Mera Rangsaaz

Chapter 24

Tara
8 months later

I am nine months pregnant and I look so fat.

"Suniyeeee"

"Haan boliye" my husband says sitting beside me.

"Mein Moti hogyi huna" I say turning to him.

"Kisne kaha tumhe yeh? Batao mein uski akal abhi thikane laga ke aata hoon" he replies standing up. I hold his hand and pull him. He sits down on his own again.

"Aap bolne dege tab koi bolega na. Kisine kuch nahi Bola. Aapko toh bas kisi ki pitai karne ka bahana chahiye" I say irritated.

"Aree Tara-"

"Yeh chordiye aap yeh bataiye ki mein moti lag rahi hoon ya nahi"

"Nahi"

"Sach boliye"

"Meri ankho se dekh-"

I again cut him off "Haan bas inhi meethi meethi baaton ki wajah se mera yeh haal hai"

"Aree kya bol rahi ho Tara?"

"Aur nahi toh kya?" I say feeling sad, on verge of crying. "Meri Kamar dukhti hai, theek se so bhi nahi paati, phair sooje huye hai, sab kuch dard hota hai"

"Mein dabadu?" He asks concerned and I glare at him.

"Itna kardiya kaafi nahi hai apke liye"

"Meri kya galati hai. Khud bhi toh badh cadh ke hissa liya tha"

"Kuch kaha aapne?!" I say getting more frustrated. I feel so irritated these days.

"Nahi meri jaan"

"Boliye apne bacche se ab bahar aaye. 9 mahine hogye hai"

"Amma aur bhabhi ne bataya toh tha Tara" he says and I remember. They told me that most first time mothers deal with delay in their delivery and I am one of them. This kid doesn't want to face this world.

Ekdum mujh par gaya hai warna inke jaisa hota toh 8ve mahine mei hi Bahar aa jaata.

I start to imagine a small baby just like my husband with bicep muscles carrying a bat on his shoulder and scowl on his face, ready to fight with everyone. Just like his father. I begin to laugh.

"Kya hua? Hass kyu rahi ho?"

I look at him and laugh more.

"Kya hua Tara?"

"Amma bata rahi thi aap 8ve mahine mei hi bahar aagye the."

"Haan shayad bola tha unhone. Kyun?" He looks at me confused.

"Kuch nahi" I continue laughing.

He looks at me with those eyes that melts my heart. Sanjay and others would die of shock if they see his face right now. He has cutest puppy eyes. I pull his cheeks.

"Kitne pyaare lagte hai aap" I say giving him my cheesy smile and he smile backs.

"Chal ab soja"

"Yeh sone de tabhi toh" I say holding my bump. "Soja mere bacche, abhi toh Dhruv bhi sogya hai"

"Haan uske rone ki awaz nahi aari" my husband says setting my pillow and then laying down.

Dhruv is the second son of Asha bhabhi and Vijender bhaiya. He cries a lot but is so cute.

"Kitna pyara haina Dhruv" I say looking at him.

"Haan. Par humara baccha zyada hoga"

"Abhi toh wo paida bhi nahi hua?"

"Mujhe bas pata hai"

"Haan theek hai" I say and close my eyes. After sometime I hear his breath evening out that means he is asleep. I look at him.

"Aap sogye?" I ask.

No reply.

"Aap sogye?" I again ask shaking his shoulder.

"Hmmm"

"Suniye na"

He looks at me with sleepy eyes. "Kya hua jaan?"

"Neend nahi aari"

"Idhar aao" he says opening his arms.

"Nahi"

"Kyu?"

"Parathe khane hai"

"Abhi? Phirse?"

"Mere saath rasoi mei chaaliye na"

"Theek hai chalo"

We quietly go down to the kitchen. I prepare the dough since we don't leave extra dough in night. My mother used to do it and I have taken after her.

"Kyu kar rahi ho tum? Mein karleta"

"Rehne dijiye pichli baar jab kia tha tab wo aata Kam aur daal zyada lag raha tha"

He crosses his hand and watches me. I make the paranthas round.

"Yeh mein karlunga" he says sitting infront of the stove. He has already lit it. He has learned to atleast cook parathas during my pregnancy.

"Aree wah bhaiya aaj bhi paratha bana rahe hai" Sanjay says entering the kitchen.

"Tu harr samay kaise tapak padta hai" My husband says showing him the tongs. He backs away raising his hand.

"Mein akela kaha hoon? Yeh rahi Jhanvi aur yeh raha Daksh" He says and the rest of the group pops out of nowhere.

"Kya chahiye tum logo ko?"

"Humne socha hume bhi Veer bhaiya ke haatho ke parathe naseeb hojaye tohhh" Daksh says.

"Wo toh bas shek rahe hai" I say.

"Wahi badi baat hai bhabhi" Jhanvi says.

"Tum log yaha se jate ho ya peetoge mujhse" he says concentrating on the stove.

"Bhabhi bhook lagi hai" Sanjay whispers in my ears, knowing he wouldn't be beaten if he is near me.

"Jab bol rahi thi raat ko tab kyu nahi khaya?"

"Maan jao na bhabhi."

"Dhoor hatt!" My husband shouts and Sanjay straightens himself.

"Meri bhook bhaag gyi aur bohot zor se neend aagyi. Mein toh chala. Tum apna dekhlo" Sanjay says and runs away.

"Hume bhi bhook nahi lag rahi" Daksh says fake yawning.

"Haan mujhe bhi" Jhanvi says and runs away.

"Yeh log pata nahi kabhi bhi ajate hai" My husband grumbles.

"Apke hi bhai behan hai" I say defending them.

"Phir bhi-"

"Aap parathe sekhiye" I say cutting him off once again.

Once the Parathas are cooked, I eat them with pickles. I even offer my husband a bite which he eats happily.

"Ab Chale sone?"

"Ji" I nod happily.

We both go to our room and again lay down. He sleeps within 5 minutes but sleeping for me is a big task. I take naps and keep on waking up after sometime. Well some sleep is better than no sleep.