9th Month of Pregnancy

Manik & Nandini were home alone. The rest of the family had gone to a neighbourhood function but since Nandini was so pregnant and also wasn't feeling too well, Manik stayed back with her.

"Manik...mujhe kuch meetha khaane ka mann kar raha hai." Nandini told him.

"Umm.... Nichey kitchen mein kuch jalebi rakhe....woh chalega?" Manik asked.

"Yes! Jaldi jaldi lao!" Nandini squealed in delight.

"Haan Haan....abhi laaya." Manik laughed. He quickly went downstairs to get the jalebi while Nandini waited in their room impatiently. "MANIK! JALDI AAO NA!!"

"COMING JAAN!" Manik called back from the kitchen.

A few more minutes passed.

"MANIK! MUJHE AAJ HI KHAANA HAI!"

"I KNOW I KNOW....YEHI PE TOH RAKHA THA I SWEAR I SAW IT YESTERDAY!"

"MA-AAAAH!" Nandini suddenly yelled out in pain clutching her stomach.

"MIL GAYA! IM COMING!" Manik shouted completely unaware.

"MAAANNIIKK!" Nandini cried out.

"Im here Im here!" Manik ran in with a smile, holding a plate of jalebis. He saw Nandini in tears. "Yaar...itna meetha khaane ka mann tha ki rone lag gayi? Koi baat nahi...ab khaa lo."

"You...." Nandini grabbed the jalebis and chucked it at Manik's face. "Stupid...idiot! MUJHE LABOR PAINS HO RAHA HAI!"

"WHAATTTTTTT!" Manik stood there frozen, dropping the plate. Nandini was trying to breathe in & out like the doctor had taught her but just seeing her husband standing there was making her angry.

"MANIK MALHOTRA GET TO THE DAMN HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW VARNA I SWEAR MAIN TUMHE GOLI MAR DUNGGIIIIII!" Nandini screamed.

"Haan! Haan.....hospital! Hospital!" Manik turned left and then right....and then left again as if not sure what to do.

"Call -aahhh!.......the...... ambulance!"

"AMBULANCE! Yes! YES!" Manik nodded fast. He again looked around. "Phone kaha hai mera?"

"MANIK TUMHARA POCKET! AAHHH!!!!"

"RIGHT! Of course..." Manik nervously took out his phone but he was shaking so much it slipped from his hand and fell under the bed. Manik & Nandini both looked at it and then each other. If looks could kill....Manik was for sure a dead man. "Main leke jaata hoon...gadi mein!"

"AAHHH! JALDIIIIII MANIK!" Nandini screamed in pain. Manik scooped her up and ran downstairs to his car. He placed her in the passenger seat & then ran to his side. Starting the car, Manik started driving to the hospital as fast as he could. Nandini has gasping & yelling out in pain.

"You'll be ok Jaan...kuch nahi hoga. Just breath in...and out...in....an-"

SMACK!

Manik blinked at Nandini stunned as she slapped him across the face.

"WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IM DOING??? STOP SAYING STUPID STUFF AND DRIVVEEEE!!!"

"Yes Ma'am." Manik squeaked out. Finally they reached the hospital and Nandini was taken into the delivery room. Manik stood beside her and stroked her hair while she lay in the bed and the nurses ran here & there preparing things.

"THIS-AAH! IS ALL YOUR FAULT! I HATE YOUUUU! AAHHHH!" Nandini yelled out.

"Shhh....shant ho jao....calm down....shant...." Manik tried to comfort her but that just annoyed Nandini more.

"TUMNE AAHH!....EK....AUR BAAR MUJHE- AAH! SHANT REHNE KE LIYE BOLA TOH MAIN TUMHE ZINDAGI BHAR KE LIYE SHANT KARWA DUNGI! SAMJHE YOU MORON!"

Manik quickly shut his mouth. "Main...aata hoon."

He left the delivery room & called his Dad informing them of Nandini's labor. Soon the Malhotra & Dhawan family arrived and Nyonika hugged Manik.

"Nandini kaisi hai?" Nyo asked. "Aur tu yahan bahar kya kar raha hai?"

"She's in so much pain Mom....I cant see her like this." Manik replied. "And....main jo bhi kar raha hoon, it's just irritating her more."

"Beta yeh toh life ka ek hissa hai....but Nandini needs you in there, chahe woh dard ki vajah se kuch bhi kahe. She will always remember this moment so you need to get in there right now." Nyo explained.

"Ji Mom....aap sahi bol rahi hai." Manik nodded. He took a deep breath and went back in. Soon it was time for Nandini to push her baby out.

"Come on Nandini...push! You can do it!" Manik cheered her on. Nandini was pushing as hard as she could and there was sweat all over her face.

"AAAAH! I cant! Nahi hoga mujhse Manik! AAHHH!" Nandini cried.

"Yes you can babe." Manik softly wiped her sweat. " Tum Mafia King ki biwi ho....The Mafia Bride! You can do anything! come one...push jaan...Push!"

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!" Nandini gave one more push and then there was the sound of a baby crying.

"Congratulations....aap dono ko beta hua hai." The doctor smiled. One nurse cleaned the baby off and handed him wrapped in a blanket to Nandini who was exhausted.

"He is so small...and handsome..." Nandini's eyes teared up as she looked at her cute little baby. "Bilkul tumpe gaya hai."

"Except the eyes....woh toh pura tumhara hai." Manik smiled proudly. Manik hugged her as Nandini cried happily.

"I didnt mean it." Nandini whispered.

"Kya?"

"Woh maine bola na ki I hate you? I didnt mean that."

"I know...haha." Manik chuckled. "Its ok."

"Manik....family!" Nandini looked worried. "Humne kiski ko bataya hi nahi!"

"Relax relax...I called Dad when you were in labor. Sab bahar hi hai." Manik assured her.

"Arre....toh bulao na andar." Nandini said. Manik nodded & went to call their family in.

"Meri bachi...." Neelam came over and hugged Nandini warmly.

"Im so proud of you princess" Harsh kissed her head.

"He is so cutttee!" Riddhima gushed over her nephew.

"Arre bhai...koi naam decide kiya ki nahi tum dono ne?" Prithvi asked his grandson & bahu.

Nandini & Manik looked at eachother with a smiled. "Yeah DJ....naam toh hai humare paas."

"Kya??" Everyone asked.

"Manan....Manik aur Nandini ka Manan." Nandini told them.

"Wow....Manan. Thats perfect..." Viren Malhotra said. "Manan Manik Malhotra."

"Nahi Chachu....not Manan Manik Malhotra." Manik spoke up.

"Phir?"

Even Nandini looked at Manik confused.

"Manan....Nandini Malhotra." Manik clarified.

"Par...Manik, bache ke naam ke piche toh Papa ka naam jaata hai na?" Nandini asked.

"Haan toh hai na....Malhotra. Lekin yeh sirf mera beta nahi hai....9 mahine tumne iss apne andaar rakha. Itni dard sain karke tumne paida kiya toh Manan naam ke baad iske brave Mumma ka naam bhi hona chahiye na?" Nandini looked at him emotionally. Manik wiped her tears away. "Hey....no tears."

"Haaye mera bacha." Nyo came forward & hugged her son. "Main bata nahi sakti ki aaj mujhe tujhe kitna proud feel ho raha hai ke tu mera beta hai."

"Apni puri life mein...Guptas ne ek hi acha kaam kiya." Nandini said through tears. " Meri shaadi tumse karwaya. Isi vajah se mujhe meri asli family mil gayi, itne pyar karne wala in-laws mile jo mujhe bahu nahi beti mante hai....aur tumhare jaisa perfect husband mila."

"Perfect?" Manik chuckled. "Im far from perfect.....lekin tumhare liye perfect banne ka mann karta hai. I love you Nandini."

"I love you too Manik." Nandini replied. 

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