Learning The Alphabet... Arshi Style! [COMPLETED] - Page 9

Strange. To think that only weeks ago he could scare her with the merest glare and now it was she who was doing that. It was the pregnancy, he hoped, and he also wished, every time she became 'him' that it would last only until the baby was born.

"Vakt dekha hai aapne?" (Did you see the time?)

Arnav fought the urge to roll his eyes. When would this woman ever understand than he was controlling not just a simple little business but a large empire which he was expanding all over the world? It was no easy task. That was something which demanded a lot of his time and sacrifice.

"Hum aapse baat kar rahe hain, God dammit!" (I'm talking to you, God dammit!)

His eyes grew wide, then he lifted a brow, walking towards his very furious wife. "What did you just say?"

She sighed and closed her eyes for an instant. When she opened them again, they were full of tears, causing the smirk which had started blooming on his face freeze, then fade.

"Khushi, what-?"

"Aapse baat karna bekaar hai! Aapko humaari koyi parvah nahin!" (It's useless talking to you! You don't care about me!)

She turned and ran to their room, letting her husband shocked.

"What the-?"

He shook his head. Khushi already was mad enough to irritate him, and now adding the hormones, she could at times become close to unbearable. He climbed the stairs after he wearily, the day's work finally taking his toll on him.

"Chhote?"

Anjali stood on the doorstep of her room, looking quite disturbed. He frowned instantly and took a few steps backwards to stand nearer to his sister, leaving his briefcase on the floor.

"Di? Kya hua?" he asked worriedly, his hand on her shoulder as he guided her back to her bed. His niece slept peacefully in the little area Anjali had cushioned there. The elder sister shoved his hand away. (Di? What happened?)

"Hum theek hai, humein kuchh nahin hua! Lekin jo tum kar rahe ho, voh sahi nahin hai!" (I'm fine, nothing happened to me! But what you're doing is not right!)

Arnav stared at her incredulously. "Maine kya kiya?" (What did I do?)

She pouted childishly and touched his arm. "Chhote, tum Khushiji se zyaada apne kaam ko importance de rahe ho. Voh maa banne vaali hai! Unhein tumhaare saath ki zaroorat hai, aur tum ho subha se lekar raat tak kaam par rehte ho." (Chhote you're giving your work more importance than Khushi. She's going to be a mother! She needs you, andd you stay away dawn to dusk.)

"Di! I have to work, it's really important! I wish ki aap aur Khushi yeh samajh paati." (... I wish you and Khushi could understand that.)

"Kya tumhaara kaam tumhaare parivaar, patni aur bacche se zyaada important hai?" When Arnav lowered his eyes in guilt she continued explaining to him. "Iss vakt Khushiji ko tumhaari sab se zyaada zaroorat hai, Chhote. Kaam to tum baad mein bhi kar sakte ho, lekin yeh jo paanch mahine baaki hai na? Yeh vaapas nahin aane vaale. Aur haan! Khushiji se itna bhi jhagra mat karo!" (Is your work more important than your family, you wife and your baby? Right now, Khushi needs you most, Chhote. You can work later but will you be able to get the coming five months again? They won't come back. And yes! Don't fight with Khushi so much!)

Arnav rolled his eyes. "Yeah right! Jhagra main karta houn? Di voh hamesha shuru karti hai! Ya to mujhe chidhati hai ya khud hi chidh jaati hai!" (...I fight? Di she always starts! Either she irritates me, or she gets irritated herself!)

Anjali smiled. "Tum dono na! Bilkul bacchon jaise behave karte ho! Chhote, Khushiji aisa tumhaara attention pane ke liye karti hai. Tumhein unhein pyaar se samjhaana chaahiye. Aisi haalat mein aisa hota hai!" (Both of you! You're just like kids! Chhote, Khushi does it to get your attention. You should explain to her with patience and love. It happens during pregnancy!)

He opened his mouth to argue but it was pointless. It was completely useless to even try that because the women always thought they were right, especially when the women were Khushi and Anjali.

***

It was still nine thirty in the morning and she was already tired. Khushi sighed heavily as she tried to balance the weight of the clothes that had just returned from the laundry into her arms. Her baby was getting heavier too. As Khushi entered her room, her burden lightened at once, as if by some miracle.

"Aap?" she blurted when she saw her husband drop the clothes on the recliner and come for her. Arnav lifted her in his arms to put her on their bed with a lazy grin. (You?)

"Haan, main!" (Yeah, me!)

Khushi blinked. "Aap office nahin gaye?" (You didn't go to the office?)

He sat down right before her, holding her hands tight and smiling gently. "Aaj se main ghar pe rahounga aur tumhaara poora khayaal rakkhounga. Office ka kaam Akaash aur NK sambhaal sakte hain, vaise bhi NK ghar baithe baithe bore hogaya tha." (I'll stay at home from now on and take care of you. Akaash and NK will take the responsibility of the office, and anyway, NK was getting bored at home.)

"Lekin-" (But-)

"Aur phir," he went on as if she had not spoken. "Kal tumhi ne to kaha tha, mujhe tumhaari koyi parva nahin, something like that? I'll prove you wrong Mrs Raizada... voh kyat ha? God dammit?" (And, you yourself had said yesterday that I don't care about you, something like that? [...] What was it? [...])

Khushi laughed though tears had risen in her eyes and he smirked at her, his eyes glittering with evil mischief.

"Tumne yeh kahaan se seekha?" (Where did you learn that?)

"Isski kya zaroorat thi?" (What was the need for this?)

"Pehle savaal maine kiya tha!" (I asked first!)

"Ek baar aap hi ne to kaha tha!" (Once you had said it!)

Arnav laughed too. "I love you."

She leaned into him, laughing and crying at the same time and they hugged each other tight.