Word Count - 2440

Read Patiently...

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With Rudra standing on top of a chair, he took a rectangular box. Getting down, he opened it to see short albums which they had prepared. It not only contained their pictures but it also contained their dreams and their not-so- artistic  doodles.

Adjusting his rimmed spectacles, he turned the pages and saw Maya holding her bump. He couldn't help but smile and caress that photo. Averting his gaze to the baby who was sleeping on the bed, he felt blessed.

It was one month since she had gone to Dubai for her job and her conferences..

She was unsure of going leaving the baby alone and had shed a lot of concerns but with his words and assurance, she had gone. It was since then he had started being with the baby more often as he was also busy before Maya had gone.

One month proved to be a good bonding time between the father and the daughter who had literally turned into her daddy's girl. She cooed, played and even cried for her mother but he made sure that his little princess would never feel uncomfortable.

These few years were literally a blessing even when they had  a lot of ups and downs. He saw different photos of each other and combined photos.

It made him smile like a proud father and husband. He was lost in observing the photos but it was broken as the baby cried making him rush to her side. It was a small baby maybe more than half a year old..

Cradling her and mumbling small cute things, he made her sleep and adjusted the temperature of the A.C. Walking around the room with her, he made sure she was basking in his warmth.

...

As she scratched her head, the whole geography was displayed before her LED screen. Inspecting different sides and positions, she checked for numerous geographical dimensions  before she said," Jeorge.."

"Jeorge, the Cumulonimbus clouds are heading towards Dubai. They are known to cause rains and we also know about the Nimbostratus which is coming from north.  They can collide anytime and cause huge thunderstorms and rain."

She explained as she pointed towards the screen and showed the different characteristics of clouds. Yes! She was a meteorologist.

"Jeorge, please do refer the shapes and characteristics before you conclude your observations. And yes! Alert the police stations and publicize it through the news channels. Quick! We just have 12 hours left.."

She ordered and corrected the statements in the file while the man who was pretty fair in his skin tone asked," What if it changes Maya?"

"Jeorge, just look at them. It may pass but these clouds are the symbol of warnings. They mostly cause us trouble in Mumbai.."

As she opened the weather forecaster, she rolled her mouse down to show him the page and said," It has rained almost 14 times on his day for the past 30 years. So we can't take chances even if it's just half of the probability."

As she closed the sites and extra pages, she said," There is no harm in people getting alerted."

"Can't you leave after this is over?! The tickets are open and free right? " Another person asked while she removed her spectacles and said,

"Mark, it's not about the tickets. I have been away from my kid for 1 month and she hasn't even turned one year old. I need to be with her as a mother. She needs care and I wouldn't have come if it wasn't for my husband who told me that he could manage for one month. It's not good to make him wait more.. "

Maya said as she packed her laptop into a bag, took her pen, pencil and cleared her table. 

"Neha, just keep a watch on the clouds!" She bit her lower lips and checked her smart watch. She continued, "Let me know if there is anything else before 5!"

As Maya walked out, she entered her cab which was waiting for her from the past one hour. As she unlocked her phone, she saw a collage of Rudra with their baby.

It also included a picture where she was standing with a bump. She still clearly remembers how she had told this to her.

*Flashback Begins*

It was the  time between the night fall and a few hours for the next sunrise when Rudra was sleeping peacefully on their bed. Rudra slept beside her on his stomach with his hand wrapped around her bare waist.

They had made love all over again and she couldn't help but feel heavenly. But the uneasiness which ran throughout her body wasn't helping her to bask fully in his post-love making warmth.

As she wore the shirt which previously belonged to him, she inspected the calendar to notice that she had missed her menstruation for 2 months in a row.

For one instance, she held an expression of fear. She was unsure of being pregnant because she was one of the women who had problems not having regular periods. But as she took the courage to open her work bag, she took her phone.

Searching for pregnancy symptoms on different sites, she took a test and entered her symptoms in the form of questions and answers.

As she waited for a few minutes, she received her result which showed the probability of becoming a mother through the options she had ticked.

The shock was inevitably visible on her face when she saw the 90% chances on her mobile screen. Closing her mouth with her palm, she felt some memories rushing unto her.

Controlling her staggered breath within a few seconds, she calmed herself before she closed the lights of the bathroom and wiped her tears.

Settling beside him, she felt his hand creeping to her abdomen. She smiled before vanishing into her thoughts. After a few minutes, he pulled her closer tightly which alerted her. She gasped at that and before she knew Rudra was rubbing his nose along the length of her neck. Moaning as his acts grew wild, she screamed breaking her words..

"Rudra. Hold on. I think I am pregnant!" He kept kissing her until he processed whatever she had said.

"Wait what?" He suddenly sat on the bed with the duvet slipping his naked form while Maya also sat slowly supporting herself. She lowered her head and closed her eyes with her palms while he asked,

"You mean we're pregnant?" She looked up to him and whispered," Maybe..." Wrapping his arms around her, he whispered in his sleepy voice," Looks like I have someone to fall in love again without seeing him/her."

She had a small smile and she even could sense one. It all lasted until she remembered what had happened before. She kept her hand on his heart and rested there for a while his tears streamed to his shirt. He knew what was coming and he was concerned but this wouldn't reach anywhere..

"Maya, it will not happen this time. Don't worry. We might have lost the baby once but this time, this baby will be right there in our hands." He hugged her closer as he felt her sobs.

"Maya, nothing has happened right? It happened 1 year back and just look it's 3 in the morning." He wished her while her sobs increased and he hissed in pain as her nails were clutching his chest.

Kissing her hairline, he tried to soothe her by rubbing her back and cradling her for a few more moments. He knew her inside out. Last 1 year was pure torture as Maya had a miscarriage. While she was doing her work in the meteorology center, she had felt cramps but she hadn't taken it seriously then.

After a few hours, when she had found that she was bleeding, she was rushed to the hospital but it was too late. The baby had gone to the place from where it had come.

Her insolent cries echoed in the room. His mother and her mother were her main supporting factor since she was a woman. Rudra had even tried to share his part of consolations but she had turned unresponsive and depressed day by day.

He kept quiet since he wanted to give her time but he always embraced her in the night and made sure she wasn't alone. He even saw a shadow of the depressed Maya he had seen years back. But one day, he had got real angry after seeing her stoic nature and above that, the nail marks on her arms. He just hated those marks when he was there for her. It showed his failure.

When she was unresponsive towards his questions, Rudra had to hold her jaw straight until she cried due to the physical pain he had given her. But that day she cried out fully crashing onto his chest not only for his torture but also for the baby. That was the first day since she had cried after the first day she knew that baby had gone away.

He too cried with her after hiding his pain for a long time. Their night was spend with theories, consolations and what not.

...

As he walked around the room with the baby who had fallen asleep, he patted her back and kissed her once he placed her on the bed. Patting her stomach, he pressed her lips on her cheeks to which the small baby smiled momentarily..

As he switched the dim lights off, he sneaked out of the room. Keeping his legs above the glass table, he switched the TV on to see Maya's interview. It was halfway done. 

It was progressing..

I: How are you balancing your hectic professional and personal life?

M: A big thanks to Rudra for being my support system.  He has been taking care of our daughter for the past one month. Even my in-laws have been so supportive. So... Yeah.. It goes on..

He smiled at that and before the interviewer could ask, he felt like he had heard some sounds from the room. Switching the t.v. off, he went to the room to find that the baby was sleeping peacefully.

He sighed in relief and heard the door being opened sneakily..

~~~

As Maya entered the apartment using the key, she sneaked into their apartment. Trying not to make any noise, she locked the door. Before she could move an inch after turning, she was captured inside his arms.

Getting shocked at the initial touch, she felt relieved and leaned against his frame. Staying like that for a few minutes, he snuggled his nose into her hair and whispered," Happy Anniversary Maya.."

"Happy Anniversary Rudy!" As she said that, the whole hall was illuminated with the orange dim lights. She was surprised at the red balloons which hung to the surface with a few pictures  hung to it.

"Aww!"  She was surprised at that as she didn't expect that coming. In addition to the lights from the illuminated candles, they had also spread a fragrance of oranges which she loved. 

She read the words which was written not so artistically

"Happy 5th Anniversary to MayRa"

5 years to May 8

She asked turning face-to-face," Miya slept?"

"Yeah.." He said as he looked into her eyes. Caressing his cheeks with her thumb, he held her hand and kissed it.

"I missed you!" He said and she lifted her toes to kiss his cheek. Placing a kiss on the other side too, she looped her hand around his neck.

"Rudra.." She extended in a questioning tone as he circled her waist.. He just hummed as he stood with her like that.

"You are not angry right?" She asked biting her lip to which he suddenly pecked the side of her neck to which she moaned slightly. He spoke," Thank you for reaching before 12.."

"What would have happened if I wasn't here before 12?" She asked while he smiled and said,

"It doesn't matter Maya. In the end, you are stuck with me. So it just doesn't matter for one day. An Anniversary is a staircase to the past while the present moments which we share now is what matters to me the most."

She smiled at that and she leaned against his chest. He encircled his arms around her and said,

"Exhausted?" She just hummed and he retreated her from his chest and helped her to sit on the couch.

"Just a sec!" He said and went to the kitchen. Taking a  small cup which had two small desert spoons, he went to Maya and sat beside her.

She looked confusingly while he said," 5 years to our Anniversary and for our years to come!"

She looked inside the mug and saw that he had made a small mug cake with a small speciality. A recipe which she loved from his part. Taking the spoon, she fed him while he also fed her.

"It has been 3 years to this Chocolate mug cake topped with Feta Cheese. Remember?"

She nodded with a smile. She loved this recipe. Not being a fan of deserts since it gave her headache, she loved these kind of deserts with a mixture of sweet and savoury.

As he kept the cup aside, he kept his head on her shoulder while she smiled.

"How was Miya with you?" She asked while he said," She did cry but I think she has become daddy's girl within a month."

"Even I am my hubby's girl right?" She asked admiringly while he looked at her with a smile which had made him proud.

"And you are my life!" He said as he embraced her into his arms. Entwining their fingers, they stayed on for a few more minutes until they head a cry.

Leaving his side, she went to the room and he sighed. One month of a lone parenting is over.

Going into the room, she saw that their room was filled with the albums of the past. Reaching her baby who was crying bitterly, she cooed to Miya who was crying.

But for once, she had stopped crying because she knew that she was finally in her arms. In her mother's warmth. As she walked around the room, the baby looked into her eyes and she gave a smile.

The mother-daughter duo smiled and they heard a click from behind..

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The End
***

Love is not a fantasy! It's real if we express how we are. Life is not only about saying a few 'I Love You' or sharing infinite intimacies. It's  a journey which never ends.

Its more about being yourself and being accepted from each other's side.  Once we get the flow of life, it's easy to get into the depths.

Signing off,
Anna...