Standing Alone

Chapter 44

Manish woke up Seema in the middle of the night.

"Aunty, Shreya is in pain. I think we need to head to the hospital right now." He said anxiously.

Seema felt confused and she panicked. She hurriedly got the hospital bag and her handbag and rushed to Shreya's side.

Shreya was in tears and was breathing hard.

"Shreya everything will be alright. Don't worry. Hold my hand. We are there okay." She tried to pacify her and they got into the car.

Manish drove like a maniac and tears were streaming down his face too.

"Shreya, we are almost there. Hold on okay." He said looking at her nervously.

When they got to the hospital the nurses brought the wheel chair. Shreya was unable to sit and was writhing in pain. The receptionist insisted Manish to sign all the necessary forms before taking her in. Manish was steaming with anger at their lack of urgency of the hospital staff. Being well aware of the anxiety of first time parents, the nurses spoke soothingly to Shreya.

Once all the procedure was done, the nurses checked her and said that she was in labor. The doctor on call was informed and she was taken to the delivery room.

Manish and Seema were shocked at the speed at which things were happening now. They had never expected to be admitted today and the thought that they would be seeing the baby was both exciting as well as terrifying.

The doctor assured that it everything was under control. Manish and Seema held Shreya's hand when it was time for the baby to pop out. Shreya who had been a delicate darling all her life, was transformed into a mother over night.

When she saw the face of her baby, tears slid down her cheeks and she fell back onto the bed exhausted.

"It is a baby girl." The doctor exclaimed. "Look at all that hair already." She laid the baby on Shreya's stomach. Manish and Seema were overjoyed. Seema kissed her baby girl's forehead and said "You will always be my baby."

Shreya's heart softened on seeing the precious bundle of joy and prayed that she would have the patience of her mother.

Manish called his parents to inform them the good news. Seema called Varun and Raveena. Varun promised to come down immediately. But Raveena said

"When all of you are exhausted after staying up for ten days I will come to see the baby."

Seema wished Arun had been there to share this joy with them. Even after all these years she could vividly imagine how he would react and what his expressions would be on seeing his first grandchild.

She knew he would have never been able to bear seeing his daughter in so much pain. But she also knew that he would have been beaming with pride at seeing the baby.

But as always she could only imagine them. The word grand ma all of a sudden made her aware of all the mile stones that had passed without having him around. But today she missed him even more. A tear slid down her side cheek and she wiped it quickly before Shreya saw her.

For today, her daughter had to be happy without any of her past memories, that is all what she wanted for her baby.