Priceless
"You are so bold, how come you don't cry, Surabhi ?", her doctor exclaimed. She was biting her teeth tight, in aggression.
It was Surabhi's first delivery, and she was not yelling in pain. She was plain, but just biting her pain down, when that cramp was beyond her limit. She had her eyes closed, and turned her mind to some cold truth she had to face. The sound of her phone alarmed her. She looked at her Didi, who was beside her. Her only companion in her labor. "Ji", Surabhi answered the phone. "Is it a boy or a girl ?" It was the same question for the fifth time. "Don't know", she replied bluntly. "Don't come back, if it's a girl". Nothing more, nothing less, and the call ended. It was her husband or rather the person responsible for her pain.
She bit her teeth, her pain and aggression was killing her. "Surabhi, how frequent is your pain now, can I please check your dilation". She did not reply, but she stretched her legs wider for the nurse to check. "9 cm dilation!! You are doing good, don't stress." Nurse turned to Surabhi's didi and said, "She is almost there, could you please wait outside now". Didi looked at her. "Di, just don't answer the phone, I'm….", she bit her teeth again. Her didi knew she was in pain again.
Few more stressful minutes passed…..
"Surabhi, breathe in, take a deep breath and a final push, full force". She pushed in her full strength, she just ripped apart herself. She felt as dead. And a newborn cry adorned the tension of the room. Doctor asked, "Surabhi, do you want a boy or a girl ?". "Girl", her answer was stern, with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, it's a Prince, a boy.'' The doctor replied with a smile. Surabhi went blank, she felt darkness around her. She had wished for a girl, a boy was not in her thoughts. With a girl, she wouldn't have to return to that hell. The hell, where she was just a bin to give birth to a boy. A Boy, who can carry legacy!
A lot of minutes in silence passed….
The phone rang for the sixth time. Surabhi answered the phone, this time with a 'Halo…'. 'Its a girl'. And she ended the call. She was done with it. She looked at her didi, who was staring blank on what she just heard. "It's a lie, I know. But I don't want to go to hell, where girls are not accepted. Let their legacy live with me in a slum, but I will teach my son, the value of a girl, the value of a lady." Didi, had a smile with tears. "What will we name him", her didi asked. "Anmol", Surabhi replied. "Priceless!! It was the only name I had in mind, whether it was a boy or girl, for me my baby will always be priceless."
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