Heir Of Darkness

The Happy Ending

And the time had arrived. My baby was all set to make its entry into this gory and selfish world and I could only hope through all the pain that the child would experience less pain than I had.

The first person who came to my mind when the water broke was Arnav, not my mother, and he was beside me before I could begin counting how many moments were up. He had resorted to stay at my place till I deliver to lessen his worries about me.

He looked like a man possessed as he drove me across to the hospital and I could not help but appreciate his affection towards me through the excruciating pain of labor. He drove faster than I had ever seen him driving and made sure that I reached the hospital faster than I would if I had taken an ambulance.

The feeling of his arms around me as he picked me up to transfer to the stretcher was like the bestower of hope which was the need of the moment. I had read about women dying in their labor and although I had intended to give up on my life previously, I could not help but want to make it through the parturition to be able to look at my young one growing up, to be a part of his life.

As they were rushing me into the maternity ward, I could see that they were about to close the doors on Arnav's face. Agony, fear and pain shrouded my heart and squeezed it in their tight grip. There was no way I could get through this without him by my side. I had specially requested him to be by my side when this auspicious moment arises.

"Who are you, Sir? We cannot let anyone inside the maternity ward without verifying the identity of the person," said an unknown voice. I felt like ripping that person apart just as I was feeling as my baby pushed itself down.

"I am Arnav Singh Raizada. I am the father," said Arnav's voice and unknown bliss washed over me. He had never mentioned what he would like to be called by my baby and today he had openly confessed to the relationship he wanted to share.

My adamant and innocent heart tried to hope, tried to build castles without a foundation once again. I had a will to mock at myself despite being surrounded by so many belonging to the medical profession looking at me in the most serious way. How docile could my heart be? Hoping to be loved like it loved. Although I could guarantee it of being safe from a heartbreak, expecting romance from Arnav was being insolent and ungrateful.

Arnav paced inside and held my hand in the most delicate of the grips. He uttered nothing but his eyes, his encouraging and assuring eyes, revealed what he was feeling and what he wanted: he wanted me to be strong and make it alive.

Hours passed away and the pain only intensified. Coupled with the wait of actually seeing my baby, it was becoming both physically and mentally intolerable for me to go with the labor any longer. I felt like giving up. I felt as if someone was cutting me apart from my uterus and while using a really rusted and blunt knife.

"The baby will be here anytime soon, Ms.Gupta. You need to push for the next 90 seconds. Push!" said the doctor as I tried to push as hard as could as Arnav caressed my hair lovingly.

Soon my screams filled in the room, my throat was going dry with all the screaming but I couldn't stop. It was not the first of the embarrassing moments which had taken place in the room. At a point of time, my body had lost complete control over my bowel movement and apparently I was not the first one. Despite everything, inspite of not being obligated

to stay beside me, Arnav chose to stay back, without a feeling of disgust but with a smile playing on his lips.

As the pain heightened and the doctor saw the head of the baby bulging out of my vagina, Arnav swooped down and placed a kiss on my forehead to whisper the most special words of my life which encouraged me to push further instead of giving up.

"I love you, Khushi. Will you marry me?"
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