Sapno Ka Shaher

50. Readjust! Repurpose!! Refocus!!!

Naina was cleaning the kitchen platform after the dish-washing. Sameer had offered her help, but she refused.

It was a silent journey for them while returning from the clinic, while at home too nothing much was said and discussed at dinner. She needed some solitude for the time being, wanting to dive into her thoughts with nobody else around, also being the reason to dismiss Sameer's help.

When the doctor confirmed the negative result, she was disheartened. Was anything wrong with her body? Okay they were using the protection all the while, then what must be the reason behind the delayed periods? Last month it had come two weeks later, and today after a week of her due date, she was still waiting.

While looking at Sameer after the disclosure, she had to paste a smile on her lips. Contemplating at his posture when he entered the cabin, she had clearly known that he was pacing outside, worried. Worried about the result.

He needed time.... If not his words then his eyes must have told this to her a thousand times.

And she respected the fact every time. It was a big decision and they couldn't take it just like that. They both had decided to treat it in a conscious manner, by mutual consent and not something that happened accidentally. She wanted both of them to be fully ready to take this step... mentally, physically, emotionally and most importantly financially.

The doctor's advice on her health perturbed her though. What more did she need to do to take care of herself? And where is the time for that? And even if she could fix the disorder in her body, how could she fix the one in her mind?

Nothing was going right for her. This was the second time she faced the same dilemma about her pregnancy news. However, after last time, she had decided not to get carried away by the assumptions and probabilities, building new dreams in her mind before even fulfilling the existing ones. She had decided to be practical about it. Wasn't she always the practical one between the two?

If only there was a system that could let one stop all this... from thinking about the sweet moments of her and Sameer with their little one... from being overwhelmed knowing that there's a life growing inside her... from imagining the reactions of Papa, Preeti, Arjun bhaiya, chachaji-chachiji, Maa and everyone after sharing the news.

She couldn't!! She couldn't stop herself from visualizing this beautiful picture at least once.

And she feared the most thinking if Sameer too dreamt about it. She wondered what if Sameer took the pressure of it. Wasn't he pursuing the production houses for the same? What if he made some impulsive decisions under its influence?

There were questions to be resolved for her, including the one about the repetitive dreams she saw of being chased.

She had never seen a pattern in her dreams before. This one certainly had been the most unusual thing that happened to her recently. The dream repeating for a couple of times was okay, but seeing if after every few days? How can that be possible? What was it that her mind was trying to tell her?

"Naina?"

Rakesh stood expectantly near the kitchen door-frame.

"Ji Papa?" she said, wiping her wet hands to a cloth.

These two weeks were hectic as ever for the family, since Rakesh too had joined the library full-time. He had the luxury to work for less hours and for three days a week before. Now, he too was bound by the timings and days, making the mornings of the Maheshwari's turning into chaos almost daily, causing to-and-fro between Sameer and Rakesh as who'd use the bathroom first.