Yes I decided to give this short story a title - it's Saavan - Imperfectly Perfect Together
Episode 3 (this is a little long, sorry if it tries your patience but I hope you enjoy just the same)
'Saachi, this late at night you want to talk about the contract?!'
'Shravanji, what are we going to do about the contract. I need to know.' Scenarios raced through Saachi's mind. Would he insist on keeping the 6 month term? Would he give her the 25 lacs and then send her on her way'even worse, would he send her on her way and keep the child? She needed answers. Now.
'Look Saachi, it is late, we were up running around and you were taking tests. It's been a long, momentous day and night, one that we will never forget. But I need to sleep. As it is we can discuss details of the contract later but to tell you honestly, we have broken so many conditions in it already; it is for all intents and purposes, null and void. There is a shart that we will not come close to each other. Hellooo ' you are pregnant, I think that one is broken. So please, go to sleep, we will discuss later.' Ever the perennial slumberer, Shravan fell off to sleep.
Saachi felt a little better. So Shravan considers the contract broken, we are not bound by its terms anymore. That's good. But, what exactly are we bound by, she thought. I wish he would just adore me the way I do him and we would be bound by that. We have something, I know he feels it and he insists on labeling it as friendship. He has to realize it, that it is something more, but realize on his own. I am done with formulas ' well, except for the kind that goes into bottles. Saachi giggled. The thought of her baby automatically drew her hand to her belly and a smile to her face. She closed her eyes and was asleep before the next thought crossed her mind.
Saachi awoke the next morning and looked over to check if Shravan was still sleeping. She found Shravan's arm draped across the pillows, his hand resting on her hip. She carefully lifted up his hand and left the bed. She looked at the sleeping man. She shook her head ' cute, cute Kumbhakarna ' she thought to herself. She went to the washroom to prepare for the day.
Saachi went downstairs to find the rest of the Jaiswals waiting for her. 'Come Saachi. You will do aarti this morning.', said Madhura. 'Ji, Ma'. Pratap and Dadi joined everyone as Saachi performed the aarti. As she finished and brought the thali to everyone for prasad, Saachi looked over at Shravan's and her hand prints on the puja ghar walls that marked her entry into this home as a new bride. Those hand prints had marked the start of a new phase in her life and here she was embarking on another one. She was lost on this point.
'Chalo Saachi, nashta time. You must be very hungry.', said Nita bhabi.
'Yes, bhabi I am actually very very hungry.' Saachi snapped out of her contemplation.
'Good. That's a good sign. Sit here. We made your and Niddhi bhabi's favorite breakfast dishes. If you are craving anything, let us know!'
'Thank you bhabi!'
The Jaiswals sat down to a wonderful breakfast. Saachi told everyone that Shravan was still not up and perhaps they should wait. But Dadi would have none of it. She believed since there were two pregnant women needing to eat, that took precedence over the sleeping habits of her youngest pota. She served both Niddhi and Saachi and commanded them to start eating. Conversation centered on the fact that two of the Jaiswal bahus were expecting and how busy and happy the household would be these coming months. Dadi commented on how long it had been since the cry of a baby had been heard in the house and truly looked forward to becoming a great grandmother. Madhura was beaming at becoming a grandmother and Pratap, well, Pratap was happily thinking about what kind of annoying things he could teach his grandkids that would drive their parents crazy. Payback, my time for payback, Pratap grinned.
'Niddhi beta, you have a doctor's appointment scheduled for today?', asked Pratap.
'Ji Papa, I will be leaving right after we are done here.', Niddhi said.
'Please take Saachi with you so that she can also get a check-up.'
'Okay Papa. Saachi, if you are done, go grab your purse'.
Both Saachi and Niddhi excused themselves from the table and left for the doctor.
'Saurabh, Rajat. I will join you a little later at the office. Please make sure to keep the Orient Pearls file on my desk.'
Saurabh, Rajat and Neeta left for the office, while Madhura and Dadi went off in different directions to start the day's work. Pratap was left alone at the dining table, waiting for his youngest son. Now that Shravan was going to be a father, it was time to lay down the law.
A few minutes later, Shravan came bolting down the stairs. He was dressed in a button down dress shirt and trousers. He realized he was the last one down and saw Pratap sitting at the table.
'Good morning Papa. You haven't eaten yet? Have you seen Saachi?'
'Shravan, I and everyone else have eaten breakfast and it is half digested already. Saachi has left with Niddhi to go to the doctor.' 'Oh', said Shravan sheepishly.
'Shravan, this will not do anymore. You have some time to get yourself into gear, but you cannot act like this when the baby is here. The clock is ticking. I am happy to see, though, that you have dressed in something other than jeans, finally. It is a step in the right direction.'
'Sorry Papa. I didn't want to be late, Saachi was up in the middle of the night and woke me, umm forget it, I am sorry. I am glad you waited for me because I wanted to speak to you.'
'What about?'
'I was thinking last night while Saachi was taking the tests', Shravan caught himself before he divulged the home pregnancy test escapade, 'ummm, you know the 'are you ready for motherhood ' tests, quizzes, in some ladies' magazine she has', (Phew, good save Shravan),'and I was also thinking about my readiness. Papa, I wanted to know if I could start coming regularly to office with you and bhaiya from now on. '
'Did Saachi ask you to do this?' (Pratap thinks - darn it, this kid stole the thunder from the lecture I wanted to give him!)
'Nahin. I told you, I was thinking about what I need to do to get ready for this, and along with taking care of Saachi's health, I need to make sure that I am ready to support my child. Can you believe that I just said that? I can't believe that I just said that. Wow. (with the next breath he asked) Papa, can you pass me another aloo paratha?'
Pratap smirked and shook his head as he passed the plate, 'Shravan, I am very encouraged to hear that. Come with me today and we will get you started. But please pay mind to one thing, this is a business and not a school club that you can show up to when you feel like. You need to be dedicated and whatever you do, you must try to do your best. Those things in this world that are worth having are not come by easily, that goes for every aspect of success in life, from maintaining relationships to business. Are you done eating?' Shravan nodded yes. 'Toh chalo.'
In the meantime, Saachi came back home, after having stopped at her maayka with Niddhi bhabi to share the good news. The Sharmas were ecstatic and had immediately guessed the news when they opened the front door and found Niddhi and Saachi standing with mithai boxes. Mami felt that whatever worries she had about Saachi and Shravan's relationship could be put to rest with this blessing. Back at the house, Saachi searched for Shravan and realized he was not at home. After asking Dadi, she found out that Shravan had gone to office with Papa. Saachi asked if he was forced to and Dadi said that in fact Shravan initiated the conversation. Saachi went to her room dumbfounded. She called up Shravan.
'Hello Shravanji?'
'Hi Saachi! Are you back home? How was doctor's visit? When I came down you all had left. Hitler made sure to point that out.'
'Doctor visit was fine. I am healthy. I am pregnant, confirmed. And you know Shravanji, I heard the heartbeat. It was an awesome feeling. I have to go back to the doctor next month. Doctor gave me these huge prenatal vitamins to take every day.'
'Heartbeat?! Really. Maybe I will visit you doctor with you next month, okay?'
'Okay. Shravanji, you are at work?'
'Yup. Hitler gave me a project to work on and all the way over here in the car in the morning gave umpteen number of gyans about being a man and blah blah blah. I am here on my own accord and wish. I will show Papa what I can do but you know, I don't like him treating me like I am a good for nothing.'
'That's impressive Shravanji! You asked to go on your own. Maybe I should have gotten pregnant earlier.'
'WHAT!'
'Just kidding. You will do great. Like I told you last night, when you set your mind to do something, there is no stopping you. But admit it Shravanji, you have given Papa lots of reasons to doubt your commitment to the job. What about the time you asked him for money and the next minute he caught you playing video games at work? Or the time when you left for lunch and didn't come back or when you didn't go because Viren''
'Okay, I get your point. But this time I mean it.'
'I know you do, Shravanji. Do what you need to do and you'll be great. I will see you later at home.'
'Thik hai Saachi. I have to go too. I have meeting after meeting. Bye!' Shravan hung up and started walking towards the conference room. He always felt better talking to Saachi about everything and anything. She was such a good friend. Actually, maybe his best friend. That is a good thing he thought, especially for the woman who is going to be the mother of my child. Shravan stopped dead in his tracks. Wait ' what ' Saachi was going to be the mother of his child. She, Saachi, the mother of his baby, and he was not freaking out about this and was actually wanting to take care of her. But that's because she was his best friend he reasoned. A little voice in his head said, maybe she is something more. Shravan shut that voice up, shook his head clear and continued onto his meeting.
At home after dinner and random musings about Shravan's first day at work, Saachi and Shravan retired to their room. Shravan was on the sofa reading up on some contracts for work. It was a welcome sight for Saachi to see how serious Shravan was about this. She did not want to interrupt him but felt she had to.
'Shravanji, can we talk?'
'Oh Saachi thank goodness you interrupted me! I was ready to stop with these papers for the evening! What's on your mind?'
'You said last night the contract is void, what does that mean to you? I mean what or how are we..'
'Saachi, I am not some monster. I am silly, I am slightly irresponsible, I am laid back, and I can come up with some pretty wacky ideas...'
'Yeah, not kidding, wacky indeed.'
'Achha? As if you are not wacky too, Phool ki Bandit Queen? Anyway, as I was saying, I am not a monster and I like to think of myself as a man of honor.' He looked straight into her eyes. 'I told you it is null and void. You are going to be the mother of my child. I would not and could not do anything to compromise you or this baby. You can rest assured that you will not be going anywhere. I will not turn my back on either of you. Okay?'
'Okay.' Saachi was not going to ask about the contract papers. Shravan was being sincere and to ask him to destroy the contract papers would insinuate that he was somehow not honest in what he was saying. Saachi did not want to insult him.
'Shravanji, can I ask you for a favor?'
'Yes Saachi.'
'Mujhe bohut bhukh laga hai.'
'Kya? You ate more than your body weight in baigan bharta and paneer at dinner!'
'Please go to the kitchen and get me some kheer. Please Shravanji.'
'Fine. Saachi, doctor said one baby right? Can you imagine if twins how much you would be eating? Mussorie would need to open 24/7 Pizza Hut in your honor!'
'Shravanji!!', Saachi screamed after him in protest as he left.
Shravan came back with two bowls of kheer. He gave one to Saachi and then started having the other bowl for himself. They both sat down on the bed to watch a movie.
'The kheer is so good. Very nice na Shravanji?'
'Yes Saachi. I love Dadi's kheer.'
'Toh Shravanji''
'Hmmm', Shravan was busy digging into his bowl and watching the film.
'Are you pregnant with one baby or twins that you also need to eat kheer after the amount of dinner you had?', she asked with a sarcastic grin and arched eyebrow.
'Oh teri'', Shravan spooned in another mouthful, 'Actually triplets, yaar.', he said with a naughty glint in his eyes.
They both giggled the evening away as they watched the movie. And, once in a while a voice only Shravan could hear whispered, maybe she's something more.
Edited by momma1128 - 12 years ago
