81. PAIN
VEERANSH:
The sound that wakes me isn't loud.
It's soft. Broken. A small cry. At first, in sleep, I think I imagined it. Then I feel movement beside me. I open my eyes instantly. The room is dark except for the dim bedside lamp and the silver flashes of lightning outside the windows.
Rain crashes violently against the glass, heavy enough to blur the entire balcony beyond it. Another small sound leaves her lips. I turn sharply. Aarohi is sitting up in bed, one hand clutching her stomach, tears running silently down her face. My sleep disappears immediately.
"Aarohi." I sit up at once, moving toward her. "What happened?" Her breathing trembles. "It hurts..." I'm already awake enough to understand. Not panic. Not confusion. Just certainty. It's time. I place my hand on her stomach carefully.
Another contraction hits. I see it instantly in her face. Her fingers tighten around the bedsheet. Her eyes squeeze shut. And she cries. Not loudly. That makes it worse. I move closer immediately. "Look at me." She tries to breathe. "It hurts..." "I know."
I push the blanket away quickly and stand. Everything inside me sharpens instantly. No hesitation. No delay. I grab my phone and call the doctor first. "She's having contractions," I say immediately. "We're leaving now." Then Maa.
Then the driver. Then another cry leaves Aarohi's lips behind me. I turn. She's bent slightly forward now, trembling. I kneel in front of her. "Breathe." Her eyes meet mine. There's fear in them. Real fear. Not the small nervousness from before. This fear reaches her bones.
"Veeransh..." "I'm here." Another contraction. This one stronger. She grips my shirt tightly. And then suddenly She freezes. I follow her gaze downward. Water. My chest tightens immediately. Her water broke. For one second... One single second...
I feel fear stab straight through me. Aarohi looks at me with wide terrified eyes. "Veeransh..." I grab her face gently. "Nothing will happen." But my own voice sounds rough. Too tight. Too controlled. Thunder crashes outside. The storm feels violent now. Everything feels violent.
Maa rushes inside first, shawl thrown hurriedly over her shoulders. Suhana comes behind her, panic already written across her face. "What happened?" "She's in labor," I answer instantly. Maa immediately moves toward Aarohi.
"Oh God..." Another contraction hits. Aarohi cries harder this time, clutching her stomach. I don't wait anymore. I wrap a shawl around her carefully and lift her into my arms. She gasps softly, gripping my shoulder tightly. "I've got you."
Rain pounds against the mansion windows as I carry her downstairs. Servants rush around opening doors. The storm wind crashes into us the moment the main door opens. Cold rain sprays across the marble floor.
I barely notice. All I can feel is her trembling in my arms. Her breathing. Her fear. The driver opens the car immediately. I get inside with her first. Maa and Suhana follow. The car speeds into the storm.
Rain slams against the windshield so hard the wipers barely keep up.
Aarohi leans against me, breathing unevenly.
I hold her tightly against my chest. Another contraction comes.
She cries out softly and grips my hand so hard it almost hurts, I wish I could take all of it instead.
"Look at me," I tell her quietly. Her eyes are wet.
"I'm scared..." The words come out broken.
Something twists violently inside my chest. I kiss her forehead immediately. "Nothing will happen." "You don't know that..." I go silent. Because she's right. I don't. And she sees that silence. That terrifies her more. Tears spill faster from her eyes.
"What if something happens to me?" "No." My answer comes instantly. Sharp. Almost angry. She startles slightly. I grip her hand tighter. "Don't say that."
"But what if" "Nothing will happen." Thunder shakes the car.
Her breathing turns shaky again. Another pain hits.
She bends forward slightly, crying harder now.
Maa quietly chants prayers beside us. Suhana wipes her own tears silently in the backseat.
And me I feel completely helpless. For the first time in years.
.. I can't control anything. Not the storm.
Not her pain. Not the fear crushing my chest.
I pull her closer. "Just stay with me." She looks at me weakly.
Then whispers softly "Promise me something.
.." My jaw tightens. "No." "Veeransh" "No.
" Tears slide down her cheeks. "If something happens" I grab her face immediately.
"Nothing will happen." "But if" "You're coming back to me with our babies. " My voice shakes this time.
I can hear it myself. "You understand?" She stares at me silently. Then nods weakly. But her tears don't stop.
The hospital finally appears through the rain. The car barely stops before I'm already outside. Doctors rush forward with a stretcher. I lift Aarohi again before anyone else can touch her. She clings to my shirt tightly.
Inside the emergency entrance, everything becomes chaos. Voices. Footsteps. Nurses. Machines. Questions. But all I hear is her breathing. And then another contraction hits her harder than before. She cries out my name. "Veeransh"
That sound tears straight through me. The nurses try to move her onto the stretcher. She still won't let go of my hand. "Aarohi." Her eyes find mine immediately. Terrified. Vulnerable. Trusting me completely. That destroys me more than anything.
"We need to take her now, sir," the doctor says quickly. I nod once. Barely. But Aarohi suddenly grips my hand harder. "If something happens..." "No."
Tears stream down her face. "Take care of them.
.." Something inside me snaps. I kneel beside the stretcher immediately.
"Stop." My voice is rough. Shaking. "You're coming back to me yourself.
" She cries harder. I press my forehead against hers briefly.
"You hear me?" Her lips tremble. "I love you.
.." The words hit me like a knife. I kiss her forehead instantly. "I love you too."
The stretcher begins moving. Her fingers slowly slip from mine. And then The labor room doors close. I stand there staring at them. Unable to move. Unable to breathe properly. Rain still crashes outside the hospital windows.
Lightning flashes through the corridor. And suddenly... I realize how close I am to losing everything. Maa comes beside me slowly. "She'll be okay." I nod once. But I don't trust my own voice enough to answer.
Hours pass. Or maybe minutes. I can't tell anymore.
I sit. Stand. Walk. Sit again. Every scream from inside that corridor makes my chest tighten.
Every second feels endless. Suhana cries quietly against Maa's shoulder.
And I... I can't even cry properly. Because I'm terrified that if I break once I won't stop.
A doctor finally walks out. I stand immediately. "How is she?"
"She's progressing," the doctor says quickly.
"But twins are always more complicated." My stomach drops.
"She's exhausted already." "What do you mean exhausted?
" "She's weak." I stare at the doctor silently.
"She needs strength for delivery." I run my hand through my hair harshly.
"What do you need?" "Nothing right now. Just stay calm. " Stay calm. I almost laugh.
Aarohi screams again from inside. My entire body goes rigid.
I move instinctively toward the labor room.
The nurse stops me. "You can't go inside yet.
" I don't even hear her properly. All I hear is Aarohi crying.
I close my eyes briefly. And for the first time in years I pray.
Not for success. Not for power. Not for business. Just one thing. Her. Only her.
Hours later, another nurse rushes out. "We need the husband.
" I move instantly. Inside the room, everything feels unreal.
Bright lights. Doctors moving quickly. Machines beeping.
And Aarohi God. She looks exhausted. Sweat covers her face.
Her hair sticks against her skin. Tears run continuously from the corners of her eyes.
The moment she sees me She reaches for me immediately. I grab her hand at once. "I'm here."
She cries harder. "I can't..." "Yes, you can.
" "It hurts..." I kiss her forehead. "I know.
" Her grip tightens painfully around my hand.
Another contraction comes. The doctor speaks quickly.
"One baby is descending properly. We need one more push.
" Aarohi shakes her head weakly. "I can't..." "Yes, you can. " I hold her face gently. "Look at me."
Her eyes meet mine. "You are the strongest person I know.
" She cries softly. "I'm scared..." "So am I.
" The confession slips out before I stop it.
Her eyes soften slightly. "But I'm still here.
" Another contraction. The doctor speaks loudly.
"Now!" Aarohi screams. And squeezes my hand so tightly my fingers ache.
Then suddenly A cry fills the room. Tiny. Sharp. Alive.
Everything stops inside me. I stare. A baby. Our baby. The sound hits me so hard my vision blurs instantly. Aarohi breaks into tears immediately. The doctor smiles faintly. "just push again." Aarohi looks completely exhausted now. I brush tears from her face. "Just one more." She nods weakly.
Minutes later Another cry fills the room. And this time... I actually stop breathing for a second. Two. Two tiny cries. Two tiny lives. Aarohi starts crying harder. So do I. Quietly. Without sound. Because suddenly Everything changes.
Everything.