23rd June, 2007.
Early morning at 3, I heard some muffled voices. Woke up to find Shailaja akka(actually my mami but my choice to call her akka) quite as usual, my granny hyper tensed (as usual??!), Shanti akka (first mami but again my choice to call her…) walking around hurriedly here and there doing lot of work (as usual..) and my second uncle murmuring in a low voice but all in an unusual time.. Took me around 5 minutes to realise that Shailaja Akka wants to go to hospital! The expected date was to be July 15th!! And she doesn’t even have those pains. Granny insists to wait for some more time till labour pains start. No one to drive the car since no one knows how to. Shanti akka has learnt but could never venture out alone. Finally we decide and leave. Shanti Akka drives the car and I am needed along with them. 3 children sleeping inside. Half of them feel, I should stay back, half of them feel I should go along. Finally I go along. 3:45 a.m. the baby boy is born! No pain and complications. Was this some compensation for all the complications and tensions in the first delivery? Whatever… Anuj is here and the house has the fourth player now. Someone asked me if it is a crèche… I said “No it is the joy of a joint family!” One of the kiddos is always inside the baby room…playing…jumping around the baby... laughing .. and singing ”Laddoooo ”, “Kutttiiiiiiiiiii” or whatever they feel like...
