Aakriti : The form of his life ✔

Epilogue : 1 | Rudrati

Rudraksh's pov
(After 1 year)

As I stood beside my wife, Aakriti, in the delivery room, my heart swelled with a mixture of anticipation, excitement, and nervousness. The room was filled with a palpable sense of energy, and I could feel every beat of Aakriti's labor pains reverberating through my own body.

"Aakriti, my Ardhangini," I whispered, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her sweaty forehead. "You are so incredibly strong, stronger than you even know. I am here with you every step of the way, holding your hand, breathing with you."

Her grip tightened on my hand, and I could see the pain etched in her beautiful eyes. It tore me apart to see her in such agony, but I knew that every contraction brought us closer to holding our precious baby in our arms.

"You're doing amazing, Aakriti," I murmured, my voice filled with admiration and love. "Just keep breathing, just like we practiced. Each contraction is one step closer to meeting our little one."

I wiped away a tear that slipped down her cheek, my own eyes moist with emotion. The intensity of the moment was overwhelming, but I refused to let fear or doubt cloud my love and support for Aakriti.

As the hours passed, Aakriti's labor intensified, and I could see the fatigue weighing heavily on her. Yet, through it all, she remained resilient, drawing strength from deep within herself.

"You're almost there, my love," I encouraged, my voice filled with unwavering belief. "I can see the finish line, and our baby is waiting to be born into this world, into our arms."

With each contraction, I whispered words of encouragement, reminding Aakriti of her incredible strength and the love that surrounded her. And as the final moments of labor approached, I held her close, my heart pounding with anticipation.

The delivery room was a whirlwind of activity as Aakriti's labor progressed. I stood by her side, my hand firmly clasped in hers, offering whatever support I could as the medical team worked tirelessly to bring our baby into the world. But as the moment of birth drew near, a sense of urgency filled the room.

"The placenta is stuck around the baby's head," the doctor announced, their voice tight with concern.

My heart plummeted at the news, fear coursing through my veins. Aakriti's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes wide with worry. "Is she going to be okay?" she asked, her voice trembling.

The doctor reassured us that they would do everything in their power to safely deliver our daughter, but the tension in the room was palpable as they worked to free her from the tangled placenta. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours, each passing second filled with a sense of mounting anxiety.

I could see the strain on the doctor's face as they struggled to maneuver around the delicate situation. Sweat glistened on their brow as they worked tirelessly, their hands moving with precision and determination. Aakriti's breath came in short, ragged gasps as she watched, her entire body tense with anticipation.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the doctor managed to disentangle our daughter from the placenta. With a final, determined effort, they lifted her into the world, her tiny form cradled in their hands.

But instead of the sound of her cries filling the room, there was only silence. My heart clenched with fear as I looked down at our daughter, willing her to breathe, to cry, to show some sign of life.

"Is she okay?" Aakriti asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor's brow furrowed with concern as they worked quickly to clear our daughter's airway. And then, after what felt like an eternity, she let out a soft whimper, followed by the sweet, unmistakable sound of a newborn's cry.

Relief flooded through me like a tidal wave as I held our daughter close, tears of joy streaming down my face. "She's okay," I breathed, my voice choked with emotion. "She's here, and she's okay."

Aakriti's eyes shone with tears as she reached out to touch our daughter's tiny hand. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling with gratitude. "Thank you for saving her."

The doctor smiled wearily, their face flushed with exertion. "It's all in a day's work," they said, their voice filled with relief. "But she's a fighter, just like her parents."

As Aakriti held our daughter close, I leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You did it, Aakriti," I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. "You're amazing."

Tears welled up in Maya's eyes as she looked up at me, her expression filled with love and exhaustion. "We did it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We brought her into this world together."

In that moment, as we held our daughter close, I knew that our lives would never be the same. We had faced our fears and uncertainties head-on, and now here we were, a family at last. And as I looked down at the two most important people in my life, I felt a sense of overwhelming gratitude wash over me. We were together, we were safe, and we were filled with an endless love that would carry us through whatever challenges lay ahead.

........

As I held our newborn daughter, Rudrati, in my arms for the first time, emotions swirled inside me like a tempest. Beside me, Aakriti, my wife, looked on with tears of joy streaming down her face.

Yes, we named her Rudrati.

"She's perfect," Aakriti whispered, her voice filled with wonder.

I nodded, unable to tear my gaze away from our daughter's tiny face. "She's more beautiful than I could have ever imagined," I replied, my voice catching in my throat.

Rudrati stirred in my arms, her tiny fingers curling around my own. It was as if she knew she was loved, cherished beyond measure by the two people who had eagerly awaited her arrival.

Aakriti reached out to stroke Rudrati's cheek, her touch gentle and reverent. "She's a miracle," she said, her voice filled with awe.

I nodded in agreement, overwhelmed by the enormity of the moment. Here she was, our precious daughter, a symbol of our love and devotion to one another.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I looked down at Rudrati, marveling at the miracle of her existence. She was so small, so fragile, yet already she had captured our hearts in a way that words could never fully express.

"She's going to change our lives forever," I said, my voice filled with a mixture of joy and apprehension.

Aakriti smiled through her tears, her love for Rudrati shining brightly in her eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way," she replied, her voice steady with conviction.

In that moment, as we stood together, united in our love for our daughter, I knew that our lives would never be the same. Rudrati had brought us a newfound sense of purpose, a reason to strive for greatness each and every day.

"I love you, Aakriti," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Aakriti turned to me, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "And I love you, Rudra," she replied, her words a solemn vow of devotion.

With Rudrati nestled in my arms, our family felt complete, whole in a way that it had never been before. And as I looked down at my wife and daughter, I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, bound by a love that would withstand the test of time.

||I will be publishing one extended epilogue and a chapter with maa Sa's pov so you all will know her story ( I couldn't find any other way to explain her story.)||