Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

40. Good news and grief -part1

And result was this.

At first, both didn't know how to react. Khushi had thought whenever this day would come in her life, she would be elated, feel shy, feel like she is over the moon, but instead all she felt was dread! She was very scared! There was a baby inside her tummy? How was she going to take care of it?

As for Arnav, well, he was always skeptical of being a father and had thought he still had time to face that situation. But it came so unannounced and with such a force that he felt knocked off!

A week after the news:

A happy and excited Manorama had told almost everyone they knew. She was very happy that a baby was soon going to enter their lives. She had thought payal and akash would be the first ones to give good news, but her arnav bitua and khushi bitiya beat them to it.

Nani reprimanded her as according to her, sharing pregnancy news before first 3 months was a bad omen. Only family members were supposed to know and keep it a secret. And already half of their relatives were calling to congratulate on the upcoming heir or heiress!

The scene in Arnav and Khushi's bedroom, however was very different:

"For God's sake Khushi, stop making faces and drink this." Arnav held a glass of milk in front of her along with her medicines. 

"I don't want to, it makes me throw up! Aap le lo" Khushi said turning her face away.

"shut up Khushi! its not me who's pregnant" he scoffed and that irked her more

"I didn't get myself pregnant. Why only I have to bear with with these bitter medicines?"

"Fine, as you wish. and for your information, neither did I know, getting you pregnant will land me in this torture." he kept the glass on the side table and switched off the lights to get ready to sleep.

The whole night Khushi kept weeping while arnav kept twisting and turning in bed. This was not supposed to happen, it was equally unplanned and shocking for them both. But now that it had happened, they had to face it.

"Khushi?" he softly called out to her, keeping a hand on her shoulder. He wasn't sure if she would respond

But she did. She turned and hugged him tight, and continued to cry.

"shhh. Calm down sweetheart. I am so sorry. I should not have said that."

"hum bhi, *hiccup* sorry. Humein bhi *hiccup*wo sab nahi kehna chahiye tha (I shouldn't have said that)." he wiped her tears and pulled her closer, kissing her forehead and hair.

He slowly, hesitantly kept his hand on her tummy. It was still unbelievable. There was a new person growing there, a part of his and hers?

She smiled and kept her hand on his and looked up in his eyes. they were twinkling. 

"Khushi? I think it will be a girl." he said, now smiling ear to ear, as if he thought of something

"accha? why?" she curiously asked. she hadn't thought that far yet.

"because she's already throwing so many tantrums, just like you." 

"haww!" she swatted his arms. "if that's the case, she's a Laad governor, making me do all those things I don't want to." she pouted and soon they both emerged in laughter.

--*--

Next day, Garima and Madhumati buaji had come to visit Khushi, with lots of gifts, goodies and dry fruits for her. But when they saw Khushi's gloomy face, they got worried. By that time, Nani too had come to Khushi's bedroom and greeted the ladies.

"Bitiya, ab toh aapki amma aur buaji aa gayi hain, chaliye, muskuraiye (now even your Amma and bua ji is here, comeon smile). Honewali maa ko hamesha khush rehna chahiye, hai na? (an expectant mother should always be happy, right?)" Nani loving caressed khushi's hair, while Garima and Bua ji too looked at her worriedly.

"Nani, humein bohot darr lag raha hain. (I am scared). I have seen how painful giving birth is." Khushi finally spoke what was scaring her the most. She had seen in movies and TV how the mother screams and shouts while a baby is being born and that had terrified the barely 24-years-old Khushi!

Garima and Bua ji who had never had a baby themselves didn't know how to console her, but nani smiled as she knew how to pacify the scared girl,

"Kaha dekha hain bitiya? TV pe? the heroine who is shown to give birth and the director both know nothing about the experience, he says to act and scream and she does. that's not the truth of childbirth bitiya. It's painful for sure but every mother gets that strength to go through it. And after all, you get a sweet result too no? seeing the baby makes every pain worth it."

"Sacchi nani?" Khushi asked keeping a hand on her still-flat tummy.

"haan meri bacchi, ekdum sach." Nani smiled assuring her and Khushi smiled too.

--*--

But later that day, khushi felt severe cramps in her lower abdomen and as she went to bathroom, she was horrified to see the water in toilet bowl turned red!

She panicked and called Arnav.

When they reached hospital, it was confirmed that she had miscarried. The doctors gave the reason that since it was very early pregnancy, barely 4 weeks, this wasn't an unusual scenario. It could be stress or mother's weak health or any physical activity. And no one was really at fault.

Still, two people held themselves guilty for this loss. 

The baby's mother and baby's father!

For not being able to happily welcome it in the first place, for letting their insecurities rule over the impending parenthood. And result was, their first child got so upset that it left without meeting them! 

--*--

It took them entire one year to get over the pain and heartbreak of losing the baby. And to get over the apprehensionsto try finally, intentionally to get pregnant. Arnav had still felt Khushi was too young. But this time, she was more than prepared to welcome the child she was craving for, and he too caught up very soon. They had always felt their first baby was a girl but next year, Mr. Chiku surprised them both and made them proud, happy parents. 

That bundle of joy helped to heal his parents' wounds...

--*--

A/N - Not necessarily, every couple gives a filmy reaction to their first pregnancy, especially if its unplanned. There's fear too. Hope I portrayed that ok. There is a part-2 of this- 'the aftermath' which i feel is more important. It'll be posted, likely this Friday. Needless to say, these are one of the toughest chapters of CSD to write, so please let me know your reviews.

Since we are doing flashbacks of arshi's 3 pregnancies, I am adding them in chronological order. So first pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage (2014), then Chiku's birth(2016) and finally twins'(2020). Will probably need 2-3 chapters for pregnancy flashbacks, so stay right here.

p.s. I (and arshi) feel this baby is back to them, with one of the twins :D