The Lass from Bangladesh - Part Eight

The next day is the big day. Mumtaz looks very pretty dressed in a red sari and adorned with jewels and flowers. Shakila and Nina are at her side. The Nikah is read and they both say I do. All the teachers and principal and school children are at the reception. When it was time to leave. Mumtaz has big tears in her eyes. She thanks everyone for helping her and supporting her. She looks at the heavens and thanks God for giving her such lively people in her life. She hugs each one of them and bids them adieu.

Imran and she make a perfect couple. Jaffar is very excited as she is his aunty now. It is getting to be a year and as time flies Imran takes her to see several doctors. Many doctors give different opinions but then came a specialist who thinks that Mumtaz can get pregnant, so he calls her the next day to do some special tests. The tests take a week and all are anxious to know the result of Mumtaz. Mumtaz and Imran are up early that morning they both are very anxious and so are all her friends and relatives. They go the American Hospital and asked to meet Dr. Bill Daly. They had to wait an hour as Doctor Bill was busy but the hours would not pass and they two were really getting very anxious and then they get to see Dr. Bill Daly. Dr. Daly shakes his hands and gestures for them to take a seat. He can see the anxiousness on their face and so he tells them that the good news is that Mumtaz can get pregnant again, but she has to undergo a small surgery. Imran and Mumtaz are very happy to hear the good news. Mumtaz says she is ready for the surgery any time. Dr. assures her not to worry it is a little surgery but all would be fine for her. He gives them time to come the following week.

When they reach home they give the goods news to everyone there and all are very happy too for them. Imran mum is the happiest and says to her “I told you not to worry and that Imran would take you to see the best doctors and all would be well for you”. Mumtaz smiles at her and sees the happiness in her eyes. She hugs her and says to her “mum please pray for me and that my operation would be successful”. Rashidabi ask’s her actually is the problem. Imran does not have much to say he just says that the doctor said that a small surgery was needed for her.

Mumtaz takes time off from her school and is getting ready for the big day. The day dawns, Mumtaz, Imran, Shakila, little Jaffar and Rashidabi all go with her to the hospital. Dr. Daly comes to greet them and takes them to the ward where she is to be admitted. The doctor tells them it will be a couple of hours and so they could either wait in the Lobby or go home and come back later. But they all are so anxious and are ready to wait in the hospital itself. Mumtaz is taken into the hospital theatre. Mumtaz looked a bit nervous as she remembered the last time she was in the hospital she had lost her baby. The doctors told her not to worry and all would be well in a couple of hours.

It’s almost noon Dr. Bill emerges out of the theatre. He goes straight to the anxious families that are waiting for the news. Dr. smiles and tells them that the operation was successful, but not to disturb her now as she was sedated and is asleep.

Mumtaz regains consciousness later in the evening and when she opens her eyes she sees everyone around her. She does not know how to react but her mother-in-law sits by her side and tells her the good news. Mumtaz smiles at her and sees Imran too smiling back at her. She is discharged the next week.

School vacations are due the following week so they plan a holiday. Imran tells her that if she liked they could visit Bangladesh. She is very happy and sad too. She has mixed emotions; she tells Imran she would love to go back there but that she has no one there now. Her best friend Shakila too is here in Bahrain. He asks her where she would like to go, she tells him why not visit your home country and Imran is very happy. So the following week they both leave for Bombay. It’s her first visit to India and so Mumtaz is like a little child and very excited as she knows that there is a lot to see for her and she was looking forward to meet the rest of Imran and Jaffar’s relatives.

She and Jaffar go to do their shopping as next week they leave for India. For Mumtaz the next week to come seems to take longer than expected. Finally the day dawns they are all packed and ready to leave for the airport. The taxi arrives they drive to the airport. Jaffar is also very excited to meet all his cousins and rest of the relatives. He goes on chatting with Mumtaz and telling her of whom all she would meet. They check in their baggage and go the Duty Free shops and look around and just while time away until its time for them to board the aircraft.