07th Oct, 2020

.

Isaa deliberately gritted his teeth making a very annoying and frustrating face. He calmly sat on a chair just beside the Pani Puri maker who's busy in making duff. Mayrah also excitedly stood near him, as if she's noting the man's every step.

"What's your age now, dear?" The man once again asked Mayrah making Isaa jump with anger.

"Uncle please concentra......"

"Isaa?? Brother for you." Mayrah cut him off winking teasingly. They both laughed at Isaa who backed off and pulled out his phone to move his attention.

"Brother! Grand brother." Isaa muttered under his breath.

"Uncle we don't need to add salt in the duff?" Mayrah questioned as she stared at him desperately.

"No dear, then it won't be crispy."

"Oo....."

"Why are you not calling him brother then? Mayrah can you just come and sit here? He's making that right? Can't you..............."

"Aww young man! She's a kid, if you can notice."

"MAYRAH! Come and sit here." Isaa shouted glaring at her. She quietly walked to him and sat on the next chair.

"You know he's the best in making Pani Puris. Once you eat, you'll never want to eat again as the taste will forever stay in your mouth and heart."

Isaa turned his head to her and pressed an angry fake smile. Softly slapping on her head, he murderously gifted her a glare and moved his gaze.

"Yeah right! Dirty taste forever stays in mouths and hearts, thus no one prefers to eat second time. You are exceptional only!

"Really ya Doctor! Try once an...."

"Very sweet! Now shu...........HEYY! What are you doing? Cheeeee put it back, put it back Astagfirullah noo!"

"Isaa...what?"

"Eewwww!" Isaa ran to the man and snatched a Puri and threw it on the dustbin. Both of them confusingly stared at him.

"What?"

"Why..why did you pick it from here? Look Mayrah! I told you he's not clean an...."

"Mind your language! I use soap in shower once in every week. What do you mean by I'm not clean?"

"Ev..every week!" Mayrah laughed but Isaa's smirk made her pout. The man angrily looked at Isaa who gave the same expression back to him.

"Let him do it na, come, let us go out."

"NO! Uncle...uggh brother, please understand. Do not pick anything from the floor. Wash your hands if you touch anything dirty. Please."

"Now you'll teach me what cleanliness is!" The man argued ruining Isaa's mood.

He moved his gaze to Mayrah, examining her expression.

"Ask him if he washes his hands after using washroom." He ordered.

"I always wash my hands before going to washroom. Oh Allah! I cut chillies, if I don't wash my hands then do you even know in which situation I'll be?"

He spoke, for a moment making Mayrah confused along with Isaa.

"Before...or after?" This time Mayrah asked.

"Oh dear! After doesn't matter, before does. If I don't wash my hands with soap before then......"

I don't claim to own the above two dialogues from the panipuri uncle.

It was so funny that I couldn't resist adding here!]

"Oh My Rabb! Hasbi Allah! Cheee Mayrah? Did you hear he washes before going to washroom not after. Yaaaaa! How can you want to eat those... eee...I'm leaving."

Saying so he ran out, leaving Mayrah in a big dilemma. She smirked at the man who sheepishly smiled.

"Don't worry dear, your husband made me wash my hands with Harpic."

"Ha...Harpic?"

"Ohh I mean the soap color was blue, so it looked like Harpic."

He said. Mayrah couldn't control her laughter as she gave up bursting out loudly.

"Please...pl... please conti...nue cooking.."

She said before stepping out of the kitchen. On her way, she bumped with Nora as both of them placed their hands on their abdomen securely.

"Done with Pani Puri? I can't wait to eat."

"Foody Bhabi! Your husband bought that yesterday huh."

Replying, she left to her room.

As the door opened, Isaa grabbed her in and tightly kept her in his grip.

"We can't disappoint him but you won't eat those things. I'll se...."

"Don't break my heart na! Why are you doing this? He washed his hands right?" She spoke running her fingers through his beard.

His lips curved in a pout as he made her sit on the couch and held her face.

"That's the last time, okay? If you want yourself, your baby and ME fine, then do not act stubborn against my words. Understood?"

His eyes shined as he whispered, making her respectively nod her head.

••••

"S U R P R I S E! I'm here!" Suddenly a voice yelled taking a body in hearing which, Mayrah put the Pani Puri back on the plate and looked at the lady.

"Doctor Tarin! Uhh...oo..I..today!" Isaa stood up, confusingly staring at the lady. Everyone else too stood surprised though they knew that she was supposed to come, but not today.

"Flight preponed. Assalamu Alaikum everyone." She came towards Mayrah while looking at everyone.

"You could have informed me. How did you come here alone?"

"Google you know! How are you Mayrah?" She hugged Mayrah who cutely smiled, even if her full concentration is on the plate of Pani Puri.

Isaa introduced her to everyone as they started talking about their whereabouts.

Suddenly her eyes fell on the plate as she excitingly smiled and looked at everyone.

"That's Pani Puri, right?"

"Ohh yes! How do you know this?"

"Eeh I just heard it's really yummy. Can I eat?"

Mayrah rolled her eyes as she thought the Doctor to be very open minded and maybe shameless!

"Sure please wait, let me bring another plate for you." Isaa's Ammi was about to stand up but before that she took one of them from the plate and ate it.

Immediately Mayrah pinched on Isaa's arm who looked at at her questioningly.

"Why's she eating that?"

"You can have more. Wait."

"It's truly yummy!" She said as she ate another one.

"Doctor don't you know it's ..un.. healthy, I didn't expect you to like this at least!" Isaa said, pouting at which the lady sheepishly smiled.

"I'm old now dear! Sometimes we should enjoy unhealthy foods too." She winked and continued eating.

"Look! Even she allowed. So I'll eat everytime. Now let me ......" Mayrah stood up to bring a plate for herself but the further words made her sense for out of her head.

"You can't eat that Mayrah! That's really unhygienic for your baby. And already you are sick. You can't eat anytime."

It felt like the world stopped for Mayrah. She shockingly stared at Isaa, who sat silent, waiting for a war to happen.

"But...we made that at home..."

"Still dear! Please don't eat."

"Isaaa........" He helplessly looked at both the ladies.

"Let..let her eat this time. She won't again."

"No Isaa! Mayrah dear, come sit here. Listen to m....." She couldn't complete as Mayrah angrily grabbed Isaa's hand and ran to the room.

The doctor stared at their direction and burst out laughing.

Over there, Mayrah finished eating as she drank a glass of water and jumped on Isaa's lap.

Kissing his cheek forcefully, she hugged him who could think of nothing out of worry.

"Thank you so much!"

"My head! Now come on. Get up." He pushed her back as she sat beside him, touching her abdomen.

"Oh Allah, Isaa. Look my stomach increased after I finished eating! The baby grew double!"

Isaa irritatedly looked at her abdomen as she pulled up her Kurti looking there happily.

"Say the abdomen is filled with foods, your baby didn't grow, stupid."

"Hehe anyways...." She again sat on his lap rolling her legs around his waist. He too securely hold her as she looked at him lovingly.

"You aren't excited for our baby, right?"

His heart skipped a louder beat as he smiled, thinking over her situation and his decision which might be wrong or maybe right, by any chance.

"I..I'm.."

"You aren't.."

"Who said? I am..it's jus...." Unexpectedly her mouth opened as blood rained out making both of them shocked.

Isaa couldn't even understand anything as she continued bleeding, double of every other day. He stood silent, watching the deed as if nothing happened. Her eyes filled with tears but he didn't move at all.

"Is...Isaa....Isaa...." She whispered holding his arms but he didn't even hear that. Suddenly he digested the situation as he pulled her down on the couch and patted her chest.

He continued rubbing her chest at a time which stopped the bleeding.

She breathed relaxing her throat, still bleeding little.

Resting his forehead in hers, he closed his eyes and both of them slept in each other's embrace.

•••••

"Twi.. twins...."

Isaa muttered looking down, holding the files with his shaky hand.

"You knew everything Isaa. You weren't at fault for her pregnancy, but other than that.....you're respon...mm..Isaa. okay forget that.

Let bygones be bygones. We'll so....."

Doctor Tarin stopped as Isaa suddenly stood up and left to his room.

Every passing minute seemed like time ending to enter hell to him.

As he entered, his eyes fell on Mayrah who's sitting holding her phone near her face.

He silently walked to her and snatched the phone.

"Is...."

"You didn't listen to me right! See what's happening. Was a baby not enough that now another appeared?"

He questioned controlling his voice from getting broken. Her eyes shut off trying to ease the pain but everything ruined by now.

"I.. I'll be fine...."

"You Aren't Fine Mayrah! Your babies are dying inside. Nothing is fine." He roared with a loud voice. Tears flowed down her eyes as she got no excuse to give this time.

"Calm...down please...come here." She dragged him back to the bed. He silently sat staring at her baby bump.

"Let's sleep."

"Doctor....." Isaa, who stood like a statue, finally blinked his eyes and looked up at the nurse.

"...do..do..it...kill....h..h." He couldn't utter anything more fearing last option which only could be death, that too not the natural one.

"Won't you want to meet her one last..time?"

"What's...the..need to meet? She's destained to die...kill her." His voice shook as he played with the injection.

"You..you..know..we can try once again...you might save her..."

"I said right, just do that. Take it."

"Why don't you do?"

The back question made Isaa furious. He angrily stood up and glared at the nurse.

"Fine." Uttering, he walked to the bed where she laid unconscious.

"I'm sorry....death is sweeter than this pain..." Looking at her beautiful and radiant face, he whispered and bowed down.

"I love you Mayrah...."

"Inna Lilla Hi Wa Inna Ilaihi Wa Rajiun."

"Aaai...ohh...uhhh..."

Isaa woke up frightened. His body started sweating as he realized that it was a nightmare.

He breathed heavily controlling tears. But that went in vein as he remembered those moments again.

"May...may..Mayrah ..wa...ter... Mayrah..."

"Iii...Isaa? What's wrong...Isaa..." Mayrah jumped up finding him desperate. She immediately turned the lamp light on and leaned forward to him.

"Ohh...Allah....I...i...Mayrah..."

Mayrah cupped his face and wiped his tears. He tried to hug her but the baby bump stopped him keeping distance between them.

"Are..you fine...I'm sorry....don't leav...aah..what's happening...."

"I'm here...what's wrong? Don't cry please. Calm down Isaa. Please..."

She tried to control him but his situation worsened as he felt breathless.

"Don't cry Isaaaaa... what is it?"

••••••

"Sweetheart, everything will be fine. Why are you shivering?" Doctor Tarin questioned Isaa being busy in her job.

Isaa's eyes again and again landed on Mayrah who's screaming out of pain. Seeing a pregnant lady first time on the delivery hour really became a trauma to him.

Though he himself is one of the best surgeon, he never imagined to get uncomfortable with this thing. He's not scared, but seeing her like this is scary.

"Aaaaaaaa....Isaaaa....aaahhh... Allah..." She yelled again making his heart ache more.

He looked at his surrounding where 6-10 nurses are roaming around and 2 doctors are preparing for the delivery.

While he stood silent on the mid of the room like a lost puppy.

"Can't..can't..I..leave..this room?"

"Isaaa!!! She needs you." She glared making him even more scared.

"When will it start? Why are you not doing it?" He asked seeing her getting mad in pain while the doctors are only busy in other stuffs.

"Patience, to be Dadda!"

"She's crying... please faster."

"That's normal Isaa. Calm down."

His body started shivering when the doctors walked to her and begin their work.

"Aaahhh ohhhh helppp...I...I..can't breath....no .. please..."

"I'm sorry Mayrah...I... Allah.."

"Doctor Tarin, look at Isaa." The another doctor whispered as she sheepishly smiled seeing his condition.

"I can't believe! Is he a surgeon himself?"

"Mayrah do..don't cry...."

"Isaa go hold her hand. Kiss her, do anything." The doctor yelled at him but Isaa did the opposite. He moved 2 steps back shaking his head.

"I...I..I'm hungry.." Making everyone laugh by his words, he ran to the door side.

"Don't...don't go...Isaa...aaaa..."

Only that brought him back on his place as he stood frozen.

"Aaaaahhh...ohhh Allah..."

"Breath Mayrah...."

Isaa moved his eyes to her which literally created goosebumps in his mind.

"Oh my Allah!" He shockingly uttered out of disbelief on himself.

Just within a minute everyone heard a sound as his body fell down on the floor. Moving her gaze to him, Mayrah cried louder in pain.

"Calm down Mayrah...it's fine."

"Isaa....my...Isaa..."

"I didn't expect this from him." Doctor Tarin uttered staring at him with a smirk.

They continued their job and after half an hour, the surrounding filled with a baby's voice.

The baby cried louder as Mayrah smiled in pleasure, though the other one is yet left to come.

"Tabarak Allah!"

Suddenly Isaa's eyes opened as he stood up digesting the matter. His eyes fell on the baby who's on a nurse's lap.

"How...how did this..baby..com.. come? What...hap..."

"Oh you are up Surgeon Isaa Ismael! I doubt you to be tru........" She couldn't complete the sentence when again he fainted making everyone shocked.

"Wallah my husband! Doctor!" Mayrah yelled in tears.

"He's fine. Don't worry."

Minutes later again another baby yelled out crying. Everything really went unexpected as they thought it to be worse than the reality.

"A mini Isaa and another tiny Mayrah."

••••••

"Why did you faint, Isaa?" She softly asked moving her gaze to him.

"I'm sorry...I..I don't know...it seemed...uhh.. uncomfortable.."

"But you did so many critical surgeries."

"It's not about fear...I.. it was hurting you..bad...umm...are you fine?"

"I am..." Isaa kissed her forehead as she securely hugged him.

"What about...babies?"

"They..are okay.." Isaa answered slowly, again lost in the thoughts of his future.

"Mahdi Isaa Ismael and Mahdia Isaa Ismael!" Mayrah whispered their names, gazing at the babies with a serene smile in her lips.

••••