UNEDITED!!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Madhu was watching TV at 1 in the morning not getting any sleep without her husband in bed as he was in Pune. She missed him.

She took her phone to make a call and talk to him but stopped as it was late and she didn't want to disturb him if he was already asleep.

She felt like peeing so stood up from the bed and took two steps but stopped when a huge gush of fluid went all over the floor.

"Thank goodness! My water broke when I am out of bed otherwise I would have had to change the mattress" she said happily clamping her hands.

"Seriously Madhu? Is that your major concern? Your fucking mattress? Girl, your freaking water broke! Means you are in imminent labor! Oh god, your husband is not home. You have to get yourself to the hospital. Stay calm and be quick" her inner voice mocked, reminded and instructed her.

Madhu quickly took a pair of track pants and loose T-shirt before heading to the bathroom to take a quick shower and clean up herself.

Once she was done cleaning her up, showering and dressing, she took her mobile phone, clutch and car key.

She was about to enter her apartment elevator when something important struck her mind.

Fishes! She quickly waddled back into her house to feed her fishes.

"Babies, mommy is gonna bring your little brother and... One more little baby home. I will probably meet you guys after 3 or 4 days so till then eat well and play without fighting, okay? Mommy loves you all so much" she soundly kissed her fish tank and winced when she felt a sharp kick in her belly. Her babies were too impatient to wait till their mommy was done with her coochie cooing with her beloved fishes.

"Alright! I am taking you to the hospital. So you both better calm down and let mommy drive the car" she kept talking to her babies as she felt hard kicks.

--0--

Rishab felt so restless. He kept tossing and turning on the bed, in the hotel room. He wanted to talk to his wife before going to sleep but he refrained himself from calling her hoping she would be fast asleep by now.

He tried sleeping but it was a futile effort. He sat up and picked up his phone.

"I will give few rings and if she answers it I will talk or else I will cut the call and talk to her in the morning" he decided and dialed his wife's number.

"Rishab" she picked up in the first ring itself surprising him.

"You didn't sleep yet? Its 1.30 already... "

"Husband, listen, my water broke. I am driving myself to the hospital"

There was thickening silence from the other end.

"Rishab, you there?" she hoped he hadn't fainted.

Well, he won't faint. He is a strong man. Madhu reminded herself.

"I'm coming to Mumbai now" he said after a beat and cut the call.

"Why you cut the call when I was talking?" Madhu dialed his number again and barked at him.

"Madhu, I want you to concentrate on driving..."

"No, you talk!" she ordered and heard his audible sigh.

"Madhu..."

"Please, I am scared" she pleaded as she puts her phone in the cradle.

"Why didn't you call my parents for help? Why are you driving the car on your own? You find it hard to reach the CBA petals if you push your seat back and if you pull your seat forward your tummy will hit to the steering wheel. Why are you taking this unnecessary risk? This is your problem, Madhu, you always act in an impulse" he scolded though in a gentle tone as he packed his backpack to get going.

"You better hang up the phone, Rishab" she said getting pissed. She wasn't in the mood to get scolding from her husband.

"Okay, I am sorry" he said in a softer tone. "I appreciate your gutsiness" he said to pacify her though it was true. His wife was always a surprise to him. She often kept proving herself to him that she wasn't a weakling and she can handle things efficiently on her own.

"It's your mistake. You left me alone." She ignored his appreciation and accused him.

"Don't put the blame on me, Madhu. I told you I will drop you at my parents place till I return so that they can help you if there is any emergency but you clearly denied saying you still got 2 more weeks time to give birth..."

"Ahhhh" she faked a cry to shut his mouth.

"What's wrong?" he panicked.

"Paining" she lied. Her contraction hadn't started yet and there was only mild back pain which was tolerable.

"Oh baby!" she grinned victoriously hearing him call her 'baby'

"Why don't you stop the car, have some water and relax for a bit before you resume driving?" he suggested.

"No, it's fine. I am almost there"

"I'll call my parents and inform them..."

"No, Rishab, it's 2 in the morning. They will be sleeping. Don't disturb them. We can inform them later... I just want you..."

"I have started. I will be there in another 2.30 hours. My parents won't mind this disturbance. You will need someone around you for moral support"

"Alright. Call them. I bet your mother will go crazy." She said with a chuckle. He nodded in agreement and then said "yeah" realizing she can't see him nod.

"And Rishab..."

"Yeah, tell me?"

"Um... will you... will you please inform my parents too? I'll be happy to have them with me as well" she said hesitantly.

"Sure, sweetheart"

"Stay connected, Rishab. Please don't hang up, okay?"

"Then how will I call and inform our parents?"

"Leave them text message using your work phone"

"Okay I will."

"Rishab... I'm worried..."

I am going to give birth to two babies!

And I am freaking already!

"Why? Don't be, Madhu. I will be there for you" he promised.

"I know. I am just worried about the babie... um... will he be okay without the fluid to cushion him?" she asked in concern.

"Yeah I guess so. I read online that the baby can survive in the womb without amniotic fluid for nearly 24 hours. You don't worry; your doctor will take care of you and the baby" he assured her. She smiled wondering when he did his research on pregnancy.

Man, he did all the researches but luckily didn't study my medical report!

Why, because, I never showed him!

Whenever he asked she would distract him!

Or she would take pictures of the baby scan and whatsapp it to him. He would be contented seeing that pic.

"Will you get something for me to eat?" she asked.

"I don't think you are allowed to eat, Madhu"

"Please"

"What will I get at this time?"

"When you reach Mumbai it will be around 5AM and I guess you will get vada pav in road side stalls."

"It's not good for health, Madhu"

"With pudina chutney" she added completely ignoring his reply.

"Fine" he knew his wife won't listen to him.

"I reached hospital safely. I will call you back once I'm done with the doctor. Bye. Love you"

"Yeah, take care. Love you too"

--0--

(Few hours later)

"Mom" Rishab rushed to his mother, Radha and held her hand, nervously.

"Oh thank goodness, you are here. Madhu was asking for you"

"Where is she? And how is she?" he asked glancing at Madhu's parents. He gave Malik a nod and Padmini a smile which she returned.

"They have just taken her to the operation room (OR) and she will be fine."

"Is Mrs. Kundra's husband here?" a nurse asked walking out of the OR.

"Yeah, it's me." Rishab took a step forward. "Is everything alright?"

"Your wife wants to see you so please wear this mask and scrub and enter in. She is waiting for you"

"Oh, okay" he nodded and then turning to his mother he gave her a nervous look.

"Rishu be gentle with her. Don't lose your patience and scold or shout at her, okay?" Radha advised.

"Mom, I am just going to see her and say "Hi" to her. What's there to shout at her in this? And I am not stupid to shout at her when she is going through so much pain" he said.

"I know. I am just warning you. Oh God! I can't wait to hold my grandson first."

No one knows that she is having twins!

"No way! I'm going to hold my son first. It's Madhu explicit order and I am going to strictly obey it."

"Oh okay! She is really sweet and sentimental" Radha smiled feeling proud of her daughter in law.

"That she is. Now you have these vada pav. She asked for it but I don't think she will eat it now so you guys share and eat." he said handing over the small bag to his mom and made his way to the OR wearing the mask and scrub.

--0--

Rishab felt so out of place while walking into the OR. He found his wife lying on the leather table in an awkward position but had her body covered with a sheet.

She looked so tired and pale yet she looked sweet and beautiful to him.

"Hey" he said as he placed a gentle hand on her head. She opened her eyes and faintly smiled at him. "Come closer" she whispered tiredly. When he leaned down she tightly enveloped him in her embrace. "Thanks for coming"

And I have a surprise for you!

A big surprise!

And I hope you don't get mad at me for hiding about the baby!

"Where will I be other than being with you?" he asked. She smiled.

"Is it paining bad?" he asked knowing it was a stupid question. She nodded as unwelcomed tears rolled done her cheeks.

"Don't cry, not my strong girl." He wiped the tears off and kissed her forehead.

"You will be alright, Madhu. I will go wait outside?" he asked her.

"Please stay here with me" she pleaded. In that hospital whether to stay with their wives or wait outside the OR was at husbands' discretion.

"Doctor, he can stay here, right?" Madhu asked for confirmation.

"Only if he wants to" Doctor said smiling. Madhu looked at Rishab hopefully.

Rishab hesitated a bit but eventually agreed.

"Oh good" Doctor smiled. "It's actually not that hospitals don't allow the to-be-fathers to present in the labor room but they themselves choose not to be presented." She laughed a little. "But I am glad you chose to be with your wife. I really appreciate your decision, Mr. Kundra. After a long time we are gonna have a to-be-father in the labor room" she said, beaming.

"Why?" Madhu asked meekly. If there was any valid reason why most of the husbands (Mainly in India) chose to stay out of the labor room then she would also ask her husband to go.

"Various reasons... for instance, child birth is a long process, at least for the first child it takes lot of time and most of the husbands don't have the patience or they find it hard to see their wives in pain and they start yelling at us, doctors and nurses."

"Oh! You don't worry, my husband's tolerance level is very high and he won't yell at anyone but me" Madhu said with a slight giggle. Rishab rolled his eyes.

"Some just can't bear the sight of blood and they tend to collapse." The doctor gave her next reason.

"He won't faint. I can vouch that"

"Policeman right?" Doctor questioned. Rishab nodded his head. "You must be dealing with lots of blood and pain so this will be easy for you." Doctor said humorously.

"No dammit! It won't be easy for me because it's my wife who is gonna loss too much of blood and suffer too much of pain." he thought but didn't voice out.

"One of the funny facts is husbands want to escape from the yelling they get from their wives and also save their hand from bone fracture."

Madhu laughed and said "I won't yell at him"

"Not now... but you will when your contraction gets severe."

"Let see" Madhu challenged

Rishab stared at both the ladies as if they were gone crazy because they were having fucking chit-chat in labor room while he was hell anxious.

--0--

Madhu stuck to her word and she didn't yell at him. She just cried and screamed in pain and held his hand really tight but not to the level of breaking his bones.

Rishab kept wiping the sweat off her forehead with tissues and kept whispering words of love. He never thought he could say such sweet things. May be it automatically comes to every man when he sees his beloved wife bearing so much pain to bring out the new life. He thought.

"Ready to push?" doctor asked.

"You can do this, Madhu" he kissed her head.

Madhu tried pushing few times but nothing worked. She fell back on the bed tiredly. "Oh this is so hard."

"Keep breathing, Madhu" he said. She breathed through her mouth.

She tried and tried and tried till she was almost exhausted.

"Argh!" she cried as she gave one final push and the room was filled with a high pitched cry of the baby.

"Finally" she said and slumped back on the bed.

Oh not yet done! I have one more little human to push out!

Come on Madhu! You can do it!

"You did it. I'm so proud of you Madhu" Rishab smiled and kissed her forehead.

Doctor placed the baby on Madhu's tummy and let the nurse clean him up as she went under the cover again to help out the other baby

"Take him off. Quick." Madhu yelled as she felt this strange pull. Her baby was wiggling out and it was making her uncomfortable.

"What's wrong? What's happening?" Rishab asked puzzled.

Where the hell is the doctor?

What's she doing under the sheets?

Fuck! What's happening here?

"Well well well... The other baby is already here" the doctor mutter when she saw the head of the baby.

"What?" Rishab almost shouted. "Another baby?" He looked down at his wife for confirmation.

"Yes" she whispered.

"What the? How come I not know about this? Wait, did you know?"

"Of course I did" she looked guilty.

"And you didn't tell me" he accused her.

"Rishab, please..." Madhu pleaded as she panicked. She didn't think about her husband's reaction to this shocking surprise.

Maybe I should have told him beforehand!

"I can't believe this, Madhu! I can't believe you hid something this big from me!" He shouted though his mother told him not to shout at Madhu at any stage.

"I am sorry... I wanted to punish you for missing all the appointment! And at the same time I wanted to surprise you."

He took a step back in disbelief.

Punish me?

And surprise me?

Ah hell!

"Rishab, please..." She cried as she gritted her teeth to control her pain.

Taking pity on her, he held her hand again and wrapped his other arm around her.

"I am sorry... I am sorry..." She cried.

"It's okay. It's okay." He massaged her shoulders calming her down. She need not worry about my reaction while going through so much pain.

"Come on, Madhu, one last push and your baby will be in your hand" the doctor encouraged her.

"Ahhh..." Madhu cried and pushed again and this time it was easy. She hadn't struggled much to push the baby out.

"It's a girl" the doctor announced.

Oh thank God!

Oh thank God!

Oh thank God!

My husband's wish has come true!

"She isn't crying" Rishab stated pointing to the tiny baby. He was too tensed to even smile that his wish of having a baby girl came true.

"Nurse, please cut the umbilical cord, quick" Doctor instructed as the girl baby was born with the umbilical cord around her neck almost strangling her making her hard to breathe.

"Take the baby to the neonatal ward."

"Hey, what's wrong? What's wrong? I want to see my baby" Madhu cried in protest.

"Madhu... calm down" Rk hugged her when she tried to jump out and grab the baby from the nurse.

"No, please... I want to see her at least once before they take her away from me, take my baby away from me" she demanded but the doctors were in a hurry to put the baby in the incubator.

"Why is this happening to us? Problem after problem! Can't we have a normal and happy life?" Madhu sobbed hugging her husband.

"She will be fine. Please don't cry, Madhu"

"This is not how I expected the surprise to go" she cried.

"It's okay. She will be fine. God willing."

"Did you see her? She is so weak and small. I am so worried. She will make it, right?"

"Yeah, of course she will. Think positive" Rishab hugged his wife as he fervently prayed for their baby girl.

He was still in shock!

He couldn't believe he was having twins!

He couldn't believe his wife never told him!

He couldn't believe he was so foolish to notice!

"Your son, Mrs. Kundra" a nurse said bringing her baby boy after cleaning him and swathed in a baby blue towel. "He is healthy, 3.2 kg (7 pounds approx.)" she said hoping the couple would feel somewhat better after knowing that one of their children was doing well.

"Give the baby to my husband" Madhu said faintly before passing out. Rishab held their son first as Madhu wished and kissed him tenderly on his forehead.

--0--

"He is so beautiful, Rishab. He is looking so like you when you were a baby" Radha said cooing at her grandson and kissing his little toes and fingers. Rishab just nodded. He couldn't even adore his son as he was so worried about his daughter. His little girl was fighting for her life. The doctor said she was having breathing disorder as her lung wasn't fully developed and in critical condition.

"What if she couldn't make it?" Rishab asked his mother. He was the one who reassured Madhu that their baby would be fine but as time passed fear was gripping in him.

"Rishu always think positive. My grand-daughter is a strong girl."

"She is just 1.7 kg (3 pounds approx.), mom. You should have seen her mom she is only this much..." he cupped both his palms together. He was allowed only once to go see his daughter in the neonatal ward, that too for few good seconds. "She is too small, weak and pale yet so pretty. She has thick black hair just like Madhu. I didn't get to see her eye color as she had her eyes closed but I hope she has beautiful eyes like her mommy." He smiled but it faded quickly. "Oh God! I felt terrible seeing my baby fitted with a ventilation tube and IV line. That poor kid has to suffer, mom." He let out a strangled sob covering his face with his palm.

"Oh Rishu" Radha passed her grandson to his other grandmother Padmini and hugged her son. Padmini took her grandson and walked out of the room giving space for the mother and son. She didn't want her son in law to get embarrassed later for crying in front of his mother in law.

"It's my mistake mom. I should have accompanied with Madhu to her scanning sessions but I didn't due to work, mom, otherwise I would have known about this baby, mom and I would have bonded with her... Now if something happens to her... I will neber get the chance to bond with her, mom..." He remembered crying only when Madhu was shot by him and admitted in hospital and now he was crying for his daughter. He didn't like the fact that those two girls were having such profound effect on him and making him cry.

"Hey!" Radha and Rishab turned towards the bed hearing Madhu's soft voice.

"Madhu" Rk stood up and rushed to her side blinking back his tears. "How are you?"

"Help me up" she said finding too weak to even sit up. Rk helped her up and adjusted the pillow for her to lean her back.

She looked straight into his eyes which were blood red. He has been crying? Oh no!

"Please forgive me, Rishab. Please don't be mad at me. I can't bear it. And I am sorry... I didn't know the other baby was weak... Ever the doctor assured me that both the babies were healthy... So I thought there was no complication and I didn't tell you or anyone about our daughter... I am sorry... I was so cunning..." She cried feeling ashamed and hurt.

"Forget it, Madhu."

He was ready to forgive... Well, he always forgave her, why, because he loved her too much to stay mad on her.

"We could have done nothing even if you had told me that we were having twins." He sighed. "Doctor said it's pretty normal for one baby to be born weak in case of twins" He said. Madhu nodded and rested her head on his chest.

"How are you, Madhu?" Radha asked realizing they were done talking.

She smiled a little and asked "Where are my babies?"

"Our son is with your mother. Mom, ask Padmini aunty to bring in the baby."

"Where is our daughter?"

"She is fine. You will get to see her later" he told so not wanting to worry her more than she already was.

"I want to see her now. Take me to her." she demanded.

"Madhu, you are too weak to even sit on your own." She had lost too much of blood than she was supposed to lose.

Right then Padmini and Radha walked in with their baby boy.

"Look, your son is here. He was waiting for his mommy to wake up and feed him"

Madhu took her baby boy gently and properly looked at him for the first time.

"Aww..." she burst into happy tears seeing the beautiful baby they had created. "He is so cute." She kissed both his cheeks. "Why didn't you tell momma that your sister wasn't eating properly?" Madhu asked her baby boy touching his soft cheek with her forefinger.

"He would have told you but you wouldn't have listened to him?" Rishab defended his son.

Their son opened his eyes recognizing his favorite voice and cutely yawned before going back to sleep. "He has your eyes, Rishab"

"That's what my mom told" Rishab said with a proud grin.

"I didn't even see our baby girl properly. Does she look like me?" Madhu asked sadly as she cradled her son closer to her chest. She was missing her other baby badly.

"Yes, she looks like you, so sweet and beautiful. And you will see her soon" he promised. she smiled.

"Baby, I love you" she whispered kissing her baby boy's forehead. Rishab frowned wondering whether she would forget him and stop saying "Husband, I love you" as she got her babies now to show her love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I won't ask you guys the silly question "Will the baby girl survive or not?" because I know as much as you all know the baby will "survive" otherwise I wouldn't have showed that character.

I really wanted Rishbala to have two kids because Rk strictly said he won't impregnate Madhu again LOL!! Who the hell is he to decide that? If I want I will make them have two kids. Things happen my way not your way, boy! (there is one more reason why I showed them having twins which i will reveal in the next part) Hehehe!!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thank you so much guys for patiently waiting till I update my stories and also thanks a ton for your lovely feedback!

PLEASE VOTE!

COMMENT!

SHARE!