TARA (ON HOLD)

Chapter 19

I HAVE RAMBLED A BIT AT THE END, PLEASE BARE WITH ME. ANYWAY,

HAPPY READING...

Entering the doctor's room had always been a nightmare for Manik. He could never understand the logic of hurting yourself with a needle when there were pills available.

And watching his own child getting hurt due to those god awful needles was definately going to be an ordeal.

So when Nandini and him entered the room with Tara carefully placed in his arms, the doctor gave them a polite smile and asked them to get seated.

After looking at Tara's vitals and checking a few more things, Dr. Desai finally spoke, "Well Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra, little Tara seems to be in a perfectly healthy state." Manik heart leaped at those words, thinking she wouldn't have to get that injection now.

However his bubble was soon broken after hearing the doctor's next words. "But there is just this one vaccination that we need to give her, according to her age right now." Nandini nodded at her. "Alright doctor whatever you say."

Manik looked at her as if she had said yes to marrying another guy. Tara still lay in his arms looking around the various toys kept in the pediatrist's room.

"Alright then, just lay her here on this table, I'll ask the nurse to get the injection." Saying, the doctor went out of the room.

"Nandini are you sure? You really wanna do this?" Manik was tensed.

"Manik, I know you are scared. Trust me I am too! But we don't have a choice na..." Nandini somehow understood his unease at that moment. It was as it is painful for any parent to see their kid cry in pain. And it was way too intense for this pair

"Okay then, but you take her, I just... I can't." Manik said as he handed Tara over to Nandini and stood himself in a corner.

The doctor came back as Nandini tried to lay Tara down on the table. But Tara was over excited by the toys around her and tried to reach for one instead of lying down.

"Oh so little baby wants her toys huh?" The doctor smiled while wearing her gloves.

Nandini meanwhile, tried to calm her down. "Hey hey ok princess look at mumma. Just... ok just lie down... yesss. Okay..." but all of her attempts were futile.

Manik was happy because his daughter was as impassive as him for getting vaccinated.

"Oh don't worry Mrs. Malhotra. Here, baby girl you can have this." She said as she handed a cute heart shaped fluff to Tara.

Tara grabbed it in her petite hands and began happily pressing at it. The doctor carefully rubbed some rubbing alcohol on a small part of her thigh with the help of a cotton ball. Manik was so close to biting of his fingers in worry. Nandini too gravely anticipated the shrill cries of her baby girl.

But that never happened. The doctor delicately injected her. Tara just twisted her face in acute pain but soon came back to normal. The doctor just laughed loudly and Manik and Nandini gaped at Tara.

"What? Is it done already? Did you even inject her?" Manik was shocked as he rushed to Nandini's side.

"Oh yes Mr. Malhotra. I did. But she is a really brave girl isn't she?" The doctor replied. Nandini laughed too and felt proud of her daughter in an uncerain way.

Manik turned to Tara and scooped her up in his arms, "Brave and also wierd aren't you my little warrior!" He kissed her all over the face. His sulky mood vanished. Tara still painfree, just giggled at him, trying to show him, her new toy.