Rooh-e-Hayaat روح حياة

epilogue

" Rooh!" Shahveer gently shook his wife.

" Hmm?" Ibtihaaj replied in deep sleep.

" Rooh?" He tried again.

He had befallen an imminent crisis and needed immediate expert assistance.

" Kya hua?" She mumbled still under the effect of sleep.

" I fed him, burped him and changed him. He's still awake..." Shahveer looked on in trepidation at the crib where a happy baby lay gurgling.

" So?" Ibtihaaj couldn't understand the point of this conversation.

" So, what do I do? Do I just hangout with him?" Shahveer was confused about what happens next!

" You're so cute" Ibtihaaj kissed him lightly, gave him an indulgent smile and promptly went back to sleep!

" Rooh!" Shahveer whispered to her, scared of what he's supposed to do now!

" Damnit Rooh! We are in a National Emergency here" he deliberated on shaking her again but then decided against it.

His wife hardly gets any sleep with handling their baby all day long.

He can handle this on his own. Like how hard can it be, right? It's just a baby who needs company till he decides that sleep is better than his father!

This would be the first time that he will be handling his baby on his own. His wife always takes care of these Three Am Feeding Runs and he just assists her.

But now as per the doctor's suggestion, they're trying a new- the expressed breast milk method as the lack of sleep is taking a toll on Ibtihaaj's health. This way even Shahveer can feed the baby and today was his first day.

" Okay I can do this. Ye mera beta hai..." Shahveer gave himself a pep talk and peered down in the crib. The sight that greeted him melted all his fears away.

His little three months old son was looking at him with his crystal blue eyes shining with mischief, drool dripping out of the corner of his mouth and he has never looked more adorable to his Baba.

" Zaan" Shahveer cooed at his baby boy.

The baby made happy noises at having been picked up by his father and showed it by slapping a pudgy hand on his cheek. Shahveer winced a little.

His son packed a punch all right.

The painful expression on his father's face seemed hilarious to Meezaan and he took that as incentive to do it more. Shahveer was slapped a few more times before he held his baby close to his heart, stopping all his violent actions.

" Zaan, it's me Baba. I just met you remember? We had food and a new diaper and then..." Shahveer was stopped from ranting any further by another slap.

" Zaan baby, You Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You" Shahveer looked his son in the eyes and preached only to be hit by a wet fist.

" Zaan! Baba naaraaz ho jayege ab" Shahveer acted stern but it proved ineffective on the happy baby. Meezaan just babbled some incoherent words and slapped his father. Again!

" Bilkul apne Mama jaise ho tum. Baba ko pareshaan karna aata hai bas" Shahveer held the little body against his chest and swayed him around, whispering sweet nothings in his ears.

The baby loved being danced around at midnight and he squealed aloud in happiness.

" Ssshhh! You'll wake your Mama up sweetheart " he whispered in his son's ears and went out in the balcony.