The Baby

Universe has been known reveal the future to people who can read the signs.

Ashwin thought himself to be one such blessed individual. He had had instances in life when he had known what the future held. He had had premonition about events and people that had proved right.  

Preeti on the other hand was a little more laid back and was lesser worried about the future. She lived in the present and wanted Ashwin to do the same.

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Preeti and Ashwin had met each other at a family friends wedding. One thing had led to other, Ashwin’s aunt Rajinder had helped take matters forward.

Preeti and Ashwin had been drawn inseparably to each other when their eyes had first met at the wedding. And there had been no looking back. While their families had played its part in giving their relationship a name, it had not been without hurdles.

Preeti and Ashwin, everyone agreed were a made for each other couple. The romance they had shared was palpable to everyone around them.  Ashwin for his part never missed a important date for his beautiful wife. Every year on the occasion of her birthday Ashwin threw a huge party; and this had continued not for one but for all the four years that they had been married. But this year was a little different. It was different because Ashwin could not buy Preeti the gift that she had most desired. Preeti wanted a child, a baby that she could call her own. Preeti wanted a baby, her baby, their baby.

Ashwin and Preeti had decided that they would put off any thoughts of a child until few years after their marriage. They had wanted to enjoy the relationship without any responsibilities before finally taking a plunge into a family.

It had been four years since their marriage and Ashwin had been secretly harbouring a wish for a child. But was not sure how he could put it to his beloved wife. Preeti on the other hand was more forthcoming and had little trouble sharing her thoughts. That night on the occasion of Preeti’s fourth birthday post marriage, they had made love without a care, hoping that things would go wrong and they would be on the way to becoming parents.

Well truth to tell this was not the first time they were trying, because Preeti had tried a few times without letting Ashwin in on it. She had thought that she would be able to bring Ashwin around once she had known that she was pregnant. The fact that she had failed to get pregnant till now had been worrying Preeti and she knew that sooner or later they would need to get medical advice; which was one of the reasons she had opened up to Ashwin.

It had been four weeks since they had tried and to be frank they had been trying every day when possible. Ashwin was anxious and when Preeti did not miss her next period he was disappointed. But he was not disheartened for he knew that it took a few attempts and not everyone succeeded in their first attempt. Preeti on the other hand was more worried for her suspicion that something was wrong was coming true.

‘Ashwin do you think we need to consult a doctor’ she had said offhandedly one evening while they had been sharing a burger at Mcdonalds after the movie.

Ashwin had brushed her off without much thought. He had even admonished her lightly for getting worried over every silly thing. But Preeti had eaten little of the burger, she had even ignored her favourite fries.

Preeti’s had been glum for the rest of the week and Ashwin was getting worried for her. Preeti had never been so morose without a reason during all the years that they had been married. And when Ashwin had finally asked her for the reason as they lay naked on the bed after trying another time, Preeti had broken down into sobs, confiding into him her worst fears.

Ashwin lay awake, as Preeti feel to sleep in his arms after sobbing for a while.  

Ashwin made sure Preeti was asleep before walking out to the refrigerator and pulling out a beer.

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‘Let us go to the doctor’ Ashwin suggested next day as they sat sharing their breakfast in the office cafeteria.

Preeti was ecstatic and agreed to get an appointment for the same evening.

That evening Preeti and Ashwin finished work early and started for the hospital to meet the doctor.

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‘Ashwin, what would you do if the doctor told us that I had a problem and could not bear a child’ Preeti asked innocently as they drove to the hospital.

Ashwin grunted, concentrating on the road, wishing for her to keep quite.

“Ashwin, please tell me na’

The traffic was getting worse and Ashwin was worried that they may not reach the hospital in time. He was trying to wiggle his way out of traffic.

‘Ashwin bolo na please’ Preeti continued.

‘Nothing is going to happen Preeti, please let me drive’ he retorted.  But Preeti was too anxious to know the answer and continued to pester him.

‘Can you not shut-up for once Preeti, can you not see I am having trouble getting us to hospital in time’ Ashwin shouted.

‘It would never have come to this if only you had told me everything before our marriage’ he continued.

‘The whole goddam time you knew that we cannot have a child and ….’ Ashwin calmed down realizing that he had probably said too much. He knew he had let open more than what he could have bargained for.

Preeti was dumbstruck, too shocked to react for the first few minutes, but once meaning of what Ashwin had said dawned on her she burst out into tears.

‘Preeti please be quiet, everyone around is looking into the car.’ Ashwin said pleading.

Preeti continued to sob, the tears were no longer in her control.

‘Preeti please, I am sorry I did not mean what I said’ Ashwin said, but he knew his words were falling on deaf ears.

Ashwin turned the car around, deciding to head back home. They would have to return to the doctor once Preeti felt better ….

Preeti sank into the seat, still sobbing …. she knew that their relationship would never be the same again.

Life is a gamble that all of us agree to take.... Not knowing what is in store for us round the corner.

Incidents like these happen everyday in our lives, we speak our thoughts without giving much thought to them. And in the moment we fail to appreciate the impact our words or actions would have on our lives. 

We will never know (not unless I put that down as another story) whether Ashwin intended for the words to come out the way they did. Or if his outburst was nothing more than the frustration from maneuvering through the traffic. But we can be certain that this incident is going to have a huge bearing on the rest of his life.

Beginning this week I will attempt to bring out various facets of life in the form of simple stories. Tell me what you think and also what you would like to read because these stories are but an extension of the world around us.

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