chapter 17

Many months passed and one day,Ma felt an acute pain in her chest. We rushed her to the hospital.Sugandha was nine months pregnant and was almost due for her delivery. Ma said to Sugandha,"I don't want to due without holding my grandchild in my arms..."Mehek said to her,"Don't worry grandma, you can hold my hand, I will pray to God to make you Ok!"Ma started crying and Sugandha went into labour due to stress and anxiety.Taara Mam, came to support me during my difficult time!As I was taking Sugandha to the operation theatre, we were asked to admit her in the General ward for inducing medicines to help in the normal delivery of our child.As we entered the General ward, I saw Pushpendra and a familiar looking face calling my name.Sugandha was given some medicines by the team of an experienced gynaecologist.I went to Pushpendra and said to him,"Sugandha is expecting twins and I am really nervous about her, Ma is also undergoing treatment for heart attack. I don't know how to keep myself calm and composed during such stressful time, I am grateful to Taara Mam who came to support me in this hour!"Pushpendra said to me,"At least you are with your wife this time, that is a huge relief for me because I can't help you as my wife Khushbu needs me and I can't leave her side for anything else in this world! I didn't fulfill my responsibility as a good husband in the past. I felt that being my wife, Khushbu should sacrifice all her dreams and aspirations just like my mother did for our sake. I saw my father scolding my mother in front of others but she never raised her voice. When Khushbu argued with me, I used to get angry as I didn't accept her act of defiance. I always wanted my wife to be meek and submissive but now, I have realised my mistake. Today, when I look into my mother's eyes, I could see that many dreams are still there waiting to be fulfilled. When my parents  asked me to get married to their family friend's daughter then I said, "No" because I wanted my wife to be a simple girl with long hair and sweet smile. When Khushbu told me that she loved her boyfriend Max then I felt jealous and insecure but I never expressed those feelings openly in front of her. When I could not become a father then our differences grew multifold without a short span of time. When Max told her 5hat he didn't want to become a father then Khushbu left him. She wanted to come back to my life when she found out about her illness. I have already done my part of an unhappy husband and now I have to play the part of an ideal husband and true friend in her life. I know that I am still a work-in-progress but I will fulfill my promise to her, that one day she will become a mother!"Khushbu smiled at her husband and said to him,"Today, you have become a completely different person and I respect you for this magical transformation!"Then she looked at me and said that,"Do you remember, who I am, Palash or have you forgotten me completely and conveniently!"