Kabhi main, kabhi tum, kabhi yeh, kabhi voh

Part 25: Good News

A few days later, as the sun filtered through the curtains, Sharjeena woke up early feeling a slight discomfort in her body. She brushed it off, assuming it was another one of those false alarms she'd experienced in the last few days. She carried on with her morning routine, sipping tea and nibbling on breakfast at the table. Mustafa, as usual, greeted her with a warm smile and grabbed his own cup of tea. But something in her expression caught his attention.

"Tum theek ho?" Mustafa asked, his eyes narrowing slightly with concern.

"Haan," she said quickly, not wanting to worry him. The last time she'd experienced false contractions, Mustafa had canceled an important meeting and set the entire household into a frenzy, only for the doctor to confirm it was nothing to worry about. She didn't want to trouble him again.

But Mustafa wasn't one to let things slide so easily. He'd been obsessively researching and consulting with Dr. Nudrat over the past few weeks, learning the symptoms of labor inside and out. His intuition told him this time might be different.

"Pakka?" he pressed, tilting his head as he studied her face.

"Sach, Mustafa, kuch nahi hua," she insisted with a small smile, trying to downplay it.

Mustafa wasn't convinced. He picked up her breakfast plate, and gently guided her to the couch. "Yahaan baitho. Main tumhara pillow laata hoon," he said, already moving to place it behind her back. Once she was seated, he knelt down in front of her and gently took her hands.

"Bataao, kaisa lag raha hai," he said firmly but lovingly, his eyes full of concern.

Sharjeena sighed and admitted, "Bas thoda sa discomfort feel ho raha hai. Pichli baar jaisa hi hai, so I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

Mustafa's eyes darkened slightly with worry. He stood up immediately, walked to her mother's room, and knocked on the door. "Ammi," he called softly, "Aap ek baar ko Sharjeena ke saath baith jaayengi? Aapki zarurat hai shaayad."

He then dialed Dr. Nudrat's number. Explaining the symptoms calmly but thoroughly, he listened carefully as the doctor shared her instructions.

"Mustafa, it could still be early labor," Dr. Nudrat explained. "Keep monitoring her. If the contractions persist or intensify, bring her to the hospital. I'll head there now, just in case."

Mustafa hung up and returned to Sharjeena. After a while, when he was sure that this couldn't be a false alarm, he looked at both women with a determined expression. Sharjeena's mom had already started gathering their hospital bag, which had been packed for weeks in anticipation of this moment.

"Chalo," Mustafa said, his voice steady despite the growing tension in his chest. He bent down to help Sharjeena to her feet, guiding her gently but firmly to the door. Her mother followed close behind with the bag and essentials.

As Mustafa fastened Sharjeena's seatbelt in the car, he noticed the fear in her wide eyes. He crouched down, cupped her face gently, and said, "Sab theek hoga, Sharjeena. Main tumhaare saath hoon."

"Please mere paas hi rehna," she whispered, holding his hands tightly.

"Always," he reassured her, kissing her forehead.

He climbed into the driver's seat and started the car, his hands gripping the wheel firmly as he navigated the streets. Though his nerves were on edge, he stayed outwardly calm for her sake. Beside him, Sharjeena's mother made phone calls to notify the rest of the family.

As they reached the hospital, Mustafa glanced at her once more and said softly, "Hum hospital pohoch gaye, Sharjeena. Ghabraao nahi, aao mere saath."

A hospital boy helped Sharjeena on a wheelchair, and led her inside. Mustafa walked alongside, and held onto her hand like it was the last anchor in a storm, guiding her through the hospital corridors with a calmness that was utterly deceptive. His heart was pounding, his mind racing with every possibility, every fear, but he didn't let her see it. His only job was to be her rock. The tension in her face, the quiet gasps of pain, and the way her other hand clutched her belly were enough to send him into overdrive, but he kept whispering to her as they moved forward.