08th October 2017
Kerala, India.
Madhav sat on the porch of his Kerala house that was currently under construction. The foundation had been laid and the walls were being erected. Madhav scratches his scruffy beard as he lets out a defeated sigh. He pulls out a cigarette and starts to smoke it as he looks at the evening sun. He tries to unify his mind by blurring out the sound of the drilling, hammering and the sawing that came from inside the house.
Anushya and Sivaji were looking around the enormous garden that surrounded the house. She knelt down to take pictures of the anthuriums and daffodils that were starting to emerge from soil.
Sivaji looks around the garden that was ready to bloom in a few months. He turns around and looks at Madhav. Sivaji tugs at Anu's shirt. Madhav was smoking his cigar and had a fixed look at his phone waiting.
"I don't understand our friend, Sivaji." Anu groans. "He declined her calls and now he's hoping to get a call from her. Unbelievable!"
"Ignore him, baby. The fucker is finally realizing what he has been doing." Sivaji says.
Anu looks coldly at Madhav. "I have been telling him ever since uni days to stop being adamant. You explained what can happen because of adamance too! He never listened and look what has happened! He wrecked his own marriage."
"Maddy, I don't think you'd get her call." Sivaji says walking up to him. He sits down near his friend and takes the cigarette from his hands. "It's been around four months- more or less, since she stopped calling you. If I were you, I would be worried. Maybe she has started to unlove you."
"Is that even possible?" Madhav asks looking at the evening sky, worried.
"FUCK YES!" Anu exclaims as she continues to throw a cold stare at him. "Do you expect a woman to still be in love you after you act like a fucking adamant pig head? She probably loathes you by now!"
"Anu, I am trying to make a conversation, here!" Sivaji exclaims annoyed. "We can't say that Shree no longer loves you, but it's true that she may start to lose all the love she had for you. It's not over until some says its over. That's why you need to find her; apologize before she loves you no longer!"
"I-I-I-" Madhav stammers looking lost. "I don't know what to do, Sivaji."
Sivaji pulls out his bike keys from his pocket and keeps it beside Madhav. "Go on a little ride. There's a road through the forest by the East- quiet and with a lot of hairpin bends. The Madhav I know loves it and that's one of the few ways he gets a clear mind."
Madhav felt peaceful as he road along the bended mountain roads. Madhav was speeding; like he was soaring through the air. He sighs in relief as the feels the cold and swift wind rushing past him tugging at his cheeks and whipping past his hair.
He smiles as he feels his head lighten. As he rides through a hairpin bend, he feels two lean arms wrap around his torso. Madhav looks at the side mirror and notices a beautiful woman behind him, clinging on to him. The beautiful girl looks above Madhav's right shoulder and smiles.
Madhav's heart skips a beat as he sees Shree seated behind him.
"Chellam?" He asks unable to believe his eyes. She looked beautiful wearing a baggy white shirt and a pair of denim jeans. Her hair was loosely braided. She didn't change one bit since the last time he saw her.
"Keep going." She whispers as she rests her face on the crook of his neck. He felt his heartbeat fasten until it was beating erratically. He looks through the side mirror again and she smiles at him. Her hands go up his body as she presses her lips against his jaw.
"Over there!" Shree exclaims pointing towards a cliff. "Pull over, there!"
Madhav came to a stop in front of it. He off the engine and hopped off the bike. He looks at her and holds her face in his hands.
"I'm so happy to see you!" He says excitedly.
"Is it so?" Shree asks looking at him with a cold glance.
"Yes." Madhav whispers and presses a kiss to her forehead. "I love you so much, chellam."
"Then why have you been ignoring me? Why are you hurting me like this?" Shree says as her eyes filled with tears. "I know I was wrong to accuse you like that, but why would you reprimand me like this? I am sorry I accused you- I really am. But why do you punish me, and yourself like this for so long? Do you really love me?"
He nods.
"How can you love me and avoid me like this at the same time?" Shree asks as she bursts into tears. "Don't you ever think of me? I have been away from you, out of sight and lonesome in a faraway city, did you even think if I am alright?" She holds his hands. "If you truly love me as you claim to, then drop this hissy fit; let go of your adamance and come find me. Embrace me and show me that you really love me. I'll be waiting for you."
Shree looks at him and starts to disappear, leaving Madhav confused.
* * * * *
Madhav returns an hour later, a few minutes after the sun had set. He parks the bike outside the gate and walks in. Anu and Sivaji were seated on the porch- looking at the pictures Anu had clicked.
He sits beside Sivaji.
"I was wrong. I shouldn't have held my grudges against her. I overreacted! What was I thinking?
"I'd say you weren't thinking at all." Anu murmurs.
"Fuck! I'm such a pig head! I can't believe I ignored her for all these months! Ten months!" He looks up at the night sky. "I need to go find her. She's probably alone and he deserves an apology, perhaps more than an apology. I'm going to London."
"Should we tell him that all flights to the United Kingdom are booked till the 2nd week of December?" Anu whispers into Sivaji's ears.
* * * * *
08th October 2017
Lewisham Hospital, Lewisham.
Shree screamed in agony. She had gone in to labour twelve hours ago, the contractions developed soon is quick successions. Shree was in her apartment, doing her laundry when her water broke. It was only a week and few days before her scheduled due date. Thankfully, Shree had packed her hospital bag- it was only a matter of rushing her to the hospital. Thankfully Olivera was in the apartment.
"Only one more push, Ms. Prasad and the baby will be out." Said Dr. Hannah Knight, the fair British obstetrician. "You just have to bear it and push. Everything is going to be fine. Push hard for me alright?"
Shree did not have much choice with one final push, tears rolling down her sweaty face. She closed her eyes; mustered all the energy she could collect and pushed harder. Her lungs were on fire, her back was burning, the pain from the contractions surging throughout her entire body. She thumped her head back into the uncomfortable pillow, trying to maintain her breathing.
"You can do it Shree!" Said Olivera, dressed in surgical scrubs, she was holding Shree's shaking arm and wiped her sweaty face. "You've done so well, so far!" she consoled Shree.
"Alright, Ms. Prasad, the baby is crowning." Said the Dr. Knight "At your next contraction, tuck your chin to your chest and push."
Shree nodded, with tears flowing down her sweaty face.
A few seconds a baby's cry was heard. Shree gave birth to their child.
Shree opened her eyes and panted heavily sheer pleasure. It was almost evening, and here she was sweaty, and the mother to her very first child; a healthy little baby girl. Dr. Knight cut the cord and wrapped the baby in a towel.
Happiness and Joy highlighted her face even though she was exhausted from the long labour. Shree's face was flushed, cheeks bright red from the pushes.
"Do you want to see her?" Dr Knight asks and Shree nods.
She stretched her arms to adorn her little daughter and when she was put into Shree's arms, her face brightened up and her lips turned into a smile. The baby stopped crying immediately. Shree brushed her finger against the tiny hand, and the baby grasped her finger tightly. Shree's eyes swam with the tears she did not even try to fight.
The baby's face was pink and fair- like Shree, her little lips puckered out and a deep shade of red. Healthy fat cheeks that show that her time was spent properly in Shree's womb and she grew flawlessly. A thin layer of dark black hair that matches Madhav's own was upon her head- and a chin just like his.
Shree felt as if her heart was swelling as she cradled her newborn carefully in her arms.
"She is amazing." Olivera says. "What's her name?"
"Madhushree." Shree whispers into the baby's ears.
To be continued....
The part including Shree's delivery is a directly taken from one of my earliest collaborated works "Product of True Love": A Mahabharat fanfiction that I wrote in 2015. It's on this writing platform called AO3 (Archive Of Our Own.
PS: even though I have deleted my account the story is still available.
Stay in touch! I'll see you soon with Chapter 36!
Keep the votes and the comments flowing!