69. PREGNANT?

Suhana Ji took the officers inside the security room while the rest followed them silently. Innaya is sweating badly and just praying to god to save her but today all her prayers are going to fail. She tries her luck one last time.

Innaya:- I am telling you, officers… They are trying to put me down. I have done nothing. Listen… 

The officers ignore her pleas as they believe in proof but Asha is getting irritated hearing her fake accusations. 

Asha:- wait for a minute, Innaya. Your whole plan will come in front of everyone’s eyes and then no one will even try to save you. 

Hearing her sarcastic remark, Innaya got infuriated and she grabbed her neck in front of everyone. The lady officer comes ahead and separates them while handcuffing Innaya to take her in control. 

Innaya:- ( angrily ) Shut the fuck up, Asha. I am not talking to you and please don’t sympathize with me. I don’t need your sympathy. 

Asha rolls her eyes at her attitude which overpowers her senses. She is handcuffed but still, her attitude is at its peak. Till now the officers get to know about her true colors and they need some proof against her to arrest her. 

Suhana Ji unlocks the security room which is situated at the corner of the house. Manik created this room so that no one can figure out that there is a room. His brain works devilishly in two things, the first is obviously ROMANCE and the second one is HIS WIFE’S SECURITY. 

Arjun and Asha both look at the room in astonishment while their jaw is touching the floor. The front wall of the room is filled with screens that are showing live videos of the different corners of the house. The entire room is looking like some CID office, making everyone gasp. 

Arjun:- ( gulped hard ) Thank god, Manik didn’t install the cameras in our room. 

Asha:- yaa, he must be awarded for not installing cameras in rooms. 

When they are busy praising Manik Malhotra’s smartness, one soul is sweating heavily knowing the consequences.

Suhana Ji:- ( smirking seeing Innaya ) Officers, you can check the CCTV footage. 

One of the officers walks forward and checks the footage. The whole drama again plays out in front of their eyes like a movie scene. And in no time, Innaya is been taken by the police officers on a jail journey in an attempt to murder. 

Asha:- ( smilingly ) Bye… Bye… Innaya. Now plan for Nandini’s murder in prison.

Innaya:- Don’t fly so high, Asha. You don’t know me. I would get what I want by hook or crook. 

For a second Asha becomes quiet and tense seeing the determination in her eyes to get MANIK MALHOTRA. But Arjun ignores her talks and walks out with Asha and Suhana Ji who are worried for Nandini. 

Otherside, Nandini is being admitted to the emergency ward while the family is outside strolling worriedly. Everyone is genuinely concerned about Nandini except Divya and Ajay who are mourning their daughter Innaya. They are still not over with her and how can parents just forget about their child in a day? They need time to forget her existence and to accept Nandini wholeheartedly. 

Well from Nandini’s point of view, she didn’t care about all this. For her Dixits are just her extended family. She too didn’t even try to get close to them except Arjun and Asha who genuinely cares for her. She never dreamt about such a big family but now when she has them, she loves everyone from her heart. 

Manik too didn’t care about anyone except his wife Nandini who is inside the emergency ward and the doctors are testing his patience, making him frustrated.

Manik:- Why the hell no one is coming out? 

Vishamber:- Manik, calm down. Doctors are doing their job. You just relax. Nothing happened to Nandini, she is alright. 

Manik:- ( confidently ) I know she is fine but why didn’t the doctors come out? ( desperately ) I want to see my Nandini. 

The desperation in his voice to see his wife makes everyone smile in this tough situation too. Before anyone could say anything to him, the doctor and the team of nurses come out gaining everyone’s attention. Yashoda is the first one who voiced a question asking about Nandini’s health. 

Yashoda:- How is she, doctor? 

The doctor:- there is nothing to worry about. Everything is alright. 

His answer made Manik mad. 

Manik:- When everything is alright then what happened to her? Why did she suddenly fall unconscious? 

The doctors took back hearing his loud voice.

The doctor:- Calm down young man! The patient is alright and she fainted because of shock and panic.

Manik:- ( cutting the doctor in mid ) Shock and Panic? But this never happened before then why suddenly? 

The doctor:- because in THIS CONDITION usually, women become sensitive. And she is a little weak too. But don’t worry we are giving her glucose. She will gain consciousness in an hour. 

Manik:- This condition? What are you talking about? ( worriedly ) She is alright, right?

The doctor:- this condition means PREGNANCY. 

This simple word is enough to give a heart attack to Manik while the rest of the members are on cloud nine. He still needs some time to process the meaning of that one word and seeing his expressions the doctor continues, smilingly. 

The doctor:- I think you are not aware of the fact that YOUR WIFE IS THREE WEEKS PREGNANT. 

Yashoda:- ( excitedly ) Haye…. Pregnant, really? I am going to be a great-grandmother. Thank you, Waheguru. ( looking at the doctor ) Thank you, doctor. You don’t know how much happier you made me. 

The doctor:- It’s my work, Maam. 

Manik:- Nandini is alright, right? 

He is still in the daze of the news but it doesn’t mean that he is not happy. In fact, no word in the dictionary can define the level of his happiness but his wife is also important to him and for now, her health is his priority. 

The doctor:- yes, your wife is perfectly fine. She is a little weak, nothing else. And from now on the gynecologist will guide you further, ok? 

Manik nods silently as the words are ditching him right now and Vishember thanks the doctor on everyone’s behalf. As soon as the doctor left, Manik engulfed his Dadu ( grandfather ) in his arms while squealing like a teenager. 

Manik:- I AM GOING TO BE A FATHER! DID YOU HEAR DADU? I AM GOING TO BE A FATHER! 

Everyone laughs at his kiddish act and congratulates him who is not even in sense to thank them. He comes out from Vishember’s arms and dances crazily, making the viewers laugh at him.

Don’t know how but Varsha anyhow stopped Manik’s crazy dance and made him realize. 

Varsha:- Manik, don’t you want to give this news to Nandini? 

And this brought him back to earth. He nods and runs inside the ward like an excited kid. He walks inside Nandini’s ward and locks the door while his moist eyes are stuck on her sleeping posture. Today there is a different glow on her face which is giving him peace. At the same time, his heart churns seeing the glucose syringe which is attached to her left hand. 

He walks near her and caresses her glowing face before placing his lips on her forehead as if thanking her for the news that she gave him. Unconsciously his left hand is placed on her stomach. For now, he is feeling nothing but life is growing inside her which is a part of THEIR LOVE. 

He is anxiously waiting for her to open her eyes so that he could give this news to her but his little wife loves to test his patience. 

Manik:- ( pleadingly ) open your eyes, love. I am dying to announce OUR PREGNANCY. 

After an entire hour, Nandini flickers her eyes slightly which is enough to gain her husband’s attention whose eyes are fixed on her face for the past hour. He stood up from his seat and rubbed her eyes to help her adjust her vision in the bright light. 

Manik:- slowly-slowly… Nandini, opens your eyes slowly. Nothing to hurry about. 

Nandini palmed her eyes and then opened her sleepy orbs to find her husband on his toes with worry. She smiles seeing his expression and caresses his light beard with her right hand giving him solace which is missing for the last two hours.  

Nandini:- I am fine, nothing to worry about. 

Manik:- ( cribbed like a kid ) ya, you should be fine! I almost felt death seeing you unconscious in my arms. ( after a pause ) Leave all that… and thank you! 

Nandini:- ( confusingly ) Thank you? 

Manik:- ( smilingly ) THANK YOU FOR PROMOTING ME FROM A HUSBAND TO A FATHER. 

Nandini:- Father? 

After a minute it clicks on her and immediately her eyes come out of their sockets while her hand is wrapped around her abdomen. 

Nandini:- ( with moist eyes ) AM I PREGNANT? 

Manik cringed his nose with a bad face and corrected her. 

Manik:- WE ARE PREGNANT, MRS. NANDINI MALHOTRA. 

Nandini:- same thing, Mr. Manik Malhotra. ( smilingly ) THANK YOU TO YOU TOO FOR PROMOTING ME FROM A WIFE TO A MOTHER. 

Both the soon-to-be parents giggle and mentally prepare themselves to embrace parenthood. Manik looks at his smiling wife and bends down towards her face. He palmed her abdomen slightly and sucked her upper lip ever so gently while Nandini reciprocated too. 

Nandini:- ( after breaking the kiss ) HAPPY 6 MONTHS TO US, MALHOTRA JI. 

Then Manik realizes that it’s been six months since their wedding. 

Manik:- HAPPY 6 MONTHS TO US, MRS. MALHOTRA. 

Manik wishes her too and engulfs her in his arms with a smile. 

CHECK OUT MY NEW BOOK “REBIRTH”. THE LINK IS BELOW…

THE END 

Finally, this journey comes to an end. I know most of you won’t be happy with this sudden ending without EPILOGUE. But keep faith in me. I have many more ideas to cherish THEIR PARENTHOOD.