EPILOGUE - 1
“Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!” Raavi screamed at the top of her lungs as another contraction squeezed through her. She was sure at some point the walls and roof would start cracking from her screams.
“It’s okay.. it’s okay.. Chilla le..” Shiva said, holding her arm tightly while helping to keep one leg propped up.
“I can’t do this, Shiva! Mujhse nahi hoga!” As the contraction lessened, Raavi fell back onto the bed, exhausted. Her face was red, covered in sweat from the exhaustion, tears flowing down her eyes.
Shiva reached for the towel next to him and gently wiped her forehead. “It’s okay. It’s okay. Hoga Chipkali! Hoga!” He whispered assuring her while he was in tears seeing her in this state too.
“Doctor, aur kitna time lagega?” He asked, trying to clamp down on the fury arising from his sense of helplessness seeing Raavi in pain.
“Mr. Pandya, Raavi ko aur zor se push karna padega. Lambi saansein aur lambe zor waale pushes,” the doctor looked up and said.
“Mujhse nahiiiiiii hoooooogggggggaaaaaa,” she screamed as another contraction hit and lifted her off the bed with the urge to push. She was holding onto Shiva’s hand so tightly, it would for sure leave bruises but Shiva didn’t even flinch.
“Hoga, meri jaan. Soch, iske baad hamari nanhi Pari hamare saath hogi. Uski aankhein bilkul tere jaisi hongi. Pan uska gussa meri tarah hoga,” he joked, trying to lighten her mood as he continued to wipe her sweat and tears with his other hand. He placed a kiss on her forehead and she screamed as another contraction hit her.
“I can’t do this! I can’t do this! Unko bolo c-section karein!” She begged. “We are too far along for that Raavi. And you are doing good. I can see the baby’s head full of hair!” The doctor tried to encourage her.
“You’ve been saying that for the last 45 minutes! Am I giving birth to a ball of hair?!” Raavi shouted, frustrated, exhausted and in pain. She closed her eyes and promptly dozed off from the exhaustion. “Mr. Pandya! You have to keep her awake. Otherwise the baby might get stuck,” the doctor declared. Shiva panicked and patted Raavi’s cheek, trying to wake her up. “Aye Chipkali! Uth! Dekh! Tu Chattan Pandya ki biwi hai na? Chattan nahi tho kam se kam patthar jitna strong tho ban. Yeh waqt Phoolkumari banne ka nahi hai.” But Raavi did not respond, keeping her eyes tightly shut, as if she’d given up.
“Aye Chipkali! Ek baath batha, humne kabhi discuss hi nahi kiya. Hum kitne bachche karenge?” Shiva asked. Raavi’s eyes flew up and she looked at Shiva incredulously. The whole room went dead silent, all eyes turned towards Shiva.
“Ghoor kya rahi hai? Main Soch raha tha ek cricket team tho banta hai. 11? Waise tho 5 extras bhi chahiye par woh hum Gaumbi, Dev aur Krish ke bachchon ko rakh lenge,” he said.
Raavi looked at him with such murderous rage in her eyes, the doctor and nurses gathered in the room sent out a silent prayer for Shiva’s soul to Rest In Peace.
“SHIVA PANDYA!! ISS BACHCHE KE BAAD MUJHE HAATH LAGANE KA SOCHA BHI THO....”
A strong wave of contraction made her pause momentarily but she was too mad at Shiva to dwell on it. Using all her anger energy, she propped herself on her elbows and ended up using her anger to fuel her strongest push yet.
“MAIN TERI SAARI CHADDIYON MEIN CHEENTIYAAN CHHOD DOONGI!!” She screamed.
“Tab tho mera kaam aur aasan ho jaayega. Arey waah! Kya idea lagaya hai tu ne,” he responded, grinning like a fool.
Did this man have a death wish? The doctor wondered as she felt more of the baby’s head be pushed through the birth canal.
“SHIVA PANDYA!!!!!” She screamed and pushed so hard in anger, the baby finally made it out.
The cries of the baby echoed through the room as the doctor placed the baby on Raavi’s chest, “It’s a baby girl!”
“Would you like to cut the cord, Mr. Pandya?” The doctor clamped the cord and handed Shiva the scissors.
Shiva was awestruck at the sight of his flesh and blood laying on Raavi’s chest. His throat clogged up as he felt his vision blur with tears. He barely even heard the doctor’s question as he looked at these two girls who made up his entire universe. That was his baby! His and Raavi’s! They’d created this life together.
The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him lightly to get him out of his trance. When he looked at the doctor, she handed him the scissors. “Yeh.. inn dono ko aur dard tho nahi hoga na?” He asked, his hand shivering from this inexplicable overwhelming emotion that was washing through his body. “Bilkul nahi,” the doctor assured him and he proceeded to cut the umbilical cord connecting mom and baby. “Dekh Shiva! Iski aankhein bilkul mere jaisi hain,” Raavi exclaimed and Shiva moved closer to look at his daughter. She was so tiny, Shiva was almost afraid to touch her. She was covered head to toe in goop but her eyes were open. Raavi was right, their daughter had the same billi jaisi aankhein as her mother. But her unruly mop of hair? That definitely came from him! Her tiny mouth opened and pink tongue came out to lick Raavi. When she didn’t get what she thought she would, the tiny baby girl scrunched up her nose, her face turning all red as she let out a wail that was disproportionately loud compared to her size. “Aur uska gussa bilkul teri tarah!” Raavi said, laugh crying as her daughter let her displeasure be known to everyone.
Raavi was so lost in admiring the baby, she didn’t even realize when the last of her contractions pushed her placenta out.
“Shiva,” she whispered, exhausted, overwhelmed, holding the baby out to him so he could hold her. Shiva felt his hands shake as he took his little princess in his arms. And instantly her wailing and crying quieted down as if someone had turned a switch off. She looked at him wide eyed for a few seconds before wiggling to make herself more comfortable and promptly fell asleep listening to his heartbeat nestled against his chest. “Looks like your daughter is going to be a Daddy’s princess,” the doctor said as she finished up with Raavi. Raavi pouted cutely but the tears in her eyes showed just how overwhelmed and touched she was by the instant bonding between father and daughter. Father! Her bandar was now a dad to their child. They’d created a life together. How had she gotten so so lucky?
Shiva never thought he could love anyone more than he loved his Raavi. But this tiny bundle of a human being who’d only just taken her first breath on her own in this world was coming really really close. The wave of tenderness, possessiveness and protectiveness he felt for this tiny bundle nestling in his arms was almost unreal. He felt a few stray tears slip down the corner of his eyes but didn’t bother wiping them. If he could, he would have frozen this moment for eternity. She’d never be this tiny again and his heart ached at the thought. His baby girl! His princess! His.. everything!
The nurse took the baby from Shiva to have her cleaned up. The doctor congratulated them and said she’d do the preliminary examination of the baby and bring her back in.
“Tu theek hai?” Shiva asked, placing a gentle kiss on her sweaty forehead when they got a moment to themselves. “Hmmmm,” Raavi said, nodding her head as she held out her arms to him. Shiva scooted onto the bed, next to her, pulling her into his arms, careful not to hurt her while wanting to hug her as tight as he could.
“Waise.. tujhe sach mein 11 bachche chahiye?” A sleepy Raavi asked, her eyes half closed, snuggling into his broad frame.
“Tujhe lagta hai main gyarah baar tujhe aise takleef mein dekh paoonga? Woh tho doctor ne tujhe jagake rakhne ko bola tho maine socha tujhe gussa dil doon. Mujhse ladthe waqt tujh mein kuch extra hi energy aa jaathi hai,” he explained.
“Par mujhe chotu Shiva Pandya tho chahiye hi chahiye,” she said, stifling a yawn.
“Abhi tho chilla chilla ke keh rahi thi ki iss bachche ke baad chhune bhi nahi degi?” Shiva asked, pecking her lips.
Raavi pecked his nose in response, “Maine kahan kuch kaha? Yeh tho itna easy tha. Tu hi hai jo itna drama kar raha tha. Main tho gyarah round ke liye ready hoon,” came her response.
“Gadhedi!” Shiva shook his head at his No.1 dramebaaz biwi. “Ab thoda rest kar le. Pari ko laate hi honge,” Shiva said, smoothing her hair.
“Ek baath abhi se sun le,” she said, looking up from where she’d comfortably settled herself against his chest. “Pari ke aane se tu mujhse kam pyaar nahi kar saktha. Samjha? Tu duniya mein sabse zyada pyaar ab bhi mujhse hi karega, theek hai? Aur iss topic pe koi behes nahi! Warna.. warna.. main Maasimaa ke paas rehne chali jaungi aur tu bulayega tho bhi wapas nahi aaungi.”
Shiva smiled at her softly, before kissing her forehead, her nose, each cheek and placing a soft peck on her lips. “Tu hai tho main hoon. Tu hai tho Pari hai. Tu nahi, tho kuch bhi nahin. Main hamesha sabse pehle aur sabse zyada sirf aur sirf tujhse pyaar karoonga. Sirf tujhse. Promise.”
Happy with his response, Raavi’s face broke into an exhausted smile, “Tu duniya ka sabse perfect husband hai,” she muttered before falling asleep. Her soft snores reverberated through his chest and he hugged her even closer.
He kissed her forehead again, “sabse perfect nahi. Sabse lucky!” He whispered to her sleeping form.
***
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