When is a woman most vulnerable ? When she is pregnant. I found that out the hard way. I had been happily sailing thru married life, on course, when the boat of life hit uncharted waters. One moment i was happily munching on deep fried prawns, the next i was holding my breath, clutching my hand to my mouth and racing off to the nearest washroom, like a cheesy heroine of a B-grade movie. Something in the prawns, i announced to the smirking aunt in law, who sat next to me at the table. "Noooooo, beti !" was her knowing retort, " You !" she said accusingly almost, "Are in the family way. " As i frantically tried to shush her, my husband went from blue to purple to pink, as he realised the implication of what she was saying. We both sat stunned. " Don't believe her", i tried hissing to him, "It's just the prawns." But even as i was saying it, the waiter placed garlic chicken on his plate. That did it ! I took off again, washroom wards as fast as the legs could go.
After that 'hit in the gut' feeling passed, i went from shock to disbelief to a strange contentment as i headed from denial to grudging acceptance. The hubby and i, we found ourselves sitting on the promenade of Marine Lines, watching sunsets and dreaming, talking animatedly, or sharing a nariyal paani, or just sitting, my head nestled against his shoulder, his arm around me, something we had'nt done since our engagement, a good six years ago. What really made me rub my hands in glee, was the role reversal at home. The transformation of 'Peter Proud,' i called it, as my husband stood at my beck and call, handing out basins, for the times i threw up, to glasses of water to my spectacles, even the TV remote. " Way to go," My friends, grrreen with envy, told me every so often.
Confined to the bed in the first few weeks, i fretted and fumed. Unused to this inertia, hyperactive me, chaffed at the bit. "All i have to do is go from bathroom, to i pad, to TV, the whole day," I grumbled to my patient husband. Wordlessly he beckoned me to the window. I peered to where his finger was pointing. All i could see was a crow, sitting in its nest. " I've been watching that bird. In four hours, it has shifted it's position, about twice." I should have retorted, "I'm not a crow !" Instead, I found myself crowing, "That's what we mom's are all about ! She's my hero ! "
As the stomach went from taut to bulgy, i went from confident to cantankerous. "See Karishma kapoor, who would believe she's got two kids," my hubby tried placating me. Turning my gaze from the mirror i glared darkly at him " So you don't find me desirable, anymore, huh ? Why can't you say so directly." As the poor guy retreated hurriedly behind his paper, i waddled off kitchenwards, a bitterly spoken, "quack quack' left in my wake.
But most days, i was in a world of my own. Carrying a real live human being inside you, knowing i'ts 'your baby' in the truest sense of the word, is the biggest high in the world. I found myself observing children more closely. Cherubic ones in the park, where i strolled these days, were many, but even the kids playing on the streets caught my eye. One baby i almost picked up, was playing on a pile of stones lying on the street corner ! Aghast i looked at it, the great black eyes looking innocently into mine, it's little fingers and bare feet, grimy and red. Only the sight of the mother, uncaring, sitting nearby, got me enraged. Do such babies survive, even, in these days of myriad infections? Or maybe they are the sturdy ones, who have an inborn immunity towards disease.
The next day, i was near an overbridge, when i saw three little boys, babies merely, ranging from one to three, holding hands and walking along. Following them, was a dog, a biggish stray, wagging its tail and trying to mingle with them. A little afraid, they tried shooing it away, "Ja, Ja ! " Shouted the eldest, was he even three?, pulling the other two along. In an attempt to get rid of the dog, they hurriedly climbed the steps of the overbridge, the littlest one, resorting to crawling up it with both hands, and feet. As the dog easily climbed with them, the eldest one, seeing the fear on the other's face, turned, stood arms' akimbo and shouted " Teli ma ka ........ ! Hut ! " Did i hear right ? Good Lord ! i was half laughing, as i realised that he had just spoken the f word in lisping Hindi ! " He hardly knew how to talk, but he knew how to cuss.
So i entered a magical world. One dominated by kids and all things kiddie. My partner in crime, my husband was a 'changed' man, from hard nosed business man, and dapper husband, he went to impulsive shopper, one who wanted to gift me the world, just because i was carrying his baby, and mushy father to be.
Having a baby, i knew was the best thing that had ever happened to us.
After that 'hit in the gut' feeling passed, i went from shock to disbelief to a strange contentment as i headed from denial to grudging acceptance. The hubby and i, we found ourselves sitting on the promenade of Marine Lines, watching sunsets and dreaming, talking animatedly, or sharing a nariyal paani, or just sitting, my head nestled against his shoulder, his arm around me, something we had'nt done since our engagement, a good six years ago. What really made me rub my hands in glee, was the role reversal at home. The transformation of 'Peter Proud,' i called it, as my husband stood at my beck and call, handing out basins, for the times i threw up, to glasses of water to my spectacles, even the TV remote. " Way to go," My friends, grrreen with envy, told me every so often.
Confined to the bed in the first few weeks, i fretted and fumed. Unused to this inertia, hyperactive me, chaffed at the bit. "All i have to do is go from bathroom, to i pad, to TV, the whole day," I grumbled to my patient husband. Wordlessly he beckoned me to the window. I peered to where his finger was pointing. All i could see was a crow, sitting in its nest. " I've been watching that bird. In four hours, it has shifted it's position, about twice." I should have retorted, "I'm not a crow !" Instead, I found myself crowing, "That's what we mom's are all about ! She's my hero ! "
As the stomach went from taut to bulgy, i went from confident to cantankerous. "See Karishma kapoor, who would believe she's got two kids," my hubby tried placating me. Turning my gaze from the mirror i glared darkly at him " So you don't find me desirable, anymore, huh ? Why can't you say so directly." As the poor guy retreated hurriedly behind his paper, i waddled off kitchenwards, a bitterly spoken, "quack quack' left in my wake.
But most days, i was in a world of my own. Carrying a real live human being inside you, knowing i'ts 'your baby' in the truest sense of the word, is the biggest high in the world. I found myself observing children more closely. Cherubic ones in the park, where i strolled these days, were many, but even the kids playing on the streets caught my eye. One baby i almost picked up, was playing on a pile of stones lying on the street corner ! Aghast i looked at it, the great black eyes looking innocently into mine, it's little fingers and bare feet, grimy and red. Only the sight of the mother, uncaring, sitting nearby, got me enraged. Do such babies survive, even, in these days of myriad infections? Or maybe they are the sturdy ones, who have an inborn immunity towards disease.
The next day, i was near an overbridge, when i saw three little boys, babies merely, ranging from one to three, holding hands and walking along. Following them, was a dog, a biggish stray, wagging its tail and trying to mingle with them. A little afraid, they tried shooing it away, "Ja, Ja ! " Shouted the eldest, was he even three?, pulling the other two along. In an attempt to get rid of the dog, they hurriedly climbed the steps of the overbridge, the littlest one, resorting to crawling up it with both hands, and feet. As the dog easily climbed with them, the eldest one, seeing the fear on the other's face, turned, stood arms' akimbo and shouted " Teli ma ka ........ ! Hut ! " Did i hear right ? Good Lord ! i was half laughing, as i realised that he had just spoken the f word in lisping Hindi ! " He hardly knew how to talk, but he knew how to cuss.
So i entered a magical world. One dominated by kids and all things kiddie. My partner in crime, my husband was a 'changed' man, from hard nosed business man, and dapper husband, he went to impulsive shopper, one who wanted to gift me the world, just because i was carrying his baby, and mushy father to be.
Having a baby, i knew was the best thing that had ever happened to us.
Like the piece..enjoyed reading..
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