~September 23rd 2016~
Ishita laid back against the exam table, patiently waiting for Dr. Sharma. Ruhi , sitting in a chair in the corner of the room flipped through a magazine and Mihika paced anxiously back and forth across room. Ishita glanced over at Ruhi . "Baba , is everything all right?" she asked.
Ruhi looked up. "Yes." she replied.
"You've been awfully quiet since you came home from school." Ishita pointed out. "Are you sure?"
"Yes,Ishi Maa she smiled and then went back to her magazine article.
Mihika continued to pace back and fourth. "I don't know how you can stand all this waiting."
Ishita shrugged. "It's not so bad."
"I would be going crazy." she told her. "I am going crazy."
As Mihika walked past her for the hundredth time Ishita grabbed her arm. "Mihika , I love you, but you're making me seasick."
"I'm sorry."she apologized. "I just feel nervous for some reason."
The door opened and Dr. Sharma came inside. "Good afternoon ladies. I'm sorry to keep you waiting."
"That's alright." Ishita told her.
"How have you been feeling?" Dr.Sharma asked her.
"Wonderful." Ishita replied.
Not many expecting mothers say that." she smiled. "Are you ready for the sonogram?"
"Yes." Ruhi and Mihika answered in unison.
Dr.Sharma smiled. "Then we'll get started." she told them. "You know the drill Ishita , lift up your blouse" she instructed.
"This may be a little cold."
Mihika and Ruhi both moved to Ishita 's free side as Dr.Sharms began the sonogram. Dr.Sharma took her time doing the ultrasound, pointing out various things and answering Ishita 's questions as well as Ruhi and Mihika's.
"Ishita , I know that you are nervous every time, because despite everything it is a risk pregnancy. But everything is fine with the baby. It grows and has a healthy heartbeat"
Then they heard the heartbeat of the baby and Ishita got tears in her eyes...
~Returning Home~
After dinner with Mihika ,Ishita and Ruhi returned home. Ishita took the Baby Book and Sonogram out of her purse .. She walked into the living room retrieved the book and Sonogram with every intention of doing it right away but, instead she laid them down on the table and headed for the kitchen remembering that there was cheesecake left from the night before.
Ishita sat at the table enjoying her snack when Ruhi came bouncing down the stair. "IshiMaa ?"
"Yes?" she answered as she poured chutney sauce over the remaining cheesecake.
Ruhi went completely quiet as she watched her mother eat what had to be the weirdest, most disgusting pregnancy craving ever.
"Did you want to talk?" she asked taking a bite of her cheesecake.
"How can you eat that?" Ruhi asked in awe. "It's making me nauseous."
"Isn't that suppose to be my line?" Ishita laughed.
Ruhi laughed. "I suppose so." she said taking a seat beside her.
"Are you ready to talk yet?" she asked. "I know something's wrong."
"Why is Papa not back yet?" she asked. "Do you think something's wrong? That maybe..."
"No." Ishita interjected. "You're father's fine." she said as she placed her fork down. "He'll be home soon." she
assured her daughter as she pulled her into her arms.
Ruhi rested her head on Ishita 's shoulder.
Ishita gently stroked Ruhi 's hair.
"I just want him to come home."
She placed a kiss on the top of Ruhi 's head. "So do I." she told her. "But for right now we'll just have to make do with each
other."
"And the baby." Ruhi added.
"Who's kicking like crazy." she said as she moved her hand down over her abdomen. "I think she likes hearing about her Papa."
Ruhi moved her hand down Ishita 's stomach. "His kicks are getting stronger and stronger."
"You should feel it from in here." she laughed. "Scratch that. I don't want you to get any idea's."
"I'm not." she assured her.
"Have you finished your homework?"
"Not yet." Ruhi answered.
"You should probably go do that." Ishita suggested.
Ruhi groaned. "Oh, okay."
As Ruhi headed for the livingroom to start on her homework, Ishita headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Ruhi sat down at the table and pulled her English book from her backpack. As she began flipping through the pages the doorbell rung. "I'll get it." she called out as she ran to the door.
She unlocked the door and pulled it open slowly. "Papa !" she said jumping up into his arms. "I've missed you so much!"
Raman hugged her tightly. "I've missed you too." he told her. "How are you?"
"Great." she replied. "Even better now that you're back. Please tell me you're going to stay this time."
"I am."
"IshiMaa ." she said suddenly. "I have to go get IshiMaa "
"Alright." Raman laughed as he watched Ruhi run up the stairs. He shut the front door and made his way over to the sofa where he sat down. The book on the table caught his eye as he lifted it up off the table something fell to the floor. He laid the book back down and picked up what fell. Raman squinted, trying to figure out what he was looking at. All he could make out was a some sort of funny shape. His eyes traveled up to the small writing on the top: Ishita Bhalla .
Raman quickly scanned over the picture again and then it hit him. He was looking at a sonogram picture. Ishita ? Pregnant? No! Impossible! His heart started racing. He looked down at the picture again, taking in the image before him. Everything was spinning. When he lifted his head he saw Ishita standing on the stairs. "Ishita " he said softly as his eyes traveled over her. "You're pregnant."
tbc...
Hello my dear readers. I hope you like my story. I will try to post several parts next weekend.
Have a nice Sunday
Suhani
