Page 96 of Chasing the Light
Keento hear any news, she picked up her phone and texted him.
Shechecked her emails while she had her phone in hand.Wasshe hallucinating, or was that an email fromDoodlebugDaycarewith the subject line: ‘YourNurserySpace’?Stellaclicked on it and read the text.Aplace had come up forGraceat the end of the month, and did she want to take it?
TheFlashcouldn’t have written a reply faster than her saying yes.
‘Whoop!Whoop!’ she cried out. ‘Grace, you’re going toDoodlebug!’Stellalooked at the spot whereGracehad been chewing the toys a moment ago.Shewas gone.
‘Grace?’Stellapushed the laundry off her lap.Silenceanswered back.
Suddenly, something thumped rapidly down the stairs. ‘Grace!’Stellascreamed and ran into the hallway, gripping the bannister in a hard fist, the air crystallising in her lungs.
Onthe floor below lay the still form of her daughter.
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Sittingon the edge of the hospital bed,Krishcradled the yellow-wrapped bundle of his new niece in his arms.Hegazed into her surprised, dark eyes set in her squashed froggy face.ThetrademarkKapadiablack hair already covered her head.Herarms paddled at the air with jerky movements, as though trying to figure out where all that warm amniotic fluid had gone.Hecaught her tiny fist between his fingers, kissed the flaky skin, and wiggled his pinky into her strong grip.
Ithad taken him less than a second to fall in love with her.
‘I’myour favourite uncle,Krish,’ he said in a sing-song voice. ‘AndI’mgoing to spoil you rotten.’
Thebaby’s wet lips made a sucking motion in response.
‘Okay,’ saidAnkita, lifting her arms like they weighed a tonne, her normally photo-perfect hair lank and heavy with sweat. ‘Timeto hand her back.Lookslike the wretched creature needs another feed.’
Hepassed her over, accidentally leaning onAnkita’slegs as he moved away. ‘Sorry!’ he said with concern.Shedidn’t need her 200+ pound brother crushing her.
‘It’sfine,’Ankitasaid as she helped the baby latch onto her breast. ‘Thejoys of a c-section.Ican’t feel anything below the waist.’
‘Ihave never been so happy thatIam not a woman,’ saidMaxfrom a nearby chair, still wearing a hospital gown, his haunted blue eyes focused on a scene no one else could see.
‘Womenare warriors,’ saidKrish. ‘Theyput up with so much more than we can even imagine.’
‘Howlong does thisbleedinggo on for?’Maxasked, eyeing up the stack of thick feminine hygiene pads next to the bed.
‘Sixweeks,’ saidAnkita, andMaxblew out a long breath, shaking his blond head.
Krishhad a fun fact for just this situation, thanks to his recent research. ‘Didyou know that women lose anywhere from two tablespoons to half a cup of blood during each period?’
Ankitahuffed. ‘Isthat all?Feelsmore like a litre.’
Maxshivered.Krishknew that, as one of six brothers,Maxhadn’t grown up with heaps of female influence.
‘Darling,’ saidAnkita. ‘Isn’tit time for you to get some lunch?Ordinner?Oranything?Justgo away, okay.’
Shedidn’t have to tell him twice.
Fora moment, bothKrishandAnkitastared at the baby’s bobbing hairy head as she sucked away, soppy smiles on their faces.Ankitamoved her eyes toKrishand said, ‘Iwanted to say sorry about the other day…at the wedding.It’sjust…whenIsaw you withthat woman—’
‘Francesca.’
‘Francesca,’ she said with great effort, ‘Isaw red.Youknow howIfeel about her.’
Hemade sure to catch her gaze when he said, ‘What’simportant is howIfeel about her.’
Shepaused for a moment, puckering her lips and rolling her tongue around her mouth.TheAnkitathinking face. ‘Okay, then.Howdo you feel about her?’
Thewords came easily to him. ‘Ilove her.’