Afloat [Complete]

Chapter 5

*Flashbacks are in Bold

Ahmer held her hand tightly in his as they stood in front of Doctor Riffat's cabin. It was the very first time Waniya was going to have a thorough check up along with her very first sonogram. She was both terrified and scared. What if there were complications? Seeing her health and the mental trauma she had faced since the very beginning of her pregnancy, she was sure there weren't any good news waiting for them. And it was making her heart sink. Her baby was the only thing which provided her with the strength to fight it all. The mere thought of something happening to it was making her weak and buckle on her knees. Ahmer guessed her discomfort and pulled her close to him. She didn't try to pull away. Holding her hand he knocked at the door and after getting the cue entered inside.

"Good morning Mr and Mrs Ahmer."

Doctor Riffat flashed them her kind smile. Both of them greeted her back and took the seats in front of her.

"I was waiting for you. Since Waniya haven't had a complete check up it's necessary for us to run the entire tests to know the actual condition of the fetus. You ready, Waniya?"

Waniya looked at her face and nodded nervously.

"Then come with me."

She took her along into another small room attached with her hospital cabin. Ahmer sat there lost in his thoughts. He was praying for everything to be all right. After everything he and Waniya went through, this baby was the happiness they both deserved. The baby was the thread binding them together when the whole world was against their union. He couldn't lose Waniya or the baby. They both were his family.

It took some time for the doctor to run blood and other necessary tests and when she came back Waniya's face was telling him she was exhausted already.

"I'll send you guys the report by evening. All the tests have been done."

She took her seat in front of them.

"Things look pretty fine as of now. Because of all the tension Waniya has faced last few weeks there is surely some complications but we can work on her health. Nothing's that serious."

Ahmer heaved a deep sigh of relief. He glanced at Waniya to find her frowning at the doctor. Over thinker little thing. She was definitely thinking about the complications instead of the fact that nothing was serious.

"Now it's time for you guys to meet your baby for the first time."

She took hold of Waniya's hand and made her lay down on the comfy seat next to her. Rolling her shirt over, she revealed her slightly puffy stomach and applied a jell substance over it. All the while Ahmer was standing close to her holding her hand in his tightly. He was as eager and scared both at the same time. Eager to see the tiny life growing inside of his wife and scared to think what if things were not as good as he was hoping them to be?

The doctor placed a small knob like instrument over Waniya's belly and started moving it. Her eyes were focused on the monitor in front of her. A smile reached her face when she pointed towards the small bob and turned to them.

"That's your baby."

Waniya could feel her heart had stopped beating. Her whole focus was on the tiny thing which was her baby. Unconsciously she had gripped Ahmer's hand tightly and looked at him. His eyes were focused on the monitor only. A small smile etched on his face as if he was going to explode with happiness. She turned back towards the screen when her eyes started welling up. This was the life she was fighting for so hard. This was the life which kept her going no matter whatever happened. This was the life for which she sacrificed her self-respect and accepted Ahmer back in her life. It was an irony both the people she loved more than anything in her life were connected. Ahmer and her baby. There was a time when this man was the center of her universe and now that position was taken by his baby only. She came back to her senses feeling warm fingers wiping her tears. She looked up and found familiar warm eyes. The doctor was gone giving them some privacy to share this life changing experience with each other.