never been this low. He pulled her closer, "kya hua Zoya? Are you okay?"
"Mr. Khan," she replied in a feeble voice, "I don't feel well at all. Kuch mann nahin karta. I feel so weak."
"Because you are not paying attention to your health. Aap kuch theek se khaa pee bhi nahin rahi hain. Remember what Dr Pathak said? You need to eat regular meals otherwise weakness aur zyaada ho jaayegi. Kitni irresponsible hain aap?"
Zoya was incensed by his disparaging remarks. All she needed was some empathy; not a lecture. She lifted her head and gave him a sharp look.
To his horror, he saw her throw the bowl on the ground- something akin to his outbursts with his phone. The metallic bowl bounced off the cemented ground, creating a loud ruckus in the porch.
"SAARI GALTI MERI HAI, HAINA? Aap ko lagta hai main jaan boojh kar apna khayal nahin rakh rahi hoon? What does Dr Pathak know? She is not pregnant! Neither are you! Aap log tho sab mujhey blame karna chaahte hain!" Zoya pulled away from him, yelling at the top of her lungs.
"Zoya!" He frowned, "chillao mat. You are wasting energy. Please conserve some for the baby at least."
"BABY! BABY! BABY!" She got up in a fury, "what about me Mr. Khan?"
He recalled Dr Pathak's words- mood swings and patience.
Stroking his forehead, he took a deep breath and walked towards her. Gently, he touched her shoulders and asked, "pizza khaane chalein? There is a new place that just opened near Moti Masjid. I promise I will not get upset with you. I just want you to eat something."
Raising her eyelids, she nodded with childlike enthusiasm, smiling through her chapped and dry lips.
With a faint smile, he wiped her face, "wahan se kuch der dargah bhi chalenge. I think it will help calm you down."
"CALM ME DOWN?" She frowned back, "excuse me Mr. Khan! I am the calm one in this house. Gussa tho aapko karna aata hai. Agar main na hoti tho aapke gusse se poore Bhopal mein earthquake aa gaya hota. Ya tho Union Carbide waalon ne dhamaka kiya tha ya Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan dhamaka karte. Ganeemat hai unki begum Zoya Ahmed Khan ne doosra dhamaka rok liya---warna"---"
Amused, he just nodded, "jee"jee---bilkul sahi farmaaya aapne Mrs. Khan." He placed his arm around her and walked back to their room as she blabbered away. Frankly, he had missed her nonstop chatter over the last few weeks; even her boloney sounded music to his ears.
AT THE PIZZA PARLOR
Asad held Zoya's hand as they walked towards the new pizza place. Even though she had shown signs of recovery with her verbal outrage, her feeble grip in his palm indicated otherwise. Her fingers trembled as he tried to feel her pulse on her wrist. It wasn't the usual strong and bounding pulse he was used to feeling when he held her; rather thready and barely palpable. He knew she had lost a few pounds over the past few weeks. Worried, he was hoping pizza and small can of coke would revive some strength and energy in his expectant wife.
As soon as he opened the door to the brand new restaurant, the whiff of fresh tomato sauce and cheese percolated their nostrils.
"Mmm---smells good! I am sure you will love their pizza." Asad, a staunch pizza hater, tried to stimulate her gastric juices with his feigned interest in the dish.
Suddenly, her fingers slipped from his palm. A loud thud and a woman's shriek from the distance startled him.
"ZOYA!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. She had collapsed on the floor of the restaurant, her face pale as a ghost and breaths too shallow to detect.
Quickly, he lifted her in his arms as people gathered around him.
"Arre kya hua? Kya hua bhai sahib? Ambulance bulaayein?" A curious but helpful crowd offered their help.
"Shukriya! Main inhein doctor ke paas le jaaunga. Aap fikr na karein." He turned around and dashed towards his car. Once reassured that she was breathing and still had a pulse, he called Dr Pathak and headed towards her nursing home.
DR. PATHAK'S NURSING HOME:
"Asad, I am glad you brought her here. She is severely dehydrated. I have started a drip. She should feel better once her body is rehydrated."
"Dehydrated?" Asad asked worriedly. Dilshaad had also joined him at the nursing home.
"Rama, Zoya theek ho jaayegi na?" Dilshaad asked.
"Of course Dilshaad. Aakhir Zoya meri beti jaisi hai. I will do my best to get her well soon." Dr Pathak reassured her childhood friend.
"Doctor," Asad's voice quivered, "do most women get this sick during pregnancy?"
"Of course not Asad." Dr Pathak shook her head, "your wife is unfortunate. She has something called Hyperemesis Gravidarum- it's a rare condition when the pregnancy hormones make the mother very sick. Any little thing can trigger her to throw up. Even a slight smell or sight of food can do that. They can get dehydrated, lose weight and become very ill in a short period of time."
Asad sighed and tried to control her tears, "Z-Zoya ki zindagi ko koi khatra tho nahin hai na doctor? A-aur agar hai----tho"tho---I don't want to become a father."
"Asad!" Dilshaad touched her son's shoulder, "aisa nahin kehte beta. Zoya is a tough girl. She will be fine."
"Ammi," his eyes were red now, "Zoya ke saath hi hamesha aisa kyun hota hai? Hamesha itni takleef kyun rehti hai unki zindagi mein?"
Dilshaad was touched by her son's empathy towards his wife, "beta, Allah bhi unhi ka imtehaan leta hai jo usey pyaare hote hain. I know Zoya has endured a lot in her life but she has never given up, so why would you?"
"Aap theek kehti hain ammi," he nodded, "it's just that I can't see her suffer so much. Wo bechari ab pizza bhi nahin kha paa rahi hai."
Dilshaad was amused; she suppressed her smile and teased her son, "wo bechari nahin hai!"
Asad was taken aback; he paused and then smiled through his tears, "aap theek keh rahi hain. Wo bilkul bechari nahin hai."
"She is special and unique," Dr Pathak interjected their conversation, " that's why she has a rare ailment."
"Aapne theek kaha doctor, Zoya is unique." Asad nodded.
"And special," Dilshaad added.
KHAN VILLA: THEIR BEDROOM
A few days later, Zoya was back at home. Once rehydrated with fluids, her energy level was much better. Dr Pathak had prescribed some strong medications to reduce her nausea and sickness. Even though she protested, "I don't want to take any medicines. Na jaane bachche par kya side effects ho?"
"I don't care Zoya!" Asad refused to comply to her protests, "mujhey filhaal is bachche se zyaada aap azeez hain. Aapko aur takleef mein nahi dekh sakta main. Dr Pathak knows what she is doing. She will never want to hurt the baby. Ab chup chap le lo yeh dawa." Asad's authoritative voice, toned down her resistance.
"Theek hai----agar baby ko kuch ho gaya na, tho main aapko kabhie maaf nahin karoongi." She whined, settling on the bed with the cup of water and pill in hand.
"Nahin kariyega. Waise bhi baby ke baad aap mujhey tawajjo (attention) kahan dengi?"
"Achcha? Aap challenge kar rahe hain mujhey?" She asked mischievously. He was glad to see that impish smile back on her face. The three days at the nursing home were the longest days of his life. Seeing her listless, bedridden with a plastic tube in her arm had disheartened him. He had cursed himself for jeopardizing her health but now that she was back being herself, he was ready to banter with her once again.
"Challenge ki zaroorat nahin hai Mrs. Khan. I know I will become a second class citizen once the baby arrives. Aapki life sirf baby ki ird gird hi ghoomegi. Agar meri taraf bhool se aap dekh bhi lengi tho bahut meherbaani hogi."
She giggled, sipping on her glass of water, "jealous Mr. Khan?"
He gazed at her lovingly, "yes Mrs. Khan! I am really jealous. Aapke kareeb aur koi aayega ya aayegi tho mujhey jalan zaroor hogi." Zoya blushed slightly at his remark. He placed his palm on her tummy and whispered; "actually I feel I am already a second class citizen. Aap dono tho abhi se itne kareeb hain. I am an outsider. Na jaane aap dono milkar mere baare mein kya kya baatein karte honge? I am sure you have already taught the baby to say my abbu is so emotionally challenged, haina?"
Zoya burst out with laughter with a mouth full of water. His quick reflexes prevented the water from splattering on the bed, landing in the cup of his hands instead.
"Sorry---sorry Mr. Khan," she apologized as he glanced at the water in his palms.
"Dekhiye Mrs. Khan, aapne tho abhi se mujhey second class citizen banaa diya. Aapki jhootan pakad kar baitha hoon."
Zoya put the cup aside and wiped his hands with her dupatta, "sirf apno se hi yeh umeed ki jaa sakti hai."
"Shukr hai aapne mujhey apna tho samjha." He teased her back.
Shaking her head with disbelief, Zoya pressed his hand against her belly and gazed into his eyes, "Mr. Khan, aap hum dono ke liye hamesha first class citizen rahenge aur hamare apne rahenge. Chaah kar bhi meri zindagi mein aapki jagah aur koi nahin le sakta. Baby tho badha hokar ek din chala jaayega. Budhape mein mere nakhre aur kaun sahega Mr. Khan? Meri jhootan kaun saaf karega?"
"Chaliye meri kuch tho zaroorat rahegi aapko." He removed her soaked dupatta and kept it aside.
"Museebat magnet will always need her museebat doctor," she caressed his cheek and rested her head on his chest. He pulled her into his circle of arms, "shukr hai Allah ka, bach gaya main. My life will continue to have some purpose then."
"Not bad Mr. Khan. Mere saath reh kar aapka sense of humor bhi bahut achcha ho gaya hai. Dheere dheere seekhne lage hain aap."
"Dr Pathak ke instructions follow kar raha hoon main. Aap jaanti hain main rules follow karta hoon."
"Matlab?" She withdrew back.
"She told me that during pregnancy women become a bit cuckoo and I need to just indulge your crazy behavior for a few months."
"Agar aisi baat hai tho Allah mujhey hamesha pregnant rakhe!" She folded her arms angrily.
"InshaAllah Mrs. Khan!" He was tickled by her another foot-in-mouth-comment.
"KYA?" Her jaw dropped as she realized what she had just said, "m-m-mera matlab wo nahin tha Mr. Khan."
"Soch lee jiye Mrs. Khan. It will be my pleasure to work towards that goal."
"NOOO!!!!' She pounded her fists against his chest, "aap ko mujhey pareshan karne mein bahut mazaa aata hai na?"
"Bahut!" He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her forehead softly.
A FEW WEEKS LATER."
"ASADDD!!!!" Zoya ran into their bedroom one morning, as he was getting ready for office. Hearing her address him by his first name always gave his heart the flutters. Turning crimson red, he turned around, his necktie still loose around his neck. Panting, she grabbed the two ends of his tie, pulling him forward. The sparkle in her eyes lit up the whole room.
"Kya baat hai? Subah subah mera naam kaise yaad aa gaya Mrs. Khan?" He asked; a faint smile on his lips reverberated her sentiments.
She grabbed his palm and placed it on her belly, "here---feel."
He gave her a curious look, "kya feel karoon? I know your tummy has finally started showing. Mujhey tho darr tha kahin yeh pregnancy attention seeking bahana na ho aapka."
"MR. KHAN!!!!" She glared at him, "aapka sense of humor itna ghatiya hota jaa raha hai."
"Us din tho bahut tareef kar rahi thi aap."
"Gustakhi ho gayi mujhse." She clenched her jaws and rolled her eyes, "ab feel keejiye----do you feel something?"
"Uh-uh---I"I have no idea what am I supposed to feel." He pressed his palm against her belly firmly.
She covered his eyes with her palm and whispered, "feel it with a soft hand Mr. Khan."
He felt his fingers recoil a bit as a tiny kick and then another one and then another one sent vibrations through his hand.
"Zoya?" His eyes twinkled with anticipation.
"Did you feel it Mr. Khan?" She searched for an answer but his expression rapidly changed from confusion to excitement to bewilderment, baffling her, "kya hua Mr. Khan?"
"Mrs. Khan, bahut gas ho rahi hai aapko? Dr Pathak ko phone karoon?"
"MR. KHAN!" She was aghast by his reaction, "rehne dee jiye! Aapke ke saath kuch bhi share karna bekaar hai. Waise bhi aapko baby ki movements aur gas mein kya farak pata chalega. Insensitive man!" She jerked his hand from her belly and stepped away. He wrapped his tie around her waist and pulled her back into his arms, "itna bhi insensitive nahin hoon ki aapki excitement ko mehsoos na kar sakoon. Of course, I felt the movements. My first communication with our child. How can I ever forget this moment? Main tho aapko sirf pareshan kar raha tha."
"Aap ko mujhey pareshan karne mein bahut mazaa aata hai na?" She gazed at him with her innocent big eyes.
"Bahut!" He slid the tie off her waist and placed it around his neck, "can you help me please?"
"Tie baandhna bhi bhool gaye aap Mr. Khan?" She chuckled but obliged willingly, "Mr. OCD asking his clumsy wife to tie the knot? Agar loose reh gayi tho?" She had mastered the art of knotting his tie since they had gotten married- a mere five-minute routine that stayed with them all day even when they were apart.
"I prefer loose knots now." He picked his briefcase, bent down a little and planted a soft kiss on her belly, "be a good baby and don't kick your ammi too much."
Zoya bit her lower lip and pulled him by his elbow as he stood up the leave, "aaj Dr Pathak ke appointment mein nahin chalenge mere saath?"
"Appointment? Oh no! Sorry Zoya---wo aaj meri important meeting hai----aap ammi ko le jaaiye saath."
"I will, waise bhi aaj mera blood test hone waala hai. Kahin aap behosh na ho jaayein blood dekh kar." She laughed.
He scowled, "what rubbish! Apne jaisa immature samajh rakha hai kya mujhey?"
"Of course not Mr. Khan! Kahan aap aur kahan main?" She laughed as he walked out of their bedroom.
A FEW DAYS LATER:
"Hello! Asad?"
"Hello---yes Dr Pathak?"
"Is Zoya there?"
"Jee wo abhi shayad kitchen mein hain. Do you have any message for her?"
Pause and a sigh
"Well---can you both come to my office now?"
"Jee zaroor. Sab khairiyat tho hai na doctor?" His heart skipped a few beats.
"It's just that blood test we had sent a few days ago---I would like to discuss it with you in my office."
"Yes Dr. Pathak---we will be on her way." Asad hung up, worried.
"Hope everything is okay with the pregnancy. Abhi tho Zoya ko sirf 18 weeks hi huye hain." Asad cancelled all his meetings for the day and informed Zoya of their meeting with the doctor.
"Theek hai let's go." Unfazed, she picked her bag and walked towards the front door with him.
"Aap poochengi nahin humein kyun jaana hai?" Asad asked, "aren't you worried?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "worried aur main? Mr. Khan, why should I worry? Mere hisse ki worry tho aap kar lete hain, tho main kyun bother karoon? Chaliye---let's go now."
"You never cease to amaze me Zoya, kabhie tho serious ho jaaya karo---after all it's about our baby." he shook his head; how he wished he could have even a smidgen of her carefree attitude in life.
"Mr. Khan," she sat on the passenger side of his car and placed her hand on his, "of course baby ki fikr mujhey bhi hai lekin mere fikr karne se kuch badal tho nahin jaayega na---waise kyun jaa rahe hain him?" She finally asked.
"It's about that blood test report." He glared at her and then reversed the car.
AT DR. PATHAK'S OFFICE
"So, Zoya, remember we sent this special blood test last week. It's called the quadruple screen. We basically test the levels of four basic hormones during pregnancy to make sure the baby is healthy."
"Yes doctor----what about it?" Zoya asked, "sab theek hai na? I am sure our baby is very healthy."
Asad sat at the edge of the seat, his palms sweaty and heart pounding in anticipation of some bad news, "is something wrong doctor?"
"Well----nothing to worry---but"
"But what doctor?' Asad almost sprung from his seat.
"The test is slightly abnormal."
"Abnormal?" Asad and Zoya echoed.
"Uh well----it's not a 100% test---so there is a slightly higher probability that your baby might have a birth defect or a genetic problem."
"WHAT?" Asad was stunned, "are you sure doctor? Aise kaise ho sakta hai?"
"Calm down Asad! I am not sure there is anything wrong with the baby but there is a slight possibility that the baby might have a problem that could result in mental retardation or severe handicap in the baby."
While color drained from Zoya's face, Asad was livid. He smashed his fist against the table and stood up shaking, "DR PATHAK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! I WANT YOU TO SEND THIS BLOOD SAMPLE TO DELHI OR MUMBAI. I DON'T TRUST YOUR LAB REPORT."
"Asad, please sit down. We have confirmed the tests three times. Don't raise your voice in the clinic," Dr Pathak reproached him.
Zoya held Asad's hand and gestured him to sit down calmly.
"Dr Pathak, I need concrete answers. How can we confirm one way or another?"
"We can do another test called amniocentesis"it's an invasive test on the mother but can confirm the results quite definitely."
"Okay then let's do it doctor!" Asad responded, "why are we waiting?"
"Because it's a risky procedure. It can actually cause a miscarriage and that's why a lot of women opt not to do it."
"I don't care doctor. I'd rather have a miscarriage than a handicapped baby!" He replied vehemently.
Zoya was stunned. She stared at Asad, unable to fathom his way of thinking. Was this her Mr. Khan or someone else in disguise? Who gave him the right to take such a big decision? What about her opinion? He would rather risk the baby's life than have a small chance of a not so perfect baby?
"Zoya?" Even Dr Pathak was taken aback by his reaction. She turned her gaze towards Zoya, "what do you want beta?"
With her eyes lowered to hide the tears in her eyes, Zoya pulled her hand away from Asad's and crushed her kurta with her fingers.
"Kyun Zoya? Bolo? What do you want?"
"I don't think she can make such an important decision doctor." Asad interjected, "she is not in a condition to think properly."
"YES I CAN!" Zoya's gaze shot up, "WE WILL DO NOTHING! Mujhey Allah ki jo bhi marzi hogi wo qubool hai!"
...to be contd...
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