Part – 46

"You Never Understand Life Until It Grows Inside You!"

(Mithra's POV)

Ting! Tong!

"God! Karthik's come home. I am so thrilled." I hurry to open the door. After taking a deep breath controlling my excitement, I open the door.

"Hey!" I greet Karthik as I lean on the door, shyly. He looks at me from head to toe with a frown before bursting out laughing.

"What's this, Mithra?" He asks me. He obviously finds my dressing funny. I am wearing an over sized hoodie jacket & shorts showing my slender legs.

"Surprise!" I whisper. He shoots an eyebrow up with a sexy smirks playing on his face as he takes a step towards me and I take a step backward.

Looking at him I pull down the zipper of my jacket, very slowly, biting my bottom lips till it hurts.

"Ahaan! Now, I get what game you are playing." he smirks again & with his leg he kicks the door shut. Good move. We don't want any intruder.

"But why you are wearing this funny jacket? Are you not wearing anything beneath it?" Karthik asks. I shake my head in no. I should have actually done that nah? Stupid me! Well, I do know why I am wearing this jacket.

"Are you wearing the red color lingerie, my favorite one?" he asks me as he nuzzles my hair & trails down kisses on the back of my ear, my neck, my throat & then he lifts his face up to meet my lips with his.

Momentarily, I get lost in his kiss but then he reminds me something which I am dying to show him by removing my jacket off my shoulders.

"How is this?" I ask. He frowns seeing the loose white T-shirt I'm wearing under the over sized jacket.

"Good" he smiles & pulls me towards him by hooking his fingers in my T-shirt & jerking me closer to him as his fingers brush against my cleavage. Oh my!

"Hey! Gently" I panic.

"Baby, I missed you so much... it's been so long... I need you."

Aww!

"Let's not fight! I hate fighting with you. I love you so much, baby" he says in between his kisses.

"Karthik, see this" I point to my T-shirt again.

"I love my Daddy" he reads out loud what's written on my T-shirt.

"Shouldn't that be 'I love my hubby'? After all you love me more nah?" he asks with a wink. I glare at him. Doh!

"Is today your dad's birthday? Is that why you have done all these candle light decorations? But it looks cozy... not so like a party night. Are you hiding something from me?" he asks. Yes, dumbo! I am giving you hints but you are not picking it.

"Look at this, idiot?" I shout again as I point my finger to the cute baby pic in my T-shirt & the baby holds a card saying 'I love you Daddy'. If you still don't get it then I am going to break your head, Karthik. I thought gritting my teeth. My patience is wearing thin.

"Cute baby!" he says but then again he gets busy kissing & licking & sucking my neck, and then grazes his teeth over my jaw. Gah! He is turning me on but I need to give the good news first for which we were yearning for years now.

"You want?" I ask near his ear.

He pulls his head up from my neck & frowns at me.

"T-shirt?" he asks. God! I am not taking about the fucking T-shirt. He is making me really mad & forcing me to use the F word. I don't usually use the F word. I don't like it.

"Sure, get me one too. We will wear matching-matching T-shirt" he says casually & pulls me again to him. Mithra! His brain is not functioning today so you better blurt it out loudly.

"Not that, idiot!" I growl.

"Then" he asks utterly clueless.

"You want a baby?" I whisper hugging him. He stiffens.

"I have you, baby" he says & kisses the top of my head as his hands rub the side of my arms gently.

"I have a baby too" I say softly.

"I know" he says.

"You do?" Finally! I smile, relieved.

"It's me, right? I am your baby nah?" he asks. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. Oh course my husband will always be my cute baby like how I am to him but now I am talking about our baby. A real honest to goodness baby! I thought my husband was a smart guy but no, I was wrong. He is a fool! An idiot! A moron!

"You are so dumb!" I shout.

"Hey! I am too smart & sharp!" he argues.

"Then why the hell can't you find it out?"

"Find out what?" he asks, his frown deepens. I sigh. God! I am growing tired and the blush creeping up my cheeks is pissing me more.

"That... That I am..." I breathe. I don't know how to tell him. I feel so shy and nervous. My palms are getting sweaty. My legs are going weak. Karthik steps closer to me & brushes the strand of hair off my face & tucks it behind my ear. Then leaning down he kisses my lips tenderly.

"Better?" he asks & kisses me once more. I nod & straighten my shoulders, determined to tell him the good news as I can't wait any more to see the happiness erupting from his beautiful face.

"Karthik..."

"Yes, darling" he encourages me as he places his hands on my hips & waits patiently for me to tell.

"Karthik... We..."

"We?" he nods asking me to go ahead.

"We... We are pregnant" I whisper so softly that I am sure he hasn't heard me but the dazed expression on his face tells me otherwise.

"What?" he gasps as his grip on me loosens & he takes a step back in shock.

"I am pregnant with your child, Karthik" There! I have said it out loud & clear.

At least now react, please. I look straight into his eyes but no reaction from his side. I thought he will go down on his knees & kiss my belly and them me? But he stood there so still, so shocked. He doesn't even blink his eyes.

"Karthik?" I gently call him placing my hand over his chest. I can feel his pounding heart beneath my palm.

"A baby?" he asks as his eyes glisters with moisture & then his face lights up with a gigantic smile.

"I'm going to be a daddy?" he asks with a smile & a tear drop rolls down his cheek. Oh don't cry my dear husband. I want to say that but my throat constrict with emotion.

"Yes" I nod my head with a huge smile.

"Oh my sweet lord!" He laughs merrily as he looks upwards as if thanking the God. "I love you, baby... I love you so much" he pulls me in his arms & kisses my lips soundly. I have been waiting for this day...waiting to see this happiness in my Karthik's face. Now, I realize how much a baby is important to him. He is crying in joy, hugging me. I too start weeping clutching his arms tightly. I have started & now I can't hold back my tears. My legs give away & I sink to the floor. Karthik kneels down as well & holds me close to his chest.

"Shush! Shush! Don't cry, baby" he coos near my ear & kisses my hair.

"I am so happy, Karthik... I never thought I could ever conceive a baby... but it's a miracle." I tell amidst my sob.

"But I always knew you would give me a baby, one day" he says gently feeling my belly. I stop breathing. Oh my! This feels great. I love his gentle caress. I feel so loved and protected.

"When did you come to know about the baby?" he asks still caressing my belly lovingly.

"Today. Tara came to see me & we were talking about how to seduce you & get you in bed to make love..." I tell blushing & he chuckles.

"And?" he is so impatient. He sits properly on the floor & leans his back on the wall. Then he pulls me on to his lap and I rest my head on his chest. He still hasn't taken off his hand from my belly. He is holding it protectively. I feel safe. We feel safe.

"Wait a minute" I say & lean up. He looks at me puzzled. I pull my T-shirt off & throw it aside. Now, I am only in my bra & shorts. This way he can caress my bare skin. This feels even better. He smiles & again starts caressing my stomach.

"Do you feel anything strange?" he asks.

"No!"

"How old is our unborn baby?" he asks eagerly.

"I am two months pregnant"

"What?" he couldn't believe so am I.

"Did you check with a doctor?" he asks. I nod.

"When?"

"When I fainted this noon, Tara took me to a gynecologist." She is really smart. When I fainted she sprinkled water on my face & got me back to consciousness and the very next moment she took me to a specialist guessing I must be pregnant. I should grudgingly agree that Tara has more knowledge about sex life.

"You fainted?" Karthik panics. "And you didn't bother to tell me?" he asks angrily with edging on his eyes.

"Relax, Karthik. I am fine." I rub his chest to calm him down. His eyes soften & he kisses my forehead.

"You are alright nah, baby? He asks in concern. I nod smiling.

"Mithra, you should tell me first whatever it is. I don't like you hiding things from me just because I worry. Promise me you will tell everything to me?"

"Okay, baba! Promise" I promise him.

"So what the good doctor said about your health condition?"

"Oh Karthik... the doctor is really good. He is so hot & handsome. I was drooling at him all the while he tests me."

"He?" Karthik asks with a frown. I nod. "We are changing the doctor then!" he says.

"Oh no! I will get a heart attack if you do that." I throw back the words he said when I asked him to change his doctor, Naira.

He scowls at me. "I am sorry." I peck his cheek.

"He was surprised that I didn't get any symptoms or I didn't bother about missing my periods..." I stop & frown. Then my eyes start to well up again. All the while I was pregnant but I failed to realize it. If I had realized it much before then maybe nothing would have happened to my Karthik. My poor darling husband suffered because I couldn't realize I was pregnant. Shit!

"Hey! Stop it!" Karthik reads my mind so he quickly cradles my head to his chest & kisses my head over & over again.

"Karthik... if I had found out, at least, three weeks back then we could have avoided all the stress and worry, right? Because of my mistake you suffered...I'm such a bad wife..." I cry.

"Stop blaming yourself, darling. You didn't know. See, you always got irregular periods so it's not your fault that you failed to keep track on with your last periods date. Even I missed to notice you... I mean to notice the changes in you. I missed to notice this little one growing in you" he circles thumb over my belly making me feel ticklish so I stop him by holding his playing thumb.

"I felt dizziness when you were in hospital but I thought it was due to fatigue."

"It's okay. Just forget it." Karthik kisses my temple. He is so sweet. He will always erase my guilt and uneasy feeling.

"Baby, please stay safe here. Papa & Mama loves you so much" I tell softly to our baby looking at my flat belly as a tear drop falls right on top of Karthik's hand.

"She will be safe here because she got a lovely protective mother to take care of her. And no more tears, okay?" Karthik says wiping my tears away & kissing my soft lips softly.

"Did you take a scan?" He asks me. I shake my head in no.

"Doctor advised me to take a scan today to see the baby's growth, moreover, it's already late to do the first scan but I told him no..."

"Why?"

"I want you to be with me and want us to see our baby for the first time, together." I shrug.

"Thank you, darling" he smiles & kisses my temple.

"So you didn't tell anyone yet?" he asks.

"Nope. You are the first one to know. Well, Tara knows about my pregnancy as she was with me but apart from her I didn't tell any of our family members."

"Okay, we will give them the good news tomorrow as it's already late."

"Okay. And tomorrow you will take me for scanning right?"

"Of course, Mithu. I am dying to see our cutie pie" he says with a heart melting smile.

"Yes and I want to introduce my hottie doctor to you. Ah! How I wished to marry a doctor when I was a little girl" I sigh dreamily. Karthik rolls his eyes & bites my earlobe making me yelp.

"So tell me, the doctor is more handsome than your husband?" he asks casually but I can tell he is jealous.

"It's actually close... but you win my darling hubby" I throw my arms around his neck and touch his nose with mine.

"Really?" he asks incredulously.

You don't trust me?

"Yep! You win! No contest at all!"

My Karthik is the handsomest man in this world for me.

"Oh and don't worry, he is married!"

Ah! This piece of information makes him to flash a smile at me.

"I love you, baby"

"And I, you" then we sit in silence, in peace. We could clearly hear the sounds of our breathing & heart beats.

Soon one more member will be joining us, a very special member... our little baby. Our world! Thanks to the Almighty for putting an end to our worries & bringing happiness in our lives.

"Today, you made me the happiest man alive on the planet, Mithra" he says resting his cheek on my head. I smile happily. Finally I made my love happy!

"Come, we will have dinner and then I will put you to bed."

"Yes, I am hungry... not only for food"

"Then what else?" he asks. What is wrong with him? He is so blunt tonight!

"For what you had in your mind when you entered our house"

"Sex? No! No! It's not in the agenda now. We can't..."

"Why?" I ask him with a frown.

"No, Mithra. We should be really careful. We can't bring any harm to our baby" he says as he finally takes off his hand from my stomach realizing he might be hurting the baby.

God! He has started being over protective, already.

"Nothing like that, Karthik. We can have sex during pregnancy... I have read about it in an article"

"I am not going to take any risk. Not with our baby's life."

"If the doctor says it's fine to do it?"

"Then we will think about it" he is still reluctant. Why he always makes me sound so desperate for sex?

"Better I call Tara. She has prior experience and you call Sanjeev to know for yourself whether they had sex when Deepa was pregnant or not?" I suggest.

"We will wait one day. Let's confirm it with your good looking Doctor" he says in finality. I sigh sadly. So no sex tonight too? I pout! I should have broken the good news after we made love.

Karthik places me on the floor from his lap and swiftly standing up to his feet, he helps me up too. Then he picks me up in his arms, bridal style.

"Hey! Put me down. You should not carry heavy weight." I worry instantly and my hand starts caressing his chest.

"You are not heavy weight... you are light weight. And stop worrying about me. You need to take care of your health as it's not only you now. You have my little heart in you now so let me take care of you both" he is back to his control freaking tendency. I shake my head but smile happily.

I love this man, my man, my world! I put my arms around his neck & kiss his jaw as I let him carry me to the kitchen and there he places me on the kitchen counter top.

I watch him gracefully moving around the kitchen as he dishes out the food on the plate. He feeds me with his hand & I feed him back. After dinner we went to bed & cuddling each other, we slept peacefully after a long time.

~~0~~

"Hello Dr. Rishab" I greet my Gyn with a smile.

"Hello Mrs. Karthik. Please take a seat" he smiles at me & gestures to sit.

"This is my husband Karthik & this is my hottie Doctor" I shamelessly introduce him as 'hottie' to my husband. Both Karthik and the doctor looked embarrassed but still managed to share smiles. I just grin.

"So you ready for the scan?" Dr. Rishab asks me. I look at Karthik silently asking 'are we ready?" and he nods with a smile. I look back at the Doctor & nod my assent.

"Well, then we will proceed." he asks his nurse to show us to the sonogram room. Karthik & I follow the nurse & within few minutes Dr. Rishab joins us.

Karthik helps me to lie on the bed & I roll my shirt a little up exposing my belly. Karthik stands next to the bed & takes hold of my sweaty hand. I know he is nervous, so am I.

The doctor puts some cold gel on my belly for lubrication & then gently places the ultrasonic transducer on my belly & moves it around.

Where are you hiding baby? I lift my head up a little to see the screen clearly.

"Don't move" Doctor says as he concentrates on the screen. Karthik holds my head in place with one hand & with other he holds my hand.

"There" Doctor presses a button & freezes the screen to show our baby clearly but nothing finds clear to me on the monitor. "Your baby" he points to the screen.

"Is that 'kidney bean' our child?" I ask. Doctor chuckles for addressing our baby 'kidney bean'. Karthik scoffs at me.

"Am I having twins?" I ask. Karthik looks at me wide eyed.

"No, why?" Doctor asks me.

"So what's that other kidney shaped thing?"

"No, they are just bubbles. Only this is your baby. Singular" Doctor clarifies & clearly points out our baby.

"Only one? I hoped for twins. I love twins" I tell them. I have read somewhere that if you undergo treatments for conceiving, it might lead you to multiple births but I guess that's not happening in my case. I sigh.

"It's hard to handle twins Mrs. Karthik. I am speaking out of personal experience. My wife gave birth to twins & the little ones are keeping her running on her toes & even I have my share of work to do too as they are very demanding & naughty kids." Dr. Rishab says with a fond smile. I can tell he loves his kids so much.

I love kids being naughty. I feel naughty kids are smart just like me. Ha Ha.

"Oh really?" I ask with a smile. "How old are they? & what are their names?" I ask.

"They are four years old. Aarav, my son, he is the elder one & Aaradhana, my daughter, my little angel."

Karthik smiles hearing that and says "That's so nice"

"Karthik, let's have two kids... one boy & one girl. Just like Doctor. Okay?"

"Let's have this one baby for now & we will think about having another in future." he says softly.

"Okay" I agree.

"Doctor..." I call.

"Yes"

"Can we know the gender of the baby?" I ask eagerly.

"Nah-nah" he shook his head. "That's not allowed"

"You have seen my medical history, right?" I ask. Doctor nods. "Karthik and I have been yearning for a baby for three long years and finally we are blessed with a baby and now do you thing we will harm our baby if we find out it's a girl?"

"I love girl babies" Karthik says quickly looking at me.

"I can understand you, Mrs. Karthik but... I have to face consequences if I do ultrasound for gender determination..."

"Doctor, please. I am dying to know what baby I am having" I plead him.

"Mithra, let's not kill the surprise. We will wait and know what baby we have at the time of birth" Karthik says appeasing me.

"Doctor, honestly tell me, you would have gone against the law and told your wife about the twins gender before their birth right?" I ask. He looks surprised at me. Ah! I locked him there. "Think me as your sister and tell me, please" I plead pouring all my cuteness.

"Alright but keep this confidential" Dr. Rishab laughs as he gives in to my demand. I squeal in excitement and hug Karthik's waist.

"You are crazy, Mithra" Karthik chuckles.

"Sorry but I have to agree with you, Mr. Karthik" Dr. Rishab says and they both laugh. I don't mind them laughing at me as long as I get to know the gender of my baby.

"So tell me?" I ask impatiently. "Boy or Girl?"

"Well, I will tell you but not now. It's too soon to determine the gender of the baby. We can find it out in the next scan, that's around the fifth month."

"Oh!" I sigh slightly disappointed.

"Well, is our baby perfectly alright?" Karthik asks in concern.

"Yes, Mr. Karthik. The baby is perfectly alright & the growth is also normal for a two months old baby." Dr, Rishab declares. Karthik & I visibly relax.

Thank goodness, our baby is doing well & I will make sure to keep him/her safe & sound.

"Are we done?" I ask.

"Don't you want to hear your baby's heart beat, Mrs. Karthik?" Doctor asks me.

"Can we hear the heart beat now?" I ask in surprise.

"Of course you can" Dr. Rishab smiles at me. I squeeze Karthik's hand. I am so thrilled. Then the nurse turns on the speaker & we hear soft heart beats of our baby.

"133 per minute! That's the normal rate of heart beat for a two months old baby. Good!"

"Omg! This surely is the loveliest sound I have ever heard in my life" Karthik tells, emotionally. I can't agree with him more.

"I love you" I tell Karthik. He turns & looks down at me with a bright smile. Then he leans down & kisses my forehead lovingly.

"Congratulations!" Dr. Rishab congratulates us. We thank him, smiling.

"I will get some pictures for you to take home" he says & walks away. I wipe the goofy gel off my belly with a tissue & then Karthik helps me down from the bed & gives me a little hug. We can never be this happy.

"You should start with some folic acid & vitamins." Dr. Rishab says once Karthik and I join him back in his cabin. He quickly scribbles something on his note pad. "Generally ultrasound scans are less harmful but still we will avoid any further invasive test as everything seems normal with the baby. We will do one scan around the fifth or sixth month & one or two at the end... Few weeks before your delivery" he instructs.

"What about her diet, Doctor?" Karthik asks.

"I will give you the does & don'ts pamphlet & also a diet chat & you can go accordingly."

"Okay" Karthik nods.

"Any other queries?" Dr. Rishab asks.

"Well... I have something to ask." I say.

"Feel free to ask, Mrs. Karthik"

"Can we resume our sex life?" I ask brazenly. I am not at all shy.

I find the doctor's lip quivering up to a smile & when I turn to my side, I find Karthik rubbing his temple. He is obviously embarrassed. I often embarrass him. I mentally face palm.

"Of course, as long as you feel fit & healthy & willing, there is no need to cut down or complete refrain from doing it."

"See, I told you, right?" I ask Karthik, grinning. He nods his head irately.

"Then we will take your leave, Doctor" I smile at him. He smiles back. Karthik takes my hand & we walk out of his cabin, happily.

~~0~~

After we returned from the hospital, we had our lunch & I was so tired so went to take a short nap but it went too long.

Now, when I check the time it shows 6pm. God! I have slept for four solid hours. But that's okay. This will only help me to stay awake late tonight & succeed in mission 'love making' in which I have been failing miserably for the past three weeks now.

"Karthik..." Sleepily I walk out of the bedroom and to our living room only to find our family cooped up in. What are they doing here? When they all came?

"Hi everybody" I greet them with a smile. I am actually surprised to see them here. I turn to look at Karthik. I called & told them everything. He mouths and signs.

"Mithra, come here & sit" Radha aunty calls me. I walk willingly & sit between my mom and mom in law.

"How are you and my grandbaby doing?" Radha aunty asks me beaming with joy.

"We both are fine" I smile.

My mom touches my stomach & asks me how many months I'm pregnant? This feels weird. I don't mind Karthik touching, caressing, and kissing my tummy. In fact I love it. But when my mom touches me, it makes me feel like she is invading my private space.

"Two months" I whisper.

"Finally my son will stop worrying about you and not having a baby." Mohan uncle says as if a huge weight has lifted off his chest.

"Dad!" Karthik scolds.

"Mohan, don't upset her." Radha aunty chides him.

"No. It's fine. Actually he is right. Karthik is happy now & that's what I wanted... I mean we all wanted. I know you love your son uncle... So I am sorry for blaming you to be a part of his pain." I apologize. I don't feel ashamed to bow down in front of elders. I know I behaved rude with him in the hospital but I don't want to hold any grudge or hatred on him, mainly when I know he said all that because he loves his son so much.

"I told you nah, Mano, your daughter is growing up? See, how maturely she is talking now?" Mohan uncle laughs. I look at him blankly. "I am sorry too, Mithra."

"No. No. Uncle... Please."

"Stay blessed beta. Take care of our family's heir." He keeps his hand on my head & blesses me. I look up at Karthik to find him smiling at me, proudly.

Radha aunty gives instructions to Karthik on how to take care of me. Oh no! Already my husband is unbelievably overprotective and to top that my mom-in-law is giving exclusive instructions.

"Karthik, she is still in her second month so don't tell anyone about her pregnancy for one more month. Maybe you share the good news with your close friends Sanjeev, Tara & Nisha but not to others, okay? I don't want evil eyes to fall on my unborn grandchild." She strictly says.

"Okay" Karthik nods.

"Karthik, she will be ratty & snappy as her hormones will be running wild but you should not lose your patience with her. No fights! No scolding! Okay?"

"Okay, mom. I get it. What next?" Karthik asks.

"Make sure she eats on time. Don't let her stay in empty stomach for long. If she protests to eat then you force feed her but never let her be hungry. She should eat a lot as she will be eating for two now. Moreover, when she eats healthy & in time, it will help avoiding morning sickness."

Hmm, that's a valid tip. I should follow my diet strictly.

"Don't let her munch unhygienic junks & strictly no to street foods" God! Just by hearing street food I crave for pani puri and pav baji.

"Karthik, she is still a baby so you better be very careful with her." Radha aunty says in a whisper but still I heard it and I fight back my laughter. My father-in-law says I have grown up & my mom-in-law says I am still a baby. How funny?

"Mom, I will take care of my babies so you relax"

"Karthik, if you wish you both could move to our house." Mohan uncle suggests. Oh no! I want our privacy.

"No dad. We will be fine here." Karthik politely denies his offer & I am so glad he denied. I thank Karthik through my smile and he smiles back.

We insisted them to have dinner with us and they very graciously agreed. We had a nice family dinner prepared by Karthik & after that they left to their respective homes.

~~0~~

"Tired?" Karthik asks me. I nod & snuggle him.

"Sleep" he kisses my forehead & I rest my head on his chest, sighing.

"I am glad my dad & you get along well now." He tells me and I sense his smile.

"He is also my dad, Karthik and that's why I righteously fought with him just like how I fight with my dad. But I know I talked little rudely with him and I am sorry about that."

"Yeah, in the heat of the moment you both exchanged few heated words but don't ever repeat it again, Mithra"

"I won't, Karthik. And that's why even today I apologized to him. I don't want him or anyone to be angry on me, at least, not when I am pregnant because that will upset me." I say as I softly rub my belly.

"Don't worry, baby. We are all here only to love you" he says and touches my lips with his.

"Love you, baby" Karthik whispers, hugging me.

"You said that to me or to your baby?"

"To you I said that because you are my first baby. I love you" he kisses my lips.

Then he leans down & kisses my belly. "Good night, sweetheart" he coos to our baby. I caress his hair feeling ecstatically happy.

Then he settles back & plugged in his ear pieces.

"Karthik! You are going to sleep now then why you want to listen to music?" he has this habit of falling asleep to music but I wonder how someone could sleep with earphones stuck in their ears?

"Nope" he stops me when I try to pull out his ear set.

"I want to hear this. Then only I will sleep peacefully." He says.

"What's that you are hearing? Let me hear too." I pull out one side loop & push it in my ear.

Lub dub lub dub lub dub...

Oh my! It's our baby's heart beat!

"I'm still reeling with the fact that we are really having a baby"

"Karthik... The amount of love you possess for me & for our child is unbelievable & touching." I tell him as my eyes get moist. His love knows no bounds. "We are lucky to have you in our lives" I whisper as he wipes my stray tear.

"I am the lucky one here. Now sleep, baby" he kisses my forehead once again. We both went to sleep hearing our baby's soft melodious heart beats.

... To be continued!!!!

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