Chapter 9

Chapter #8

"Reena Aunty, is our baby sick?"

Sareena turned from tucking Tanvi under her blanket to address her twin sister's question. Settling the girls was yet another thing she had volunteered for this evening; anything that would keep her away from Vihaan. Even if it meant facing the never-ending line of questions from the precocious sisters.

"Nahi, beta, your brother wasn't sick, he just came a little early and needed some extra care until he could get bigger, that's all."

She felt the warm little hand cover hers, as Tanvi picked up where Lalita had left off. "But Papa has put his bed in the room with him and Mama. We only get to sleep with Mama when we are sick."

"I want my bed in with Mama," Lalita whined.

Her twin tearfully picked up where she left off. "Me too. I miss Mama."

Sareena held up her index finger. "One sleep left, betas, and then your Mama will be home, I promise."

"Soon is tomorrow, Aunty," Tanvi asked. "Papa and Daadi said Mama will be home soon."

"And Baabaa and Vihaan Chacha says soon too. And it's never soon."

For a minute Sareena thought of the lengths this loving family must have gone through with dealing with the toddlers, for whom their absent mother was the center of their world. She could do no less, and she sought to reassure the little princesses. "I promise, betas soon is tomorrow, and it will be a beautiful day. And that's why it's important that you rest now, so tomorrow you can be ready to meet your Mummy and the baby. And believe me, your Mummy will be so happy to see both of you too."

Satisfied with this answer, the little girls finally settled, and after a few minutes of sleepy chatter of the upcoming return of their mother, they were soon fast asleep. Quietly leaving the bedroom which in actuality lay very close to their parents' suite, Sareena unexpectedly met the toddlers' father just outside the room.

"I was just coming to say goodnight to the girls. Am I too late?"

Sareena nodded. She knew that the doting father had plenty on his plate with the confirmation of his wife's and newborn son's discharge from the hospital tomorrow coming earlier in the day and then his mother's insistence that a welcome home befitting the first Agarwal grandson be arranged. He looked winded, although it was still  relatively early in the evening. She noticed the large bag he was carrying, and smiled suspecting what it contained.

"For the girls," Sareena asked, reaching for the bag. "I can just slip it in the room, if you like Rajeev."

He kept a grip on it. "Nahi, Sareena. It isn't needed. You have already done far more than necessary." He looked down at her, unable to dismiss the turmoil in her eyes that she had yet to successfully hide since coming home earlier in the day. He broached the subject behind it. "If it's too much for you, Sareena you mustn't stay. Mother is being extra overprotective, but I know that we can handle things here. After all, neither of them would be released from the hospital if they weren't both okay."

"It's okay, Rajeev, I'm fi..."

She stopped mid-word, and just from her expression, Rajeev knew exactly why. He took one step closer to her and took hold of her wrist in order to prevent the about turn that would have her fleeing to the refuge of her nearby bedroom. "Talk to him, Sareena...tell him how you feel," Rajeev implored. He nodded when she looked up in shock, and then frowned slightly when she shook her head.

" I can't...he's made his choice, Rajeev," she countered under her breath. She tugged her hand, in hopes that the coach would let her go.

He didn't.

"Bhaiyya?"

Vihaan came up behind his brother, troubled by the veiled conversation the pair looked to be having.

Rajeev turned and stared doggedly at his brother. "Enough, Vihaan. You need to take care of this now." He gently pulled Sareena towards his brother, and gave the physician's hand to Vihaan's keeping before walking off, entering his daughters' bedroom and leaving them to what he hoped was a long overdue conversation.

***********

"Come Sareena, let's go somewhere: a drive...a walk," Vihaan asked. He watched her for some indication that she would agree, but as expected, she immediately shook her head to deny him. "Aacha, I have no problem speaking my mind right here. It's probably for the best that I do, and after everything, perhaps it is better just to speak plainly. I love you Sareena. I have, for almost four years, and whoever it was that claimed the wisdom in giving up one you love as being one of the most noble things one can do, has never felt about someone the way I feel about you. It was the biggest mistake of my life: walking away from you, and now that I know differently..." He stopped speaking for a second, and then resolutely began again. "I understand I am probably shortchanging you in the proposal you deserve, but I have no choice. I cannot go another day, another hour, not one more minute without telling you how I feel. I love you with every fiber of my being Sareena Arora.  And I am so sorry for not understanding; for not even reaching out once for some sort of clarification. I have done some terrible things in my life, but breaking your heart ranks pretty high up there."

"Even worse than getting engaged to your bride-to-be's sister, at your ring ceremony, Vihaan?"

It was natural that she would know of his history, but he had no time to, or inclination to excuse himself. He looked squarely back at her. "Haan, Sareena, even worse than that."

"This is all moot. The alliance, your family is arranging...you cannot deny them again, Vihaan."

Vihaan's lips tightened. His mother had told him in no uncertain terms that as the family had already confirmed their visit with them, he would be obligated to meet them at the very least, but ultimately the decision would be his. Despite his insistence, that it would just be a waste of time, his parent had been firm. But that was neither here nor there, he thought as he reached out to cup Sareena's face.

"Nahi, Sareena they are my parents; not my overlords. There is compromise to be had, but only if you are with me. If you are not, then I may as well agree to what they want."

"I won't be the catalyst that distances you from your parents, if they aren't happy with your choice..."

"Have you gone mad, how on earth could they not be happy? They probably revere you more than me right now. How could they possibly refute a bahu like you?"

"You've told them, your mother about me," Sareena gasped, petrified that all that she had held inside had been revealed.

"No jaan, I wouldn't; I couldn't, not when I hadn't spoken to you yet. But I would like to as soon as possible. And for that I need something from you. Bolo Sareena: is there a chance for us?."

"You hurt me so badly, Vihaan," she whispered.

"I own that, and nothing..."

He stopped when she placed her hand to his lips.

"What you did ranks amongst the most cutting things ever to happen to me. I've felt like I've been in mourning ever since. However, had your understanding been correct, that in fact I was in love with Jack, then your leaving me was the most selfless act I've ever known."

She stepped towards him, choosing to close the final distance that had kept them apart, and wrapped her arms around him. "It's not normally my nature to be so passive, Vihaan. I should have been more assertive, and demanded an answer from you, Vihaan. I'm so sorry for the pain you had to go through as well."

Vihaan lowered his head to kiss her forehead, fighting the headiness of having her in his arms at last. Despite being so certain of his feelings he was determined not to further press his need for her, until she was ready for such. After waiting so long, it was the very least he could do. It was the decent; the noble thing to do. And yet they proved the most fallible of intentions since they were destroyed by the soft utterance of seven simple words.

"And ji Vihaan; I do love you."

**********

"Sareena, beta, please stay at the table I would like to have a word with you."

Glancing guiltily across the table at Vihaan, Sareena immediately began flushing. Gallantly, Vihaan halted his departure and moved to protect his love by calling out to his parent. "Maa, I was wondering if I could speak to you about something."

"Thik hai beta, but after I speak to Sareena. It's very important."

Even Rajeev hesitated, hand in hand with his daughters, wanting to know what his mother wished of Sareena. Certain that, on leaving the twins' bedroom that he was the only one to have witnessed their intimacy after catching his brother move to kiss the woman, who must have professed her feelings at last; he worried now that he was incorrect. If he was, the younger couple would need his support and he was more than ready to provide it. His mother immediately noticed his hesitancy to leave.

"Rajeev, beta, you will be late if you stay. We will finish getting the girls ready, but you need to leave in case the traffic is heavy." She then turned to her youngest son. "Vihaan, go with Rajeev and stay with the girls until Sareena and I come: quickly the both of you," she insisted to prevent either brother from stalling.

***********

Vihaan met his brother and sister-in-law, and of course the new addition to their family at the car. Iphone in hand he took a few candid shots of the trio as they got out of the car making sure not to impede on the professional who was doing the same. He watched as, per family tradition, Bhabhi draped her dupatta over her head before reaching for the swaddled infant who rest quietly in his car seat.

"Smile Bhabhi," he called out, before capturing the mother and newborn.

"It's so quiet. I was sure that the girls would be at your heels, Vihaan."

"Not for the lack of trying, Bhabhi, so it's probably best that we get going." He looked at Naomi and smiled at how well she looked. "They are going to be thrilled, especially when they realize that they are dressed just like Mummy."

Naomi grinned. Rajeev had already told them how excited they were to open their dresses she had designed for them to marry her own. "I just wanted to reinforce to them that they are just as important to me. It is going to be an adjustment for them, not having my entire attention now."

"They won't lack for anything, Bhabhi. I promise," Vihaan stated. "Sareena told me how much they were pining for you last night..."

"Aacha, Vihaan, so the two of you are actually talking to each other, and not just continuously locking lips, dear devar of mine?"

Vihaan glared at his brother and then turned back smiling to Naomi. "Chalo Bhabi, let's get you and the baby inside."

"Wait," Rajeev called out. "Is everything okay?"

"She hasn't said what Maa wanted her for, but she seems okay," Vihaan responded as he lead the way to the festooned entry decorated with an explosion of flowers in honor of the newest addition to the Agarwal family.

********

Just inside the door Sareena turned back to stare at Savitra Agarwal who nodded back at her encouragingly, before attending to her grand-daughters, who quite expectantly, were becoming more and more antsy with the arrival of their parents with their baby brother imminent.

Mentally Sareena rehashed what was expected of her. It was simple enough, but to the family was of the utmost importance. Not too far away Daadi smiled in her direction. She as well as the rest of the Tripathi were present for this special occasion. Consequently, not only did it mean performing her task to the satisfaction of her hosts, but also doing so, in a manner that honored her adopted family as well. Sareena couldn't recall being as nervous as she was right now. The A&E Unit she would normally be felt like a cakewalk by comparison. She exhaled and waited.

The door opened, and the sole entrant stopped. The shock registering on his face gave way to confusion when, instead of his mother there waiting with the thali, Sareena stood in her place. Waiting in his home, as if she belonged there, she had never looked more beautiful; nor more petrified.

"Are they behind you Vihaan," she whispered

"Haan, the videopgrapher Maa hired is milking their entrance for all it's worth. But why..."

He was interrupted when the cameraman backed into him, and then asked him to move aside, so that he could position himself to film the aarti that would welcome mother and child home. He took a place directly behind Sareena

A hum of excitement rose, when finally, Naomi and Rajeev appeared in the double door entry. Naomi's smile froze in place when she realized who awaited her, and she quickly glanced up to Rajeev. His countenance, more impassive than hers, Naomi still knew by the look in his eyes that he had not been aware of this.

"Aunty thought it would be better for her to stay with the girls rather than being the first to meet the baby, just so they feel secure. So here I am...praying that I don't mess this all up," Sareena whispered. She stared at the couple, particularly the new mother whose eyes now held a sheen of tears."

"Aside from mummyji, I can't think of anyone else I would rather do this for us, Sareena. You will be fine."

Buoyed by her friend's support, Sareena performed the aarti to welcome mother and son home. The hidden touch on the small on her back didn't hurt either she thought.

[NOCOPY]

crtkelly2017-04-06 23:46:59