anyways here's some "filler" i wrote was going to scrap but then figured i'd post it...
As the weeks went by Sid and Avni saw more of each other. At first it was simply Sid checking in on her while she was at the hospital to make sure that Mahi was doing well, and to take Jr off Avni's hand during the evenings so she could run home and run errands or rest while the baby slept. But as time came for Mahi to check out Sid felt a slight tug in his heart, he didn't want to lose the contact he had made with these two children, and even Avni. In Avni he had found a friend that wasn't like the others he had. Oh sure Sid was friendly guy and because of his kindness he had lots of friends, but he was never quite comfortable with them anymore. Ever since he came back three years ago he had always felt the need to put on a faade in front of them. He didn't want them to worry about him and yet he couldn't quite act like the old Sid they had known. So he was forced to act as thought everything was great. The only person who knew what he was keeping hidden was Sue and even in front of her he didn't want to let it all out. But with Avni it was different, although he hadn't told her anything of his past every time he felt the past tugging or something reminded him of it somehow she figured it out and would let him be lost in his thoughts or at other times she would distract him when she knew that he didn't want to go into the past. And her kids. Her kids were fantastic Sid loved children, but there was something special about her kids it was as though they were the ones healing him, protecting him, from the past. And Avni. She hadn't shared much with him about her past either, and he didn't feel the need to ask for he knew when she was ready she would tell him if she felt the need. Just as she knew that he would do the same. But from the time he had spent with her he had learned that her past wasn't without heartache either.
Avni was almost finished packing up the things that had somehow accumulated during their stay at the hospital. And she hadn't even bothered to collect the balloons and flowers that seemed to surround and cover every corner in the room. She nodded her head in disbelief at the amount of stuff Sid had brought to the room. Every day, no make that every time he came to pop in, which towards the last week of their stay was many times in a day, he would bring something either for the room, for Siddhant, or for the baby. She tried to tell him that he didn't need to buy all this stuff, and that it was unnecessary but he always warded her off by telling her he knew that he didn't have to, but that he wanted to. How could you argue with sweet words like that coming from an adorable cutie? You couldn't and so Avni gave up, but she refused to haul all of that stuff back. Oh sure she'd take the countless toys and blankets and stuffed animals he had bought for the kids, for even if she wanted to Siddhant would refuse to leave any of the toys the "Dowtor Me" had given. In fact he wouldn't even go to sleep without all of them surrounding them. She had just said goodbye to the doctor who had signed off on Mahi, and then the nurse who had given her the discharge papers. She waited for ten more minutes hoping Sid would stop by so she could thank him and to say good bye but after hedging for a half hour she had no choice but to start moving. She went to pick up the diaper bag when there was a sudden knock on the door, "Knock Knock." Siddhant immediately jumped out of the chair he was in and ran to the Doctor stopping at his feet raising his arms up while responding, "Hose Thwer?" Sid bent down to pick up the boy and gave him a tight hug that made him giggle as he said, "Woo." Siddhant started giggling already knowing what was coming when he said, "Woo Who" And Sid responded with, "Don't get toooooo excited it's just a joooooke." Jr threw his head back with a full blown childish laugh while Sid crossed the threshold grinning at Avni.
Sid let out the breath he was holding when he walked up to the room and saw that Avni and the kids hadn't left yet. He had planned to get here over a half an hour ago to help her pack up her things and to be there when the doctor signed of making sure that nothing was fixed, but at the last minute one of his patients coded and he had to go take care of her. Thankfully, the girl had survived and had in fact come out of the ordeal stronger and more determined to beat the disease that was trying to take her much too young. Once he got word that the patient was stable he sprinted through the hospital hallways and stairwells until he got to the room hoping he wasn't too late. And the God he wasn't sure he believed in anymore seemed to have taken mercy on him and the room was still occupied. He was greeted by one of his favorite sites, Jr running up with pure excitement on his face and his arms reaching upward demanding without words to be picked up. Even if Jr hadn't demanded it Sid would have picked up the child, and he asked his expected question a knock knock joke that had become his and Jrs favorite past time. Every evening when he took Jr to the play room to give Avni a break they would work their way around the playroom and the activities it offered. And they always ended up at the beanbag chair with a few books, but before story time began Jr would ask Sid to ask him a knock knock joke. Sid at first used the classic ones he had saved for his patients, but after spending so much time with Jr he had to start looking for new ones. He now found himself spending his spare time online surfing the net for new jokes, or asking his patients for their favorites while he checked in on them. Since he knew this was Jr's last day in the hospital today he decided to give him his favorite one. And he was rewarded big for his effort with a childish laughter. Sid loved hearing Jr laugh, no matter how bad a day he had at work hearing Jr's giggle or his ridiculous questions always made Sid feel better. Just like now he felt his smile grow into a full fledged grin as he walked over the threshold and looked over at Avni.
Avni was so engrossed in the moment unfolding before her eyes, with the man who for all purposes should have been a stranger, bonding with her son as if they had known each other forever. She had heard Siddhant laugh, but the pure innocent giggle erupting from his mouth in this moment only seemed to unveil itself when the doctor with a sweet heart was near. She was so lost in thoughts about how Siddhant had changed in the past few weeks of being near the doctor and what an adorable picture this moment made that she missed the question that had been asked of her. She broke out of her thoughts, her face turning pink with embarrassment at being caught. While she searched for a way to ask him to repeat his question without giving away her thoughts, Siddhant saved her by answering on her behalf, "We are all packed Dowtor Me. I even helped Mumma by putting all my toys and Mahi's toys in our own bags," he announced proudly. Avni and Sid both laughed at the pride in the boy's voice, Sid turned back to Avni and said, "Oh. I wanted to come by earlier and help but I got called away to an emergency and that was why I was late. I was hoping I wasn't too late and missed you guys." Avni waved away his apology, "Oh Sid you are just in time, I didn't need any help packing especially with my main man here to help me," she said with a wink towards Siddhant who on cue started giggling. "Besides you're a doctor there are much more important things you should be working on then helping a random woman pack up her things." Sid scoffed at her calling herself random, "Don't you dare call yourself random. You may have been a few weeks ago, but you are now a friend, and if you haven't figured it out yet, then you will soon, friends of mine often complain that I spend too much time with them." Sid walked in and set Jr down on the ground so he could play with his truck better and went to the crib to check on Mahi, "Hey there sweetie. You sure look much better and thank god for that. I'm sure your Mumma is very relieved to know that you are not only better, but stronger after your stay here." Sid had picked up Mahi who started cooing in appreciation at being held. She started to snuggle into his arms as he held her and whispered words of praise and beauty on her.
Sid turned towards Avni, "So did you call a cab yet?" Avni shook her head no, "No. I was just about to when you walked in." Sid responded with a proud grin, "Great! Now you won't have to call them back and cancel it. I will drop you off at home." Avni started to decline when Sid said, "Whose in?" Both Jr and even Mahi raised their hands, Sid started laughing and said, "Three to one sorry majority rules." He turned to pick up two of the three bags Avni had already packed while still holding the baby in the other and started to walk out the door with Jr hanging on to his free hand. Avni shook her head and picked up the remaining bag with no choice but to follow. On the car ride home Sid found out that Avni actually lived only five minutes away from his home in Houston and once they got there he got out to help bring the bags in while she took Mahi and unlocked the door. Sid searched for an excuse to delay having to say goodbye, he knew he had to, but he couldn't bear the thought of not seeing Jr or Mahi or even Avni again. In such a short time they had become a part of his life and he couldn't imagine not seeing or hearing them at least once a day. Thankfully Jr had the same idea and he grabbed Sid's hand and dragged him further into the house to show Dowtor me his room. Avni laughed at the excitement pouring out of her son as she turned to set Mahi down in the playpen and answer the phone that had started to ring.
Time flew while Jr showed Sid his room and then took him outside to play 'sowker' and then show him his cool treehouse. Sid and Jr were walking into the house when Sid's cell rang. He started to pick it up as his nose smelt the wonderful scents coming from the kitchen and his stomach let out a large grumble. Jr started giggling at the sound and leaned forward and placed his ear at Sid's stomach and asked with seriousness, "Do you hawe a lion in there?" Avni was just walking out of the kitchen to call the boys in when to eat when she overheard Siddhant's question to Sid. She couldn't keep her laughter in and she grabbed her stomach and fell into the nearest chair. Sid and Siddhant both looked up at the sudden interruption upon seeing Avni laughing, Siddhant ran to his mom and innocently asked, "What's so funny??" Avni tried to take deep breaths and answer but she couldn't get anything out. Sid smiled at the innocent scene in front of him. He hadn't seen Avni this comfortable or cut loose ever. It was nice to see that she had shed her earlier worry and was finally returning to the woman he had always suspected she might be. It took a few minutes before Avni could get enough air into her lungs to answer her sweet boy's innocent question, "Nothing's funny sweetie. Mumma was just about to call you and the doctor in for dinner when his stomach grumbled and you asked that question." Siddhant was still confused so Sid finished up on her behalf, "You see your Mumma's timing is perfect my tummy grumbled because it's hungry, I guess like lion's get hungry, and she was going to feed us." Siddhant nodded his head in understanding and then started to giggle as he said, "Mumma we better give Dowtor me food fast otherwise his lion might come out and eat us all." All three started laughing and Sid was about to "punish" Jr for making fun of his stomach by tickling him, but his phone started to ring again, he picked it up and even before he could say hi the person on the other line started in, "Finally! Superboy I have been trying to get a hold of you for the past two hours. Where are you? I called your office and they said you had left early today so I waited for you to come, but you never showed. I tried your cell but you never answered. I was going to say since you are out early lets go out to eat since all the other days you come home to late for us to eat." Sue paused in mid tirade and Sid took the opportunity to reassure his sister, "Sorry Sue. I didn't meant to worry you, yeah I did leave early but I had to take care of something and it took longer than I thought. I just realized how late it was and was going to call you to let you know that I think I have dinner plans already." Upon making that last statement he looked up at Avni seeking confirmation she nodded her head hesitatingly in affirmation and Sid finished with, "So don't wait up for me. I promise to fill you in tomorrow before work all right." Sue wasn't happy with this news but Sid so rarely asked for anything anymore that she didn't have the heart to say no, but she made sure to make it clear that she would be waiting for an explanation and that it better be good. Sid told her loved her and hung up.
Avni asked Siddhant to go wash his hands and check to see if Mahi was awake or not. Once he was out of the room she turned to Sid and said, "I'm sorry don't feel obligated that you have stay to eat just because I made the food. I should have realized that you had people, family, waiting for you, and you have been kind enough to help us out this much I shouldn't, I mean we shouldn't be monopolizing your time." Sid walked over to Avni and gently placed his hands on her fidgeting hands and waited for her to look up, "You are not monopolizing my time, in fact I think I am the one who is always taking up your time. But for real no worries I promise, that was just my little sister on the phone. She's a worry wart and likes to believe she's the only person in my life anymore." For a second he got lost in those dark shadows but just as quickly he came out of them and finished with a wink, "It's about time she learns that I have a life of my own." Avni relaxed outwardly upon hearing that she wasn't keeping Sid from his girlfriend or wife, and that she wasn't encroaching on someone else's relationship. Siddhant came back with gusto dripping water all over the floor and the message that Mahi was awake and had a smelly dyepwer and effectively removed any remnants of adult conversation that had been going on. Avni told Sid to take a seat and get started on dinner with Siddhant while she checked on Mahi and brought her into the dining room, as she walked towards her daughter she couldn't help but wonder once again what could have happened to cause a man as strong as Sid to carry such pain and heartache in his heart and if she believed in such things, his soul.
-Arp
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
