No One Else Like You

(31)Mira

Aman's POV. 

I was in Mumbai when they called me. It was almost midnight and I was wondering why Mira hadn't called me yet. She couldn't sleep without saying good night and she hadn't called me back either. 

You know, you are so busy sometimes just running through life that you never really think about the actual things that could matter. 

You fall in love, you break it off and you move on. Those things hurt you for some time but they don't really stop your world. 

I didn't even know what that meant until I got a call from my mother. I had to come to Mumbai urgently and my mom had graciously agreed to stay with my wife for the time being. 

My wife. 

Mira never really believed me when I used to tell her how much I wanted to marry her, when we used to date. I am not somebody who is remotely affectionate with his girl until you give me a room, but every once in a while I did express my thoughts. I wasn't ashamed or scared to admit that I wanted to be with her. 

But she never believed me anyway. I was really happy when I married her but somewhere inside I knew I had proved her wrong. 

I couldn't make sense of all the medical terms my mother had suddenly started using. I just saw her two days ago. She was perfectly fine. I had heard her voice a few hours before. She was right there. 

Now they are telling me both my wife and my child are  critical. 

It is when you suddenly realize that the last phone call could be the last time you ever hear her voice, that's when the world stops. 

Apparently, her blood pressure soared high and it took only a matter of seconds to one of her veins to rupture. Mira had lost a lot of blood and the baby had been lying in the blood for far too long. They are saying they are doing the best to save them both. 

They are saying the pediatrician has successfully taken out the child and felt 'hopeful' about saving her. 

HER. 

At this point of time, I couldn't even be excited about having a daughter. As if the word hopeful could help me feel any better. 

All this time that I spent apart from her feels so useless now. It truly is sad how we realize the importance of the other person when they are leaving us. 

Even the most simple days spent with my wife feel golden now. When the first time, the cook took an off and she decided not to tell me. She instead tried to surprise me by cooking herself. I had never had a complete meal before that was cooked by Mira. She did it quite well but forgot to add salt. 

I wish I could capture the guilt on her face or the explanation she was cooking up. If she is talking a lot, she is nervous. Mostly when she is talking a lot and that too super fast, that is actually when she doesn't know what to say. 

Last few days were so peaceful with her. Just coming home, having dinner with her and cuddling with her in bed. She had a thing about touching me. Just by moving her hands slowly on my stomach or back, or absently- mindedly caressing my hands made her feel better.

Despite the divorce that she wanted, I always knew she loved me a lot. You could tell the way she looked at me. She always said that I don't need her but she needs me. If only I could tell her now how much I need her maybe she will fight this and come back to me. 

I was tired but I couldn't sleep a wink. When my driver came to pick me up, even his face looked sullen. He told me that he was downstairs in the car when the ambulance came. He saw Mira who didn't look herself. Her face was yellowish pale and swollen completely. Apparently she wasn't taken to the hospital immedaitely. My mother had gone to the market to get something and saw Mira only when she came back. She found Mira at her desk, fainted. She thought she must be sleeping until she noticed the blood. 

The doctors said any later and she could have died. 

I couldn't comprehend at all what was going on. It was like we were using such big words like death when just a few hours ago I had called her up. She was happy and fine. Her jovial self. Just asking me to come back quickly. 

"Pray to god," I heard someone say. There were so many people outside the ICU, all familiar faces and I couldn't register one in my mind. I just knew one person at that moment and she was not there with me. The doctor talked to me but nothing was registering as I looked at my wife. She as pale as moon. Her hands, feet and face swollen. An oxygen mask attached to her face and various needles poking her in her arms. 

I don't remember the last I had shed a tear. Crying really didn't come to me easily. Until a few stray tears escaped my eyes. 

"Would you like to see your daughter?" he asked me. "She is in the NCU. She happens to be stable for now but being a premature baby, nothing can be said now. Although we are quite hopeful." 

I shook my head. I wanted to be alone.