The Life Of Normal-Taro

"What?" Ponnappan just couldn't believe what he just heard. Those were words he once wanted to hear so badly, but had to throw the notion out since it didn't seem possible. However, now that Lena finally said it, he could only stare at her in disbelief. "Are you for real?" He asked.

"Yup. As real as… I'm sorry. I can't seem to find a nice pop culture reference to correlate it with." Lena chuckled.

"Ah, screw that shit. But, you aren't kidding about it now, are you? I mean, it's been a really long time since we had a talk about this." Ponnappan spoke.

"Yea, I realize that. And that's what is making me say this. Honey, I want a child running around in this house." She spoke.

"Ah man! I don't know whether I should smile or cry right now. I mean, this is a huge decision, you know? Maybe you should think it through." The words that came out of Ponnappan was not what he wanted to say. He wanted to celebrate and yet his words were filled with concern on whether he forced her into taking such a decision. Although he wanted a child so badly, he'd hate it if he's forcing his will on her.

"I had around ten years to think about it. So, I believe that my decision is a well thought through one." Lena replied with a smile. She knew what he was going through—at least part of it. He was going through a mixed bag of emotions and wanted a sane person to be by his side. She decided to be the sane person this time around, just like Ponnappan had been for her all this time.

"But remember what I said earlier? I might not be able to be near the child all the time. You have a similar situation as well, don't you? You got a job to take care of. And I don't want some random nanny to experience all the little things that our child goes through. So, is this the right time?" He asked.

"Hear me out. It is the right time. If work is the thing that's bothering you, then we can take a holiday from it in turns. Sure, we won't be there to take care of the child together, bit at least one of us would be there, right? And if any emergency comes in your job, if that's what worries you… Well, just ask Lonappan for help. He'd make a good leader as well, you know? After all, wasn't he the one who was actually touted to be the commanding officer?" Lena asked.

"Ah, you're right about that." Ponnappan nodded his head vigorously as he got the answer he was looking for.

"Trust in your subordinates this one time. I don't think they'll betray your trust. Hell, they might even exceed your expectations. Who knows?" Lena shrugged.

"Yup. I should trust them more…" Ponnappan mumbled.

"So, that part is settled, right? Now, what else?" She asked.

"Tell me the truth, kay? Are you being pressured into making this decision due to what I said or something?" Ponnappan asked.

Lena sighed. "Ha… That was the thing that was concerning you, huh? Well, what you said might have influenced me in some way, shape or form… That's certainly the truth." She nodded her head.

"I knew it. Honey, if you are not comfortable with this decision, then just don't. Something like having a baby is a huge decision, right? And you're the one who's gonna go through all the pain and suffering while going through labor and stuff. So, don't take such a decision because you're pressured." Ponnappan spoke.

"Even if you are the one who pressured me?" She asked.

"ESPECIALLY if I'm the one who's pressing you to take such a decision. I'm an indecisive man incapable of making clear cut thoughts. Don't believe or follow what I say for the most part." Ponnappan replied.

"Hmm, interesting. The person you describe yourself as isn't the person that I see before me. I mean, you are the most level headed person that I've seen in my life. And if you are indecisive, then I can't seem to think of a decisive person. If you weren't decisive, then no one in your base would've followed you. So, cut with the bullshit." She spoke.

"…" At this point, Ponnappan had nothing to say. He simply nodded his head to what his wife had to say.

Lena sighed again. "Okay, look. When I said that your words were a clear influence for me to take this decision, I meant it under positive light. You words made me think about how self centred I was. I mean, you were hoping to have a child for a long time now, haven't you? Let me guess, it probably started when Lonappan had a child, right?" She asked.

"Yea. But I wanted to respect your decision, so I never talked about it." Ponnappan spoke.

"You idiot! I love you more than anything in this life and I love the fact that you listen to me and all, but how will this relationship move in the right path if you're the only one listening? You should speak out too- your selfish requests and your frustrations—everything! I wanna hear it all, just like you do mine. So tell me, how would you like it if we are to have a child together right now?" She asked again.

"I'd be the happiest person alive in this world." Ponnappan replied bluntly.

"Then how would you feel if I back out of it right now saying that it was my fickle mindedness that made me say it?" Lena asked.

"I'd be a little disappointed, but I'll still wait for you to take that decision someday." Ponnappan smiled.

"This guy…" Lena mumbled as she turned her back on her husband.

Ponnappan was the one who sighed this time around. It felt like his wish of having a baby would still be unfulfilled.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lena turned back and asked the disappointed looking husband of hers.

"Huh?" Ponnappan gave out a confused look towards his wife as he failed to understand what she tried to convey.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" She asked.

"Huh, but it's early morning and we just—wait a minute!" Ponnappan exclaimed as he realised what she meant.

"The baby isn't gonna automatically produce by itself, you know?" Lena gave out a coy smile as she signalled Ponnappan to follow her.

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Evening that day; the commanding officer, who's usually the first person who reaches the office, took till evening to get there. At that point, it wouldn't have made a massive change had he took a holiday that day. But still, for the sake of saying that he came that day, Ponnappan stepped in his office in the last possible second.

"Why are you even here, my dude?" Lonappan, who saw Ponnappan creeping inside his own office, asked.

"I can ask the same question to you too! Why are you seated in my chair, huh?" Ponnappan turned the tables with that question.

"Why, you ask? Because our commanding officer came like ten to twelve hours late to the office that I had to reluctantly take the command. It sucks, but what other choice did I have?" Lonappan asked.

"I'm sorry, man… It was totally out of the blue, but I HAD to be late today. Else it'd have been hard for me." Ponnappan replied.

"What's up with you speaking about it as if it was absolutely necessary?" Lonappan asked.

"Because it was." Ponnappan answered.

"What? Leaking out sensitive MIB information to an outsider was absolutely necessary? You could've at least spared the minute details, couldn't you? I mean, it looks like you told literally everything to her seeing the time it took for you to come." Thankappan scoffed.

Ponnappan sighed. "Ah, fuck that shit. You're not understanding the importance of the time I took off." He spoke.

"Well, I'll never know it unless you explicitly state what that is." Lonappan replied.

"So, we took a really important decision. Lena and I are gonna have a child!" Ponnappan announced.

"What? She's pregnant? Oh, God no! I got into an argument with a pregnant lady. Shouldn't have done that." Lonappan looked distressed as he heard the news.

"Oh, no. You're taking it the wrong way. I said that we finally decided to have a child. Not that she's already pregnant with one." Ponnappan corrected his subordinate.

"Ah, I forgot that your wife had a no child policy. Congratulations, man! You don't have to give a reason as to why you were extremely late today now. And I hope that my visit was one of the factors that lead to that decision." Lonappan joked.

"Huh… In a way, it was indeed your visit that sparked that conversation. So, I gotta say thanks to you as well… You're like an angel or something, my dude!" Ponnappan declared with a extremely bright look on his face without a tinge of embarrassment. It was Lonappan instead, who was embarrassed by his commanding officer's actions.

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