60
It had been six months... six months of being wrapped in love, care, and chaos.
After my pregnancy was declared high-risk, Papa and my brothers decided - no ordered - that we shift back to the Choudhury mansion.
I still remember Bhairava bhaiya's serious voice, "You're not staying a second longer in that lonely haveli.
Pack your things." And when I tried to argue, Gyan bhaiya had growled, "You want us to drag you?
" while Dyan bhaiya was already preparing a bed for me on the ground floor, no stairs allowed.
All the bhabhis were on board, and frankly, I had no choice.
The first few months were hard. No walking without someone holding me. No lifting anything - not even my own plate. The medicines, injections, endless supplements - ugh. And don't get me started on the mood swings.
There were days I cried because Dattatriya put too much sugar in my tea.
One time I threw a pillow at him because he said I couldn't eat roadside pani puri.
And once, I locked myself in the bathroom for an hour just because Arya bhabhi gave me a pink dress when I wanted blue.
But through it all, my little sunshine, Nirmay, never left my side.
He wiped my tears like a pro. "No cry, Mama. Bad dada no give golgappa. Me bite him!" he declared once, glaring at his poor father.
And then he tried to sneak in a chocolate under my pillow like a little spy.
Sheraa - my darling giant snow leopard - would always rest his huge, warm head gently on my growing tummy. Whenever I cried, he growled low and paced the room like he wanted to go eat the reason behind my tears.
My little nephews - oh, they are a handful and a heartful.
Jayash would always run into the room shouting "BUIIIIIII!
" like he owned the world, tackling me with his tiny arms and wet kisses.
Vardha was my crawler. He'd somehow manage to navigate across the room and pull himself onto the mattress just to cuddle against me, toothless grin and all.
And Karna - sweetest Karna - would burst into tears the moment I started crying, like he could feel my pain in his tiny baby bones.
And my brothers and bhabhis? My pillars.
Bhairava bhaiya never lets me lift a finger.
Dyan bhaiya carries me - literally carries me - from bed to sofa if I even dare to walk.
Gyan bhaiya checks every label on everything I eat.
Swarna bhabhi, Arya bhabhi, and Adya bhabhi?
My round-the-clock angels. From oiling my hair to rubbing my feet to cooking cravings at midnight - they've done it all.
Papa... well, Papa sneaks me spicy seafood and says, "Don't tell anyone," with a mischievous grin like a little kid.
And Dattatriya... my husband. My rock. My worst enemy and my greatest love.
He restricted everything.
"No stairs.
"
"No late-night walks."
"No pani puri.
"
"No stress."
"No bending."
"No scrolling phone too much.
"
I swear, he even banned my emotions.
But I could see the love in his eyes, the terror in his heart.
Every time I winced or gasped, he froze. Every time I smiled, he breathed.
And today... today was my checkup day.
I wore a cute pastel green maternity frock that Arya bhabhi bought me. It had little daisies on the hem, and it was soft and flowy. Nirmay had helped me choose the hair clip - he picked one with a tiny butterfly and said, "You look like fairy, Mama."
As I stood in front of the mirror, fixing my dress, Dattatriya walked in with his usual frown.
"You sure this frock is safe? No tightness? Not too cold in the hospital? Did you eat? Drink water?"
I turned to him, placing a hand on my hip. "Datta..."
He raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. But I'm carrying you to the car. No arguments."
I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Fine. But after the checkup, I want spicy golgappa."
He narrowed his eyes. "No."
I pouted. "You're lucky I love you."
He smirked. "And you're lucky I'd die for you."
And with that, he knelt down, kissed my swollen tummy, whispered something only the baby heard, then stood and took my hand.
We were off to the hospital, with Nirmay running behind us shouting, "WAITTT! Me come! Baby need me too!!" while Sheraa padded after him, tail swishing protectively.
Our perfectly chaotic, love-filled family was growing... and I was ready for every bit of it.
The hospital room was cool, with the gentle humming of machines and soft murmurs from outside. I was laid gently on the examination bed, the sonography machine humming to life beside me. Dattatriya sat next to me, holding my hand tightly, as though he were the one about to be poked and prodded.
The doctor, a cheerful woman in her late 40s, walked in with a clipboard.
"Ah, Mrs. Agnivanshi, ready for the little glimpse of your mischief-maker today?"
I smiled nervously. "Yes, doctor... please be gentle. I don't want Datta fainting on me."
The doctor chuckled. "Oh no worries, I have a fainting couch ready for overly dramatic husbands."
Dattatriya huffed. "I do not faint. I just... blink very slowly sometimes."
The doctor laughed and looked at him. "Yes, yes. Mr. Agnivanshi, you're one of those. Now, hold her hand and no growling, understood?"
"I don't growl," he grumbled.
"Sir, your wife has a snow leopard. I'm not scared of you," the doctor said casually, making me burst out laughing.
She squeezed the cold gel onto my belly and moved the probe slowly. My heart thudded in anticipation.
And then - there it was.
The screen lit up with a wiggling little figure. Small arms. A round head. A bouncing body. My baby. Our baby.
I didn't even realize I was crying until Dattatriya used his thumb to wipe my cheek.
"There..." the doctor smiled. "Meet your little peanut."
My breath hitched. I couldn't speak. I just stared, holding onto Dattatriya's hand like it was the only thing grounding me.
"Is that... nose? Wait, are those tiny legs?" Dattatriya asked, leaning forward.
The doctor smiled. "Yes, your child seems to be dancing. Do they get it from you?"
I gave him a glare. "No. This child is clearly dramatic like their father."
He smirked. "Or bossy like their mother."
The doctor raised a brow. "Alright you two, keep the marriage therapy for later. Let's hear the heartbeat."
She pressed a few buttons and then - there it was.
A fast, rhythmic thump-thump-thump filled the room, echoing like a drumbeat in my chest. My eyes widened. My breath caught.
"That's... that's our baby's heart?" I whispered.
"Yes," she smiled gently. "Strong and fast. Just like them."
I looked at Dattatriya. He wasn't saying anything. Just staring at the screen like he'd seen a miracle. And maybe we had. A tiny heartbeat, thundering inside me. A life we created. A second chance.
He leaned down, resting his forehead on mine. His eyes were glassy, voice thick. "You hear that, love? That's ours."
I nodded, still crying. "Ours."
In that small, dimly lit room - with cold gel on my belly, a snow leopard waiting outside, and our 4-year-old probably terrorizing the waiting area - everything just... stopped.
The world had one sound only - the beat of our baby's heart.
And that sound, that single sound, would carry me through every pain, every fear, and every storm.
The car ride back from the hospital was blissful. I was still dazed by the sound of our baby's heartbeat, and Dattatriya hadn't stopped smiling since. He insisted we stop for my favorite guilty pleasure - golgappa.
We stood by a little stall just for a few minutes, surrounded by his tight security. He popped a golgappa into my mouth and watched me with a ridiculous grin.
"You look like a happy squirrel," he teased.
I narrowed my eyes. "Careful, Dattatriya Agnivanshi. I bite."
He chuckled and turned to Nirmay. "Baby, want one?"
Nirmay nodded furiously. "Me! Me too! Big spicy!"
"You sure? It's spicy," I warned.
He bravely nodded. "I big boy!"
Datta handed him one and watched his expression change from excited to wide-eyed panic. "Too... spicyyyy!" he yelled, tongue out.
I laughed. "You asked for it!"
Even Sheraa was enjoying himself, sticking his big snow-leopard head out of the window, accepting bits of golgappa from Dattatriya like a royal beast being fed grapes.
"This leopard eats everything, Datta. I swear he'll ask for biryani next," I said, shaking my head.
Dattatriya smirked. "He's your son, after all."
Suddenly-
BANG!
Gunshots echoed through the street. Chaos erupted.
Dattatriya's instincts kicked in like a switch had flipped. "Katha, inside!" he ordered, voice sharper than steel.
Before I could even react, he pulled open the door and shoved me, Nirmay, and Sheraa inside our bulletproof car. He slammed the door shut and gave a command to his guards through the comms. Sheraa immediately went on high alert, his body blocking Nirmay and me like a wall.
I held my swollen belly protectively, one arm cradling it, the other pulling Nirmay close. His little arms wrapped around my waist tightly.
"Shh, baby, it's okay. Mama's here... Mama's here..." I whispered, rocking him gently, trying to stay calm for him.
Sheraa's tail flicked with restrained aggression, his eyes trained on the outside. Nirmay sobbed quietly into my dress, and I kissed his forehead, trying not to cry myself.
Within minutes, the firing stopped. I saw from the window-Dattatriya and his men had taken them down. His coat was ruffled, his eyes deadly, but he was untouched.
He got in quickly and shut the door. "Everyone okay?" he asked, breath sharp.
"Y-Yeah," I whispered, but my voice cracked.
Nirmay flung himself at Dattatriya, sobbing. "D-Dada! Boom-boom bad!"
"I know, baby," he whispered, hugging him tight. "But you're safe now, all of you are. I promise."
I couldn't hold it anymore. The fear, the shock - it hit me like a wave.
I grabbed Dattatriya's coat and buried my face in his chest, crying silently as he held both me and Nirmay. Sheraa finally relaxed and rested his head on my lap, eyes still on the window.
He kissed the top of my head and murmured, "They were from the opposition. They wanted to take me out."
The mere thought twisted my stomach. "They wanted to kill you..." I choked. "Datta... what if-"
"No," he said firmly, cupping my face. "Look at me."
I looked up at his bloodshot eyes, full of anger and worry - but also love.
"I will never leave you. Not you, not our baby, not Nirmay. Not Sheraa, not this family. I promise on everything I am, they will fall before they even touch a shadow of ours."
I held his hands tightly, tears still falling. "I'm scared, Datta..."
"And I'm furious," he whispered, voice trembling with rage. "They came near you - my world. I'll burn everything down before I let it happen again."
I nodded, leaning into him again. My protector. My king. The father of my children.
We may have almost lost him today, but he was here. We were safe. And now... nothing else mattered more.
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