It was a Sunday. Sitting at the table, Sameer was working on computer while Naina was in the balcony. She was talking to Preeti on phone. The two spoke to each other almost everyday. Sameer was glad that his child would also have one such cousin who she would be able to turn to any time in life like Naina always had Preeti, a solid support at all times. His entire childhood was sans anyone who could be called his own.

But this won't be the case with their child. Preeti's child would be the same support for her... the two would be as inseparable as Naina and Preeti, he was sure. Of course, their daughter would have a sibling of her own as well... but that would come a few years later. He smiled as he thought about the way Naina always blushed when he teased her about six kids. But in his heart, he wanted to have a picture perfect family... with two children.

He glanced at her again. Walking the length of the balcony, she was taking slow steps as she laughed at something that Preeti was saying. Her one palm rested on her belly that was more pronounced now. He loved to see her hold the baby in this manner. The baby obviously was secure in its place, he knew that much now... but everytime she kept a protective hand over her stomach, he could feel the assurance of a mother being transferred to the unborn child. She held its hand even before the child could ask for it. He did the same when he sat next to her. Placing his palm over his growing daughter gave him the satiated feeling of being close to her. When Naina put her hand over his, their family was complete.

He cherished this bond beyond everything else in life... except Naina.

She would always be the most precious and treasured one for him. His daughter would be the apple of his eye but the place Naina had would always remain most valuable. After all, the baby would be a part of her only.

His thoughts took a break when Naina walked in after finishing her call.

"Ho gayi baat? Kaisi hai Preeti?" He smiled.

She came over to him, placing a hand on the table as she tilted her head, "Mr Maheshwari, aap kaam kar rahe the ya mujhe ghoor rahe the? Aapki aankhen ek baar bhi screen ki taraf nahi thi. Bas mujhpe tiki hui thi."

He straightened, raising his chin to get closer to her face, "Meri yeh aankhen tumse hatna hi nahi chahti. Main kya karun tumhi batao."

She gave a shy smile, putting her hand on his cheek to turn his face towards the computer, "Udhar dekho aur kaam khatam karo."

He held her hand, within his palms, looking back at her, "Tumhari aankhen bhi toh mujhpe thi. Tabhi tumhe pata chala na."

The colour he so loved on her face made its way to her cheeks. He couldn't understand how she could turn red even at the mention of looking at him when she was going to be a mother of their child. But he wasn't complaining. This hue on her face always took him back to those days in college when they met under the tree. Just his proximity would make her blush hard and he wondered how it would feel to touch her cheeks when they were like this.

His fingers went up to her face, feeling the warm skin of her soft cheeks.

"Tum aise sharmati ho toh dulhan lagti ho." He murmured.

Her lowered eyes shot up to him, "Dulhan? Pagal ho kya?"

"Sach mein lagti ho. Jab college mein tum aise laal hoti thi toh mujhe lagta tha bas kuch dinon ki baat hai... fir tumhe mere kareeb aane se aisa nahi hoga kyonki aadat pad jayegi. Lekin tum toh abhi bhi..." His eyes had a naughty glint as they moved to her tummy and went back to her face.

The colour deepened.

He planted a kiss on her belly, "Dekha baby, aapki mumma kaise har baat se sharma jaati hai... aur kabhi seedhe button..."

She kept her fingers on his mouth, giving a horrified look, "Baby se kaisi baatein kar rahe ho? Tumhe sharam nahi aati kya?"

He puckered his lips against her fingers before moving them, "Nahi aati. Tumhe dekh kar bohot kuch hota hai par sharm bilkul nahi aati."

"Hato." She pushed his face away, getting out of his grip and walked to the bed.

"Ab chup chap apna kaam kar lo." She chided him when he did not move his gaze away from her.

With a sigh, he turned his chair to get back to the work he was doing.

It was just ten minutes when a loud gasp resonated in the room. He looked back sharply at the bed. Naina was sitting upright, holding her stomach. He pushed back the chair, rushing to her.

"Kya hua, Naina? Dard ho raha hai?" He held her shoulders, concern writ large on his face.

Her eyes were wide open. So was her mouth. Before an answer, she squealed as her hand moved over her belly.

He looked down, perplexed. She didn't seem to be in pain.

"Sameer, baby hil rahi hai. Mujhe... mujhe pata chala." She blurted out, enthralled by the new sensation.

His eyes widened into saucers.

She nodded furiously, "Sach mein. Do baar hua. Dekho."

She pulled his hand from her shoulder and placed it on her belly, moving it lightly over it.

Sameer waited with open mouth while his eyes remained fixed on his hand.

A few moments passed, nothing happened. She stopped moving it, keeping it still on the side. They were literally holding their breath to not miss the movement when it happened. After almost five minutes of sitting like statues, she gave up.

"Nahi hua fir se." Leaning back on the pillow, she shrugged.

The disappointment Sameer felt was clear on his face. His dejected expression made her heart go out to him.

She tugged at his hand, pulling him closer.

"Yeh toh shuruaat hai. Aisa aksar hoga. Abhi sirf mehsoos kar sakenge lekin baad mein dikhta bhi hai. Maine Pooja didi ko dekha tha. Tumhe bhi jaldi hi sab mehsoos hoga." Cupping his cheek, she assured him.

The despair in his eyes changed into anticipation of the moment when he would feel the movement.

"Tumhe kaise pata yeh kya tha? Pakka na, baby ke hilne se hua?" He asked.

She smiled at his innocence, explaining that she had been feeling some light fluttering for some time which she had mentioned to the doctor in their previous visit when doctor asked her while check up. It was indeed the movement of baby but she could not feel much initially. Today, for the first time, she felt a proper shifting inside her. Not once, but twice.

"Kaise pata chalega dubara kab hoga? Main yahan nahi hua toh? Office mein hua toh? Ya bahar kahi pe... matlab mujhe kuch mehsoos karne ka mauka nahi mila toh?" Feeling of being left out gripped him.

She wished there was a way to determine when the movement would be felt. Seeing his eagerness, she wanted Sameer to feel it as soon as possible.

"Bohot jaldi mauka milega. Sirf ek baar thodi hilta hai baby. Dekhna, ab aisa baar baar hoga." She patted his arm.

He lost all interest in the work he was doing, not leaving Naina's side even for a moment. Till they went to the dining hall for lunch, he had already asked her several times but she did not get the same feeling again.

Once he had given her the medicines, he went to refill the jug with water for her.

"Jaldi aao Sameer." She was sitting up again when he returned.

Still holding the jug, he ran to her, putting his hand on her stomach.

Nothing.

After a wait of few minutes, he let out a sigh, getting up to place the jug on side table. When he made her lie down to take a nap, he kept one hand on her belly, hoping to catch the movement this time.

It did not happen in the entire afternoon... or rest of the day. He was not keen to go to office next day but Naina urged him to not ignore the work. She had started going twice a week now and she was aware that towards the end of pregnancy and once the baby was born, she wouldn't be able to attend office at all. Even Sameer would need to stay home some more to help her with the little one. Keeping that in mind, she wanted that they should give as much time to the ongoing projects as possible.

"Hello Naina, kuch hua?" He called up before he sat down to have lunch in the office.

"Nahi. Shayad tumhara hi intezar kar rahi hai tumhari beti." She informed him, happy that he didn't have to miss out again.

"Usse kehna mere aane tak ruk jaaye. Fir jitna khelna hai khel le." He grinned.

But when he returned in the evening, she told him about the two times when she felt the movement. By night time, he was frantic.

"Hum doctor ke paas chalen?" He proposed.

"Doctor ke paas kyon? Mujhe koi problem thodi hai." She was surprised.

"Mujhe hai na. Yeh mere paas aaane pe hi kyon chup ho jaati hai? Meri beti naraaz hai kya mujhse?" He sulked.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Buddhu, naraaz kyon hogi? Abhi usse thodi pata hai tum uska kitna intezar kar rahe ho. Tumhari beti tumse kabhi naraaz nahi hogi."

"Toh mujhe kyon nahi pata chal raha, Naina. Baar baar bas tumhe hi dikha rahi hai. Yeh toh galat baat hai na." He held her close, hiding his face in the crook of her neck.

"Offo Sameer. Ab tum bachhon jaise mat karo." She rumpled his hair.

"Theek hai, jab tak baby mujhe nahi bulati tab tak tumhe apna pyar dikhana padega... mujhe kuch toh milna chahiye." He laid back on the pillow, making her lean over him.

"Sameer, kya kar rahe ho?" She showed fake annoyance, though the colour on her cheeks gave her away.

He blew over the hair on her forehead, "Hawa de raha hun. Jisse tumhe garmi na lage."

As the shade of colour darkened further on her face, he slipped one hand behind her head, bending it slightly. Her open hair spread around them, forming a curtain around their faces. The fragrance of her shampoo, combined with her own warm scent made his heart thump wildly against his ribs. When his lips touched her chin, she closed her eyes, lifting her face. His lips skimmed down her neck, resting in the hollow between her collarbones. He could feel her erratic breathing. His hand moved along her spine, making her melt under his touch. The sensations he evoked in her made her forget everything, except giving in to his demand.

Later, as she slept peacefully in his arms, he placed one hand on her belly.

"Please baby, ek baar toh apne papa ko bhi hello bolo na." He whispered.

There was no response. Hoping that next day would bring him some luck, he drifted off to sleep, keeping Naina in his arms.

The next day did nothing for him, nor did the one after that, even though Naina had accompanied him to office. He was getting frustrated because each day she was able to get the feeling while he waited impatiently. She was upset for him as well. When she was alone, the movement happened frequently. But when he was around, she called out to him after the first flutter and they both waited but the baby just seemed to go off to sleep. He was almost in a frenzy to experience it.

It was the middle of the week. He had freshened up after coming back from office. After having coffee with Naina, they were in the room, when she showed him the walkman from their college days. She had found it in one drawer of the cupboard which was used for extra items.

"Yaad hai, isse hamari dosti ki shuruaat hui thi." She reminisced.

He recalled playing the song of her favourite movie Maine Pyar Kiya when she had asked him if he considered her a friend.

"Gaana dosti ka zaroor bajaya tha par main tab bhi tumse pyar hi karta tha. Seedhe bolne ki himmat nahi juta paaya isliye pehle dost kaha." He gave a cheeky smile.

"Achha... agar himmat juta lete toh kya kehte?" She raised one brow.

He opened the cassette compartment. It was empty. But the stack of cassettes was still in the drawer cabinet. He searched inside till he found what he wanted. Putting it in the slot, he adjusted it to the song and pressed the Play button. The melodious voice of SP Balasubramanium started to croon out his favourite song

Mere rang mein rangne wali
pari ho ya pariyon ki rani
Ya ho meri prem kahani

Mere sawalon kaaaa
jawab do

Do naaa

He held out his hand. She grasped it. Gently swaying her around, he made her dance with him to the soft tunes of the song.

At first, Naina didn't come to know because of the music and the ambience that he had created. But when she felt a sharp jab on her side, she froze.

He stopped abruptly, "Kya hua, Naina? Kuch problem hai kya?"

She gestured him to switch off the music. He did.

She waited but nothing happened.

Sameer switched on the music again, trying to hide his disappointment.

The music made the baby move again. This time, when he extended his hand to pause the song, she stopped him.

The movements continued. The baby seemed to have suddenly woken up, making its presence felt repeatedly.

Holding his hand delicately, Naina placed it on her belly.

And he felt it.

Again. And again. And again.

The baby kept moving as the music floated in the room.

Sameer quickly put his other hand on her stomach as well, feeling her belly move in waves under his palms. He kneeled down, awashed with such warmth that he forgot to breathe.

Just then, the song ended. And as suddenly as the movement had begun, it stopped.

They looked at each other.

He got back to the walkman and played the song again.

And the baby started to move again.

He placed his hands on her tummy. And made contact with his daughter. She moved under his palms... till the song was on. And then everything was still again.

"Lagta hai hamari beti abhi se Salmaan Khan ki fan hai." Naina chuckled.

He frowned, looking at her, then staring back at her tummy.

Next update tomorrow evening.