In seven days, Abhinav had visited her for at least five days and once showed up with Minal as well. Anaisha had now semi-settled in her new home and was enjoying her single and private lifestyle. But she was surprised to find Minal at her doorsteps on one Sunday night. And surprisingly Abhinav wasn't with her or at home.

"I get these weird dreams. It kind of scares me. Don't worry, in pregnancy it happens." Minal talked as Anaisha got her small suitcase inside the apartment.

"And Abhinav? What work does he have on a Sunday?"

Minal sighed, sitting on the grey sofa and fanned her face with her pink bandhani crepe dupatta, - "I called in the office, his mobile was unreachable. Someone picked up saying he and his assistant are off to Lonavala for some property seeing." She held her forehead, shaking her head. Anaisha frowned as she poured ice-cold water into a tall glass. She just hummed in response and walked towards her sister-in-law, Minal thanked her. She took a sipped and sighed, throwing her head back. Anaisha smiled.

Later in the night, Minal refused to let Anaisha order food online and encouraged her to cook,

- "But I can only boil water. That too in a kettle." Anaisha shrugged and Minal burst out laughing.

"See, I am a doctor. Super busy college life and work, obviously. But I can cook for a party." She boasted and Anaisha clapped gently, raising her eyebrows. Minal asked her to sit back as she prepared dinner, Palak Paneer and Naan. Anaisha offered help and she responded,

- "You just boil water. I will take care of this." She winked with a playful smile on her face.

Anaisha chuckled and didn't disturb her. Instead, she decided to browse online web series or something. But a nagging feeling kept pestering her. What was up with Abhinav? Couldn't he have sent someone else? He had so many employees. Since when work became more important to him than his eight-month pregnant wife? On top of that, Minal was a sweet woman. And she loves him.

After dinner, the two-woman walked in the ground of the locality. Anaisha noticed Minal continuously caressing her baby bump and with a starry look in her eyes, she talked about her plans. Anaisha was touched by the excitement she had for the baby.

"Aren't you scared? Nervous?"

Minal frowned, - "Why should I? It's a natural process. Besides, I have delivered so many babies, I know how it is done. Still, I am a little nervous because it will be the first time, I will deliver a baby of my own. It makes a huge difference."

Anaisha nodded. She didn't admit it, but she was shit-scared of getting pregnant. Not only the bloated tummy and heavy leaking breasts will spoil her figure, but the scariest part was popping a baby. Ouch! Unless she opts for C- section, which will leave a scar. Thankfully, with new technology, it won't be ugly and huge, right in the center.

"Anaisha?" Minal's voice distracted her. She cringed coming out of her chain of thoughts.

Soon, they retired to their home. It was good that Anaisha had a queen-sized bed and so the two women could sleep together. Minal warned her that she might wake her up and to be prepared and not panic. Anaisha assured her that she will take care of everything.

In the later hours of the night, Anaisha was jolted from her sleep by painful groans and heavy breathing. She propped on her elbow and pulled the string of her nightlamp.

"Min—" She turned and was shocked to see a red-faced Minal holding her belly and gasping for breath.

"Call the ambulance, Anaisha. My water broke." She panted, stuttering. Anaisha's heart dropped, and her brain numbed.

"What? It is eight months, how come." Anaisha frantically searched for her phone. She yelped as Minal grabbed her hand, sinking her fingernails into her skin. She had heard weird tales of women acquiring superpowers during labor. They were turning out to be true.

"Pre—mature. Ta—take my—pho—and dial Dr. Ashna Gupta. It's on speed dial."

Hasan had just finished his special night prayer, Tahajjud, and sat down to look through his Ph.D. thesis before planning to go to sleep. A lot of commotion and panic-stricken voices from the corridor got his attention. He properly buttoned his Kurtha and hurried towards the main door.

To his shock, he looked frightened Anaisha with two men carrying a pregnant woman on a stretcher. She was writhing in pain and groaning. There were no other apartments on the floor. Hasan looked at disheveled Anaisha. She kept desperately calling someone on the phone and occasionally running her hand through her messed-up piggy tail braids.

"Anaisha. What is happening?" Hasan hurried to her. She looked at him, feeling a little relieved upon seeing someone familiar. She held the sleeve of his Kurtha and spoke in a hurried, hoarse voice,

- "My sister-in-law is having a baby." She gulped. Hasan nodded rapidly and asked her to relax.

"Shall I come with you?" He asked and she instantly agreed. Having a known face might keep her calm. It was for the first time she was experiencing this. Hasan asked her to go with the men while he locked up and then will join her.

The two compounders got Minal into the ambulance. Since she was a VVIP patient at her own hospital and under the supervision of the head of the gynecologist department, the ambulance had come within ten minutes. Anaisha shivered and felt as if she was about to birth a child. Minal sweated and her face had turned brick red. After Anaisha climbed inside, the compounder was about to close the door, but she insisted they wait five more minutes. They nodded and said only five minutes.

Within two minutes, Hasan came jogging towards the ambulance. Anaisha shifted as he sat beside her. He wanted to sit in front but seeing the seriousness of the situation he doesn't say a word. In the heat of the moment, he had suggested he accompanied her to the hospital but now, he felt awkward as Minal might not be comfortable around him. But maybe she wasn't in her senses to think anything apart from the agonizing pain.

A nurse attended to Minal while she kept withering in pain. Anaisha was disoriented, it all started all sudden. And a slow rage began building up in her for her brother. Abhinav's phone was continuously unreachable. There was no reply to the millions of messages that she had to send him. If he gets her message now then he could come from Lonavala within one hour, approx.

She cursed under her breath but was a little relieved because of Hasan's presence. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He kept sitting awkwardly and stared out. At times, he would flinch but not look at anyone. He was kinda useless, but his presence was comforting, nevertheless.

They climbed down the ambulance. The compounders wheeled the stretcher towards the entrance of the hospital. Anaisha and Hasan followed them closely. Her phone rang and she jumped up. To her dismay, it was a spam call. She hissed inaudibly. Hasan doesn't interrupt her.

A female doctor stood at the glass door above which a banner read gynecology department. As they approached her, she pushed the door letting them in. Minal was wheeled into the special room. Hasan and Anaisha were stopped at the door. Dr. Ashna was outwardly calm. She must have dealt with many such cases. She asked both to relax as she will check on Minal.

Once the doctor walked inside the room, the chaos subsided. Anaisha held her forehead and let out a breath. A moment later, she heard Hasan and turned her head to him. He forwarded her a transparent plastic cup of water and had another in the other hand. She thanked him and gulped down the water, spilling some over her indigo sleeveless short Kurthi.

"I wish this were booze. It would have calmed me." She sighed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Hasan tittered, - "But it wouldn't have quenched your thirst."

Anaisha looked at him, while he seemed as though he had spoken something revealing or witty. But for her, for a crazy moment, a double-meaning popped into her mind. She closed her eyes and shook her head, taking in a deep breath.

"Thanks."

"No Problem." He responded coolly and took a sip of water. Anaisha didn't know if he was pretending to be cool while panicking from inside or had he relaxed. Hasan ran his finger through his mid-length hair and tugged it behind his ear.

Dr. Ashna came out along with Minal on a stretcher and both Anaisha and Hasan were alerted. She requested them to remain calm, - "The baby's head is low but not low enough. Pain is too much so we are going for C-section."

In urgency, Anaisha couldn't ask about the paperwork even though she had planned to. Both followed the doctor and the patient but were stopped at the door of the labor room by a nurse in a pink uniform. She then wrote down Minal's name on the medium-sized blackboard next to the door. Besides the name, there was a column that had the two genders as the title. Other than, Minal there was no other name. After the nurse disappeared into the room, Anaisha took a step back. Once again, she tried Abhinav's number and was disappointed.

"Maybe the one you are trying to call is sleeping. Don't you have anyone else?" Hasan asked looking at her with concern.

Anaisha bit her lip, she didn't have her family member's personal number, but she didn't want Hasan to know that. Luckily, she recollected having their landline number. Some servant was bound to pick up.

The phone rang for a long time and Anaisha was about to disconnect when someone picked up. She felt relief rush all over her body. But the voice was stern, and the relief washed away. It was Anahita Devi who had picked up the phone. Why was she awake so early morning? It was a mystery?

"Um, Minal is hospitalized. The baby is coming soon." Anaisha blurted.

"What? What kind of joke is this?" She spoke instantly and slammed the phone. Anaisha slapped her forehead and then got into checking her contact for some miracle. And there was nothing.

"Don't worry, it's almost four in the morning. This was very unexpected. Anyways, I am here with you." Hasan motivated her. Anaisha knew he was of no use, but his moral support was better than being alone.

Hasan and Anaisha stood looking at each other, just then they were interrupted by the nurse.

"Congratulation. It is a girl." She informed. She carried a baby wrapped in a pink towel. Anaisha had tears in her eyes. Tears of relief and happiness. She forwarded her arms and grabbed the baby from the nurse. The wailing child stopped crying and cooed in her embrace. Anaisha awed, pulling down the towel a little from her face. Hasan looked from behind her and smiled.

"She is beautiful." He confessed.

Anaisha smiled, caressing the baby's rosy cheek with her fingertip, - "She is exactly like Bhai." Quickly, she blinked back her tears as the nurse asked for the baby. Her smile dropped, handing back the baby.

"She is premature, we need to keep her in an incubator for some days. Don't worry, otherwise, she is healthy." The nurse said politely. Anaisha sighed. Hasan wanted to comfort her by holding her shoulder but resisted.

"How is the mother?" Anaisha asked. The nurse assured her that she was fine too and will be soon transferred to ICU where she will be observed for the next 12 hours. Anaisha nodded and took a step back. She threw a kiss at the baby as the nurse carried her away. Then, her gaze fell on the blackboard and noticed that the girl column was ticked.

"Congratulations, Anaisha." Hasan grinned at her.

Anaisha bit her smile, - "Thanks." She opened her arms for a hug, but he took a step back.

"No offense, but no to—touching." He gave her a helpless look.

"Um, okay. Sorry." Anaisha was obviously offended. It wasn't like she was dying to hug him or anything. It was just a gesture.

Hasan checked the time on his phone and looked at her, - "Do you want snacks? There is a wending machine. Shall I get something for you?" He pointed at the corner of the corridor. Anaisha shook her head,

- "I don't have money."

"I have brought my wallet with me." Hasan insisted. She opened her mouth to counter that when the labor room's door opened and Dr. Ashna emerged and behind her, there was Minal on a stretcher. Anaisha rushed to Minal and hugged her sister-in-law. Minal's had IV drip pricked to the back of her palm and she looked exhausted, yet a serene look was on her face.

"Congratulations."- Anaisha kissed her forehead, - "How does it feel?" She gushed.

Minal smiled wearily, - "My lower body feels lifeless." She joked and giggled in a cracked voice.

Anaisha smiled, lovingly caressing her head. After that Minal was wheeled towards the special ward. She exhaled deeply and held her forehead. Like that she walked towards the steel bench and sat down, leaning her back against the cold surface.

Okay, Abhinav aisa bhi kya? Seriously, what is he up to? Anyway, congratulations Minal, Anaisha, and Hasan ;)

How was the Chapter, my lovelies? Drop your thoughts in the comments, please, and Stay Tuned for the next update *lots of love* *hugs and kisses*