82. BABIES
VEERANSH:
The second cry still echoes in my ears when everything suddenly changes. Aarohi's fingers loosen in mine. Her body goes limp against the hospital bed. "Aarohi?" The smile vanishes from my face instantly. I move toward her immediately.
"Aarohi." No response. Her eyes remain closed. Her breathing is there, but faint. Too faint. Panic rises in my chest so fast it almost suffocates me. I grab her hand tighter. "Aarohi, look at me."
One of the doctors immediately steps closer. "Mr. Sarkar, she's exhausted." I barely hear him. "She fainted because of stress and weakness. Her body needs rest." But after everything... After almost losing her once already... Even this silence terrifies me.
I brush her damp hair away from her forehead carefully. Her face looks pale. Completely drained. And suddenly guilt crushes me all over again. She suffered all this. Pain. Fear. Months of weakness. Injections. Sleepless nights. Mood swings. Vomiting. Crying. Everything. For our children. For me.
My thumb brushes softly across her knuckles while doctors continue working around her. Then A tiny cry sounds again nearby. I look up slowly. The nurses are cleaning the babies. My babies. For a second I just stare. Unable to process it fully.
Everything feels unreal. One nurse wraps the smaller baby carefully in a white blanket. Another adjusts the cap on the second baby. Tiny hands. Tiny faces. Tiny sounds. My chest tightens painfully.
The doctor smiles slightly while removing gloves. "Congratulations, Mr. Sarkar." My eyes move toward him slowly. "It's a baby girl and a baby boy." Something inside me completely breaks. A daughter. And a son. My throat closes instantly.
I look toward the babies again and suddenly my vision blurs.
I'm crying. I don't even realize it at first. Tears just fall silently.
Because all at once... Everything hits me.
The fear. The waiting. The thought of losing Aarohi.
The sound of her screaming in pain. The moment those cries filled the room.
And now— They're here. Our children are here.
One of the nurses walks toward me carefully.
"Would you like to hold her?" Her. My daughter.
My hands actually tremble when I reach forward.
I've handled billion-dollar deals without blinking.
Threats. Violence. Death. None of it ever shook me like this.
But this tiny little girl, I'm terrified to hold her wrong.
The nurse carefully places her in my arms. And the second her tiny body settles against my chest I stop breathing for a moment.
She's so small. God. So small. Her face is red from crying.
Tiny fingers curl weakly near her cheeks.
And then suddenly Her hand closes around one of my fingers.
That's it. That destroys me completely. A broken breath leaves my chest. I lower my head slightly, tears falling freely now.
"She's so tiny..." My voice barely comes out properly.
I stare at her endlessly. My daughter. Mine and Aarohi's.
The nurse smiles softly. "She already calmed down in your arms." I look down again.
And whisper quietly "I'm your father." The words feel unreal.
Heavy. Beautiful. Terrifying. Perfect. The baby shifts slightly in my arms. I kiss her forehead carefully.
So carefully. Like she might break. Then another nurse walks closer holding the second baby.
"Here's your son." I laugh weakly through tears.
The nurse smiles. I carefully adjust my hold and take him as well.
Now one baby rests in each arm. One girl.
One boy. And suddenly I feel like my entire world is lying against my chest. The boy immediately starts crying loudly.
Louder than his sister. I stare at him in disbelief.
"Oh, so you're trouble." The nurse laughs softly.
"He's got strong lungs." The girl stays calmer, eyes still mostly closed.
I look between both of them again and again. Trying to memorize every detail. My daughter's tiny nose. My son's little fists. Their soft hair. Their warmth. And then unexpectedly I think about Aarohi. How she carried them. Protected them.
Loved them before even seeing them. A fresh wave of emotion crashes into me. The labor room door opens softly again. Maa enters slowly. The moment she sees me holding both babies she freezes. Her eyes fill instantly. "Oh God..."
Suhana stands behind her already crying.
"Maa..." My own voice sounds strange. Shaken.
Maa slowly walks closer. Then her eyes land on me properly.
On the tears running down my face. And that breaks her too.
She touches my shoulder gently. "Your father would have been so happy today.
" That line hits directly in my chest. For a moment I can't speak.
I look down at the babies again silently.
My father. If he could see this. If he could see me now holding my children while crying like an idiot. A weak laugh escapes me. Suhana carefully peeks at the babies. "Oh my God..." She wipes tears quickly.
"They're so cute." The boy cries again immediately. I look at him. "You're definitely mine." Maa laughs softly through tears. The girl shifts slightly against my arm. "She looks calmer," Suhana whispers. "Like Aarohi," I answer instantly.
My eyes move toward Aarohi unconsciously.
She still hasn't woken up. The sight immediately brings worry back.
I carefully hand the babies to the nurses again.
Then move back toward Aarohi's bed. I sit beside her immediately and take her hand again.
Still warm. Thank God. I brush my thumb softly across her skin.
"You did it." My voice comes out rough. "You actually did it. "
The doctor checks her monitors once more.
"She'll wake soon." I nod silently. Minutes pass.
Maybe half an hour. I don't move from beside her once.
The babies are moved nearby in transparent bassinets.
I keep looking between them and Aarohi repeatedly.
Like I need to confirm all three are still here.
Still safe. Then finally Movement. Small.
But enough. Her fingers twitch first. Then her brows pull together slightly.
I stand immediately. "Aarohi." Her eyes slowly open.
Weakly. Disoriented. For a second she looks confused.
Then her gaze finds me. And instantly "Babies.
.." That's her first word. Not pain. Not fear.
Babies. A broken smile appears on my face immediately.
"They're okay." Tears gather in her eyes instantly.
I carefully lean closer. "You're okay too. "
She tries to sit slightly. I stop her immediately.
"No." "I want to see them..." Her voice sounds exhausted.
Fragile. I carefully take the baby girl first and bring her closer.
The moment Aarohi sees her— she breaks completely.
Tears stream from her eyes instantly. "Oh God.
.." I place the baby carefully beside her.
"Look at her." Aarohi stares endlessly. Her hand trembles while touching the baby's tiny cheek.
I smile softly through tears. "She looks exactly like you.
" A weak laugh leaves Aarohi through crying.
The baby girl shifts slightly closer toward her.
And the look on Aarohi's face right then I'll remember it my entire life.
Pure love. Pure motherhood. No fear. No hesitation.
Just love. I bring the baby boy next. "And this troublemaker.
.." The boy immediately starts crying again.
Aarohi laughs weakly. "He's loud..." "Very loud.
" "He's like you." I shake my head instantly.
"No chance." She smiles tiredly. God. That smile.
I almost lost it. That realization suddenly hits me again so hard I can barely breathe.
I carefully place our son beside her too.
Now both babies lie against Aarohi. One tiny hand near her. One tiny cry filling the room.
And suddenly I can't hold myself together anymore.
I bend forward immediately and wrap my arms around her carefully.
Carefully. Terrified of hurting her. My face hides against her neck.
And finally Everything I held back all night breaks.
"You scared me." My voice cracks completely.
Her weak hand moves slowly into my hair.
Softly. Comforting me while she's the exhausted one.
"We're okay now," she whispers. I close my eyes immediately. The babies make tiny sounds beside us. Rain still falls outside the hospital windows. But softer now. Quieter. And for the first time in years I feel peace. Real peace. Not success. Not victory. Not control. Just this.
My wife in my arms. Our children beside us. And a future finally worth living for.