Nithya was nearing her due date. Raghav had accompanied her to the hospital for the scan. She had already taken her maternity leave and stayed home. They had a simple baby shower function with their close relatives, as they didn't want to have a crowd which would suffocate her. The other main reason was to protect them from evil eyes.

After consulting with the doctor about the baby's health, they both had to stay back to collect the scan reports. The baby was healthy and the doctor had suggested Nithya to note down the baby's movements carefully, as she can get pain anytime.

It was taking more time than expected to collect the reports and Nithya was very tired .

"Nithya... Why don't you go and meet your friends here? This is taking a long time and instead of sitting here simply, you can at least have a chat with them right?" Raghav suggested her.

"Hey that's a great idea! How did it not occur to me?" She asked as she hit her forehead.

"You know these thoughts will occur only to brainies like me." He replied with a smirk.

"Ohhh! You are saying that to me huh?" Nithya glared at him and he grinned.

"Don't waste time here. Go and meet your friends." He said and kissed her temple with a smile.

Nithya got into the lift and reached the third floor, to meet her fellow doctors.

"Hey Nithya!!!" One of her friends screamed aloud as she spotted her entering the department.

"Hey guys! How are you all doing?" Nithya asked as she walked towards them slowly.

"We are doing great, Nithya! How are you? How is your little one doing?"

"We both are also fine. Came here for my check-up. Thought of meeting you all." She smiled and sat on the chair.

"When is your due date?"

"In two weeks. But I feel she would pop out anytime before that." She giggled.

"She? How are you so sure?"

"Some instincts... With the way Raghav is taking care of me and the baby, I am cent percent sure that it's a girl. He is fine with a boy too... But.."

"That's great, Nithya." Her friend smiled and they all chatted for some more time.

Raghav called Nithya and informed that he had collected the reports. She asked him to wait near the car park.

"Okay guys! I'm getting late. We'll meet another day leisurely." She said and hugged her friends.

"Nithya..." One of her friends called her name slowly.

"Haan?"

"We heard something... Is that true?"

"How can I know what you have heard? Tell me... If I know about it, I'll tell you whether it's true or not." She grinned wide.

"Did your... Your husband has resigned from his job?" She completed and Nithya's smile dropped.

"We thought it was a rumor..."

"Yes. He resigned from his job." She told them in a stern voice.

"WHAT??"

"What's wrong with that?" She frowned.

"You're pregnant... You're on leave now... How can you..." Her friend stammered a bit.

"I said he resigned from his job. But I didn't say that he is JOBLESS." Nithya spoke angrily and took out her mobile and showed it to her friends.

"Look at this. He is a writer now and we are expecting his book launch by next month!" Nithya informed them and their faces went pale.

"Just to make it clear to you all, my husband is not living out of my income. He has his own profession and I'm sure he will succeed in it. Even now, he was the one who insisted that I meet you all, and you are talking like this..." She said disappointed and left from there.

"What took you so long?" Raghav asked her as she got into the car.

"Nothing..." Nithya looked away from him.

"Are you okay Nithya?" He caressed her cheeks.

"Yes Raghav... I'm completely fine, even the doctor told you na.."

"Hmmm." Raghav nodded and started driving the car.

"Raghav, do we need to shift to the new house immediately?" Nithya asked him after some time. They had finalized their new home and planned to shift there permanently. To their luck, they had got a villa in the same gated community.

"Yeah Nithya. I guess it's high time now. If we postpone, your due date will be nearer."

"We can shift after delivery right? What's the hurry now?"

"Do you realize what you're saying, Nithya?" Raghav asked her as he stopped the car and she looked at him confused.

"Even now I'm shit scared about shifting as you may get dust allergy due to packing and shipping. If we shift after delivery, your immunity will become even more weak, and I can't risk you and our baby like this! I'm planning to set your room first and then others, as you can rest well there. " He said and Nithya nodded thoughtfully.

"I didn't think about all these... All I thought was, you were already busy with your book launch and my delivery.. I just didn't want you to be burdened with this too."

"You don't have to worry, Nithya. We can manage. You both are my priority now. " Raghav told her with a smile.

Nithya noticed that their car was parked in front of an ice cream shop.

"Ice cream????" She squealed happily.

"Yeah... I noticed that you're not okay... And amma told me that post delivery you should follow a strict diet and all. So a small cheat date for us." He grinned.

"Awww I have been craving ice cream since yesterday." Nithya said and they both went inside the ice cream shop.

The waiter came there to take their orders.

"Two chocolate ice-cream." Nithya said but Raghav interrupted.

"One chocolate and one butterscotch." Raghav said and the waiter left.

"Why Raghav? You like chocolate flavor right?"

"I like it, but felt like having butterscotch today. Can we share it na?" He said and she smiled happily.

Their ice creams arrived and they fed each other and ate it. They were about to leave the shop, but a couple with a little baby who was around a year old came near their table.

"Hey! We both saw you sharing and having your ice creams." The girl said and Nithya blushed, looking down.

"Bro... Trust me! Just enjoy your little moments now itself." They guy warned him and Raghav didn't understand why he said so.

"Why bro? Why are you saying that?" Raghav asked him, confused.

"Because after the baby is born, all you can think and talk about would be baby food and diapers. You can never get time to spend with each other like this. " He said and his wife hit him playfully.

"Why are you making them afraid?" She asked her husband.

"No one advised me like this. I don't want another guy to suffer like me in future." He said and RagYa chuckled.

"Haha thanks for the advice bro!" Raghav replied.

"How many months?" The girl asked Nithya.

"Ninth month." Nithya told her with a smile.

"Ah that's great! Best wishes for you both." She wished them luck.

"Thank you!" The couple left from there.

While Raghav was driving back, Nithya leaned on his shoulder.

"Amma was also saying the same." Nithya told him.

"Saying what?" He asked curiously.

"To enjoy our little moments before delivery.."

"Aahan.."

"When Amma was at her mom's place for delivery, Appa couldn't stay with her as he had an office. She had missed him very badly it seems. Only after admitting her to the hospital, appa was informed. Though he had a week's leave after I was born, appa was spending time with me and not with amma. She was telling how everything would change after delivery and all. She says that I am very lucky to have you." Nithya said and Raghav smiled at her lovingly.

"And you know what she said when I called you for the first time when athai was sick?"

"When you were in the US?" He asked her.

"Yeah... When you had posted a message for a doctor referral, I woke up in the middle of the night and called you. She was screaming at me for talking to a stranger whom I met online at that time. Now that stranger is her loving son in law and she is praising him day and night." Nithya told him with a frown and Raghav chuckled.

"You are saying this all now. But after a couple of years, when our daughter comes and informs you that she is talking to a stranger, let me see your reaction." He smirked!

"GET LOST!"

To Be Continued.