The routine visit to the doctor at the end of the month was always the same. Dr Shaila would ask a few questions about Naina's diet and general health and if she had any discomfort, take her inside for a check up and write a prescription for the same vitamins and iron tablets which she had been taking regularly.

This time, however, things took a different turn.

"Naina, aaj hum aapko apne baby se milwayenge." She announced.

Sameer gaped at her with open mouth as Naina beamed, "Sonography?"

Doctor nodded.

Naina had never accompanied Pooja didi to the doctor but she had seen the sonography reports where a blurred image appeared which looked like a baby. She had been waiting for this time but had not mentioned it to Sameer. Had he known, he would have pestered the doctor since long.

"Haan, sonography. Aap ready ho?" Doctor asked her.

Before Naina could answer, Sameer asked eagerly, "Sonography kya hota hai?"

Doctor explained the process to him, telling the importance of this procedure and that it would be repeated a few more times before the baby was born.

"Naina ko dard hoga kya?" He took her hand in his, pressing it more to assure himself than her.

"Nahi. Ismein koi pain nahi hota. Feel bhi nahi hoga. Bas ek image nazar aayegi monitor pe. Zyada clear nahi hogi kyonki abhi baby bohot chota hai. Lekin hamare liye zaroori hai iss samay pe ek sonography karke yeh dekhna ki baby ki growth achhe se ho rahi hai ya nahi." Dr Shaila elaborated.

He was about to question her about her last sentence when Naina tugged at his hand. He looked at her with a frown settled on his face.

"Normal hai, Sameer. Pooja didi ne bhi karwaya tha." She asserted, blinking with a nod.

He pursed his lips, giving her a small smile.

"Main bhi mil sakta hun kya... baby se?" Turning back to the doctor, he asked earnestly.

Dr Shaila smiled, "Bilkul mil sakte ho."

His heart jumped to his mouth. He would be seeing his baby for the first time. When she went away to instruct the nurse about preparing for the procedure, he looked at Naina. She was excited as well, but not as shaky as him. Probably because she was aware of this type of test, and was prepared for it.

He stood nervously next to her, holding her hand when she was made to lie down in front of what looked like a computer monitor. The silence in the room made the sound of his pounding heart reverberate so loud, he felt everyone could hear it. When the doctor started to move a small, wired object over her belly, he gulped, pressing her shoulder to know if she was okay.

"Screen pe dekho, Sameer. Naina ko isse koi takleef nahi hogi." Doctor assured him again, seeing his concern.

They both glued their eyes to the screen where grainy picture started to form. They tried hard to focus on something which looked like a baby but couldn't see any such image.

"Yeh dekho, yeh jo dikh raha hai, yeh aapka baby hai. Dhyan se dekho. Abhi bohot bada nahi hai lekin aapko samajh aa jayega." Doctor Shaila pointed at the screen, outlining the image with her fingers.

And they saw it together.

They forgot to breathe. A large head and a tiny, hazy outline below was all that they could make out but it flooded their hearts with an enormous wave of affection and warmth. Tears flowed down the side of Naina's eyes as she watched the image. She wasn't sure her eyes were playing the trick or the baby was actually moving.

"Doctor, yeh... kya yeh hil sakti hai?" She asked hesitantly.

"Haan bilkul. Dekho na, kaise hil raha hai aapka baby. Kaafi active hai. Achhi baat hai. Thode dinon mein aapko mehsoos hone lagega jab size thoda aur badh jayega." Doctor smiled at her warmly.

The procedure lasted for just five minutes but it felt that they had been taken on a trip of lifetime with just a glimpse of their baby.

Back at home, they viewed the image repeatedly in the Xray type of sheets that were given to them.

"Naina, main aaj ka din kabhi nahi bhoolunga. Apni baby ko apni nazaron ke samne dekh ke aisa laga... aisa laga... bata bhi nahi sakta kaisa mehsoos hua. Bas dil kar raha tha screen ko hi gale laga lun." Sameer held the sheets against his heart as he told her about the overwhelming feeling that he was drowning in.

"Screen ko kyon? Gale lagana hai toh baby ko lagao na. Abhi woh mere paas hai toh mujhe laga lo." She smiled sweetly at him.

He looked at the sheets again, then glanced down at her tummy. Putting back the reports carefully in their packet, he placed it in the drawer before turning to her. She was resting with a pillow behind her back. He walked over to her side of the bed, kneeling down next to her so that his head was at the level of her stomach.

Circling his arms around her, he placed a kiss on her belly before pressing his head lightly against it, "Jab baby ko gale lagana hoga toh aise lagaunga."

She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling, "Tum bohot achhe papa banoge, Sameer."

He looked up at her, "Sachhi?"

She held his face, nodding, and leaned to touch her lips to  his forehead.

"Yeh kya kar rahi ho, Naina?" He held her shoulders, making her sit back straight.

She gave a perplexed look as he quickly stood up to make her relax back comfortably.

"Aise baitho, warna baby ko jagah nahi milegi hilne ki." He stated intelligently.

She gazed at him lovingly as he fretted over her posture, adjusting the pillow again and straightening her legs. When he looked up, she spread her arms. With a beaming smile, he leaned to take her in his embrace, making sure that she was comfortable.

It had been a week since their visit to the doctor when he found her standing in front of the mirror, watching herself keenly from the side.

"Naina, kya hua?" He was beside her instantly.

"Sameer, tumhe lagta hai ki mera pet thoda badh gaya hai?" She peered at her reflection, flattening the dress over her belly.

He knew it had. Last few days, he could feel a slight bump every time he took her in his arms. Since she wasn't wearing fitted clothes, it wasn't visible to the eye but he knew her like the back of his hand... any change wouldn't go unnoticed by him.

"Shayad." He rested his chin on her shoulder.

She beamed, dragging his hand to her belly, "Ab batao... lag raha hai na ki hamari gudiya badi ho rahi hai."

He nodded, wrapping his arms around her, "Aur tum pehle se bhi zyada sundar ho rahi ho."

"Tum bas jhooti tareef karte rehte ho meri." She frowned, but the smear of colour on her cheeks revealed to him that she loved it when he praised her.

It was around midnight the same day that Sameer woke up to a frantic shaking.

"Sameer, utho na. Kitni der se utha rahi hun tumhe." Naina tapped at his shoulder.

He sat up with a jerk, "Kya... kya hua? Tabiyat kharab lag rahi hai kya? Doctor ko bulaun?"

She shook her head, "Bhook lag rahi hai mujhe. Kuch khane ko chahiye."

He gave her an astonished look after checking the clock, "Abhi do ghante pehle toh khana khaya tha... aur tumne itna saara..."

He stopped, realising that he should not give her a reason to be upset.

"Haan toh fir se bhook nahi lag sakti kya? Mujhe jaldi se kuch laake do. Dekho baby ko bhi khana chahiye." She whined, placing her palms on the tummy.

He watched her sulking face and drooping lips, thinking how much of a baby she herself was.

"Do do bachhon ko kaise sambhalunga?" He muttered to himself, getting up to go to the kitchen.

"Tum kahan aa rahi ho?" He stopped at door, frowning as she followed him.

"Tumhe kya pata mujhe kya achha lagega, main hi toh dekh ke bataungi." She said matter of factly.

They went to the kitchen together. He brought out some biscuits. She ate two, then shook her head. He fished out chakli from a big container. She tasted it, then pushed it away. He showed her the tin of laddus. She nodded, but when he opened it, she stopped him. He brought out ice cream from the fridge. She happily picked up a bowl.

After taking one spoon, she placed the bowl in the sink, giving him a guilty look, "Zyada thandi hai."

He held out a bowl of fruit salad. She wrinkled her nose, saying that she had eaten it twice during the day. Patiently, he picked up a bottle of orange juice from the fridge.

"Mujhe pineapple juice chahiye." She made a face.

Thankfully, he had bought several bottles. Checking in the cabinet, he took out the one with pineapple juice and poured it in a glass for her.

She handed it back to him after one sip, "Thanda nahi hai."

He let out a sigh.

"Tum thak gaye ho na. Chalo rehne do. Chalke so jaate hain." She said with a gloomy expression, turning towards the door.

"Naina, kya khana hai tumhe?" He held her hand, making her stop.

She definitely had something in her mind, he could tell.

She chewed on her upper lip.

"Maggi?" He raised his brows.

She nodded hesitantly. Ever since her acidity attack, he had made sure that she did not eat much of fried things or food with preservatives. Maggi was taken off the menu as well and she was given healthier snacks and meals.

"Theek hai." Understanding her craving, he gave in.

Her face lit up. Rushing to him, she wound her arms around his neck and pecked his lips, "Tum best ho."

He held her waist delicately, "Yeh thank you maggi ko haan kehne ke liye chalega lekin banake khilane ke liye kuch aur chahiye."

She lifted her heels, and placed her lips on his. He could overcome the surprise in a few seconds, holding her close to return the impassioned kiss. When they parted, his heartbeat was highly erratic. It had been says since she had kissed him like that. And it had made him yearn for more.

"Ab maggi." She leaned against the counter, pointing at the yellow packet lying in a corner basket.

He let out a long exhale, running his fingers through the hair... losing out to a packet of instant noodles was not a very happy feeling.

Naina watched with a faint smile lurking at the corner of her lips as he went about to chop the vegetables, boil water and add the vegetables and noodles to it. She could see his darkened eyes, understand his need... but her need for the spicy taste of maggi held her back.

When he presented the bowl of steaming noodles, she grabbed it quickly. He held her carefully and made her sit on the counter. Perched on a kitchen slab, she gobbled down the food she had been waiting for the whole day. He watched her eyes close in blissful satisfaction at each mouthful, and was reminded of their meet in college when he had first discovered her love for maggi. She ate it with the same gusto.

After relishing half the bowl, she looked up to find his eyes on her. She held out the bowl to him. He shook his head, smiling.

When she called him with a wave of her finger, he walked to her... and stood right in front, his hands holding the platform on either side of her.

She wrapped the noodles around her fork and brought it to his mouth. He shook his head again. She mouthed a please. He gave a slight smile. Her gaze moved to the fork, then to his face.

He watched as she put back the fork and held some noodles between her thumb and two fingers... and brought it up for him. With a deliberate ease, he ate them, letting his lips brush over her fingers.

The next handful went to her mouth. Their teasing game continued till the bowl was empty. He held her wrist, taking the fingers in his mouth. She could feel a tingling sensation pass through her entire hand, making her shudder. He left her hand to pick up a bottle of water from behind her, opened the cap and handed to her. Turned her head up, she tilted the bottle, a little away from her open mouth. It wasn't just a trickle that went down her throat this time. He could see a thick stream gushing down the side of her chin, over her long neck, into the lace of her nightsuit.

His lips were on the gleaming skin of her neck even before she had put the bottle away.

She was ready to thank him for the treat of maggi... and he was ready to devour his treat.

Next update tomorrow evening.