Kaun Kiska ✔️

fourteen: Ever After

One Year Later

Raman & Ishita
"Push harder baby"

"Shut upppppppp Ramannnnnn"

"Lekin mein ne kya kiya?"
(But what did I do?)

"Tum ne kya kiya? Tumhi ne toh kiya. Tumhaare kaaran mein yahan hoooooooo. Ammmmma."
(What did you do? You're the one who did this. I'm here just because of you. Ammmmmmmma)

"Amma is just outside sweetheart. With mummy. And Ruhi and Adi. Sab intezaar kar rahe hai, lekin tum tension mat lo. Just breath. Breath. Dekho aise. In. Out. In. Out."
(Amma is just outside sweetheart. With mummy. And Ruhi and Adi. They are all waiting, but you don't worry. Just breath. Breath. Look, do it like this. In. Out. In. Out)

"Mujhe breath karna aata hai Raman Bhalla. Cheh ghante se yeh kar rahi hoon aur I swear yahi in out ke chakkar mein..... Aaaaaargh." (I know how to breath Raman Bhalla. I've been breathing for the past six hours and I swear it's because of your in and out that I'm.......Aaaaaaaargh)

"That's it Dr Ishita. Just once more. I can see the baby's head. It's okay Mr Bhalla. Mr Bhalla. Nurse, catch Mr Bhalla, he is about to faint."

Clang. Smash.

"Ramaannnnnnnnnnn"

"Here he is. Here he is. Dekho Dr Ishita. Beta hua hai. Badhai ho. Nurse, is Mr Bhalla conscious now? Raise his head. Look Mr Bhalla, beta hua hai."
(Here he is. Here he is. Look Dr Ishita. It's a boy. Congratulations. Nurse, is Mr Bhalla conscious now? Raise his head. Look Mr Bhalla, you have a son)

Ishita looked at her silent son, bloodied and wrinkled like all babies new to the world and her heart sank.

"Why isn't he crying doctor?" her voice was panicked.

Slap.

"Wah. Wah."

The newborns cry pierced through the delivery suite as his groggy father was helped to his feet and his exhausted mother burst into relieved and tired tears.

"He is now. Here Dr Ishita, hold your son." The beaming obstetrician handed the still wet and goey newborn to his mother and Ishita held her squalling son close to her chest, tears mingling with the sweat that was already running down her face, and dampening his red blotchy face.

Raman, revived by one of the annoyed nurses and holding a hand to his head, leaned over his wife, admiring his son, his own tears mixing with his wife's as he kissed first her and then their baby tenderly on the forehead.

"Raman" his wife was still crying as she looked at him. "Aap theek ho na? Dekho, he is so beautiful, isn't he?" (Raman, you're okay, aren't you? Look, he is so beautiful, isn't he?)

"Are you okay sweetheart? I'm sorry, I didn't attend Ruhi and Adi's deliveries, I've never seen...." He turned white again and grabbed the bedrail for support, his confidence and humor returning as he continued to gaze at his wife and their baby. The joy and fulfillment in her tired eyes was like a sight from heaven for him. Her pregnancy had been totally unexpected, a complete jolt to both of them, but this child, this baby, was more than either of them had ever dreamt of, had ever hoped for. Since the day they had found out she was pregnant to now, he had prayed fervently that everything would be okay, that their child would be born healthy, that his wife would be fine. And his prayers had been answered.

He smiled at his beaming wife and then wrinkled his nose at his mewling son. "Yaar, beautiful toh nahi hai." he told the baby's proud mother. "Budha lag raha hai, wrinkly sa. Bilkul tum par gaya hai. Dekho kaise ro raha hai." (He's not beautiful. He looks like an old man, all wrinkled up. In fact he looks just like you. Look how he is crying)