First an apology.. I know I have been lapse.. But I plead work and beg for your forgiveness..
I am off to a 2 week jaunt for work and thought I will post whatever little I have been able to write in the last few weeks.. I know this may be just too little ..
It may also not be upto standard.. However, I still wanted to post this as I am not sure when I will be able to manage to get the last 2 updates done..
A 🤗 for all first for the amazing comments.. And a big THANK YOU for all the the comments and pms.. I just could not do any better.. I promise to be back to complete this story very soon..
"Don't forget" Ahem smiled at Gopi's SMS. How can I forget? He thought to himself and touched th bag once. He had bought the kit the first thing on the way. He wanted to rush back immediately but then that would have raised a lot of questions. Questions they wanted to avoid for now.
..FB..
"Ahemji" "Hmm.." He had been half reading the file when he answered Gopi the previous night.
"Ji. Listen. I have something to say." Ahem looked up immediately. Gopi never disturbed him unless it was something important. "Ji.. That is.. Today is.." Ahem saw his wife's face. It was a mixture of shyness, happiness and secrets.. And there was something else.. A glow?
GLOW.. It was like a bulb switching on in his brain.
"Sweetheart, you are not by any chance.." Ahem moved forward pulled Gopi's two small hands in his and asked expectantly. They were hoping it would happen soon.
He saw Gopi look up once at him then she immediately looked down and blushed.
"Gopi Gopi.. Tell me.. Are you?" Gopi looked up and gave a slight nod. "Ji.. That is, I think I am." she replied shyly.
Ahem hugged her tightly and then released her. "We will confirm immediately. I will call the doctor and fix an appointment for tomorrow morning." He found GOpi nodding no.. "No Ahemji. Can we just do the test at home first before going to the doctor?" Ahem nodded.
He needed no explanation. Gopi did not want to raise everyone's hopes before they could be sure. Home pregnancy test seemed the answer. "I will get the kit tomorrow." Ahem hugged Gopi to him and whispered.
He felt Gopi hug him back and sigh contentedly. "How long are you gone?" Ahem asked softly. "Four weeks. I was not sure at first but the fifth week starts today and I thought maybe it is time." Both remained silent.
"A baby. Our baby. Gopi imagine.." Gopi heard the wonder in Ahem's voice and looked up. She saw a small pool of tears in his eyes. "Thank you Gopi." Ahem kissed her on the forehead. His wife had given him happiness right from the begining but today she had given a new meaning to happiness.
..FB..
"Why is it taking so long? GOPI.." Ahem knocked on the door once more and started pacing again. He had brought the kit home and had smuggled it to their room in his laptop bag. Gopi had come ten minutes later with his tea and had locked the door. She was gone with the kit into the restroom and he was waiting for the past 15 minutes. He heard the door open.
Ahem looked up immediately to see Gopi stand silently with the strip in her hand. She was crying. "Gopi.. " Ahem ran across and enveloped her in his hands. "What is it sweetheart? Are you not pregnant?" Ahem fought against his own disappointment. But he could not see his Gopi in tears. It would be alright. There will be another time.
"It is ok. If not this time maybe next time. Don't cry.. Shh.. It is alright Gopi. We are still young and.." Ahem felt a pull on his hand and looked down.
"Ahemji, it is positive. See.. We are pregnant" Ahem felt Gopi hug him tightly.
"She is pregnant.. Gopi is pregnant.. We are becoming parents.. I am going to be a dad.." A thousand thoughts rushed through his brain and Ahem silently hugged Gopi back. He tightened his hold around her. This was their moment. Their love now had a life of its own now.
"Thank you so much." Ahem's words were choked with emotion. "Thank you Ahamji."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mom.. Can we come in?" Kokila looked up to see her son and DIL at the door of her room. "Come in Ahem Dikra and you Gopi vahu. Is that a question to ask?" Kokila patted the place beside her. Her son just stood next to Gopi and both looked at her expectantly and then towards themselves.
"Maaji.. We came.. That is.." Kokila noticed that Gopi was blushing pink but looking happy.
"What is it beta? YOu both need something?" Kokila asked. Her son suddenly kneeled down in front of her.
"MOm.. There is some good news. I mean. Gopi is.. That is I am going to.. Mom.. You are going to be a Daadi soon." Ahem saw his mom's expression change from bemusement to total surprise.
Kokila remained stunned for a minute. She was trying to process the information that her son just gave her. "Daadi.. You mean Gopi vahu.. Gopi vahu you are.." She stammered just like her son and looked back and forth between her children.
"Krishna Bhagwan." Kokila stood up and hugged Gopi. She reached out to touch Ahem on the cheek. "Ahem.. Gopi vahu.. You do not know how happy you've made me today. A grandchild. There is just so much to do. First I need to convey the news to Mota Bhabhi and your Dad." Kokila was trying to get a hold on her happiness. She wanted to do so many things and yet for the first time in years she felt she did not know where to start.
Kokila looked down at her DIL and touched her head once fondly. "When did you find out?" Her Gopi just blushed and she heard her son reply that they had not found until a few minutes before. Kokila's eyes pooled. She thanked God for bestowing happiness on both her children and her family.
"You go back to your room Gopi vahu and stay there for sometime. I will come with Mota Bhabhi." She patted Gopi on the cheek and motioned her son to take her DIL away.
Her son nodded to her and immediately came forward to hold his wife's shoulders. His eyes shone with pride, love and care and now added to it was a softness that was very hard to miss.
"No.. wait a minute." Kokila stopped them just as they were about to leave turned towards the bureau searching for something. Ahem just entwined his hand in Gopi's and looked on.
Kokila came back with a jewel box.
"Gopi vahu, this necklace was given to me when I was pregnant with Ahem. It has been handed over through generations of the Modi's. Take care of it. It is yours now. You have given me the greatest happiness a daughter can give her mother. Thank you beta"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ahem heard the doctor chuckle and turned red. "She is absolutely alright Mr.Modi. There is no need to worry. She is in perfect health."
Ahem nodded and then sobered a bit. He voiced the very concern that had made him corner Gopi's doctor. Gopi was waiting with his mother in the lab to give another set of tests while he had sneaked away with an excuse of a phone call to meet the doctor.
"I know she looks alright doctor. It is just that.. A couple of years ago, my wife.. She was involved in an accident and.." Ahem saw the doctor's eyes soften and her head nodded in understanding.
"I read the case history Mr. Modi and I see what you mean. But you have nothing to be frightened of. The initial tests all have come out fine. Mrs. Modi is in good health and I can see no complications. We can confirm after that tests today but I think your wife is one lucky lady. She will be alright. Or I am sure you will."
Ahem nodded and smiled. He turned around just as the doctor signed behind him. He saw Gopi walk towards him with his mother and both were seriously involved in a conversation. It looked more like his mother was instructing Gopi about something.
" ..badam and milk. You cannot from now on take your health lightly." Ahem smiled as he watched his mother fawn over his wife. He would have no worries.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It will be a girl." Deepika scoffed at Jigar and replied that it would be a boy. Panna stood watching the two duel each other.
"A girl Deepu." "A boy.. Jigar, what exactly do you know about children?" "A lot more than you do. And I know I will have my niece." "Maybe next time. But this time you better make up your mind. You are getting a nephew."
"Stop this you two." Deepika and Jigar stopped immediately at Kokila's voice. "Don't tell me you are again fighting about the baby. Deepu beta, take this milk to Gopi. She is waiting in her room and Jigar, you go ahead and do some work instead of fighting with my vahu, Understood?"
Jigar nodded and Deepu hopped off to Gopi's room. She turned around and mouthed nephew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jiju, why are you fighting losing battle?" Jigar turned towards Panna as he sat in the swing. He pouted. "Come on Panna. We are partners.. Don't you want a little girl to play with?" Panna just laughed.
"I do Jiju but I think Deepu ben is right." "I will not accept it." Panna looked at Jigar and shook her head.
"What are you two doing here?" Ahem walked in into the scene and saw Jigar's face perk up. "Now Bhai will be on our side. Right Bhai?" Jigar dashed to him brother while Panna walked to stand beside him.
Ahem looked from one to another. "Will you two tell me what this is about?" "Nothing Jiju. Jigar jiju feels that it will be a girl and Deepu ben says it will be a boy. Now Jigar Jiju wants you to tell him that he is right."
Ahem laughed at the sincere explanation from Panna and patted her head. "So what do you think Panna?" Panna cocked her head to one side and then whispered loudly.
"It will be a boy jiju. Gopi ben is never wrong. She said it is a boy and I will have a brother to play with. She always knows the best. You know she also said that she will marry a prince who will take care of her and me and that we will live happily.. See that happened. So I think it will be a boy."
Panna ran after giving her opinion while Ahem and Jigar stood speechless.
"Well that settles it." Ahem turned to Jigar. The blush on his cheek was still visible. "So Bhai, you would like a son?"
Ahem turned to walk beside Jigar and remained quite for a couple of minutes. "A boy or a girl, it does not matter Jigar." Jigar looked surprised at the depth of feeling in his brother's voice.
"As long as Gopi and the child are alright, I will not have any worries. My child will be someone who will be loved. I cannot tell you Jigar what it feels like now. I have made mistakes in my life but today, I feel so blessed, I just pray that this happiness remains all the time."
Jigar turned to see Ahem's earnest face and his throat caught up. He saw his brother's love, care and passion combined and followed is eyes to see his Bhabhi walking in the terrace with Deepu.
"It will Bhai. We will always have this happiness." Ahem turned to hug Jigar once and the brothers made their way inside the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I 've always wanted three. Two daughters and a son. We have panna already so do you think we can manage one more?" Ahem matter of fact query brought a smile to her face. "Ji. I think it is certainly possible. Gopi schooled her answer to be on the same lines to his question.
"But let me give birth to our son first" Gopi knew which buttons to push. Gopi felt Ahem turn her around slowly and hugged her tightly from the back.
"How do you know that it will be a boy first?" Ahem turned Gopi around amused at her conviction that it would be a boy. "I just know Ahemji. He is my Kanhaji, my Ahemji's Kanhaji" Gopi matched her words by hugging Ahem and he hugged her back.
They quietly stood there enjoying the silence.
"Are you happy Ahemji?" Ahem lifted his chin and looked down at his petite wife. Gopi looked up at his face to see the happiness and contentment reflect on it in waves.
"Happy? Gopi I am at bliss right now." Ahem kissed Gopi once on her forehead and then hugged her to him. He could feel her arms winding around his back tightly.
"I cannot be more happy, Gopi and that is all because of you. I cannot wait to hold our child in my hands. She or he will be just like you, I know. Think Gopi, A cute little button rose like you." Gopi giggled. "It will first be a handsome boy just like you, Ahemji.." Gopi squeezed Ahem's nose playfully and hugged him again.
Ahem just melted into his wife feeling her heart beat against him as he savored their moments together. She had made him whole and then complete. Now she was making more of him.
"Now.. Let me go Ahemji. I need to get the clothes." "What? You will absolutely not climb upstairs" Ahem looked indignant as Gopi told him of work.
"I am not going upstairs. I am just going to fold them. There are so many." "Ok.. Go.. But absolutely no climbing the stairs.." Gopi just smiled and walked away. She left to do one of the few jobs she was allowed to in the house after the news of her pregnancy had been announced.
comment:
p_commentcount