6 months later

Neerja patted her protruding belly. Sameer has gone for work and will be return soon at any time. She knitted the baby clothes with some more colourful threads.  She was slowly humming a lullaby to her baby. She felt her baby was kicking when the time was reaching by 6 p.m. Smilingly she patted her belly to make calm. "Just wait for a few more time, Nanna will come", she smiled. She felt the baby has become calm and might be dreaming of the Nanna. 

In this roller coast drive of 6 months, Sameer-Neerja witnessed several ups and downs together in their marital life. It wasn't anything related to their personal matters but mostly with the people of the community surrounded them ! When Neerja started progressing through her pregnancy to have an easy natural birth Neerja was made to gor for walks with Sameer. Soon most of the people came across the couple cradling with her proud baby bump. All the hell broke lose when they came to contact with the officials from health department citing the reason of Survey.  "Mam, may I please know for how many months you have been pregnant?".Neerja was a bit baffled with the question. She stared blankly at Sameer's face. Sameer's condition too wasn't much different. He never expected to face such a situation anywhere at this time.

"Well...she is around 8 months". he muttered. The official noted it down. "Mam, name please?", she enquired. "Amrita!", Neerja was astonished to listen another name from her husband's mouth. "Sir, which hospital you are visiting ?", for that question Sameer said some random hospital which was false. Neerja gripped his hand. When the official asked for the address , Sameer lied very much convincingly even Neerja gaped at her husband. 

"Can you please excuse us for a second ? My wife needs to use toilet. She needs my help too", he smiled sheepishly. The elderly officials looked at each other with blushed faces. Sameer held his wife's hand and walked towards the toilet , peeking glances at them. Once he understood that they were out of their sight, Sameer pulled Neerja towards him and walked as fast as they could running to catch up fr their lives!

This incident evidently created a spark of fear in the minds of Sameer and Neerja. Too much of people 's interference in their lives can only create more problems in their life. Finally Neerja decided not to move out of the apartment. She applied for medical leave, thanks to her husband's connections, some how they managed to grab a medical proof to submit before the university to convince them s that she could continue her studies after the delivery. What pained her the most was the lost look at of Ruhi who managed to see her for the last time. They couldn't speak or confront each other. But she was managed to see maybe a last look at her friend, with tears in her eyes.

Neerja  laughed thinking of these past incidents. Suddenly she felt tummy was churning up. Somehow she managed to reach the toilet cradling her baby bump. She threw up all her contents from her tummy. Neerja didn't feel terrified. She knew very well that her baby has got exact taste buds as that of the father! Their baby strongly hated vegetarian food and whenever Neerja has non veg food, especially pork and meat once the meal is completed baby would swim in her womb. 

"Baby, how is daddy's recipe? Amazing na?", Sameer would ask to her big baby bump. Baby as answer to the question strongly kicked.

"Till now I never hold any kind of hopes to my heart, but when I met your mother I never thought that my whole world would be turning upside down, literally filled with happiness and colorful dreams", Sameer hold Neerja closed to his heart.

"Until you were welcome to our small family completing Neeru and me , strengthening our bonds together forever", he kissed Neerja's growing baby bump to which the infant kicked signaling approval.

"We don't know how will you look like, how will you sound , but remember your Nanna and amma are eagerly waiting to meet you." Neerja and Sameer stroke her belly together.

"Sleep with good dreams and thoughts. Your Nanna is here to protect you and your mom, no matter what this society will be , we will also grow up to be a part of it!", Sameer and Neerja smiled optimously to which their baby keep on swimming in her womb.

Neerja quietly made her way to the bed. After a few hours she was woken up by the noise in the room. She slowly pulled her head up to see her husband grinning widely with a huge pheasent in his hand. It's feathers have been covered his body. She understood that her husband is finally back after his hunting session. Sameer  adjusted her pillow and kissed her forehead. Hearing the voice of shower she understood that her husband is taking a bath. After a while he came out with only just a towel tied around his bare body.

"Neeru". Sameer pulled her body up supporting over her. "I am going to light the lamp. It's time for the prayers darlingey... Wake up atleast for a while", he said. "My head is throbbing", said Neerja. "I know. Just adjust for a few minutes. I will set everything up."

Neerja contently looked at her husband who smeared kumkum on her seemantha rekha and did arthi for her. When Sameer was about to move away , she pulled his hand. Neerja pulled her tali  up indicating to apply kumkum on that too. Sameer smilingly applied it while, Neerja applied sacred ash on Sameer's forehead too.

After some time, Neerja was scooped up by Sameer. "Just leave Sam, I will walk and come", she chided. "Baby, your amma doesn't like your daddy carrying you. See.. how angry she is ! Angry bird!", Sameer joked. "Stop talking ill about me to our baby", Neerja pouted. "Who said that I am ill talking? Come , see the feast Nanna prepared for you ", Sameer swirled Neerja in his hands containing his happiness. Neerja strongly hugged his broad shoulders holding off laughter seeing Sameer's playful nature.

Neerja's eyes were widened seeing the feast that has been arranged neatly on the table. Sameer who had his hands over her bump felt his baby was dancing due to happiness. "She is just like me", he felt. Happiness was all baout to see his wife munching delicious food with all her heart. 

After the dinner has been completed Sameer started washing the plates and cleaning the kitchen. He wore nothing but just a pajama. Though the down pours are heavy, the humidity and atmospheric temperature were literally higher. He felt ease to be like that. A pair hands surrounded over his chest. He smiled imagining his wife's pouted face not able to kiss him. He turned around to see Neerja was pouting looking at her baby bump. "Why madam? today no kisses or love bites?", he teased. That itself was all enough for Neerja to blush. "I think our baby is way too possessive of Nanna.. See our baby standing in between us, so that I can't bite you", she licked her lips."Arey baboi, so it was a bite! Thanks to my daughter. She saved me", he smiled sheepishly. Suddenly he yelped when her understood that Neerja has pinched his waist with her long nails. Before Sameer could catch, Neerja walked fastly to the living hall escaping from her husband!

                                                                                  **********************

Sameer and Neerja were watching a romcom movie in the tv with Neerja  lied her head on Sameer's shoulder. Neerja was twirling and twisting on the sofa. Noticing this he untied the ties of her night gown and pushed it down. He slowly made her to lie on the couch and he started massaging her big baby bump. When he started massaging  her back and feet, after a while she slowly fell into sleep.

Sameer checked out the calender to calculate her delivery date. Still 12 days left. He pinched the bridge of his nose to ease his tension. He opened his cupboards to see all the towels, heatpads , a pair of sterile scissors , clamps , etc have been placed. Anything could happen at anytime...All I need to be is cautious. He calculated  in his mind.Thinking too much he slowly drifted to sleep.

Deep in his sleep, Sameer was awaken by the muffled noise made by Neerja. He was bolted up due to fear. Neerja was moaning in pain. "Neeru?", he panted. "Sam, I think it's time..", she smiled through tears.

                                                                               ********************

In the centre of living room Sameer made a space for Neerja to deliver their child. He made heat pads, made the towels ready. Sameer felt his head would burst out due to tension and fear. "Neeru , just breath and push", Sameer removed her innerwear and parted her legs wide open. Now the contractions were hitting her harder. Neerja kept on moaning and pushing harder.

Please ignore the people friends!

"Neeru! You can do it", Sameer encouraged her."No! I can't sam..I can't Sam..", Neerja whimpered. "Atleast for godsake NEERJA! Keep trying!", now Sameer was literally terrified. He started encouraging her with kisses and massaged her back to ease the pain.

All the hopes crashed when all of a sudden electricity went off. "Fuck!", Sameer cursed. He swore through his breath and paced like a roaring lion to grab all the candles to lit up the room. Sameer felt 1000 of heads and 2000s hands have sprouted out his body. He was managing to do every work as soon as possible.

A layer of sweat covered Neerja's face. With one more last and final she gave Sameer heard her life shattering scream with finger nails pierced on his body. Soon they were welcomed with a wail of an infant. Sameer jumped to take out his child. Various emotions covered his heart. 

"Daughter! My daughter", his heart screamed out of joy. The baby had a dark mop of hair on her head with chocolate brown eyes. She strongly resembled her parents yet with her button nose she poked at her father's fingertips and curled her hands at his fingers.

The most difficult part was to cut down the umbilical cord of the baby and removing the placenta of the mother. He almost felt to faint when he pulled out placenta out of Neerja's body. Thick smell of blood and mush covered his body. He cleaned his baby's body , wiped out the remains from Neerja's body. Neerja was soon departed to sleep due to exhaustion of labor. He packed up all these wastes in a medical bag and kept it in a corner of waste can in their kitchen. 

He slowly took up his daughter to see her peaceful face. He made her to lie on Neerja's breast so that they could have skin to skin contact. When she removed from Sameer's body she wailed. But once it was replaced with her mother's body heat , she happily settled.

Neerja slowly opened her eyes to see Sameer's smiling face."We did it! Neeru , look at her", he covered her hands around their baby lieing on her chest. Tears of happiness never know the time to come. Neerja laughed through tears and happiness. After a while Neerja breastfed her baby with the aid of Sameer. His back was supported as a pillow for her ,that was much more easier for her.

The next day was finally reborn for that little family , now with a third member. Her cooes and whimpers made the proud parents heart flutter."It's a daughter for us , isn't it Sam?", Neerja kissed the baby's feet. "Hmm...", Sameer sighed. The rain showers have a bit subsided and sun rays could touch their faces. "Sam...when I was pregnant we never thought a name for her? Weren't us?", Neerja thought thoroughly. "Who predicted to be a daughter for us? I kept on saying it will be a daughter cuz I always wanted one! But I never expected my desire to become true", Sameer kissed the baby.

"Anyways we need a name for our baby...what shall we call her ?", Neerja looked at Sameer. Sameer could see the subsided rains now started getting heavier."When will this stop?", Neerja looked at the downpour unbelievably. "Varsha!", Sameer said. Neerja was amazed to listen the name. "Our baby , since she was born on a rainy night. We will call her Varsha! Isn't it baby?", Sameer teased. The baby cooed loudly giving her signal of approval which made the proud parents to smile each other with everlasting love and happiness....

Finally the story is reaching to new heights!

I wish all my friends  a happy Bakrid! Here Kerala is still facing a toughest situation in their lives in the form of heavy rains and floods. My prayers and help shall be extended towards them. It has been phenomenon where floods and disasters have been occurring all the time. But all the time, we united to give rise to a new Kerala!