Part - 49

"No One Else Will Ever Know The Strength Of My Love For You, After All You Are The Only One Who Knows What My Heart Sounds Like From The Inside"

(Karthik's POV)

"Karthik!" Mithra shouts & throws the shawl at my face.

"Baby, it's cold out here." I wrap the shawl over her shoulders again. We are now in beach as Mithra wanted to go for a walk.

"Karthik, please, I already look so gross and I will look like a hippopotamus if you wrap me with that thick rug you call it a shawl" she says & pouts cutely which makes me smile at her.

"Alright" I surrender & place the shawl back in our car & start walking with Mithra holding her hand.

"When you feel tired or your legs start aching you please tell me, I will take you back home, okay?"

"Stop worrying too much, Karthik." She says irately.

"I can't help. Your due date is fast approaching and I am getting edgy"

"Karthik, get me that American corn!" Mithra says pointing to a small stall where a corn vender selling sweet corns.

"Have you thought any name for our baby?" I ask Mithra while she eats the hot sweet corn.

"Nope! I am so confused. I don't know what to name our daughter." She says sadly.

"It's okay, darling. We have still got time and you will get one perfect name for our baby girl" I tell as I rub the side of her arm. I don't want her to stress over the fact that she couldn't decide a name yet.

"Karthik, why don't you name her?" she asks pointing to her bloated tummy.

"I only named you, Mithra, so this time I wanna give you a chance to name our baby."

"Hmm... right... wait a minute... why you named me 'Mithra'?"

"Mithra means friend. You are my best friend so I named you Mithra." I actually suggested the name to her parents and they loved it so much so they went with my choice.

I draw my wife closer to me and rest my forehead against her as I gently caress her tummy. "She is kicking pretty hard lately, right?" I ask as I can feel her strong thumping. I worry it might hurt my Mithra.

"Yeah. She is growing big nah." Mithra says with a smile.

"Does it hurt at all?" I ask as I circle my palm over her tummy calming our ever active girl.

"Sometimes it does" She shrugs. My poor baby! She gets leg cramp, back ache, chest burn, breathing issues, she couldn't sleep well at night as she find the need to pee every half an hour as the baby sits right on top of her bladder pressing her to pee & what not? Oh! Did I miss her morning sickness? Without drinking she gets hangover every morning. Jeez! What all women go through to give birth to a child?

"Well?" Mithra asks. I frown. I zoned out momentarily so I don't know what she was asking.

"Get me cotton candy" she orders.

"Mithra, you & your love for unhealthy foods" I shake my head in irritation. I have tried & failed in changing her eating habits.

"Please" She asks cutely. I sigh & stop the boy who is selling cotton candy in the beach.

"Two" Mithra says to that boy.

"Hey, I don't like it. You eat." I tell her. I am not a baby to eat cotton candy.

"Not for you. For us!" she points to her big bump. I nod & get two cotton candy stick for them.

"You hold the other one. I will eat this & get that." Mithra thrust one stick to me and eats cotton candy from the stick she's holding as we walk.

"Karthik!" Mithra shouts.

"What? Your water broke?" I ask panicking. Oh shit! We haven't got her maternity bag ready yet!

"Gah! No. You ate my cotton candy?" She accuses me. Fuck! She is unbelievable. She almost tore my eardrum with her loud cry but that's for this bloody cotton candy?

"That's it? For a minute you gave me a coronary attack!" I breathe out loudly.

"Here. Have!" I pass her the cotton candy.

"No! I don't want"

Then don't have woman!

"Okay!" I shrug & when I was about to throw it away, she grabs it from my hand.

"I don't like wasting eatables" Mithra reasons. I want to laugh at her but I didn't. Who knows she might burst into tears for laughing at her.

"Karthik, wait. I will remove my shoes."

"Why? Do you have leg cramp?"

"No. I just wanna walk barefoot in the sand" Mithra tells and tries to bend down and take her shoes in her hand but I stop her and pick her shoes for her.

"Shall we name our daughter 'Roshini', the light that entered in our life?" Mithra asks.

"Nice name but I don't want to name our daughter Roshini"

"Why?" She asks frowning.

"Sanjeev will claim that we named our daughter after his son Roshan & will start weaving dreams that Roshan & Roshini will be the next love lizards (as he puts)" I say with a chuckle.

"OMG! That thought never occurred to me. No. No. We will think of some other name." Mithra says. I nod.

"Karthik will sit and talk"

"Okay" I help her sit down on the sand & before I follow suit, she asks me to get her butter popcorn. Girl! We are not in cinemas.

"Over there" She points to masala corn stall.

"And get me one lime soda." She adds quickly accessing the soda hub next to the popcorn stall.

"Soda is not good for your health, baby"

"Just a sip, Karthik, please" she pleads with her puppy eyes. "Then I will give the rest of the drink to you, okay?" She promises. I sigh before walking to get her popcorn and soda.

"Tomorrow onwards you should come home early, okay?" Mithra orders as she pops a corn in her mouth.

"Okay" I agree before I question her why?

"See, from tomorrow onwards I will be officially on my maternity leave so I don't want to stay alone at home for long. I need you to be at home by sharp six" she orders.

"Yes, Ma'am" I salute. She smiles and leans her head on my shoulder.

"Karthik, when we return home will you cook chicken wings for me? I am craving to eat them."

"Okay, baby. I will." I peck her temple. "Shall we go home now?" I ask taking this chance to take her back home & put her to bed to take some rest.

"No! We will stay little longer." She says & offers me popcorn. I take the lime soda paper cup from her hand instead of popcorns.

"One sip over!" I tell her & quickly dunk the rest of the soda down my throat.

"Hmm... What to name our daughter?" She asks more to herself as she strokes her stomach gently. "Karthik, shall we just call our baby with some pet names like Boo, Doll, Angel, cutie pie, for now & when she grows up she can name herself with the name she likes the most. What say?"

"No, Mithra. I feel naming a child is solely the right of the child's parents so we should give her a beautiful name."

"Okay." She agrees & resumes eating her popcorn. "Hmm...Butterscotch"

"Gah! That's not even a name."

"No! Ice cream. Get me one butterscotch cone from Kwality walls."

Oh God! How much junk foods she will eat?

"Mithra, you already had too much. I don't want you to throw up everything you ate..."

"I won't."

"Mithra..."

"You don't want me to eat more because you don't want me to grow fatter, right?" She asks with tears in her eyes.

Fuck me for making her cry. I very well know how to cheer up her mood. I just go & get her the ice cream she asked.

"Love you, Karthik." She side hugs me & with childish glee she makes a smart work with the wrapper and licked the ice cream.

"Karthik? Shall be name her 'Ruhi'?" She asks.

"Ruhi?" I ask. She nods. "Ruhi" I test the name again. "It has a nice ring to it. I like it." I approve her choice of name.

"Hey, Ruhi! Papa likes your name. Yippee!!" She coos to our baby. I smile at her.

"But don't you think it's more like a pet name?"

"Hmm yeah" she agrees with me. "Karthik, in birth certificate and in school we will give her name as 'Ruhanika' and at home we will call her Ruhi, what say?" Mithra asks.

"Ruhi aka Ruhanika?"

She nods. I took out my phone from my pockets and check the meaning of the name Ruhanika.

"Ruhanika means 'Beautiful'." I tell to Mithra

"Wow, really?"

"I love the name, Mithu"

"I love you, Karthik." She whispers.

"Love you too, baby." I say & wipe off the ice cream from the corner of her mouth using my thumb. If we were in our home I would have used my tongue.

~~0~~

Next day when I woke I found the left side of my bed empty.

Mithra never wakes this early. Then why is she up early and where she has gone? I hurriedly jump out of the bed & went in search of her. She is not in the bathroom so she is not having morning sickness which would have woken her up early.

"Mithra?" I call as I walk out of our bedroom. I didn't get her reply so I went to kitchen & there she is!

She is drinking chocolate milkshake but she seems lost in her thought.

"Mithra!" I walk around the kitchen island & gently place my hand on her shoulder. "You okay, baby?" I ask her as I brush a strand of hair off her face & tuck it behind her ear.

"No. I am not." she whispers & side hugs me. Why?

"What's wrong?" I ask, worry edging in my voice.

"Karthik, from last night she has stopped moving. I am worried."

"What?"

"Baby is not moving, Karthik. She is so still. I even tried drinking her favorite chocolate milkshake but she is not showing her usual enthusiasm by jumping in me when I drink this." she places the glass on the counter & takes my hand & places it on top of her stomach. It feels so hard. Now I am getting worried too. I just hope our baby girl is fine.

"Lastly she kicked me in the beach when you asked whether she was hurting me. After that she hasn't moved at all. She hasn't even given my good morning kick." Mithra says as she starts crying burying her face in my chest.

"Hey!" I gently rub her back with my hands to soothe. "She will be fine. I will just change & come. We will go see your doctor." I say & kiss her forehead. She nods with her tears refusing to stop. I can't bear seeing her cry.

"Baby, please don't cry. Everything will be okay." I assure her & quickly went back to our room to change my clothes.

~~0~~

"Do you have an appointment, ma'am?" the receptionist asks.

"No but we need to see, Dr. Rishab, urgently."

"Oh! He is on rounds & he will be here shortly. You please wait in his cabin." she instructs. We nod & I take Mithra's hand in mine & lead her to the Doctor's cabin.

"Papa!" Suddenly we hear a little girl's sweet voice as she barges into the cabin.

"Where is my papa?" she looks around the room with a cute little frown marring her forehead. "Do you know where my papa is, aunty?" the little girl asks Mithra.

Mithra smiles for the first time since morning & asks "Who is your papa, baby?"

"My Papa is a great doctor." She opens her hands wide to show how great. "Are you waiting to see him, aunty?" she asks softly. She is so cute. "My Papa will treat you well. He is the best."

"Hey, sweetie, come here?" I call her.

"My name is not sweetie, uncle. Call me Aaradhana or Aaru"

"Aaru? Beautiful name for a beautiful girl." I gently pinch her cheek making her blush. Then we hear the door opening sound again & we three turn back, hoping it's our doctor but it is not. A small boy enters in wearing a white coat. It's so big on him. The little boy even managed to get hold of his dad's stethoscope as it is hanging around his neck.

Ah! He must be Aaru's twin brother. I remember Dr. Rishab telling he has twins, the other day.

"See, uncle, Aarav is not letting me play the role of a doctor. He is always making me a nurse." Aaru complains to me & I laugh making her glare at me. Even Mithra tries & fails to hide her giggle. Then she rubs her stomach as she swifts comfortably in her seat. "Did she kick you?" I ask. Mithra shakes her head in no. I sigh.

"You have a baby here?" Aarav asks. Mithra nods with a smile.

"Okay, I will check." he says coolly and places his little hands on Mithra's protruding belly & starts circling over it.

Hey, Kiddo, you are not going to play with my wife or my baby.

"Careful" I warn him.

"I am the doctor here so you don't teach my job" He says with attitude making Mithra laugh loudly. He has taken the game little too seriously & acting as if he is a Certified Doctor.

"Aarav! Give me the stethoscope, I will check aunty." Aaru demands as she slaps her brother's arm.

"You don't have much experience so let me check her." Aarav commands & adjust his stethoscope. He must have noticed his dad closely. They seems so small, maybe around 4 or 5 years but so smart.

Aarav places the mouth of the stethoscope on Mithra's belly & listens attentively. He shushes his little sister when she pokes him to let her hear through the stethoscope.

"What you hear?" Aaru asks him.

"Cricket commentary" He mocks her. "Of Course, heart beat! Didn't dad tell you the other day?" he asks his little sister as if she is dumb.

Poor defenseless baby girl sadly moves towards me & climbing up, she sits on my lap & leans her head on my chest.

Uh-Oh! I am surprised by her move.

Babies generally don't mingle with stranger's right? Then I look down to see her lower lip tremble. I pray she doesn't cry.

"Seems like all girl babies out in this world love you so much?" Mithra makes a comment seeing Aaru's comfort level with me.

"That's my charm" I grin at her. She rolls her eyes but smiles fondly.

"Your baby is one lazy sleepy head. She is still sleeping!" Aarav complains after examining Mithra, thoroughly. I just hope he is correct & our baby is just sleeping & that's the reason why we couldn't feel her movements.

"Really?" Mithra asks him smiling. She seems already relieved though we haven't heard the word from the real doctor.

"Papa!" Aaru shrieks & abandoning me, she runs to her daddy.

Finally, the good doctor is here. I huff.

"Hello, Mrs. Karthik. Mr. Karthik." He nods at us & walking around the desk he sits on his chair and his daughter crawls up on his lap and settled comfortably like a queen.

We politely smile at him.

"So tell me what made you guys pay this impromptu visit to my clinic?" he asks.

"Doctor, since last night, our baby is not moving. We are really worried." Mithra says softly, her voice quivering.

"I see. Do you feel any abdominal pain, Mrs. Karthik?" he asks.

"No, Doctor. But I feel my stomach so rock solid."

"Hmm... Alright, I will examine you & if needed will go for an ultra sound scan." He says.

I grip Mithra's hand tightly as she lies on the bed for him to do the test. He presses the sides of her stomach with his gloved hands.

"You have any pain here?" he asks pressing her lower abdomen. Mithra shook her head in negation.

"Gently" I tell him when I notice his finger prints on Mithra's tender skin.

Dr. Rishab smiles at me and nods. "Dad knows his job well." I hear Aarav commenting from the other side of the curtain. I just roll my eyes in annoyance but then I am smiling. I just like the little boy's attitude.

"Aarav!" Dr. Rishab admonishes him softly. "Don't mind him." He says, little embarrassed.

"It's okay" I say.

Then suddenly he slaps my Mithra's stomach hardly.

"Ouch!" Mithra yells in pain. I gently rub the place where he slapped her and I feel our baby's movements.

"There! There she is moving..." Dr. Rishab declares. "So there is nothing to worry Mrs. Karthik. She is perfectly alright. She must have been little tired & was sleeping a little long. You probably would have ate a good meal & put her to sleep" Dr. Rishab says with a laugh.

Good meal? All she ate was junk foods. I scoff.

"I told you, right?" Aarav pipes in again. I actually got little offended when he told my daughter was a lazy sleepy head but I grudgingly agree, he is so smart & a f**king genius like his father.

Mithra kisses the back of my hand & whispers "Our Ruhi is safe." I nod smiling happily.

"So I think you don't need a scan."

"Aunty are you gonna name the baby Ruhi?" Aaru asks in excitement when we sat back in the chairs we were seated earlier.

"Yes, baby darling." Mithra says & ruffles her head. "You like it?"

"I love it."

"Your kids are so cute, doctor." Mithra says with a smile.

"And smart too. Your son rightly told our Ruhi was just sleeping even before you checked on her." I tell him & look at Aarav who is grinning so proudly. He is a naughty but surely a clever boy. I like him. I like his sister too. I simply like babies.

"He wants to become a Doctor, just because his momma loves Doctors. He is one momma's boy" Dr. Rishab says looking at his son and ruffles his hair.

"And Papa, I am your princess nah?" Aaru asks seeking attention.

"Yes, my dear princess" He soundly kisses Aaru's cheek.

"Uncle, will you bring Ruhi to our house when she comes out? My mom would love to see her" Aaru asks cutely in her sweet baby voice.

"Sure, darling." I nod in agreement. Then we make our way out feeling relieved & happy.

... To be continued!!!

One more part and Epilogue to go!!!

Then I will be done with this story! Yayyy!!!

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