Translations half done for now

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A couple more months rolled by for Ram and Priya in their journey towards becoming parents. Ram had resumed work but his work was now restricted to only office and he would never bring work home. Priya had temporarily resigned from her classes as she wanted to be a full time mother to her children until they were of school going age. She had now grown very big and was in her 7th month of pregnancy. The doctor had assured both Ram and Priya that their babies were doing fine and Priya also was doing good. 

Ram never missed telling her atleast once a day that she looked beautiful. He had read in one of the many books that expectant mothers were bound to feel insecure because of their sudden weight gain.

One fine evening , Krishna Ma and Dadi declared they would host a traditional "Godh Bharai"/Baby Shower for Priya in the next week as the doctor had mentioned all was well and very soon now they could expect junior Kapoors in the house.  

Preparations began for the baby shower function when one night Priya couldn't sleep. She now usually had trouble sleeping with her growing belly and the uncomfortable ways that she had to find to sleep in. Suddenly, she woke up Ram 

Priya - Ram , Ram , uthiya na, jaldi uthiye please ! (Ram, wake up , please, quick)

Ram woke up with a start 

Ram - kya hua ? Priya, are you ok ?  (what happened, are you ok?)

Priya smiled - haan I am fine.  

Ram - to aise kyu achanak se uthaya.  (why did you wake me up all of a sudden?)

Priya - I think one of the babies or may be both babies just kicked. I just felt it..

Ram was excited - kya ? sach me ? andar se laath maara ? (really? from inside?)

Priya - haan 

Ram  - arey yaar, I missed it na..now ? 

Priya - isliye to uthaya aapko, give your hand..shayad abhi wapas maare ... (thats why I just woke you up)

Ram and Priya both waited for the baby/babies to kick for a long time.

Priya - I think abhi nahi maarenge, so jaiyye aap.. ( I think they wont kick now, sleep)

Ram - aur tum ? (and you?)

Priya - mujhe nind hi nahi aa rahi hai..matlab nind to aa rahi hai lekin sone ki position hi nahi mil rahi hai aaj (I cant sleep, as in I want to sleep but I can find a good position to sleep)

Ram felt bad looking at her and her sleep deprived face. She had been suffering a lot in tis pregnancy right from day 1 he thought while all he had done was comforted her with his sweet talks and showed up to the sonography clinic with her. The truth was he had definitely taken very good care of Priya but somethings were just out of his reach. 

He sat on the bed next her and placed pillows on her lower back.

Ram - main thoda back massage kar dun ? thoda pain kam ho jayega (can I massage your back a little? it might lessen somediscomfort)

Priya smiled looking at his concern  - hmm, kar dijiye..sorry aapka to kal office bhi hai..main to ghar pe hi hun.. (ok , sorry you have office tomorrow and I am at home)

Ram - pagal ho kya ? aisa kuch nahi hai..tumhari tabiyat iss waqt sabse jyada important hai.. (ar eyou mad, your health is most important at this time)

He did rub her back with a mild aromatherapy oil and she drifted to sleep in his arms. Feeling happy that he was able to sooth her and put her to sleep, he pulled over the duvet on both of them, the couple slept peacefully. 

As the week rolled by, Kapoor mansion was buzzing with traditional music and ladies merrily dancing the folk dance as Kapoor mansion was getting ready to welcome its heir. Priya was dressed in a beautiful peach colored saree which was Dadi's choice and complimenting jewelery which was also Dadi's choice. 

Ram had chosen a gold colored sherwani. Vikram pulled his leg that he was heavily dressed for the occasion which was his wife's on not his. Ram justified his actions calling out he was as much becoming a parent as Priya was.

Baby shower was a joyous affair as Priya was being pampered by all of Krishna Kapoor's friends. She did have to answer a few personal questions so that ladies could make a guess as to if she was going to deliver twin girls or twin boys. At the end Neha said, 

Neha - ek hi tareeka hai janne ka, Ram aur Priya me se kaun ek dusre se jyada pyaar karta hai. Agar Priya Ram ko jyaada pyaar karti hai to phir boys hi honge lekin agar Ram Priya ko jyada yaar karta hai to girls honge.  

(there is one way to find out, If Priya loves Ram more than Ram loves Priya, then they will have boys otherwise girls!)

Priya blushed, to be honest she had given a thought as to what she wanted. She wanted a girl and a boy who resembled Ram and Priya and make her family complete. All the ladies giggled away and celebrated for a long time before calling it a night. 

During bed time, Priya narrated Ram how the ladies were theorizing as to what their children would be. She was cuddled up in his embrace...

Priya - aapko kya lagta hai ? (what do you think?)

Ram - tumhe kya chahiye ? (what do you want?)

Priya - ek beta ho jaye aapke jaise , ek beti ho jaye mere jaisi , ye ideal scenario hai na ? (one son just like you, one daughter just like me, thats ideal, right?)

Ram - ummm, ideal to hai lekin main do betiyan chahta hun ... do do choti cute si , innocent si, ekdum Pariyan jaisi Priya. (yes it is idea, but I want 2 daughters, 2 cute, innocent, beautiful Priya like you)

Priya - soch lijiye , phir teen teen Priya ho jayengi aapke zindagi main ..phir aap hi complain karenge ki kitna tang karti hain ye ladkiyan milke mujhe.. 

(think about it, there will be 3 Priya's in your life, you will complain later that these girls trouble me)

Ram - nahi I am sure..I can never get enough of you.. bahot bahot pyaar karunga apni betiyon ko main.. ( I will love my daughters)

Priya - aur maan lijiye dono bete ho gaye to ? ( an what if we have two boys?)

Ram - unke saath main bahot strict rahunga ...ladke na bahot jaldi bigad jaate hain..to I will be strict so that they become responsible and good citizens just like me.. (I will be strict with them, boys tend to spoil easily, so I will be strict so that they become responsible and good ziizens like me)

Priya - hawww, how mean ..itna difference mere bete aur beti main ? ( you will differentiate so much between my son and daughter ?)

Ram giggled and hugged her - tumhe lagta hai main zara bhi gussa kar paunga unke saath?  (you really think , I will be able to be angry on them?)

After a few more sweet talks, Ram kissed Priya good night on her forehead and on her big belly now twice for the babies. They turned into sleep. Priya slept instantly as she was very tired and Ram slept after some time. In the middle of the night, Priya again woke up Ram. 

Ram - kya hua ? kya hua ? thik to ho ? (what happened , all ok ?)

Priya - haan thik hun .. (yes, I am fine)

Ram - to phir ?baby ne kick maara ? (did the baby kick ?)

Priya - nahi, wo mujhe na chinese khaana hai..aap banate hain na ,waisa ... (no, I wish to eat chinese , that you make)

Ram - haan to , kal bana dunga..uske liye iss waqt kyu uthaya ?  ( ok, I will make it tomorrow, why did you wake me up at this hour ?)

Priya - kal nahi, abhi khaana hai ? (not tomorrow, I want to eat now ! )

Ram - abhi ? tumne dinner nahi khaaya tha ?  (now? didnt you eat dinner?)

Priya - arey kitne sawaal kar rahe hain..pregnant wife kuch maang rahi hai khaane k liye aur aap sawal kar rahe hain..craving ho rahi hai (why do you ask so many questions? I am pregnant and your pregnant wife is asking something to eat and you are asking so many questions, I am having a craving)

Ram - oh oh..maine book main padha tha..  (I read it in a book, ok ok )

Priya - haan to main jhooth bol rahi hun kya..chinese banaiye na abhi..mujhe khaana hai.. (I am not lying to you, please cook na now, I want to eat)

Ram sighed to himself - chalo beta Ram, chinese banao , aadhi raat ke 3 baje...baap abhi bana nahi hun aur raatein abhi se kharab ho gayi hain.. (lets cook Ram, its 3 in the morning, not a father yet but my nights are already ruined)

Priya - kya , kya bol rahe hain aap...meri bhi raatein kharab ho rahi hain...main to thik se so bhi nahi paati aur aap roz kharrate lete hue sote hain.. us par baar baar washroom jaana padta hai aajkal.. (what, what did you just say, my nights are also ruined, I can't even sleep properly and you sleep daily snoring peacefully and I have to get up every now and then to pee)

Ram - arey baba sorry ! wo to main bas.. (ok sorry, I was just..)

Priya - wo to main kya.. She looked angry.. jaane dijiye aapse kuch nahi hoga...main apne aap hi manage kar leti hun apni cravings..you can sleep ..she was about to get up..it was extremely difficult to get up from a sleeping position these days.

(what just, let it be, I will manage my cravings, you sleep peacefully)

Priya - ek to do do bache carry karo..uspar se sabke overdramatic concerns suno, har week check up karao..aur phir khaane ko kuch maango to wo bhi nahi milega...

 (first I have to carry 2 kids, then I have to listen to everybodys recommendations and concerns, then get a checkup each week and then I ask something to eat that is also being refused)

Ram interrupted her - acha acha bas, I said sorry na...main abhi banake laata hun..tum gussa kyu kar rahi ho itna..shaant ho jao please....  (ok , I said sorry, I will go and cook now, why are you getting so upset, please calm down)

Ram took a long time to first assemble all the ingredients at such an odd hour in the kitchen and then slow cook them to perfection so that Priya would like the noodles. Krishna Ma had come to the kitchen hearing some noises. 

Krishna - kya hua Ram? iss waqt tum yahan ? 

(what happened Ram? you are here at this hour?)

Ram - wo aapki bahu hai na pregnant..iss waqt madam ko chinese khaana hai mere haathon ka bana hua..to bana raha hun 

(your daughter in law who is pregnant wants to eat chinese at this hour that too cooked by me, so I am cooking for her)

Krishna laughed - arey beta, bichari ka mann kar gaya hoga..aur aise main aurten thoda bahot gussa aur zidd karti hain..tumse hi zidd karegi na wo ab..hamse to bichari kuch nahi maangti hai..bas hamesha muskurate hue rehti hai pure ghar me..main jaanti hun beta wo kitne taklif me hai..tumhe hi to thoda shaanti se kaam lena hoga..

(son, she must be craving for it, and ladies become a little stubborn and angry at times during pregnancy, she will put down her needs infront of you, with us she is always smiling and doesnt ask for anything, I know she is in pain..so you have to be the sane one and take things calmly)

Ram - Ma ab kar to raha hun..

(yeah, thats what I am doing na now)

Krishna - waise tumhe koi help chahiye kya ? main kar dun ?

(do you need any help? should I do something ?)

Ram - nahi Ma , aap so jaiyye.. ho gaya hai almost...

(No mom, you can go and sleep , this is almost done )

Ram took the plate of Chinese noodles food to the room. Priya was sitting and watching nursery rhymes on the TV. She gladly took the plate from Ram and seemed to have forgotten that she was angry at him a while ago..She was about to eat the first forkful when she felt the baby kick. She yelled out to Ram 

Priya -Raammm, baby ne kick maara, jaldi ! 

Ram without wasting a second touched her belly and they both felt a movement this time. Ram was overjoyed ..

Ram - this is so amazing...bache ne andar se kick maara..

Priya - iska matlab pata hai..baby is excited to taste papa's cooking..

Ram laughed - I just can't believe this..tum sach bol rahi ho ?

Priya - haan ofcourse ! babies ko abhi sab samajhta hai...

Ram was thrilled to see Priya eat all the noodles with excitement.. She finally slept after eating the plateful of noodles.. 

A few more weeks rolled by and Priya was getting impatient as she was having difficulty moving around. She was about to enter the 9th month of pregnancy. Neha would often stop by to chit chat away which helped calm down her anxiety. The doctor checkups were going good and they had seen the two babies very clearly in Priya's last sonogram.

Baby 1 seemed to be playing by moving his hands and legs and baby 2 was sleeping.. Ram always got a picture of sonogram to keep in his wallet as he was jealous that Priya could feel them anytime but he couldn't. In order to compensate a bit, he carried their picture with him. 

Shipra had arrived from Delhi to be with Priya during this time. Priya was more than happy to see her mother and ofcourse she missed her father. On a slightly breezy Sunday afternoon, Priya was trying to sleep but she seemed uncomfortable and in pain so Ram walked up to her from his lazy chair where he was watching a cricket match on TV 

Ram - kya hua Priya ?

Priya - pata nahi, kuch acha hi nahi lag raha hai and everything seems to hurt a little bit ..

Ram sat down with a concerned look - I will call the doctor..

Priya - arey abhi kal hi to ho kar gayi hai wo, and thoda hi pain hai, agar kuch lagta hai to I will tell you.. 

Ram - acha let me give you a massage ? 

Priya - ok , thanks ...

He rubbed her back and tried to make her comfortable but after a few minutes Priya yelled - I think my water broke...Ram, hospital...

Ram - oh ok ok ...relax..relax 

Priya - aap hyper ho rahe hain, you relax first..

Ram - ok haan, tumhe pains bhi start ho gaye kya..main kya karun..bag ..driver..hospital..doctor..

He was talking half baked sentences when Priya shouted 

Priya - kya bole ja rahe hain, khud ko bhi shayad nahi samajh aa raha hain..Ma ko bulaiye please..

Ram quickly ran, this was by far the fastest Priya saw him run and called both the mothers and Dadi that Priya was in labour and needed to be rushed to the hospital. While Krishna Ma and Shipra Ma were trying to calm Priya down, Ram was busy trying to pull the bag they had prepared for the hospital about a couple weeks ago... 

Carrying the backpack, he tried to tell the ladies that they should actually get going instead of telling each other what Priya should and should not do.. 

Ram - Ma, Shipra Ma , Dadi , hume hospital jaana hai na, ya phir yahin pe baatein karni hai ..chalo Priya... 

Priya shouted in pain , she got up with difficulty - mujhse nahi hoga..Ma! 

She just sat down on the bed again. Ram knew what to do. He pulled all the ladies aside and spoke to Priya 

Ram - Priya , listen to me...do you trust me ? 

Priya yelled - ye kaisa sawaal hai, ofcourse I trust you..I am having your babies..

Dadi and Krishna Ma laughed but Shipra was still very concerned about her daughter. 

Ram - ok, main tumhe lekar chalunga. I am going to pick you up in my arms. 

Shipra - beta aaram se, staircase bhi to hai..

Ram - Ma , aap chinta mat kijiye..

He lifted her in his arms, carefully walked down the stairs, she was definitely heavier than he was used to , but he managed to get in their car and they drove to the hospital. 

Ram and the ladies were in the waiting area and could occasionally hear Priya's screams and cries. Ram was impatient and very worried. He kept pacing in the corridor. He turned around and kneeled beside Dadi ..

Ram - Dadi, itna dard hota hai kya..hum kuch nahi kar sakte ? 

Dadi smiled - Golu puttar, ye to hota hi hai.. abhi to hum sirf babaji se dua kar sakte hain ki ye waqt Priya aur uske bachon k liye jaldi se guzar jaaye.... 

It was a long labor for Priya but there was light at the end of tunnel. Two nurses came out with babies wrapped in pink towel . Ram thought the babies looked smaller than Ayush. 

Nurse 1 - congratulations Mr. Kapoor, dono betiyan hui hain..ye 7 minute badi usse. 

Baby 1 was handed to Ram and Krishna Ma held baby 2.

Ram had tears in his eyes . He kissed the baby in his arms and looked at the other baby in his mother's arm. They looked like two pink flowers, soft and delicate pink skin with big eyes and tiny hands and legs.  Dadi , Krishna Ma and Shipra quickly thanked the lord for the girls and a beautiful family for Ram. 

The doctor stepped out of the labor room and Ram handed the baby in his arms to Shipra Ma to talk to the doctor 

Ram - How is Priya, doc ?

Doc - she is absolutely fine, too tired , so we have put her to sleep now, she should wake up in a couple more hours. The twins are healthy. They are a little underweight but its pretty normal in case of twins. Congratulations Mr. Kapoor. 

Ram observed every movement of baby girls in the cribs in the hospital room where Priya was sleeping. The little girls were very much awake and kicking their tiny legs in air, occasionally smiling. Ram thought they were just perfect and lovely and resembled Priya in so many aspects. 

Vikram and Neha arrived as soon as they heard the good news. They were excited to see the twins and Ram with them. They took all the ladies to hospital cafe to eat something as they had not had dinner yet and had spent time waiting to hear about Priya's delivery.

Priya woke up to see Ram standing by the babies and looking at them with a smiling face. She made an attempt to get up and sit on the bed when Ram saw her awake. She was looking very tired but her eyes had that sparkle.

He went to her bedside and hugged her  - Priya - kaisi ho ab ?

Priya - khush hun, aap to bahot khush honge, aapki tamanna puri ho gayi..do betiyan aa gayi aapki.. 

Ram - haan aur kya..thank you so much Priya!  

He kissed her forehead and both just looked at their baby girls with love and affection.

Ram - they are just beautiful , like you..

Priya - kitni cute si hain dono..mujhe to ye aap jaisi dikhti hain..look at her nose and her eyes..

Ram and Priya looked at each other and were lost in each others eyes when one of the babies started crying ... Ram and Priya looked smilingly at the crying baby

Priya - choti ko attention chahiye na..

Ram -  mumma uth gayi pata chal gaya aapko..

Priya - arey baatein kya kar rahe hain uske saath, dijiye na usse...ye hamari badi beti hai na..

Ram - tumhe yaad bhi ho gaya ..

Priya - haan, aap nahi samjhenge, I am their mother..

Priya attempted to get the baby out of the crib but

Ram intervened - arey ruko, let me call the nurse..let her see ye ro kyu rahi hai.. 

Priya smiled at - kyu ro rahi hai matlab, she must be hungry.... dijiye na ab ! abhi na aap Papa ban gaye hain, abhi Golu Ram ko piche chod dijiye. 

Both Ram and Priya managed to get the little one out of the crib, Both first time parents were a little hesitant on handling their small and underweight baby. 

Ram - main ek baar nurse ko bulaon to help you...

Priya gave him an angry stare and proceeded to open the two buttons of her hospital gown. 

Ram was embarrassed - ok sorry. 

Next moment he witnessed the second most precious thing in the world, first seeing his daughters for the first time and second seeing his wife with his daughter like that  , a mother - child bonding as Priya started to feed the baby..He just stood there watching the 3 most important girls in his life, they were his world, his everything ! 

Priya and the babies came home after 4 day hospital stay and Ram made sure everything was ok before they left the hospital. He had taken a few days off from work to enjoy being a parent with Priya... 

All of the Kapoor Mansion spent many sleepless nights as the girls needed undivided attention and everyone was more than willing to take care of the babies including bansi kaka. They decided to name the baby once Natasha and Ayesha arrived to see the babies. The babies were 3 weeks old when Vikram , Neha , Ayesha's family, Natasha's family were all rounded up close to the babies. Rishabh and Somya called in too. 

Ram and Priya unveiled the names of babies to be 'Pari' and 'Myra' which were combination of Priya and Ram. Everyone including the elders were overjoyed and blessed the baby girls. 

Ram and Priya settled into their new lives and new challenges of parenthood. They would now fight for whose turn it would be to change the nappy of baby and whose turn it was to rock and cradle the baby to sleep. Ram insisted on hiring full time nanny for the babies but Priya refused saying she wants to raise the girls herself with the help of her loving family. Krishna Ma and dadi were overjoyed with Priya's decision. Ram and Priya never left each others side and spent a great deal of time raising the girls together.

It seemed like life had come to a complete circle...once adamant parents had gotten their son and daughter married, one person who had failed at love and one person who had never experienced love came together , found love with each other and created lives with love they had for each other..

It was their Happily Ever After....

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I had a wonderful time writing down each and every part of my first ever writing on a public forum like this. I sincerely thank each and everyone of you for stopping by to read my story and to have expressed gratitude towards me by voting and commenting on my story. 

As always, would love to hear thoughts and comments on this part.

I would urge silent readers to put in final comments on the story atleast on the concluding part.

I have waited to read comments on every part and waited to see the reactions on every part of the story.  BALH will always remain special to me and so will this work. I can't believe I was able to make this a 30 part story. When I started penning this down, I thought I would stop in 5-6 parts but your love and support kept me going and helped me bring my vision to words in the form of story here. 

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