EMBRACING REALITY

CHAPTER 27 EMBRACING REALITY

Chapter 27

Sidharth assured Shehnaaz that he would take her to Punjab as soon as the news of pregnancy will be confirmed..
“Sidharth, mai bol rahi hu.. Tu itna excited mat ho ja.. Mai negative nai ho rahi lekin over excited hoga aur fir ye pregnancy hua hi nai toh..”
She was talking but she suddenly felt nauseous and she ran towards the bathroom, followed by Sidharth..
She tied her hair quickly and bent down on the pot as she puked.. Sidharth rubbed her back and tried all what he could to comfort her..
“Araam se.. Calm down, my love..” cooed Sidharth as she finally stopped puking.. She was exhausted and her breaths were high.. Sidharth’s heart broke seeing her like condition and that too, all of a sudden..
Sidharth washed her face and wiped it with a napkin and walked her towards the bed.. “Tu araam kar, mai Paani leke aaya..” saying so, he made her sit on the bed, covered her with a quilt and pressed his lips on her forehead..
“Bas do minute, meri jaan..” said Sidharth, who wasn’t ready to leave her but had to leave for getting water for her.. He quickly went into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and got cold water bottle and a lemon..
He squeezed the lemon in a glass and added little sugar and black salt in it.. He added water in it and took the bottle of water and the lemonade he made and went into the bedroom..
He saw her vulnerable state and his heart skipped a beat.. “Oh, my baby..” He cooed and kept the lemonade and water on the side table and took her in his arms.. He handed her the water and she sipped it.. “Thodi der me settle ho jaega toh Nimbu Pani pi Lena..” said Sidharth and Shehnaaz agreed, silently..
Her silence pinched his ears.. He wanted to listen to her nonstop chattering and blabbering.. He wanted her to be back to normal.. Shehnaaz snuggled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her..
After a while, he felt the wetness of her tears on his shirt and that’s when he pulled her out of his chest and cupped her face, “Meri Jaan, roh mat na.. Please.. Ye le, Nimbu pani pee le.. Acha lagega.” Said Sidharth and she again agreed, without a word..
“Kuch bol na.. Aise chup kyu hai?” asked Sidharth.. Holding her hand and rubbing it softly.. Shehnaaz didn’t know what to say.. “Kya bolu.. Meri samjh nai Aa raha..” said Shehnaaz and Sidharth didn’t force her to say anything more..
She settled on his lap once she finished drinking the lemonade and he continued pressing his lips on her forehead..
Sidharth was curious and he wasn’t understanding the reason why Shehnaaz suddenly puked.. He scrolled down his phone with one hand and googled..
Now, we know.. Google sometimes gives absolutely correct answers and sometimes absolutely crappy things.. He read a few things and then looked at Shehnaaz..
“Baby, mere nai rehte me tu bahar ka kuch khai thi kya? Food poisoning toh nai hua hai tujhe?” asked Sidharth.. Shehnaaz got out of his chest and glared at him..
Sidharth didn’t know what angered her suddenly.. Shehnaaz herself didn’t know why was she getting weird mood swings..
“Tujhe Mai bachi lagti hu? Hadh karta hai.. Lunch Maa banate the.. Dinner Mai Amma ke hath ka khati thi.. Bina wajah galat mat bol.. Yaha Mai irritate ho rahi hu.. Ghar ka kha ke bhi ulti ho rahi hai.. Abhi hospital se wapas aayi aur fir kuch ho gaya..” scoffed Shehnaaz, running out of the room, leaving a confused Sidharth behind..
Sidharth didn’t know what to do.. He kept scrolling his phone again and he read a woman pukes during the early pregnancy period and he got happy..
“Oh, is my baby pregnant? Her mood swings.. Her puking.. Oh, my God.. I need to tell her this..” said Sidharth to himself and got out of the room, only to find his grumpy baby sitting on the couch..
“Mai abhi aaya..” said Sidharth and left, making Shehnaaz even more angry..
“Aane do wapas.. Batati hu.. Manata bhi nahi hai.. Aur chala hai Baap banne..” said Shehnaaz and walked into the room again..
She turned on the ac and covered her with a quilt and fell asleep.. Sidharth went to the chemist, bought two home pregnancy test kits, some fruits and he came across a chat restaurant, a proper one and not a street chat wala.. He ordered Pani puri and Dahi Papdi Chat for her and rushed towards home..
He realized that he didn’t have the keys.. But he thought Shehnaaz would be there to open the door.. He rang the bell and nothing happened.. He rang again.. Still, no response..
“Kya kar rahi hai ye.. Soh toh nai gayi..” He thought to himself and then called Kavita Tai.. She picked up the call and finally opened the door.. “Sorry, mai bartan dho rahi thi.. Aa jao..” said Tai and Sidharth casually said, “Sorry mat bolo.. It’s okay..” saying so, he walked into the bedroom..
He saw Shehnaaz sleeping on the bed.. Her face was calm.. He smiled as his gaze was stuck to her.. He kept everything on the side and held her sleeping self in his arms.. She settled comfortably in his arms.. “Jaagi hui thi toh bhadki thi.. Abhi barabar soh rahi hai mere pass aake.. Gadhi..” said Sidharth, thinking she was asleep.. As soon as Sidharth finished saying the above statement, Shehnaaz opened her eyes.. “Kutte.. Neend me bhi mujhe ulta bol raha hai.. Kitna Kamminna hai tu..” said Shehnaaz.. Sidharth took his tongue out and his fingers immediately ran into his hair.. “Oops.. Tu jaag rahi hai..” said Sidharth, grinning like a cutie..
“Ab aisi shakal banayega toh naraaz kaise rahungi..” said Shehnaaz, holding his face in her hands.. “Mera Babyy.. Tu kutta hai. Mai naraz hui toh chala gaya bahar akele.. Ab aise cute shakal badha raha hai toh mai naraaz bhi nahi reh sakti..” said Shehnaaz, making Sidharth blush even more..
Sidharth looked away as he couldn’t control his blushy slushy expressions, making Shehnaaz laugh at him.. Sidharth left her on the bed and grabbed the packet of food he got and opened it up to divert the attention from him to the Chaat and Pani Puri.. Shehnaaz’s eyes widened.. “Tu leke aaya mere liye..” cooed Shehnaaz..
“Nai, khud ke liye laya hu.. Hadh karti hai.. Tere samne rakha hu toh tere liye hi laya hu na..” said Sidharth and put the sweet chutney and spicy water into the puri and some boondi.. He got the puri close to her mouth and fed her..
Shehnaaz’s expressions told Sidharth that she loved the taste.. He kept feeding her and she didn’t say a word and enjoyed the pani puri.. She saw there were just two puris left and she felt guilty.. “Haye Putthu, maine tujhe diya hi nai..” saying so, she put the boondi and water into the puri and fed him the left over puri..
“Itna acha hai tabhi madam Ahh Hmmm kar kar ke kha rahi thi..” teased Sidharth, earning a smack on his shoulder.. They both then ate the Dahi Chaar together and then Sidharth surprised her with Sugar Cane Juice.. “Ye peele.. Acha lagega..” said Sidharth and Shehnaaz gave him the brightest smiles of hers..
“Thank You, Putthu.. Mere nakhre jhelne ke liye..” said Shehnaaz and gulped in the juice.. “Tu puchti hai na mai tujhe Gadhi kyu bolta hu.. Bas yehi reason hai.. Ye jante hue ki mai tujhse pyaar karta hu toh tere har nakhre pyaar se uthata hu.. Aur tu ye thank you bol rahi hai..” said Sidharth..
They had a happy time, Shehnaaz was feeling better.. Sidharth was hiding the pregnancy test kits.. But Shehnaaz saw him fumbling with something..
She decided to let him do whatever he was doing and look at it later.. Sidharth went to the loo, being highly nervous on how to ask Shehnaaz to not wait for three days and take a test..
As Sidharth went to the loo, Shehnaaz went to the cupboard where Sidharth was before going to the loo.. She saw the paper bag stuck in between Sidharth’s shorts section and opened it.. He saw the pregnancy test kits and hit her forehead..
“Teen din wait nai kar sakta hai ye..” said Shehnaaz and that’s when Sidharth came out of the loo and saw her in front of the cupboard..
“Shehnaaz, Hume Andheri wapas jana hai.. Maa Masi, Baaz aur Rajbir airport ke liye niklenge.. Mil lena unse ek baar Jaane se Pehle..” said Sidharth, as if nothing has happened..
Shehnaaz didn’t talk about the test kit and followed him.. She did one thing that she kept the kits in her handbag without Sidharth noticing..
Sidharth called Adith, asking him to get the car in the lobby of the building and took Kavita Tai along..
Sidharth was biting his nails and had seated a little away from Shehnaaz and his gaze was stuck at the window.. The weather was turning into a cold, rainy day, making Shehnaaz happy and excited..
They reached home and Sidharth was silent.. These two were being silent one after the other.. Their nervousness knew no bounds..
Shehnaaz met her family once they reached Andheri home and didn’t cry as Sidharth had promised that he’d take her to Punjab soon.. Once Shehnaaz’s family left, Sidharth quickly stormed into his room, followed by Shehnaaz..
Shehnaaz stood in front of Sidharth, with her hands on her waist.. He looked up to her and raised her eyebrows at her, “Kya hua?” He asked..
“Yehi sawal agar mai puchu toh?” questioned back Shehnaaz.. Sidharth was clueless..
“Sidharth bol bhi dey. Mai janti hu pregnancy test kit leke Aa Gaya hai.. Agar tu chahta hai toh mai kar leti hu ek baar.. Teri tasalli ke liye..” said Shehnaaz and Sidharth hugged her close..
“Meri Jaan, tu kitna samajhti hai mujhe.. I love you so damn much..” cooed Sidharth and Shehnaaz ran her fingers in his hair.. Once they were done hugging, Shehnaaz went into the loo with a small container.. She peed in it and using the dropper she put it on the kit.. What will happen next? Stay Tuned..