Nandini was in deep sleep, but suddenly her eyes flew open and her facial expressions were restless, as if she has seen a bad dream. For a few second, she tried to absorb the surrounding, and making herself believe that the dream was not real.she checked her  phone, it said 5:30 A.M. She took deep breaths and sat up on the bed. Inspite of the AC, she still was sweating profusely. Taking the guarder from the side table, she tied her hair in a bun. Then she saw the otherside of bed. Manik was sleeping peacefully. She looked at him for a long moment, before getting out of bed. She freshened up and put on a comfortable dress. She looked at her belly and caressed it. Then she turned back, and after writing a note for manik and keeping it under his phone, left from there.
.......

45 minutes later, she was standing outside her ex-home, murthy villa. She rang the bell and abhimanyu opened the door. He was in his track suit, probably he had just returned from his morning walk. He looked surprised at her and concerned too.

“nandini tum yaha? Itni subah? Sab theek hai?”

Hearing nandini’s name, her parents came running.

“bhai sab theek hai...don’t worry” she replied and smiled comfortingly.

They relaxed visibly and then hugged her and welcomed her in. They expressed their surprise, and worry and nandini made excuse that she was just missing them, so she came early morning as later she won’t get time. They chatted happily, reliving old moments. Soon sheetal got up to go and bring snacks, nandini followed her to the kitchen, while the men got busy in reading the newspaper.

As sheetal was making juice, she observed nandini’s restlessness, so she asked “beta...tum kuch baat karna chahti ho??”

Nandini looked at her with a helpless face and took her hand, stopping her from doing any work.

“maa..”

“ha beta...bolo”

“jab apko pta chala tha ki aap pregnant ho toh apko kesa feel hua tha??”

Nandini’s question ignited queries in sheetal’s mind, but seeing her daughter’s mood, she knew even if she (nandini) is pregnant, she is confused about it. So sheetal thought of making her understand the importance of motherhood in the best possible way.

“beta...hamare jamane mein...shaadi k baad log sabse jyada wait maa banne k khabar ka karte the...tumhri amms (daadi) toh mujhse har dusre month puchti thi ki...koi khush khabri hai?

Hamari shadi ko 1 year ho gya tha...but mai tab tak conceive ni kar pai thi...inspite of trying. Logo ki baatein sun kar mujhe asa feel hone laga tha ki since i am not able to conceive, i am incomplete as a woman. Tumhari amms ne mujhe ek dawa laakar di thi...usko pine k 3 months ke andar mujhe ye good news mila and at that moment, i was feeling the most lucky, most blessed person on the earth. I had a sense of completeness, satisfaction, security.

And 9 months baad jab tumhra bhai, ABHI ko maine pehli baar apne god mein uthaya, toh wo feeling inexplicable thi. I had got a promotion from being a wife to becoming a mother. And suddenly all that pain, problems , complications of 9 months was replaced by happiness and only true happiness. Abhi brought a new lease of life to mine and your appa’s  relation and after this our relation has only got stronger  aur fir tum aai toh jse hamari family complete ho gyi...aur aaj bhi jab hum (sheetal and alok) tum dono bachcho ko dekhte hain toh we feel proud ki you two are our child, hamare ansh”

Nandini listened carefully throughout and saw the changing emotions of her mother. How proud and happy she feels as a mother. It was because she had decided to keep her unborn baby, that abhi and she were standing here.

“maa...thank you...you know you are the best and i love you!!” nandini exclaimed and before sheetal could ask anything, nandini was running out of the door.

“nandini, ruko...arrey suno toh!”

“maa...main baad mein apse araam se baat karungi...now i got to hurry...bye..muaah!”

Sheetal sighed and the men looked at the duo confused. Sheetal sat down to explain them the situation. As nandini was getting in her car, manik parked his car right behind hers. He came out quickly and nandini too, moved towards him excitedly and took him in a hug.

Manik had been worried when he didn’t find her on the bed. As he had picked his phone to see the time, he found a stick note. It read :-

Mr. Hubby
When you wake up, please don’t panic. Your ‘jaan’ is absolutely fine.
Mujhe naa bas amma se milne ka mann ho gya toh main unhi k paas jaa rahi hun.
Main jaldi wapas ajaungi.
Office v toh jana hai!
Ok? Till then you freshen up.
I love you.
Your one and only,
Wifey.

After reading the note , he had relaxed a bit, but then he also wanted to see her as soon as possible. So, he freshened quickly and grabbing his purse, phone and car keys rushed out.

After she pulled away from the hug, he saw her smiling face for the first time after last night and he felt extremely happy.

He pecked her forehead. “tum thk ho?” he asked.

She bobbed her head.

“ok then chalo jab main yaha tak agya hun toh amma appa abhi se mil leta hun” he said and started moving.

Nandini stopped him.

“manik..unse baad mein mil lena...abhi mere sath chalo”

“kaha??”

“gynaecologist se milne”

“tumne decision le liya??” manik asked and his heart was thumping loud in anticipation of her answer.

“hmmm” she said softly and moved to sit on the passenger seat. He too quickly sat on the driver’s side and pulled back from the drive way on to the main road.

“toh kya decision hai tumhra?” he asked trying not to be too anxious.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned on her seat to face him.

“park the car on the side , manik”
He did as she said. Then she took his palm in her.

“aaj subah main ek dream dekha. Tumhe pata hai uss dream mein tum ek cute baby k sath khel rahe the. The dream was so adorable. And then all of a sudden the baby started calling mamma, mamma and started crying. And i woke up with a jerk. The dream forced me to think manik and i wanted to talk to some one, and the first name that came in my mind was of amma, so i came to meet her and talking to her really helped me in arriving at my decision”

Manik was waiting with bated breath , now, to hear her decision. He was sure that he is gonna hear in positive, now, but he waited for her to say it herself.

“manik...i want to become a mother. Kuch log kosis kar ke bhi maa ni ban pate aur mujhe khud god ne ye opportunity di h toh how can i let it go? Career  toh fir ban jaega, par kya pata main fir maa na ban pau. Job karna toh mere control mein hai...but maa banna ni...so i want our first child , symbol of our love, to come in this world” she was speaking with a smile and her eyes reflected her happiness.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and hugged her tightly. “i am glad that you took this decision!”

“all thanks to you...agar tumne support ni kiya hota toh main ye faisla sayad ni leti...i was so messed up last night...i would have taken a wrong decision in hurry....but you forced me to think...thank you!!” she said smiling and then kissed his cheek.

“wese main soch raha tha...now you are pregnant toh 9 months tak pyaar mohabbat pe ban ??” he asked mischievously.

She acted thoughtful and then said “hmmm...aap ye 9 months ka drought kaise jhelenge Mr. Hubby??”

“kisses ki halki drizzle hogi na time to time...i will survive on them...all the time hoping for a good rainfall after 9 months, wifey!” he said and winked.

And they both broke into fits of laughter.

“ok...now chalo...lets get it confirmed fir we will tell the families” nandini said and they drove off.
_____________________________________
Credits to the writer-- Manini Mehra