OS- Two dreams for AshNi!

I have two dreams for AshNi...I hope one of them at least comes true on this show...

This one was written for Suja ( Turags)...but her story could not accomodate it...so I thought to share it here 😊

Nidhi's POV

I am sitting alone on the bed, listening to the dulcet tones
of Jagjit Singh. What music can do to you! Soothe your soul and transport you
into a realm of bliss! Ashutosh is held up with an emergency surgery. I'd
wanted to wait but he'd shooed me away saying that I was not to strain. What did
the silly man know? Waiting for him all alone in this room was a far greater strain!

Just then I feel a strong kick followed by a tiny little
punch.

"Sorry my shonu monus...Mamma's sorry for saying she is
alone...how can she be with her shonu monu right within her, keeping her
company night and day!"

I feel another kick as if to say that they are glad their
presence is finally being acknowledged.

"How can I forget you, my babies...you are the flesh of my flesh, two hearts within my single heart and two souls that are part of my one.Ever since I got to know you were within me, not a moment has passed when I have not felt your presence. Is it
possible to feel such fierce love for someone, to dream day in and day out of
someone and wait so impatiently for their arrival? To know and feel what a part of me looks like? Not just a part of me but a part of me combined with a part of the man who is my soul? We are two bodies, two hearts and two souls that have united to
create two little miracles that will stand testimony to their all-consuming
love. You know, Shonu Monu, the Taj Mahal is considered an embodiment of Emperor Shahjahan's love for his wife...I think every child is a proof of such shared love too...Shonu Monu, Baba and Mumma love each other like mad and the two of you are our love come alive. I know your Baba is going to spoil you crazy with his love. But not to worry! Mumma will be around to apply the brakes on him. She will make sure that her children are brought up with the right values and learn to treasure all that they have. Mumma will teach her Shonu Monu all that she knows. Mumma already has so many dreams for her Shonu-Monu but Mumma will never stop the two of you from weaving dreams of your own. Mumma will move heaven and earth to make sure your dreams come true and that all your heart's desires are fulfilled. Because Mumma's Shonu-Monu are the bestest babies in the world and Mumma wants to be the bested Mumma in the world for her Shonu- Monu...Mumma will be the tigress who will fight the world and slay all the dragons that come anywhere near her
Shonu-Monu...got that Shonu Monu...I don't know how dragons sound...but Mumma
the tigress will growl just like this when anyone tries to harm even a nail
on Shonu Monu's little fingers...Growwwl...growwwl...growwwl..."

A noise at the door interrupts my growling and I look up. Ashutosh
is at the door, looking at me with a strange expression in his eyes.

"It's bad manners, you know. You should not be listening in
to other people's conversations!"

 

He just smiles at me and walks into the washroom. Is
everything alright with him? Why does he look so sad?

He emerges from the washroom all freshened up ten minutes
later. Ten minutes that seem like a lifetime to me. I wanted to walk into the
washroom right then but thought I should let him be once in a way.

He comes and sits next to me on the bed.

"Is everything okay? Did the surgery go off well?"

He nods his head.

"It was fine. Just a bit exhausted. Have you had your
dinner?"

"You think your Shonu-Monu would let me be in peace
otherwise? Let me go and warm up your dinner!"

"No...I grabbed something to eat at the hospital. Don't feel
like eating anything now!"

He bends down and kisses my stomach.

"Shonu Monu, may I please borrow your Mumma for a bit?"

He then lies down with his head on my lap.

"Aha...so you are feeling jealous of my Shonu Monu...you
want my attention all for yourself, don't you?"

I am about to bend down and initiate a passionate kiss when
he holds me back.

"No, I am not jealous...just hoping that Shonu Monu will let
me share some of the maternal love that they are blessed with!"

A simple line on the face of it and yet what wealth of
meaning! I am shaken to the core of my being.

While I spoke to my babies and assured them of my love and
protection, he stood listening. A child abandoned at birth by his parents,
abandoned by the very mother whose warmth should have shielded him from the
world!

I look at him with all the love in me, all the maternal love that had grown in me over the last few months, that I had been saving up to shower on my babies. Here was a child that needed it even before them though, a child that had been hungry for it for more than forty years.

 

I don't say a word and yet he knows I understand. He looks at me gratefully before closing his eyes wearily.

 

I comb my fingers through his hair as I start humming a lullaby that I remember Dadi Bua singing for me.

A slight shudder goes through his body before he relaxes
completely. He holds on to my hand tight as he goes off to sleep.

I sing that night for three children, two in my womb and one
lying on my lap!

Edited by Sujatha.rao - 11 years ago

This is the second dream...

AShu'v POV

"Sir, yeh jaldi khatam honewala nahi...behtar hoga ki aap koi aur intezam kare!"                      

 

Nidhi's face is screwed up with pain. I sit watching her like a fool.

 

God, why had I let her persuade me? She was less then ten days away from her due date. I had no business taking her on a drive. But since when have I been able to resist her? Ever since she got to know that she was pregnant, she has made sure she has gotten her way on every damn thing. She had woken up this morning and decided that we should take a drive down to the school where I studied. I had tried reasoning with her but to no avail. She said her baby had to visit his father's school, even while he was in his mother's womb. Did not make any sense to me but the besotted fool that I was, I could not say no.

Now we were on the highway, driving back to Lucknow or actually trying to drive back. We were caught at the tail end of a traffic block. There was a road roko in progress about two kilometres ahead and they did not envisage it being cleared anytime soon. My wife had chosen just this time to go into labour. And I had no clue what to do!

"Suniye...I can't take this too much longer...the contractions are now less than ten minutes apart...!"

"Nidhi...just hold on...once we get past this traffic block, we should be able to reach Lucknow in the next half an hour max...I will drive us straight to the hospital..will call and ask Deepa to be on standby...and baba and Col Verma and Dadi...!"

"Do you think I am a bus?"

"What?"

"You are asking me to hold on? You do realize that there is a baby inside me who wants to get the hell out of there...and the sooner the better?"

I am stumped. How do I answer that one? What do I do now?

"Listen, we just left a road leading off the highway just about half a kilometre ago! Take a U-turn and let us go back!"

"What are you saying? We have no clue what kind of medical facilities are likely to be available there. How can we take the risk?"

"Would you rather we risked delivering the baby in the car?"

I feel faint at the thought.

"Listen, are you going to turn this car around now? Or do I get down and start walking?"

I know what she is capable of and so turn the car around without a demur.

We find the road, actually more like a muddy path that is thankfully wide enough for a car to pass through. The road is full of potholes though and Nidhi groans everytime the car lands in one! By now, I am wondering if her prophecy will come true and she will deliver right in the car!

We reach the village that appears rather deserted and sleepy. A man, riding a bike, comes our way.

"Kis se milna hai aapko...?"

"Jee...actually kisi se nahi...actually yahaan koi aspataal hain?"

"Aspataal...uske liye toh shehar jaana padega na...matlab saath aat kilometre aage jaana padega!"

Nidhi gasps in pain and I realize we simply don't have much time now.

"Jee...yahaan koi medical facilities nahi hai kya?"

"Haan...ek PHC hai...par bas ek nurse aati hai hafte mei do baar...aaj toh Budhwaar hai na...woh bas Sukravaar aur Somvaar ko aati hai?"

"Great...just great...!"

:"Kya kehrahe hain saab?"

"Yeh bas yeh kehna chah rahe hain ki inki patni labour me hain...aur unko bas ek saaf aur surakshit jaga chahiye jahan woh aaraam se apne bacche ko paida kar sake!"

Nidhi decides to take matters into her hand.

The man does a double take when he realizes she is in labour.

"Saab...aap seedhe jaayie...raasta daayen taradf mudega...PHC wahin hain...aap jaayiye...main mukhyaji se PHC ka chaabi leke aata hoon...aur meri ek chachi...jo daai reh chuki hain...unko bhi saath mei leke aata hoon...aap jaayiye...main abhi aata hoon!"

The man flees as if the devil is at his heels. I take the route that he suggests and manage to find the PHC.

It is a ramshackle building which seems to double up as a cowshed going by the number of cows tied around it.

 

I don't know whose groan is more pained...mine or Nidhi's!

 

Edited by Sujatha.rao - 11 years ago

wonderfulll :))))))))))))))))))))))))))

 ( contd)

"All I want is privacy to have my baby in peace right now. Nothing else matters!"

Nidhi bites out the words on seeing my appalled face.

The room is dimly lit and is as basic as basic can be.

My trained eye looks around for equipment and comes up with nothing very much,

What should I do? What doctor was I without my instruments? How was I going to ensure my wife and child's safety? What if something happened to them? How would I survive them?

"AShutosh, you don't have time to panic now. The baby is not going to wait till you are done panicking. I need help getting this fellow out and I don't see anybody else around. So you are not left with a choice. Please collect yourself and ask for help to organize the basics!"

She practically moans the words out. But it is enough to shake me back to reality. A supreme calm descends over me all of a sudden, much like the way it does when I go into surgery. Yes , that is my wife and that is my son trying hard to come out from within her. And yet, I am a doctor who has saved hundreds of lives and I would give my life, if need be, to save these two!

I try to clean the floor as best as I can. Nidhi, in the meantime, spreads her dupatta on the floor, and steps out of her lower garments.

Just then, the door to the PHC is pushed open and two older women walk in with a bundle of clothes.

'Aap bahar jayiye...aage ka hum dekhlenge!"

Nidhi grips my hand fiercely.

"Mere pati mere saath hi rahenge!"

The women look at each other.

"Beti...yeh sab auraton ka kaam hai,...mard kya jaanta hai in sab ke baare mei!"

I hurriedly intervene.

"Chachi, baaki mard nahi jaante honge shayad par main toh jaanta hoon...main khud ek doctor hoon!"

The women look at me with respect now.

"Achcha...aap doctor ho...phir toh teekh hai,.,...!"

"Shukriya...ab aap please meri madad kijiye,,,,paani garam karne ke liye stove toh hogi na yahaan...aur umbilical cord kaatne ke liye koi knife ya scissors...sterilize bhi karni padegi!"

 

 

The women nod in understanding. One of them gets the stove going and puts the water to boil. The other rushes out and returns a few minutes later with a tiny cake of soap for me to wash my hands with.

I quickly wash my hands and then rush back to Nidhi's side. Her water has already broken and she is fully dilated now. I know there is not much time left.

I bend down and give her a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Doc, I know this is not going to be easy. But remember, I am there with you every step of the way. Remember that every wave of pain that racks you is tearing me apart too. I love you and I need you to be brave and strong for me. I love you loads, sweetheart. Now let us focus on getting our son out here. Help me, baby...help me help you!"

Nidhi smiles at me through her pain. I am filled with admiration and love for this courageous young girl I have married. The next second she lets out a scream and I realize that the moment is near!

Adrenalin courses through my veins and I am excited beyond belief.

God, I am actually going to help my wife deliver our baby myself. We have created this miracle between us and it seems like we are going to deliver him into this world ourselves too.

I position myself between her legs. I cannot offer her my hand to hold onto. Instead I hold onto her legs for dear life and beg her to push.  

After what seems  like hours, but in reality could not have been more than minutes, she lets out a bloodcurdling scream and then he is here!

He is here, covered in blood and vernix! With a head full of dark hair and eyes tightly squeezed, he lets out a loud wail to announce his arrival into this world.

"Mubarak ho, daaktar saab...beta hua hai!"

Could there be sweeter words than this? Words that announce the arrival of my first physical connection in this whole, wide world! He is partly me, my flesh and blood, bears my DNA and is a product of the immense love that I bear for this beautiful, brave woman who has just delivered him into my arms. I cut the umbilical cord with shaking hands and take him into my arms. I forget all medical protocol and move to her side and place him on her chest. She is crying and so am I. Our tears of joy celebrate the arrival of this manifestation of our love. I bend down to kiss her on her forehead again. A kiss of love, of joy and of gratitude! For sharing herself with me and helping me create a life of our own.

The baby is cleaned up and Nidhi too. Our son rests peacefully at her breast, suckling life from her.  I, an agnostic, feel the presence of the Divine right then and there.

Thank you, God, for making me part of this miracle. I, Dr Ashutosh, who has saved hundreds of lives and felt proud of the same, stand humbled  by this experience! Thank you for giving me this wonderful woman, thank you for blessing us with this wonderful child, thank you God, most of all.  for blessing us with love!

Edited by Sujatha.rao - 11 years ago

Originally posted by: sss97

wonderfulll :))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you!

Sujatha,

what a story!  A great neurosurgeon delivering his wife in a PHC : JUSTFANTASTIC & VERY REAL..But i dont think this will be shown in the serial. Edited by vidyasabde - 11 years ago

O this was so beautiful sujatha...thaku for writing this...loved both of ur dreams...have no words to express my feelings...just awesome👏

Sujatha ji at her best amazing u hav such amazing skills of writtin luved it

Its beautiful, the delivery of the baby by Ashu , very touching.