"Om," Gauri whispered trying to wake her husband. She glanced at her two year old in the crib at a distance. The little one was fast asleep. "Om!" She murmured gently caressing her hand over his chest.
He finally moved partly opening his eyes. "What is it?" He asked.
"I can't sleep." Gauri mumbled sitting up straight. Even though she was tried the sleep just wouldn't come. He turned his face to stare at his wife. Her postnatal insomnia made her miserable. The doctor had said it was simply the result of feeling overwhelmed, tense, or anxious about the arrival of a new baby. She never really had trouble sleeping in the past, before their baby. Initially, it was just once a week thing, but now it had become more frequent.
She took great care to improve her condition. However, the battle seemed hard and left her vulnerable every night. Omkara sat up his sleep slowly fading. He felt helpless. "Do you want to take the pill?" He asked. Gauri tried not to get used to pills. But then there were days such as these she wouldn't be able to sleep until three in the night.
Omkara generally kept her sleeping pills in a secret place she didn't know about. It was so that she could naturally get back to sleeping on her own and not get too dependent on pills. But there were nights when she'd wake him up.
"No. I don't want to take them." She mumbled shifting closer him, resting her head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and let his fingers caress her hair. He placed a kiss on her temple. Luckily for her it was just onset insomnia, that is, she had difficulty falling asleep at the beginning of the night. But once she was asleep, she usually slept well for six to seven hours.
Her meditation and therapy helped. She was very disciplined when it came to maintaining her sleep diary. Omkara admired his wife's determination to overcome her insomnia. However, there were nights such as these when she'd wake him up. She didn't usually do it. She'd go out and read a book or do something or the other to fall asleep. There were mornings when he would find her asleep on the sofa or the carpet of the living hall. It didn't matter to him, as long as she got her sleep.
But, the nights she woke him up meant she was struggling. Struggling against her resolve. The therapist she was seeing had warned Omkara to not let Gauri get depressed over not being able to fight her sleeplessness. That's when Omkara took a promise from Gauri. To immediately find him if she felt her mood dip below the threshold, when she felt helpless.
He held her close. Periodically placing kisses on her forehead. He sort of felt guilty for her condition. Generally, she was the one who kept awake through the nights when their little boy would demand attention. If only he had participated equally maybe, she wouldn't have developed this insomnia.
"Om, you sleep now," she finally sighed moving her head away from his shoulder.
He looked at her. "Let's have sex." He suggested tucking her hair behind her ear.
She looked up at him bewildered with her eyes widened a wee bit. Lately, they barely had intimate moments like that. The coming of the baby had changed a lot.
"It might help you sleep." He spoke softly kissing her cheek.
"You don't have to do this for me, Omkara. Sleep, I will read myself to sleep." Gauri spoke placing a kiss on her husband's cheek while giving his hand a slight squeeze.
"Let's try it, Gauri. You always sleep well after we do it." He urged.
Gauri stared at him as he tilted his head claiming her lips. Oh, how she loved his closeness. She giggled when he struggled with her tshirt. He stared at her smiling, covering her mouth with his hand. "Shh, you don't want to wake him up too." He said glancing at their baby's crib.
She raked her fingers through his hair laying against the mattress with him over her. "I love you.."
"I know Mrs. Oberoi. How about you participate a little in what I am trying to get done." He smiled.
Gauri smirked pushing him off her. She rolled on top of him. Straddling him, she peeled her night tshirt off her revealing her naked body.
"Damn." Omkara muttered laying back enjoying the show.
She began rocking her hips to and fro dry humping over him. He stared at her lady lumps swaying. He finally decided to take those things into his hand. He quickly switched their positions kissing her everywhere.
Minutes later, they were slowly making love. It wasn't rushed or intense. It was soft and tender. His rhythm was like a lullaby. Initially, she was rocking her hips to match his moves. However, exhaustion fell and she simply let him do what he was. Omkara leaned whispering in her ears, "close your eyes." She did. He kissed her forehead and slowly slipped out of her. Pulling the comforter over her he smiled admiring her peaceful face.
Sleep was away for him. He got out of bed to help calm his unsatisfied lust. A little while later he slipped inside the comforter looking at her. He moved his hand to place it over her waist but then pulled back deciding against it. He didn't want yo wake her up. A sense of contentment calmed his heart as he saw his wife sleep peacefully.
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