Ik Mulakat...

XXXV

27th September, Mumbai, India

"Okay does everyone know the plan?" Pari asked pacing back and forth in front of them. "Well?" She reiterated finally coming to a standstill.

"Yes, Pari." They all replied in unison like they were in a classroom.

"Reeva Noon are you laughing?"

"No Pari, I'm very serious." She replied a smile tugging on her lips.

"This is not funny, we don't have much time and need to have a plan of attack in place." She cried. "The media are already making a meal of this pregnancy and you haven't even given birth yet."

"Tell me about it?" Mishti moaned looking down at her huge belly, her due date was in a few days but she felt like it was forever.

"For once it would be nice to be able to do this the normal way," Ronobir said shaking his head.

"Well that's what you get for being famous buddy, every facet of your life is in our hands." Armaan smiled rubbing his hands together gleefully.

"Okay back to the topic at hand." Pari interrupted.

"What was the question again?" Sanskar asked earning a dirty look from Pari. "Yes, Pari we are all across the plan."

"Well if that's the case then humor me."

"As soon as Mishti's water breaks we call downstairs where a car will be waiting in the parking garage to take us to the Lilavati Hospital," Ronobir replied in a monotone voice.

"Exactly so this way you'll be able to slip out without alerting the media."

"The hospital has organized entry via their underground car parking so you'll be able to arrive without your usual media escort," Reeva added.

"Great so if that's all sorted I think Mishti needs to have a rest," Ronobir said trying to get rid of them.

"Yes because that's exactly what I need." She whined. "I'm so sick of being locked up in this prison without any entertainment."

"Hey we had fun playing poker didn't we?" Sanskar cried.

"No Sanskar fun would have been if you were good." She scoffed. "I won all your money after like only three hands."

"How about all those movies I sat through with you?" Pari asked.

"Yes I can't believe I'm going to say this but I wouldn't care if I never saw one again."

"Hallelujah." Ronobir proclaimed having to sit through a few himself. "Hey, it's not like we never go out I mean we went to your last Mommy and Me class yesterday."

"Oh, and that was so thrilling." She drawled. "Seriously if our instructor told me to relax one more time I was going to..."

"Okay on that note I think we should leave Ronobir and Mishti to it," Armaan said not sure he could handle any more pregnant Mishti. He was just glad there were only a few days to go. They all left their brainstorming session finally over. Ronobir exhaled glad they could go back to acting like a normal expectant married couple even though he knew they weren't.

The last ten months had been a learning curve that was for sure. It wasn't just about getting to know his wife, it was dealing with all the emotions that pregnancy brought with it. He loved Mishti but she had been a challenge what with her mood swings and cravings shifting into high gear as the months passed. He wouldn't change it for anything but he'd be lying if he said he couldn't wait for things to go back to normal, for a little while at least.

It didn't help that being in the public eye meant they had to constantly dodge the paparazzi. Since publicly announcing the impending birth the media had been out of control. The overly protective husband in him was so worried about all the unwanted attention he had recently put a ban on all media interviews and placed his wife under house arrest, something she wasn't very happy about. He looked over at her the frown on her face becoming a permanent feature. He walked over pulling her towards him and enveloping her in a hug.