Part 28A
Loote Koi Man Ka Nagar Ban Ke Mera Saathi
Saturday 4 March 2016
10.00am
Almost three months had passed since Christmas Day and both Raman and Ishita were coming to terms with the stupendous and wonderful change that was imminent in their lives.
Their families were ecstatic of course. Both mummyji and Amma had shed tears of joy when Raman and Ishita had broken the news of Ishita's pregnancy to their parents. They had both then resorted to a competition to look after Ishita in either the Punjabi or madrasi way, but Raman had made it very clear that his wife would only take advice from her obstetrician, and that he did not want any unnecessary stress in her from their never ending warfare. So mummyji and Amma had called a truce and even though they hovered around Ishita like watchful martinets, they were too mindful of Raman's warnings to allow their different ideas on pregnancy diets and behaviors to affect Ishita.
While the parents had been delighted, their children had been another story.
While Adi had outwardly professed his delight at the idea of the baby, Ishita had noticed his withdrawal and increased anxiety. She had discussed the matter with Raman, and they had both made sure that they included Adi in their plans and discussions, not giving a chance for his insecurities to develop further. Thankfully, Adi seemed to be getting over his fears and now genuinely appeared to be looking forward to his little siblings arrival.
And then there was Ruhi. Unlike Adi, she had made no pretense of looking forward to the new arrival, and had thrown an immediate tantrum, asserting that she wouldn't share her toys or her parents with any baby. Ishita had been at her wits end, but Raman had managed, with several chocolate bribes and lots of hugs, to convince their little girl about the advantages of being a big sister and now Ruhi was looking forward to her new sibling with impatience.
She had woken up this Saturday morning demanding to be taken out for ice-cream by her mumma and papa, but had been told this wasn't possible until later, as papa was taking mumma to see her doctor.
She had thrown a little pique at this news, but then had calmed down and was happily eating her breakfast with her Romi chachu when Ishita stopped at the dining table to bid her goodbye.
"Kya baby aaj aayega Ishima" she demanded, as she clambered onto the dining table in order to look at her mother in the eyes.
" No beta abhi nahi". Ishita gave her daughter a loving peck on her soft cheeks.
"Phir aap Doctor aunty ke pass kyun ja rahe ho?"
"Just for a check up Ruhi. "
Raman came up,behind and added to the kisses being bestowed on his daughter.
"I told you didn't I Ruhi? Now you be a good girl and don't bother your daadi, theek hai? Mumma aur mein jald wapas aajenge aur phir hum sab ice cream khane jayenge. Now let's go madrassan"
"Raman ". Ishita said a few minutes later as he started the car. "Everything will be okay won't it?"
"Of course it will Ishita "
He slammed the brakes, bringing the just revving car to a halt and turned his attention to her, clutching her hands in his. She could see barely disguised fear in his eyes as they searched her face
"Why, haven't you been feeling well? Why haven't you told me...?"
"Raman, shhh, no". Ishita interrupted, freeing her hands and cupping his face .
"I'm fine, kuch nahi hua. It's just the check up, I'm just nervous."
He quickly gathered her in a hug.
"There is nothing to be nervous about Ishita. You will be just fine. Everything is okay."
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The same words were echoed by Dr Asha 2 hours later, as scans, tests and examination finished, she sat across from the Bhallas in her surgery.
"Everything looks fine Dr Ishita. Nothing to be concerned about. I will do a detailed review of the tests later, but overall, all looks well. Mr Bhalla is obviously looking after you well."
"Yes Doctor ". Ishita turned to smile at her husband. "He is."
"Still, given your history, we can't take any chances Ishita, you know that". Doctor Asha continued. "So continue to take things easy, no stress, no heavy physical work and Raman, go easy on her, huh?"
Ishita grinned as her husband's face colored deeply.
Dr Asha had placed a go slow on their romantic life, and while Raman was anxious to do whatever it took to make sure their baby was born healthy, she knew that staying away from her was not easy for him. It wasn't easy for her either, she had to admit, as the surging hormones of pregnancy were playing havoc with her need for him.
She clutched his hand tightly now as he gave an anxious laugh.
"I've been following your instructions Doc" he said wryly. "But you shouldn't be telling me this, you should be telling my wife. She's the one who has designs on me. Izzat toh meri khatre mein hai".
"Kuch bhi Raman"
Now it was Ishita's turn to blush.
"Don't flatter yourself Mr. Bhalla" Dr Asha said with a laugh. "That's most likely just the pregnancy hormones running wild. But still, the first trimester is the most dangerous and that's passed safely, so there's no reason for you to avoid intimacy altogether. But just go easy huh. No acrobatics."
"Easy is my middle name Doc." Raman drawled enjoying his wife's discomfort. "Acrobat toh meri biwi hai. Ab gayi meri izzat haat se."
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"Kya Raman." Ishita pouted as they walked back to their car. "Aise kyun kaha aap ne Doctor ko? What must she think of me?"
He only smirked as he opened the passenger door, and arranged the seat belt once she was seated. It wasn't until after he was himself seated and had turned on the ignition that he responded.
"Kyun madam, do you really think I don't know what's going on in your mind, hmm? I've known every single time that you've looked at me and sighed and oohed and aahed just what you really want from me."
"Kuch bhi. " Ishita resorted to her usual cover up for the embarrassment her Raavan caused her all the time.
"Kuch bhi nahi, yeh" he replied as his free hand landed on her stomach, gently caressing the soft roundness.
"Yeh choti madrassan ke kaaran mein uski amma ko uski faviroute entertainment nahi de sakta. You really miss me, don't you madrassan?"
"Kuch bhi." Ishita repeated, more softly, as she clutched his roaming hand. "Aur yeh koi choti madrassan nahi hai, chota sa Raavan hai. Isliye mujhko itna tang karta hai. Bilkul apne papa ki tarha."
"Accha?" He questioned as he pulled up a short distance from the clinic, outside one of Delhi's most famous idli shops. "I'm convinced that choti madrassan hai. Isliye toh meri madam ko idli ki itni shaukh hai."
"Why did you stop here Raman? " Ishita looked up in surprise as he pulled away his hand and started to pull off his seat belt. "I didn't say I wanted anything from here."
"Of course you didn't say anything Ishita."
He was out of the car, and closing the door firmly, leant back in through the open window. "Abhi kuch kyun kahogi? Tumhe toh idli dosa wada sambar rasam paisam sirf midnight ko khana hota hai na? Aur woh bhi amma ki haath ki nahi, sirf dhabe wali, aur amma se chupa ke. But today I'm prepared. Since we are already in the neighborhood, I'm going to make you eat all this now so that raat ko mein chain se so sakta hoon.Ya phir doc ne toh green light de di hai, maybe raat ko kuch aur bhi kar sakte hai, huh?"
Ishita laughed as he stalked away, intent on his mission. Her husband had been so tolerant of her midnight cravings for dhabba wala South Indian khana, driving umpteen miles on several nights each week to fulfill her untimely hunger pangs.
"You have to stop eating so much Ishita." she admonished herself as she looked critically at her softly rounded face in the rear view mirror. " Kitni moti ho rahi hoon aur yeh toh double chin bhi aa raha hai."
She was pulling her cheeks in, trying to trace the lines of the incipient double chin when she saw Raman hurrying back to the car, his hands empty save for his phone, and a worried look on his face.
"Kya hua? "
She touched his sleeve tentatively as he belted himself into the car without a word, turning on the ignition. "Idli khatam ho gaye sab kya?"
Her attempt at humor brought a slight smile to his lips as he expertly turned the car back in the direction they had come from. She could see however that his smile did not reach his eyes.
"Raman, why are you turning back, kya hua?"
He reached over and squeezed her hand, just as the car reached Dr Asha's clinic gate a few hundred meters down the road.
"Raman, why did we come back? "
His silence was beginning to unnerve her.
"Ishita, jaan"
He turned around in his seat and took both her hands in his, his eyes raking anxiously over her face.
"Dr Asha called me, she said the radiologist saw something in the scan, and she needs to do another one. Ishita, no, no, it's okay, it will be okay."
He pulled her into his arms as tears filled in her eyes, spilling over as his words sunk in.
"Raman, no, I can't lose my baby... please, no, why..."
"Shhh" he whispered, rubbing her back as he held her tightly.
"She didn't say anything is wrong, just that she wants another look. You have to be positive jaan, kuch nahi hoga hamare baache ko. Kuch bhi nahi."
"Noo Raman"
"I promise you, it will be okay. Aur tum toh meri Jhansi ki Rani ho na. You have to be strong Ishita. Come on, let's go, Dr Asha is waiting. "
He wiped her tears and then helped her gently from the car, her hand clutched in his as they walked up to the clinic facade.
She turned anxious tear filled eyes to him, and he smiled back, his eyes reassuring and full of love, hiding his own fears.
"I promise you, everything will be fine. Yeh mera waada hai tumse."
Loote koi man ka nagar ban ke mera saathi
kaun hai woh
Apno mein kabhi aisa kahin hota hai
Yeh toh bada dhokha hai
Loote koi man ka nagar ban ke mera saathi
Yahan pe kahin hai
Mere man ka chor
Nazar pade toh
Bahiyaan doon madod
Janne do jaise tum pyare ho
Woh bhi mujhe pyara hai
Jeene ka sahara hai
Dekho ji Tumhari yahi batiyan
Mujh ko hai tadpati
Loote koi man ka nazar
Ban ke mera saathi
To be continued soon...
Edited by Veeann - 7 years ago