Unedited..🙏
The door bell rang and Sana opened it. Her eyes were sore due to excessive crying but the person infront couldn't notice it as his eyes were fixed on her feet rather than her face.
"I've got you avocados and bananas. It's rich in potassium.", He said showing the bag.
"Hmm..", she let him in.
"Would you like to drink banana and avocado smoothie?", He asked.
"Hmm..", she hummed again. Her humming short replies wanted him to look at her face but he couldn't disobey her orders and make her feel uncomfortable.
He went into the kitchen and got onto with preparation of smoothie. Sitting on the stool kept near the kitchen countertop, she quietly observed him work. Though he didn't look at her face, he knew that she was staring at him.
"What is that?", Sana asked him when she saw him pouring a spoonful of something black into a glass.
"Chia seeds, it's a good source of iron and..", he paused.
"And?", She asked inquisitively.
"..and has O.. Omega-3 fatty acids..", he stuttered.
"What effect would it have?", She narrowed her eyebrows in suspicion and probed since she noticed him fumble.
"It.. it aids in b.. b.. baby's brain development.", He said looking down at the floor while his feet drew circles on the floor. She studied him silently.
"Where did you learn all this from?", She asked still staring at him
"I had a doctor who came to get his car washed this morning.", He replied.
"..and you asked the doctor about this?", she asked and he nodded his head.
Scooping out avocados and chopping the bananas, he added them to the juicer. He scanned for yogurt in the refrigerator and poured some into the jar and added a little sugar before blending it.
He served the smoothie into the glass, that had soaked chia, for her. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't touch it. He waited for her to drink patiently while his eyes fixated at her hand which didn't move even a little.
"Sana?", He muttered to startle her out of her thoughts.
"What?", She asked.
"Smoothie..", he replied.
"Hmm..", she sipped the smoothie and found it pleasing her appetite.
"It's good..", she said and a little smile crept up on his face.
"Thanks. Umm.. aaaa.. are you alright?", He asked hesitantly.
"Why?", She inquired.
"You seem lost..", he answered.
"Go to work Sidharth. I'll see you in the evening for a walk and breathing exercise.", She commanded. He nodded his head and unwantedly left.
...
...
...
Sidharth and Sana walked side by side in the park. While she was still zoned out, his attention was solely on her steps. She halted in her trail and he stopped as well.
"What happened Sana?", Sidharth asked.
"Do you remember your words that you spoke when you first met me here in this park?", Sana asked.
"Huh?", He was confused.
"You said, you want to take responsibility for your actions.", Sana reminded him.
"Yes, I do!", Sidharth replied.
"Do you really mean it?", Sana questioned.
"Why are you asking Sana? Do you have any complains with me not following any of your instructions?", Sidharth inquired.
"Don't ask me questions for my questions. Just answer me. Do you mean it when you said you will take responsibility for your actions?", She said
"Yes, I'll do everything required.", He said with his eyes fixated at her feet. Suddenly, her purple comfy pants, turned a shade darker which originated between her legs and travelled to her feet. His eyes widened and he looked up at her face in shock. She held her stomach and looked down at her pants which made her feel embarrassed
"Sana?", He gasped.
"I.. I.. Sidharth.. I wet my pant.. I just don't have control over my bladder..", she said bringing both legs together, trying to control the flow without any success.
"Relax, It's okay.", He took off his jacket immediately and passed it to her which she used to cover her lower body by knotting the sleeves together.
"I want to go home.", She cried traumatized with the show her pregnancy body had put up in public.
"Okay. Let's go", he said.
"Cover me from front.", She ordered and he nodded his head and walked in the front.
They kept moving however the gush of warm liquid kept flowing making her feel even more anxious and humiliated.
"It's okay Sana.. will be home soon. Just keep walking.", Sidharth said hearing her soft sobs.
A few steps further, he couldn't hear her sobs anymore. He stopped and looked behind to find her standing a few feet away. Her face dug into her palm and her entire body shook due to weeps. Her pant was now dripping wet.
"Sana?", He raced back to her.
"It isn't stopping at all.. I am feeling embarrassed", she cried loudly.
"Sana, there is no one around. Please don't cry. The house is just few metres away.", Sidharth consoled.
Sana removed her hands and looked around. Indeed there was no one which made her sigh a little. Her eyes met his and he immediately realised that he was looking at her face. He lowered his eyes as she had told him earlier not to look at her face.
"Don't look..", Sana screamed hurriedly having found his eyes moving towards her feet. He turned around but he had already glanced at her pant which was soaked fully.
She followed him and until the house.
"I'll go by myself now.", She said to him when they reached near the door, hinting him to go to save herself from further humiliation.
"Hmm..", nodded and left.
...
...
...
Even before, he could knock on the door, he found it ajar while Sana was sitting on the couch holding her bump.
"Sana", he called.
She was never so grateful to see someone as she was to see him. She wanted someone to help reduce her pain. Though he wasn't a doctor but he was the only one she could rely on.
It was the first time in so many months that she touched him when she held his arm to get up from the couch.
"Are you alright? Is it too painful?", He asked her.
It was just few hours that he had left her home. She spent quite sometime in the bathroom as she found her urine unstoppable. In actual, she was yet to learn that it wasn't the urine but the amniotic fluid which flew out. Her water had broken. She grabbed the maternity pad that she had bought a few days ago and changed her clothes.
She had no appetite hence ate an apple. Looking through her window, she saw Sidharth making his bed just under the petrol station's outlet's roof.
Just as she thought that she had gotten a control over the situation and slipped into slumber, she felt a mild pain in her abdomen. She gasped and somehow managed to tolerate. The pain didn't last for long and she caressed her bump lying on the side of the bed.
A few more hours later, she had felt the similar mild pain in intervals which made her stir uncomfortably in her bed. With time the intensity of the pain grew stronger and the duration shorter. She looked at the time, it was 3:30am
She got up and went to her father's room
"Papa.. papa..", she cried from outside before pushing the door and finding the room empty. Her father wasn't home because just like most of the days, he was working overnight at the office. Another half an hour past, as she tried to watch television to divert her mind.
"Mummmmmaaaaaa... mummmmmaaaaaa...." With every contraction, she bawled holding her bump and rocked in the position. The intensity was now even higher that's when she realised probably it was time but didn't the doctor said that her due date is still 3 weeks away? She was just a day over 37 weeks.
Pained, panicked and petrified, she called up the only person she had as a support at this time.
"Sidhaaarth..", she cried.
"Sana? What happened? Are you alright?", He asked in concern.
"Sidhaaarth.. my stomach is.. hurting..", Sana weeped in pain over the phone.
"What? You must be hungry. I am coming..", Sidharth said in a hurry.
"No, please take me to the doctor.", She shrieked.
"Okay, I will get a cab.", Sidharth assured.
"Quickly please. It's hurting a lot.", She said before he could disconnect.
Within the next few minutes, he had managed to get a cab.
"Are you alright? Is it too painful?", He asked her.
"It hurts a lot..", she burst into tears like a child hugging his arms.
"Sana, I have got the cab. Will go to the doctor and you will be fine. Soon.. okay?", He said caressing her hand which hugged his arm. His voice sounded hoarse and heavy, was he controlling the pain which he felt looking at her in pain. The pain for which he was the whole and sole reason, he thought.
He escorted her to the cab and made her sit in it. As soon as he closed the door of the car, she called him.
"Sidhaaarth"
"Y..y..yes Sana?", He asked
"Get the maternity bag near the couch and lock the door.", Sana instructed.
"Huh?", He froze hearing her words. Did she say maternity bag? Wasn't that needed during baby birthing? Did that mean she was in... Labour?
"Aaaaahhhhh... Sidhaaarth..", she cried on yet another painful contraction bringing him out of his thoughts.
He ran inside and picked up the bag and closed the door behind before sitting into the cab beside her.
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To be continued ❤️❤️