Rithika's khusur-phusur! :): The day I was born.. :)

18th November 1994,

She was wriggling in pain...she felt as if she would die, any moment...she could sense her lower body going numb...complete palsy, perhaps...the pain was getting unbearable...she held on to the pillows, as those were the only things around her, which could tolerate all the scratches made by her neatly manicured nails...

"Aaaahhh!! save me...I can't bear this any more...pllleeeaasseee"

She shouted her lungs out!
Satish stood outside the emergency ward. Rubbing his temples, he looked at the clock. It was 2:24 a.m.

05th February 1994,

The results were in her hand, and they were positive! She walked out of the room, to the hall where her husband was anxiously waiting for her.

"Satish , it's positive...the pregnancy test is positive!!!"

Rashmi was always the perfect person, according to Satish ...perfect human, perfect daughter, perfect sister, perfect wife and now, she would be a perfect mother! The calmness reflecting on her face, even when she broke such a big news, was something that made him fall in love with her...each time he saw her!
Rashmi walked upto him slowly, Satish got up and embraced her...She felt secure and safe, she always did when he held her close to his body...the warmth of his body and his voice made her go weak on her knees!

He moved the hair near her ear and whispered, "I love you Rashmi.."
He then, moved his hands towards her stomach...he realized that in it, she was carrying something that was his...something that would be a beautiful, living epitome of their love..
Rashmi couldn't help but smile at all this..She sensed the first feeling of being a mother..the tingling sensation in her stomach! It was wonderful...and more than anything else, Satish was happy!

Then began a journey...which cannot be expressed in words! It can only be experienced, by a woman! 9 months..19th November was the expected due date. The "to-be" parents were in a state of ecstatic bliss 24/7...

"You feed me one more dose of that bitter sticky thing, and I swear I'll throw you outta here."
"But you gotta have it baby, there's no alternative"
"No no no...I'll throw up AGAIN..."

But Satish had already stuffed the spoon inside her mouth.Hardly a month or so was left, and Rashmi looked perfectly plump, round and glowing. She had grown accustomed to all the nausea, the periodic kicks, the regular visits and tests in the hospital, attending counselling sessions, thinking twice before eating or even speaking anything! Talking to the li'l one...browsing names...she had even grown immune to the discomfort in sleeping in a single position...She had to do it, she wanted to do it! It was HER baby!

Satish wanted a girl...he was very sure it would be a girl...he had even decided the name of the child...

"What would you do if it's a boy? You won't love it that much?"
"I am telling you naa...it's gonna be a girl...take it from me!"

Satish even spoke to the child referring to it as a "she"...All this made Rashmi a li'l tensed.

The labor pain began on 17th November, a little late after midnight...just as predicted!

"Man, this child is on-time!" Satish thought to himself...holding Rashmi's hands and trying to calm her down was proving to be a herculean task..

"Breathe, Rashmi, don't scream continuously...break le thoda beech mein!"
"Tereko nahi samjhega...I AM THE ONE GOING THROUGH ALL THIS..."
And, she screamt again...Satish was almost sure that by the time the baby was born, he would go half deaf!

They reached the hospital and Rashmi was hurried into the room for some tests to ensure that the baby is safe and sound.

The doctor came in, all ready and dressed, "Would you like to see how the delivery takes place?"
"No, doc! Please! I am fine here", Satish said, wiping the sweat off his forehead. The last time he felt soo nervous and dumbstruck was when he saw Rashmi for the first time...big eyes, long hair and a smile that could melt anyone!

Satish sat on the couch, dreaming and assuring himself that everything is going to be fine. Rashmi would perfectly handle it...she went to work till the 8th month of pregnancy, hanging from Mumbai's crowded local trains...she could do this too...THIS was the last part! And, he dozed off. After a while, he could hear his mother-in-law's voice asking him to wake up!
He woke up with a start , and felt bad that he had fallen asleep.
"The doctor is calling the father" his mother-in-law said..

He went in, hoping that everything was fine...and saw a child, moving its limbs...as he neared the child, it turned its face towards him...
And, that was the most beautiful thing he saw...big eyes, long forehead garnished with black, curly hair, red cheeks, fair and chubby with a visibly big depression in the chin! IT WAS A GIRL!!
His daughter was lying on the weighing scale, staring the room, with eyes wide open!

The doctor came upto Satish and said, "She is a beauty!"
Satish smiled and asked, "Can I hold her?"
The doctor nodded and he lifted that tiny thing and brought it close to his heart 'coz that was her rightful position!
That day he made a silent promise...that he would always, come what may, protect her...He would not allow anything in the world harm his doll..he would stand by her come what may! He realized that it wasn't the last part...It was the beginning! It was the birth of an important role of his life- as a father...
He waited for this moment 9 months...and his daughter was staring at him, in his arms giving a slight smile without any teeth!

He took the child to Rashmi, emotional as she was, burst into tears...
"She's a scorpion!"
They both gazed at the child and Rashmi asked Satish,

"What are we gonna name her?"

"What I had already decided...!"

The entire family clapped..

And as far as the tiny tot was concerned, she loved being the center of attraction! :)