Love Story - Series 2
In the Hospital,
"Congratulations Raghav! You are going to become a Proud father of a little one soon"
"Wow, that's a fantastic news. Thanks Doctor"
Raghav kisses Trisha on her forehead saying, "Thanks Darling, I am Very happy"
"Me too. But Raghav, we got to mentally prepare Rahul regarding the little one"
One fine day evening, Rahul came running to Trisha,
"Mommy, I am home"
"I want to play Game Boy now"
"Sweet heart, Change your clothes, Wash your hands and face and take the pan cake Mommy made for you"
"Wow, I shall be quick"
"Mommy, I got 10/10 in my Maths test and Preeti Madam has marked, "Very Good! Keep it up" in my notebook.Howz that?"
"Excellent My dear"
"And I got 2 stars more than Sneha in my English assignment. You know what, Mom? Vishal fought with his elder brother and his brother hit him on his face. Poor Vishal, he is hurt badly. No one will hit me as I dont have an elder brother." "Rahul, Everyone including Me, Papa, your teachers, friends will love you, if you behave good, so Is Rahul a good boy?"
"Yes, I am."
"Thats like My Boy"
Trisha hugs Rahul.
Days passes by, as Trisha and Raghav were looking forward for the new one with a mixture of anxiety, excitement and expectation. Same time, they were hunting for a positive chance to inform Rahul.
"Rahul !!!"
"Yes papa"
"I have few of your photos when you were young, Would you like to look into those?"
"Me Papa"
"Yes, Dear"
"Look at this photo. Mommy is holding you."
"Oh Is that me with blue dress and cap?"
"Yes, You were very soft and we were all happy to have you at our home. This is the first party we had for you, when you were brought home."
"Grandmom is kissing me in this. Everyone is smiling and even I am."
Trisha hugs Rahul and says, "Yes Rahul, When Myself and Papa prayed God for a little boy, he gave you as a gift to us on a New Year's Day.You came from Mommy's stomach and you were very small, cute and soft. Your dad was very happy to hold you in his hands first."
"Mom, Am i not cute now?"
"You are always cute dear....but look at you today, you are a big boy now. You know to make your bed, put on your shoes, do your homework, play Gameboy. You don't poop, pee or cry anymore.You are becoming strong and big like your daddy." Rahul is all happy and goes and hugs Raghav.
Raghav made Rahul sit on his lap and continues, "So, now God thought he should send you some gift, someone for you to play with, someone whom you'll like, someone whom you can hold, someone who will listen to you, and someone exactly like you."
"You are going to get a little brother soon, Rahul."
Rahul has mixed feeling and is all quiet for a while and then,
"Mommy, When will I get the gift?"
"Like how you were in Mommy's stomach, the little one is also in there and you will get him as Diwali gift before your bday."
Trisha hugs Rahul as he touches her stomach.
One day Night, "Raghav, I would like you to spend more time with Rahul. As we are nearing the pregnancy dates, its better if he is with you most of the times. Please take him to shopping tomorrow. These days he is sort of getting excited for the new one."
"Yes, i shall keep myself occupied with him most of the time."
Trisha reads "Big Brother" stories to Rahul to mentally make him feel matured. Raghav took Rahul for shopping often and got him "Big Brother" gifts and made him decide the gifts for the little one. The couple took all care to understand Rahul's feelings and acknowledged him always with the emotional security the kid required. Rahul was also getting excited about the gift he is going to get for Diwali. He was happy and informed everyone in his class regarding his Diwali Gift.
It was Trisha's ninth Month when one day, Rahul seemed terribly upset and came running home,
"What happened Dear?"
"Mom, Suresh was crying badly today. My teacher told us, Suresh's mother expired."
"Oh God! Sad"
"His Grandmom had come to leave him in school today with his new born little sister. His grandmom's face was also all red and pale. Did his mom leave him and go? He said she won't come back."
"Suresh's mother has gone to heaven and she is with God now. She will safeguard him like an Angel. You go and change your dress, I have made Cutlet for you today.How was your dictation test today....'
Trisha tried to change Rahul's mood and kept him occupied with lot of other talks and activities. Rahul was in mixed feelings for couple of days and one day he told Trisha,
"Mom, I dont want the baby brother."
"Why what happened Dear?"
"Let God only have him. I don't want him, I just want you and Papa. If the little one comes home, God will take you from me. I want to be with you, Mom"
"Don't you want to play with little brother? What about all the gifts you got for him?"
"I will keep all the gifts with me."
Rahul was terribly upset and was crying badly asking Trisha not to get the little brother home. He was constantly trying to mess up things at home in order to get his parent's attention. Trisha could sense Rahul's confused state of mind.The couple tried to help the child get back to his normal routine and keep him occupied with other things he likes the most.The time ultimately arrived and Trisha had to get admitted to hospital. Rahul was in all tears.....
In the Hospital, Raghav came running with Rahul.
"Hi Doctor!"
"Congratulations Raghav, You wife delivered a baby boy."
"Is the baby and Trisha sound?"
"The mom and the baby are doing fine. You can go and see your wife."
Rahul came running into the room and jumped on the bed and hugged Trisha and started crying,Trisha hugged him tightly and kissed him gently.
"Mom, I will listen to whatever you say. You come back home......Are you still sick?"
"I am fine, dear. we will go home soon. Sweetheart, did you eat something after coming from School?"
"Yes."
Rahul went on with his usual talks, "Today, Sneha took my pencil and refused to give it back to me. Since you told me not to argue with her, I didn't. Papa has promised to get me a new pencil." "Very Good Boy! Did papa get you the lunch box and did you eat everything? Did you like your Papa's cooking?" asked Trisha winking at Raghav, while he entered with their new bundle of joy. Raghav was enjoying a blissful, dreamy state of complete and contented happiness by seeing the smiling and blemishless face of the little one, while Rahul was still going on.......
"Papa made everything for me. But we both were missing you badly. Mom, I love you. You are the Best."
"Please come back home. I don't want the little brother. I want you and papa alone."
Trisha kissed Rahul again, and told him, "Your gift is here. We are going to go home soon - You, Me, Dad and your gift."
Rahul frowned immediately and was spechless, without any reaction. He didn't want his little brother. He just want his mom and dad to come home soon. Just to overcome his curiosity, he peeped from Trisha's lap to look into the baby.
"You can touch him. He is your little brother."
"I don't want him"
Rahul refused to look at the baby and was not ready to leave Trisha. He hugged her tightly and didn't want her to hold the baby too. Raghav placed the baby on the crib.
After a while out of curiosity, he asked Trisha,
"Mom does he look like me when i was a baby?"
"Yes Dear, He is exactly like you. I was holding you in my hands, when you were born.Poor little brother, you are not ready to even look at him. He doesn't have anyone to play with, other than you.You are mommy’s special always, and we need to take good care of the baby, right?”
Slowly without a word, Rahul went near the baby and starred at him. Hesistantly he touched the little one for the first time and was amazed to see baby's vigor and alertness. The baby got disturbed due to fear. It was his first day of life. He was breathing slowly on his own while he was looking at Rahul with his open big black eyes.
"Mom he is very soft. He is so small and pink. But....but how can he play with me?"
Rahul was starring at the baby while Trisha and Raghav involved in conversation with the doctor who just entered in.
After a while Rahul shouted with excitement, "Mommy, My Little brother is holding my finger :-)) Hurrrrrrrrrrrray !!!! He is smiling at me too.I think he loves me. I will have to take care of him, Mom" "Yes Sweetheart, He loves his big brother.You are his Hero. He will look at you and will want to become like you. He is eagerly waiting for all your gifts."
"We will take him home, Mom.I liked your Gift." Rahul came running to Raghav asking him to put the baby on his lap. Rahul gave a big Smile and went on...
"I will inform everyone in school regarding my Diwali Gift from God, I will take my little brother and show to all my friends. we will all play with him............"
Trisha and Raghav felt blessed.It was indeed great pleasure to their eyes, vigour to their hearts, joy to their souls when they saw Rahul kissing the little one as the baby was still holding his finger.....
* Chellam means Favourite/Pet/Sweetheart in Tamizh.
