No One Else Like You

(33) Rosey cheeks

The site of her was like being in heaven. 

She was still too young to tell who she looked like but I was sure she was a complete mixture. I can recognize those doe like eyes anywhere. They were my wife's and now they belonged to my daughter as well. 
It had been in a week. I would come down here, talk to pediatrician  and then just look at me daughter. 

From all this craziness, it seemed like my only escape to peace. 

Mira was still not awake, they said her abdominal wounds had healed but the trauma is something they couldn't do anything about. Each body responds differently. Some come out of it and some don't. 

I didn't want to think about the 'don't' part. For all I knew, Mira was just sick and was  going to take some time. 

"Hi, so I saw her today too. Doctors said that sometimes the human brain can actually listen. Maybe you will wake up if you hear this because clearly I am not a good enough reason," I said to my wife, lying under all kinds of tubes and wires. "She has your eyes and if you don't come back then remember I am going to name her. And you know me," I said and chuckled. I was holding her hand. I once joked to her about how I will name my kids after some movie character she didn't like. 

"I think she is going to be a beauty. I probably will have to stay alert when she becomes a teenager. Mira...." I broke off. "I don't want to do this without you. Do you know what happens when I think of how I may not hear your voice again? Your laugh. I already spent so much time apart from you and it was not nice but at least I knew you were somewhere out there. Now, the whole world seems like a big dull place without you. I know you would right now just say that I am being cheesy or that I don't mean it but I do. What do I have to do to make you come back baby? Fine, you wanted three kids. I  agree. We can have three. We can have the whole cricket team if it makes you come back to me." 

"If you come back, I promise I will change the diapers. I will wake up with her when she starts crying. You can sleep peacefully at night but just don't sleep anymore. Wake up." 

After a few minutes, I left. As I went outside, her mother went it. I just sat on the chair in the hall and just sat. I was joined by my mother in a minute. 

"So, what are you going to name the baby?" she asked me.  

"Don't want to do this without Mira," I said. "Where is dad?" 

"Where do you think? He has not left your daughter's side. He has even nicknamed her Nia."

"Nia?"

"Because she was in the NICU for so long..." 

I chuckled. This baby was definitely going to be spoiled by the entire family. 

Suddenly Mira's mom came outside, "Aman?" 

I stood up with my heart in my hand. "What happened?" 

"I don't know. At first, I thought her thumb moved a little but then the nurse saw it  too. She called the doctor, who said that her vitals looked really strong." 

I couldn't think of anything. I rushed to the ICU, but it was already crowded with the doctor and nurses. 

As I got impatient, the doctor finally came outside. "Mr. Dass?"

"Yes?" I asked. 

"She seems to be out of comatose. I think we need to give her some time, she will wake up within the next few minutes or so. But you need to be careful. Don't tell her anything that could startle her. Just let her fully regain consciousness and then we will break it to her that she has been in coma for nineteen days and of course, if she asks then only tell her that your daughter is fine. We don't want to shock her or make her worry about anything, alright?"

I know everything that he said was really important but I was stuck on the part where he mentioned that my wife was going to wake up. 

The nurse came outside, "Doctor, she is opening her eyes." 

We both rushed in and the doctors alerted my mom and Meera's to stay out and not crowd the room. 

She had opened her eyes and was looking very confused. I held her hand and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Aman?" she said. 

"Mrs Dass, there is nothing to worry about. There was some slight complication but you are almost healed now."

"Comp.." she didn't say anything and her eyes adjusted downwards trying to look at her stomach. "My baby?"

"She is absolutely fine, Mira." I  said, rubbing her hand softly. "She was waiting for her mom." 

"She?" she said and smiled. "Girl."  

But she started closing her eyes again. "What happened?" I asked the doctor bewildered. "Nothing to worry about. She is just tired. Her brain needs to adjust. We should let her rest."

The doctor asked me to come outside and I followed even though I had no heart to leave her side. 

"This wasn't a head injury so I am pretty positive that you can take her home soon. With some therapy, she will be absolutely fine in no time. You should try to keep some help for the baby as she won't be able to jump into routine so quickly. Having another family member around would be great for the healing process if you guys live in alone. Also, we will conduct another check up tomorrow and right down the required medicines. Other than that, your wife's state looks good and she should be going home soon." 

**

Mira was shifted from the ICU to a private ward the very next morning. The doctors looked really happy with her progress. The baby was also shifted to her room. 

As the doctor finished his check up, I went to Mira's side. 

"I am getting tired of calling her baby," I said and she smiled. "Although I don't know if you know but my father is calling her Nia."

"I kind of like Nia. We can make Nia her nickname. For her name, I was thinking.."

"Yes?" I asked intently. 

"Ameera or Amyra. She seems to have a little bit of you and me both," she said and smiled.  "What do you think, honey?"

"Amyra Nia Dass." 

"That's a little bit long, don't you think?"

"That's a part of who she is. Me, you and her." 

"Amyra Nia Dass. My little royal princess," Mira said. "You know I had a strange dream."

"Yeah?"

"We were just sitting, you and me and you agreed to have more than three babies."

"I did?"

"You also said that you were going to change Nia's diapers and let me sleep if she cries at night." 


I kissed her cheek. 

Holy crap.