Praniti stood on a railway track, staring at the train that was speeding towards her. She felt her legs numb.She wanted to run away, but she couldn't. She couldn't do anything.

She heard a loud cry of an infant from her right.

She heard her husband scream from her left.

The train neared her, veryfast.

Praniti gasped and woke up, covered in sweat. The nightmare had scared the hell out of her. She touched her stomach to feel her child. Nothing had happened to her or her unborn child or her husband who was sleeping beside her.

She layed back on the bed and tried to sleep. But whenever she closed her eyes, the distinct cries of a baby and the screams of a man filled her ears. She felt tired and exhausted.

She stood up from the bed and took out her diary from the small cupboard in their bedroom. It was the same diary her father had gifted her when she was fifteen. He had asked her to write down only the most important events of her life in it.

She sat on an easy chair near to the cupboard,took out a pen from the nearby shelf and started scribbling down something.

After writing whatever she wanted to,she settled down quietly on her side of the bed after staring at the sleeping figure of her husband for a few minutes.

She had seen a lot of men in her life as a gynaecologist. Men who care for their wives and the ones who don't.Men who love their wives like crazy and men who marry women for the sake of having kids.
Lastly, men who love their wives even after their death. Men who cry,hugging the lifeless body of their better halves. And men who live only for the kids their wives had gifted them before death.

She knew, Ayush belonged to the last category. He would crumble down like ashes. He would be broken beyond recovery. If something happens to her,he would definitely try to kill himself.

She knew that he was madly in love with her.She knew that he would not be able to imagine anyone else in her place. But she wanted her husband to enjoy his existence, she wanted him to enjoy each and every moment of the journey called life.

What about the baby she was carrying? It will have to grow motherless if something happens to her. She knew how painful it is to live without a mother.Growing without a mother's love and touch is an absolute misfortune. She wanted to give her baby to someone who would care for it. She was sure that Ayush would be able to fill the space of a mother but she wondered if that would be enough. Ayush himself was a very emotional person and she could guess his state if she dies.

She wanted to entrust them upon someone before separation knocked her doors.

More than that, she wanted herself to survive if death comes face to face with her. She wanted to live.

'Nothing will happen to me. These are just my mood swings.'she whispered to herself again and again,making herself believe those words.

But every second,a what if  rang loudly from a corner of her heart.

----

Samaira stretched her body in exhaustion.She was on her flight back to India after spending about nine months in The United Arab Emirates.
Her debts were kind of settled but still she had to finish off the loan.
Though the loan was remaining, things had fallen in the right places. She was leading a calm life with both her angel-like kids.

This return to India was for her beloved friend who would become a mother anytime. It was Samaira who was more tensed about Praniti's delivery. This best friend of hers had been calling her up at nights, blabbering something or the other that is very disturbing.

Her chain of thoughts were torn apart by a shrill scream of her baby, Reyan, who was terribly flight sick. He hadn't kept quiet since the time they had boarded the plane. It was just two hours he had been asleep.

She slowly patted the baby and hummed a tune which silenced him like magic.
Her sight flitted towards Kevin who was busy reading his favourite book of animals.
The boy had grown extremely calm and understanding these days. He never troubled her like the kids of his age did. She could say without a doubt that he was her biggest pillar of strength all these days.

Kevin slowly looked at his mother and smiled as if he had read her mind.

She could only smile back at him. Her most precious possession he was.

_________

Swaying back and forth on an easy chair, Praniti devoured the sight of her husband doing his work out.

She sipped her apple juice through a straw as her husband moved a pair of dumbbells up and down with his masculine arms.

"You're such a Bahubali!"she exclaimed.
He chuckled lightly and responded,
"But you are not my Devasena. "

Praniti twisted her lips and acted as if she was hurt.

But she didn't have to act for so long as she felt extreme pain spreading from her abdomen. She knew this. She was going to give birth.

Ayush's features stiffened seeing the change in her face. He ran towards her.

"Ayush!! Hospital! "

Driving through the rain, Ayush's vision was blurring in and out. In the back seat, he could see Praniti and her mother while her father sat sweating on the passenger seat.

He speeded as much as he could and reached the hospital finally.

Praniti was made to lie on a stretcher and she clutched Ayush's hand ever so tightly. He stroked her hair and kept on consoling her while he himself was trying to hide his anxiety.

He was allowed inside the labour room and he could see his half going through immense pain.

He felt himself being ripped apart when he heard her heart breaking cries. She clinged onto his hand tightly and he supported her in every way he could.

After a long time, a cry was heard igniting happiness in two souls who were going through various turmoils.

The baby was cleaned and handed over to Ayush who held it close to his heart like a delicate feather.

"My princess! "he whispered softly in the child's right ear.

He was asked to wait outside while the doctors continued to treat Praniti.

He happily, proudly, showed the baby to its grandparents.

All of them were on cloud nine. Tears of joy flowed down from his mother in law's eyes while his father in law couldn't let go of the child from his hands.

____________

Samaira rushed inside the hospital with Kevin. She had got the news of her best friend's delivery just after her flight had landed.

She hadn't informed Praniti about her visit as she wanted to surprise her. But she got a bigger surprise now.

She had handed over Reyan and all her luggage to her mother before taking a cab to the hospital.

She hurriedly got inside the room where Praniti was, without caring to knock.

She saw Praniti feeding milk to her baby while Ayush was admiring the sight from a distance.

Praniti's head shot towards her direction and her face lit up.

"Sam!!!! "she literally screamed.

"Shut up girl! Your daughter will cry."Samaira chuckled.

"That was a surprise Samaira! I was about to punch the person who destroyed our moment! "Ayush chuckled for which Samaira sticked her tongue out.

"Noone will touch my mother. I will chop off their heads. Jai Mahishmathi!!"Kevin screamed and pounced upon Ayush, filling the entire room with fits of laughter.

Was this happiness going to last long?

I'm terribly excited to see the poster of Silence!!!!

Dedicating this part to my loveliest friend Penfolk
The poor soul has helped me with this story when I was really, utterly confused....
And yes, I love you 3000😜😘

Do leave ur valuable votes and comments....

Love,
Chris
~♥~