“Yeah, just felt dizzy.”
He gestures for my assistant to leave and then cups my face.
“Stress at work? Or did you skip your meals?”
“Neither,” I smile weakly.
“Sure?”
“Hmm. Why?”
“Nothing. Let’s go. Can you walk?”
I giggle at the fuss he’s making.
“Of course, I can walk. Let’s go.”
He holds my hand, and we head to his car. On the way home, he stops at the pharmacy.
“What’s happening?”
“Wait here.” He kisses my forehead and leaves me in the car. Maybe he’s getting some medicine for me. Vikram is always so conscious about my health that I have nothing to worry about.
He returns with an envelope and hands it to me before driving again. I check the contents and turn to him.
“A pregnancy test kit?”
He smirks.
“I think we should check.”
I laugh at his seriousness.
“Vikram, it’s only been three months since we... Okay, I know I missed my cycle too, but it’s too soon to...”
“Let’s check.” Vikram grabs my hand and squeezes it.
This gesture means only one thing—no more arguments!
VIKRAM
Maahi is pregnant. I can feel it even before she tells me. She’s in the bathroom, and I'm waiting anxiously for her to come out with the news. She takes a few minutes, and when she emerges, her smile says it all. I don’t wait a second and scoop her into my arms. We stay like that for who knows how long, and when she pulls away to look at me, I kiss her senselessly. It’s only when we stop to catch our breath that she confirms it.
“I’m pregnant. I still can’t believe it. But wait, we should check a few more times. These things don’t always give accurate results.”
“We’ll book an appointment with your doctor tomorrow. I’ll handle it myself,” I assure her, and she hugs me again.
I sit on the couch with Maahi on my lap, cuddling me. We’re pregnant! That’s a huge responsibility. I can’t even imagine how the next few months will be, watching my wife grow in every aspect. And the day she has to deliver, I think I'll be more nervous than she will be. Maahi strokes my chin and smiles.
“When should we tell the family?” she asks.
“Once it’s 100% confirmed tomorrow. Let’s not get their hopes up just yet. What do you think?”
“Perfect,” she kisses my cheek.
In the next few minutes Maahi’s giggles fill the room as she talks about recording all her pregnancy changes and transformations so that when our baby grows up, she can show it all to them.
After scheduling the doctor’s appointment for the next day, I make love to my wife again to thank her for giving me the honor of starting a family with her. It’s the least I can do to show my gratitude. Maahi isn’t just beautiful and intelligent; she’s also taught me the value of family. She’s an integral part of my family, but to me, she’s the soul I never knew existed within me. I can’t thank the almighty enough for bringing her into my life and setting me on a path I never would have walked without her.