Sorry for the delay guys! and thanks for all the love 😳
Part 25
"Good morning..."
Before the soft sunlight hit her eyes, Arjuns words reached her ears. Arohi smiled, with her eyes still closed. She knew that Arjun was watching her. She wanted to imagine all the love that must be oozing out of his eyes before actually witnessing it for herself. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Arjun was leaning on his side, turned towards her, resting on his elbow and his face cupped in his palm, watching her with the softest of gazes, which gave goosebumps as well as generated a warmth in her heart. His lips were turned in a very small smile, a satisfied smile. Arohi was lying on her side, facing Arjun, her lower body covered in a quilt, which apparently Arjun must have pulled over her, sometime in the night.
She blinked her eyes. She still could not believe it. She had just spent the night in the arms of her husband... in his house... in his bed! The realisation made her smile and it lit a fire in Arjuns eyes.
"Kya soch rahi ho???"
She just shook her head and pushed herself towards him, hugging him tight around his waist and digging her face in his chest. Arjuns other hand went around her waist as he buried his nose in her hair. He loved the strawberry smell of her shampoo. It made him feel so fresh and... so... Arohi. They both spend the next few minutes in each others arms, savoring the moment and letting reality seep in.
"Arohi..."
"Hmmm..." Arohi was in no mood to let him go. She hugged him tighter.
"Uthna nahi hai kya??? Chai peelo, thandi ho jaayegi."
Arohis head popped out from her warm haven. "Tumne mere liye chai banayi hai?" Arohis eyes searched his face.
"Haan... Mere hone waali bachhe ki maa ke liye itna toh karhi sakta hu." Arohi sat up excitedly to notice a breakfast trolley placed next to the bed, on her side. It had two cups of tea, newspaper and a small vase with a single rose in it.
"Ye sab tumne kiya... mere liye?" Arohi looked back at Arjun who nodded smiling. She looked at the trolley barely able to control her excitement. "Wow... Arjun tum mujhe roj aise hi pamper karoge???"
Arjun sat up smiling. "Nahi... Ye sirf aaj ke liye hai! Woh kya haina mein nahi chahta ki tumhe iss sab ki aadat lage... aur hamara bachha tumhari tarah lazy baney!"
Arohis smile left and her mouth dropped open. Glaring, Arohi hit Arjun on the chest. "Oh please, mein lazy nahi hu... Tum lazy ho!" Jumping out of the bed, Arohi went to freshen up. Arjun set a small table on the bed, placing the vase and tea cups on it. Picking up the newspaper, he leaned against the headboard and started scanning through it.
Arohi came out and sat on the bed, handing one cup to Arjun, she started drinking tea from the other. Arjun was holding the paper in one hand and the tea in another, his eyes still scanning. He failed to notice Arohi observing him.
If someone were to click a picture of them right now, it could be titled as a lazy Sunday morning in the life of a happily married couple! Is this what married couples do??? Be together and yet do their own thing? How boring!!! It was already 5 minutes that she was besides Arjun and him not noticing her or talking to her was driving her crazy.
She cleared her throat.
No response.
"Arjun..."
All Arjun did was say "Hmm..." but his eyes never left the paper.
"Ussme kya hot ladkiyon ki tasveer chapi hai jo itna ghoor ghoor ke dekh rahe ho???"
Arjun looked up surprised, making Arohi glad that she got a noticeable response.
"Tum mujhe ignore kyu karrahe ho???"
"Arohi... mein paper padh raha hu! Ussme tumhe ignore karne ki baat kaha se aagayi?"
"Paper neeche rakho aur mujhse baat karo!"
Folding away the paper, he turned to her. "OK... Bolo. Kya baat karni hai?"
"Mujhe kya pata? Woh bhi mein hi batau?"
Arjun was confused. He had got her home, welcomed her and made her bed tea. Now what more did she expect?
"Arohi... If you want to say something then say it. Stop talking in riddles."
Finally Arohi snapped. "Tum mujhe ghar leke aaye ho mujhe ignore karne ke liye? You're reading paper and not even looking at me! Whats next??? Kalse tum office jaaoge and mein apna kaam karungi aur hum sirf dinner pe milenge? Like a typical working couple!!! Mein itni boring life nahi jee sakti..."
Arjun shook his head chuckling. "Arohi... Our life is anything but boring! Humein bohat kuch discuss karna hai abhi and decide our next plan of action."
Arohi turned to him. "Arjun, Jab tumne mujhe wapas laane ka plan banaya tab kuch na kuch socha hoga na ki hum ye karenge ya woh karenge. Ya fir ek bed tea banane ke alaava tumne aur kuch nai plan kiya hai???" Arohi pouted like a sulking child.
"Socha toh bohat kuch tha... lekin tum kal raat ko sogayi... so..."
Arohis pout turned into a frown. "Tumhara mind bilkul one track haina???"
"When it comes to you... YES!!!" Putting his hand behind her neck, Arjun pulled her against him. His other hand went up to cup her chin in his palms as his lips started descending towards her. Arohi closed her eyes to feel only what Arjun could make her feel.
"MOOOMMM..." Raj's scream made them jump apart.
The moment Rashi told Raj about his mom downstairs, he screamt from there on and started running towards Arjuns room. Throwing the door open, he ran inside and hugged Arohi tightly.
Arjun and Arohi were like two criminals, caught red-handed and Arohi had immediately moved the table which was in front of her to the side, just in time, as Raj hurled himself in her arms. Hugging him to her, Arohis eyes misted a little, making her realise how much she had missed her son. Arjun watched the mother son bonding fondly, before he joined them for a group hug.
Raj's hurl had made Arohi lie back on the bed again with Raj between her and Arjun. Raj refused to let Arohi go and Arohi stroked his hair lovingly.
"Mom... Ab aap mujhe chodke kabbi kabbi nahi jaaoge na??? "
Rajs innocent plea had Arjun Arohi look at each other. "Kabbi kabbi nahi! Ab hum hamesha saath rahenge." Arohi promised him, looking into Arjuns smiling eyes.
Raj turned to Arjun and said "Thanks dad. I love you!"
Arjun looked at him surprise. Raj was not aware of all the happenings in this house, of even their life. But he had correctly guessed, that his dad had brought his mom home. Arjun felt really proud to have such a smart boy for his son. He kissed Raj's head in response. Noticing his uniform, Arjun said, "You're welcome champ! Ab chalo mein tumhe school bus tak chod deta hoon."
Raj hugged Arohi tighter. "Nahi aaj mein school nahi jaaunga! Mein aaj poora din mom ke saath spend karunga."
"Mom ab yahi rehne waali hai. Tum school se aane ke baad bhi mil sakte ho. Ab chalo!"
"Nooo... Mom please kaho na dad ko! Pleaseee..."
Arohi looked at Arjun and scrunched her nose, pleading him to oblige. Arjuns mouth opened. "Abi 12 ghante nahi huey mom ko aake aur tumne apni party badal li??!! Shaitaan... " Arjun tickled Raj who in turn stuck more to Arohi and Arjun ended up tickling her too. Arohi and Raj started giggling and Arohi retaliated by tickling Arjun. The trio were rolling on the bed laughing and tickling each other when an unfavourable clearing of the throat stopped them and made them turn their heads towards the door.
In a short black dress and the most dangerous look combined with shock on her face, Natasha stared at the small happy family in front of her' on the bed!
+
... a few minutes earlier... downstairs...
Rashi looked fondly at Raj's running form which was sprinting up the stairs. She had readied him for school as usual, but could not help keep the news from him. She knew that now Raj will not be going to school. Coming back to the table, she sat down next to dadi for breakfast.
Dadi, Rashi and Romit were all smiles today. The joy of a successful mission was glinting in their eyes. The morning felt fresh and the day extra bright. Their joy was dimmed as the front door opened and the last-person-on-earth-whom-we-want-to-see, walked in.
"Good morning..." Natasha sang out in her super sweet b****y tone.
Smiles turned into frowns. Dadi neglected her, Romit didn't even look up from his breakfast and Rashi stared at her. After a moment of silence, Rashi smiled.
"Morning Natasha... Aaj itni subah subah? Sab thik toh haina???"
If Natasha was surprised to see Rashi talk so casually, then she didn't show it. "Haan' Last two days se Arjun ko office mein bohat miss kiya maine. So I thought let me check out whats wrong with my to-be fiance."
Rashi smiled. "How sweet of you. Tum Arjun ki kitni care karti ho." Dadi and Romit looked up in surprise at Rashi. Natasha was thrown off too, but she quickly masked it with indifference.
"Arjun kaha hai? I want to meet him."
Rashi held Dadi's hand under the table as she made a move to speak. Dadi stopped abruptly and looked at Rashi, who was smiling sweetly at Natasha.
"Arjun apne kamre mein hain. You should meet him, he will be very happy. Infact why don't you go to his room and surprise him???"
"Excellent!"
Dadi and Romit watched as Natasha skipped upstairs. The moment she was out of sight, Dadi pulled her hand out.
"Ye kya kiya tuney? Ab woh upar jaake tamasha karegi aur Arohi ko tension degi. Mein upar jaake dekhti hoon." Rashi again held dadi's hand as she made a move to get up.
"Relax dadi. Aap apni bahu ko itna bichari mat samjhiye. Im sure she can handle this woman. Aur waise bhi maine isse dekha hai, office mein, Arjun pe apna jhootha haq jataate huey. I think its high time she realises her position in Arjuns life." Rashi turned her head towards Arjuns room. "And theres noone better than Arohi, to make her realise that!"
Romit stared with his mouth open as a devislish smile adorned his Di's sweet face.
+
To say that Natasha was shocked, would have been an understatement. She was too much disturbed to mask it anymore. Arjun had his hand around Arohis waist, where he had been trying to tickle her. Raj was trapped in between them with Arohi holding him with one hand and her other hand grasping Arjuns, to stop him. The bedsheets were a mess. Next to the bed, there was a trolley and a short table with cups of tea and a vase of red rose. Arjuns clothes and hair were dishevelled and so were Arohis. This was fuel enough to make Natasha burn with jealousy and hatred.
Her feelings were clearly noticeable in her eyes, which landed on Arohi. Arohi felt Arjun stiffen beside her as he drew his arm back. She slowly sat up smiling.
"Hi... Mmm... Bipasha... right???"
"Natasha! My name is Natasha." Arohi kept smiling, ignoring her cutting tone.
"Yaa... whatever! Waise tum yaha kaise? Woh bhi itni subah??? Arjun ne toh kaha tha tum next week aarahi ho..." Natasha eyebrows furrowed in confusion and Arjun froze.
"Next week? Next week kya hai???" Natasha looked at Arjun and then at Arohi.
"PARTY!!!" Arjun yelled suddenly, startling everyone in the room. "Party hai next week. Dad ne rakhi hai. Usske liye tum toh aaogi na!"
Arohi bit her lip to stop herself from laughing and Arjun relaxed a bit as he saw Natasha accept what he said. But Arohi was not done yet.
"Mere ghar wapas aane ki khushi mein sasoorjee ne party rakhi hai? Awww... How sweet of him!" Arohi smiled at Arjun who was glaring at her.
"Wapas aane ki khushi mein matlab???" Natasha looked confusingly at Arjun again.
"Matlab mein ab yahi rahungi. Mere husband ke saath, mere bete ke saath aur mere hone waale bachhe ke saath." Arohi finished by placing a hand on her stomach and a feline grin on her face.
Before Arjun could hand out any more explainations, Natasha turned around swiftly and barged downstairs. She stopped at the foot of the stairs to look at Rashi, who had a mocking grin on her face. Taking a deep breath, she marched outside the front door, ignoring Rudra, who was calling her.
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