Chapter 9

singhni_

@singhni_

He took out his phone and dialed her, a few rings later the phone was picked up on the other side, "Did you have your dinner?" she asked right away without even bothering to greet him and he smiled. She had been so used to expecting his calls at the same time for the past few days and had now straight off started questioning him once she picked up the call.

"I just ordered it," he replied and sat on the edge of the bed, "Did you have yours?" he asked.

"Yes," she said.

"And your medicine?" he questioned but didn't hear a reply, "You didn't take them did you?"

"Arnav I... I was just ... going to," she told him, "I'll take them right now."

Arnav waited while she left the phone and took her medicine; this had been happening ever since he came and called her, it used to be her that always used to remind him to take his medicine, but now that he wasn't there to remind her she would always forget and he'd had have to tell her again.

After a few minutes she came back on, "Tum teek ho?" he asked.

"Hmmm," she replied.

"And the baby?" he asked.

"He's fine also," she told him.

"Khushi I'm telling you it's going to be a girl," he said smiling.

"No, it's going to be a boy. I want a son just like you," she added while he chuckled. They had debated about this over the past few months numerous times, he had said he wanted a girl just like her, but she wanted a boy. Of course they could've gotten the gender checked and found out, but they wanted it to be a surprise. But he knew either way, a boy or girl, both of them would be happy with it. It was their child, so why be biased about the gender. And like Arnav had told her during one of their arguments that they could always try again for the other gender later which ended with Khushi throwing a pillow at him for being so shameless. As they continued to talk, Arnav heard a knock on the door and went to see it.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Nothing, just my dinner," he said taking the tray from the maid and closed the door.

"You eat, I'll call you tomorrow," she said and he heard some shuffling from her side, she was probably getting ready to sleep he thought, "What time are you going to be here?"

"Around eleven," he said, "I'll call you before I leave."

"Okay," she replied while yawning halfaway through.

"Khushi...," he whispered.

"Hmmm," she said.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

******************

Arnav dialed the number again but no one had picked up. Before leaving for his flight some hours back he had called and Khushi asked him to call once he leads, but he had been trying for the past ten minutes but no one had picked up. One the eleventh try someone finally picked up the phone, "Where the hell were you Khushi?! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!" he yelled into the phone without even waiting for the person on the other line to talk.

"Woh Sir... Khushi Bhabi..," he heard the voice on the other side.

"Khushi! What happened to her? Where is she?" he asked in an urgent voice.

"Khushi Bhabhi was having pain and Akash took her to the city hospital," the voice replied.Arnav quickly hung up the phone and changed his direction to go to the city hospital. He raced through the streets, cutting in with cars trying to get their as soon as he could. He could feel his heart pick up pace as the tension grew inside of him, he just hoped that Khushi would be all right, that's all he needed. If something happened to her, he would never be able to forgive himself. The doctor had said that there wouldn't be any complications in the birth, but he still had his doubts that worried him, he hadn't shared those with Khushi as he didn't want to worry her and make it hard on her. But the thoughts always swarmed through his mind and he just hoped none of them would be true. He couldn't afford to lose her. Or else he'd lose himself also.

The car in front of him had stopped for no reason and he honked his horn multiple times being annoyed and banged his fists against the wheel. Just then his phone rang and he picked it up.

"Hello Bhai, this is Akash and I'm at the city hospital with Bhabhi," Akash rambled off.

"I know, I'm coming," he answered maneuvering around the car and speeding up again as he got on the road.

"How do you--," Akash started but was cut off, "That doesn't matter, what room are you guys in?"

"The sixth floor in room 11," he answered.

"I'll be up there in a few minutes," he said hanging up the phone as he pulled into the hospital. Finding the first place he could, he parked the car and got out then ran into the hospital. Arnav pressed the buttons on the elevator but it was on the tenth floor and would take sometime for it to come down; getting impatient of waiting for it he decided to take the stairs. He took them two at a time and once arriving in the sixth floor he saw Akash at the end of the hallway with Payal.

"Where is she?" he asked roughly catching his breath.

"They just took her in," he replied motioning to the door.

"Was... wa...s sh..e f..fine...?" he managed to ask. Akash had never seen his brother like this before, he was sweating and his hands slightly trembling, his eyes focused on the door as he tried to see through the door and then he turned back around beginning to pace around the hall, to someone else it would've looked like he was in an emotional mess.

"Bhai she was fine," he said placing a hand on his to reassure him and he looked up, "Akash I can't lose her...," he whispered as he felt the emotions get caught up in his throat, "Bhai don't worry, everything will be alright."

The door behind them opened and the doctor came out, "Is Arnav here?" he asked and Arnav rushed forward, "Your wife wants you inside with her," he said and Arnav followed him. He saw Khushi lying in the the middle on the stretcher and went to her side, she was breathing normally then turned to look at him and gave him a weak smile. He ran his fingers through her hair and brushed away the strands that were cling to her face due to the sweat.

"Tum teek ho?" he asked and she just nodded telling him that she was fine.

"Mrs. Raizada we're going to have to wait sometime to do the delivery," the doctor said.

"Sometime?!" Arnav exclaimed, "But she's in pain right now," he defended.

"We understand Mr. Raizada but we are going to have to wait sometime, it might be a few minutes or maybe even take hours for the delivery to happen, you can stay here with her and we will come check again, but if it's something urgent them you can call the nurse," the doctor said, "Any question?" he asked and they shook their head and then left leaving them alone.

"When did you come?" she asked in a whisper looking at him.

"Just a few minutes ago, I came straight here," he replied running his hands through her hair, "Are you still in pain?"

"No, it's better now they gave me some medicine," she said her voice breaking into sobs.

Arnav cupped her face in his hands moving closer, "Khushi what happened? Why are you crying sweetheart?" he asked wiping away her tears with the pads of his fingers.

"I..I'm scared...," Khushi said in between her crying, "Wh.. what if som..mething happ...ens?"

"Nothing will happen, it will be alright," he whispered reassuring her and himself at the same time.

"Arn..av if something hap..ens to m.. me promise me t..that y.ou wil.. take ca..re of ou..r child," she said as the tears continued to flow down her face.

"Dammit Khushi nothing will happen to you! Do you hear me?! I won't let anything happen to you or the child," he told her as tears threatened to form in his eyes as well.

"B..but promise m..me," she said.

"No Khushi ... please don't say t..that," he told her as his heart ached to see her in this position. He wiped away the fresh tears that were now making their way down her cheeks and he heard her yelp as her hold on his arm tightened, "What happened? Khushi what's wrong?!" he asked as she managed to open her eyes but they were failing her.

"I think my water just broke," she managed to reply and heard Arnav tell her quickly that he's going to get the doctors as he got up and rushed out the door. Khushi clamped the bed sheets in her fists trying to suppress the pain. A few seconds later she heard some shuffling and heard the door open and some incoherent voices. She felt some light appear above her making it hard for her or open her eyes to see and she felt someone hold onto her hand, "Khushi breath," she heard his calming voice and he continued to whisper reassuring phrases to her.

"Mrs. Raizada we're going to need to you push," she heard the voice of the doctor in the distance, "Push!"

"Khushi push, sweetheart please push I'm right here with you," Arnav said seeing her eyes roll back, "Khushi you can't do this to me, you can't leave me, push! Please push," she heard his voice and Arnav felt her tighten her hold on his hand into a death grip as she clenched her teeth trying to push, "Keep doing it, almost there."

Next thing Arnav heard was the sound of a wailing baby, "Mr Raizada would you cut the umbilical chord," the doctor asked and Arnav did.

"Congratulations it's a girl," the nurse said and Arnav felt hot new tears of happiness flow down. He looked over at Khushi who was fluttering her eyes, "Both of them are fine," the doctor added, "It will take her a few seconds to come back to normal," he said and asked the nurse to go clean the baby and bring it back.

Arnav leaned a placed a kiss on her forehead, "Thank you."

He heard her say, "We did it," while her eyes were still closed with a smile forming in her face.

And as she opened her eyes to look at him.

He fell in love with her.

Even more.