Chapter 31

Mumbai: 8 a.m.

 

Armaan keeps his hand on the other side of the bed. He feels the sheets, the pillow, another sheet, her clip under the pillow, but nowhere did he feel her. He scowled in his sleep, then turned to the other side n opened his eyes, taking a long yawn. Riddhima wasnt there. He frowns again. When he didnt get to see Riddhima the first thing in the morning, he got really annoyed. Sleepy- eyed n confused, he pulls the sheets off him n sits up on the bed. As he rubs his eyes, Armaan sees Arima sleeping in her cot, sucking her thumb. He gets out of bed, goes n takes a closer look at Arima, keeps a hand on her forehead, then bends down to kiss it. Then, in his three-fourths n his sky-blue shirt, with the usual buttons undone, he walks out of their bedroom, to look for Riddhima.

 

Riddhima woke up an hour before, n walked straight into the kitchen. She prepared a few things for breakfast, before making her morning cup of tea, then when the doorbell rang, she went to see who it was. Clad in her night gown, over her nightie, she pulls it closer to herself, as she nears the main door, as she knew Armaan would get angry at her. So she takes the milk from the milkman, thanks him for it, n shuts the door behind her as she walks into the kitchen, carrying the milk with her. Back to the kitchen, Riddhima now cuts a few apples n stirs the contents of a pan kept on the stove. She looks at the calender n marks the date for the milkman, then remembers the morning paper, n goes out to collect it. She returns with Armaan's daily newspapers n puts them on the breakfast table. She goes back to the bedroom to find Arima, thankfully, still sleeping, n Armaan, too snuggled down in bed. Riddhima returns to the kitchen after pulling the sheets till Armaan's chin, so he wouldnt cough again.

 

A few minutes later, as Riddhima was cutting a few other things, and putting the peels in the dustbin, she feels his footsteps coming towards the kitchen n a usual smile plays on her lips. A few moments later, she feels his arm across her waist n his other hand on her shoulder. Then he puts his head on her other shoulder, partly nuzzling into her hair.

 

Riddhima: Good Morning! (she moves her head to kiss his cheek n then resumes to her cutting of vegetables)

 

Armaan: Kahaan chali gayi thi subah subah...? (his eyes closed, he mumbled to her)

 

Riddhima: Breakfast banane...Armaan babu subah ke 8 baj rahe hain...aapne uthna nee tha kya?

 

Armaan: mmhmmmmmm (he was half asleep on her shoulder)

 

Riddhima: armaaan...! so gaye kya? (she giggles)

 

Riddhima: Utho naaa...! Mujhe bohot kaam hai...aur tumhein bhi...chalo utho naa jaanu (she turns in his arms, n takes his face in her hands, n gives him another kiss, then straightens his hair)

 

Riddhima: Achha batao, lunch ke liye bhindi aur rajma theek hai na?

 

Armaan: Hmm...(he rubs his eyes, then takes a look at what Riddhima was wearing n frowns at her)

 

Armaan: Riddhima! Tumhein kitni baar kaha hai ki aise kapdon mein subah doodhwaale aur newspaper waale se na mila karo..?

 

Riddhima Armaan!!! Maine night gown to pehna hai na...koi pharak nai padta naa...(her lips pouted n her eyes scrunched)

 

Armaan: To matlab jo bhi main kahoon uska koi phayeda nai..?? (taking a piece of apple n eating it)

 

Riddhima: Arrey nai baba, achha mujhe yeh batao...

 

Armaan: Riddhima! yeh apples...!??

 

Riddhima: Kya..? kya hua inhein? (she leaves the stirrer n turns to look at him making a face)

 

Armaan: Khud khaa ke dekho (puttting his half-eaten piece into her mouth)

 

She swallows it, then makes a face too

 

Riddhima: Haan...kuch kharaabi hai, shayad puraane hain...inhein rehne do, main phaink deti hoon, tum please yeh milk Arima ko jaa kar dedo..

 

Riddhima pours warm milk into the tiny Barbie bottle n hands it over to Armaan.

 

Riddhima: Jaldi karo...aur haan, yaad hai na aaj Arima ki party ki shopping ke liye bhi jaana hai...?

 

Armaan: yes Madam, yaad hai (he comes back to give a quick peck on her cheek, then goes out to Arima)

 

........................

 

Riddhima: Aur Armaan tum, (she points her finger to him, after giving a set of instructions to Arima, as if she had understood each n every word her mommy said) Main tumhein pehle hi bata doon, tum koi aaltu- faltoo cheezein nai khareedoge...ok? Last time bhi ptanai kya kya  market se le aaye the jo abhi takk kitchen ke kisi cupboard mein pada hoga (she undoes her seat belt)

 

Armaan: Arrey, main kya laaya tha? Kuch chips aur kurkure aur pancakes aur cakes hi to laaya tha...(he finally finds a place to park the car)

 

Riddhima: Haan haan, jo abhi takk tumne ek baar nazar utha kar bhi nai dekha hai...pade pade sab kharab ho gaya hai...Tabhi to kitni baar kehti hoon ki soch samajhar kar cheezein laaya karo (She takes Arima out of her seat n takes her in her arms, adjusts Arima's frock neatly over her, then gets out of the car)

 

Armaan: acchha meri maa, nai loonga...chalo ab.

 

They walk into the supermarket n Armaan opens the door for Riddhima n she gives him a fake smile. He smirks at himself: a tiff was on its way!

 

Riddhima walks straight into the grocery section n starts examining some vegeatbales, handling Arima who also seemed quite interested in waht her mummy was doing.

 

Riddhima: Arima...dont touch the vegetables!! haath door rakho ( she takes hold of her hands, n pushes them back)

 

Ariumaa: ayye nee mammaa yeee ehhhh ayyyuy

 

Riddhima: Arima...( she picks up a few things then goes n sees what Armaan was upto in the other area)

 

Riddhima: Armaan..! (she taps his shoulder from his back, n he jumps out of fear)

 

Armaan: Aahhh!! Oh! Riddhima, tummm...(his hands instantly go at the back, as if hiding something from her)

 

Riddhima is left started by his scream

 

Riddhima: Armaan...kya hua..? aur yeh tum peeche kya chupa rahe ho..?? (she scowls, then turns to look at the back of his hands)

 

Armaan: Kuch...kuch nai...tumne woh sab ...umm..shopping karli kya??

 

Riddhima: Kar rahi hoon..abhi please tum Arima ko sambhalo yeh mujhe kuch lene hi nai de rahi hai

 

So Arima goes into her daddy's arms n holds him tight from his neck, while Riddhima walks away to buy a few other things.

 

Armaan: Aawww! meri baby... kal to aapka bday hai...chalo balloons lete hain aapki party ke liye...aur umm..spray to mamma ne mana kar diya hai so hum sparkles le lete hain n...ummm

 

They search for a few party items, n he gets hold of a trolly in which he puts the things, then makes Arima sit on the ledge, with him holding her from her back

 

Arima: eyeyee!! apapa!!!

 

Armaan: nai baby yeh jhoola nee hai...

 

Arima: aauuunn?? (jhula nai hai...? Her face drops)

 

Arima: nee papa...joolllaaa joollaaaaaaaa

 

Armaan: No Arima...itna shor nee (he puts his finger on his lips)

 

Armaan: Dekho sab dekh rahe hain..sssshhhhh...

 

Arima: neee...jhoolaaa jhoollaaaa jhoolaa papaaaaa (in a whining tone, which Riddhima instantly recognises, she hurriedly comes to them, if something had happened to Arima)

 

Armaan: Arima...oh Riddhima..hum yaahaan hain..what happened?

 

Riddhima: Armaan..Arima..ro rahi hai..?

 

Armaan: Arrey nai yaar, ise is trolley par jhoola chahiye..anyways tumne saara samaan le liyya..?

 

Riddhima Yea...cake ka order de diya hai, aur baaki khaane peene ka smaan bhi arranged hai..aur balloons aur candles..?

 

Armaan: Haan..woh I have taken...please jalddi karo naa...kitni der lagaogi

 

Arima: papaa...jhoolaa (now the tears streamed down her cheek)

 

Armaan: Achha achhaaa...pehle rona band karo..(he picks her up from the trolley n takes her in his arms, n puts up a hand to dry the tears, then kisses her cheek) Chalo hum baahar chalte hain...Riddhima, main ise baahar leja raha hoon, when yu r done, tell me, ok?

 

Riddhima: hmmm...(she nodded as she looked at a jar of jam)

 

Armaan walks with Arima out to see a balloon man standing near them. There were several balloons swaying from his bicycle, waving in the air. Arima looked at the shades of pink, blue, red, green, orange, violet, turqoise that were flying in the air n smiled. Then she turns around in his arms, puts her hands on his either cheek, then turns it so he looked at her.

 

Arima: Papaaa...balll...allll..bal (she pointed to them, a bright smile spread across her lips)

 

Armaan: baby ko balloons chahiye?

 

Arima nodded vigorously: boo waala boo (she pointed towards them)

 

Armaan walks towards where the balloon waala stood, n spoke to her on the way

 

Armaan: Arima baby, boo nai blue...bolo 'blue'

 

Arima: boooo

 

Armaan: Blueeeee

 

Arima: booo

 

Armaan: blue nee booo....nee nai boo nai blue..abbey yaar chodo...umm bhaiya yeh boo waala...mera matlab blue waala gubaara dena...

 

Arima: pappaaa booooo

 

Armaan: Haan Arima de raha hai...

 

Armaan: Kitna hua...?

 

He pays the money takes the balloon n ties it around Arima's wrist. She had this huge smile on her face n her eyes twinkled as she looked at the balloon. She kicked it again n again with her other hand until Armaan thought it would burst.

 

Armaan: Arima!!  Aise phat jaayega...phir papa aapko doosra nee deinge (he scowls at her n Arima stops doing the kicking n he secretly smiles)

 

Even though they were like the best pals, each other's heartbeats, Armaan was glad that even then, being a complete brat of his, she would always obey Riddhima n him, whether it was when Riddhima spoke strictly to her to close her eyes n sleep asap when it was too late at night, or when Armaan told her to stop drumming the cutlery on the dining table. Arima had an amazing urge to learn new things n many a time one would find her engrossed in some book which Armaan read out to her or when Atul would make her do some colouring when he would be free in Sanjeevani. She was indeed a bright girl, Armaan thought looking at her, fansying the turqoise balloon she had. Her eyes twinkled just like his did n that same dimple was seen on her cheek also. He smiles at her, then saw Riddhima through the glass windows. She was talking to some person about an order she had placed or something, explaining things, as she always did. She was Riddhima: who always wanted everything to be perfect, n when it was her daughter's first birthday, she wanted it to be more special than anything else. Armaan saw her busying herself in some other things, as she tucked a few locks of her hair behind her ear n when she smiled at a thing, his heart felt a different, yet usual feel. When Riddhima caught him looking at her, she blushes initially, then raises her eyebrows to ask him: what? He nods his head, then pouts his lips as if blowing a flying kiss. Riddhima's cheek turn a usual red n she looks back. Armaan smiles, then looking at the balloon, he pops up with an idea, n walks back to the balloon man.

 

PRECAP:

 

Armaan's surprise for Riddhima

 

AND

 

Ladies n Gentlemen,
Its time to announce the biggest bash of this year,
when our little one, completes her one year!
 
so please be there for Arima's first birthday party
at YU ME AUR HUM on this Saturday, the 24th of January
So you better be there!
 
Riddhima n Armaan Mallik
 
P.S. There's gonna be a live performance by Arima n her daddy too!

 

I know this one was a short one n nothing really happened, but I have my exams approaching, so this was all I could prepare...sorry yaar..! Somehow abhi mere dimaag mein kuch aa nee raha tha, So yu'll hafta put up with this, even though I myself dont like it much.

 

See You very soon, all of you please take care

Spriha