9. The "Godh Bharai"
"Wow Khushi ji! You're gonna break Nannav's heart tonight!" NK blurted out seeing Khushi getting ready.
"Nanhe ji? Why would I be breaking Arnav ji's heart? He's already married to me." she replied wearing the bangles.
Khushi was decked up in a heavily embroidered sari with jewels covering every part of her body. Her face glowed with happiness until NK started his interrogating session. Arnav walked in hearing NK's last question and looked at him incredulously.
"Are you mourning the status of your love life NK?" he questioned as he leaned in to place a soft peck on her cheek.
NK huffed and puffed dramatically, standing up before leaving the room pretending to be hurt.
"Why did you get him upset Arnav ji!"
"Because only I'm allowed to eye my wife." he whispered in her ear, biting her ear lobe and placing soft butterfly kisses behind her ear.
"We should go." she murmured in his ear as his hands tightened around her.
"Are you sure?" He brushed his fingers slowly, letting them linger on her back driving her senses havoc.
"Arnav ji!" she furiously pushed him away and turned around trying to control herself.
He smiled noticing her heavy breaths and instead of coming forward, took the end of her palu and placed on her head delicately.
She turned around, attempting to hug him before her belly created a distance in between them. There eyes met for the slightest second before their lips curved into smiles.
"Lets go." he muttered huskily putting this hand forward. Her eyes lingered on his while his hand hung in midair before she slowly grasped his palm tightly into hers. Her small nod affirmed him to step forward; letting him walk around her and slip his other hand behind her waist.
The door to their room was left open as they descended the stairs. She felt an old tingling spark returning with her heart beat escalating. It had been few days since they had been this close to each other. Her attention changed from the stairs towards him. His brows furrowed as he carefully led her step by step, the colors of his eyes remaining charged with a determined look on his face.
She felt the urge to touch his face and erase the anxiousness settled in the creases of his face when she felt her heels give away and he foot sprain. Being unbalanced, she could only feel his strong hands tightening around her and pulling her up straight beside him.
She looked up at him to see anger at her carelessness.
"Stop looking at me and look where you step. I am not going anywhere." he spoke a bit too harshly.
"Here Chotte, give me her hand." Anjali came walking towards them as they neared to the last step.
"She has a ankle sprain Di." he replied back, grasping his hold on her tighter then ever.
"Arnav ji, your holding my hand way too tightly." she whispered making Anjali smile teasingly at them.
"Stop it Di." he uttered taking her towards the couch especially decorated for her and Payal. Taking her feet out he did the same thing e had done the night of their first diwali.
A cough from the other end of the couch broke them away bringing them both back to reality, "I am still here."
"Jiji.."
"I'll be back." Arnav mumbled before getting up and leaving the area altogether.
"Khushi." Payal remarked again.
"huh?"
"You look really pretty. And if you ask me, I think you are having twins." she ended with a wink.
"Jiji!!" she exclaimed.
"Deviyani ji, aapki bari bahu ko do bachein tuo hoonge hoonge!" the old lady sitting beside Deviyani Raizada spoke gushingly observing the radiant glow on Khushi's face.
Deviyani laughed off startled by the idea, "its just a healthy baby probably Parvati ji. Our Chotte was born very healthy too. He looked like a month old at his birth."
"No no Deviyani ji, I think Parvati ji is right. I think its twins too. Aren't these two in the same month."
"No no, Payal betiya is in her seventh. Khushi betiya's delivery date is in the end of the month." Manorama chirped in.
The ladies busied themselves in guessing the gender of the upcoming babies while the the sisters sat with together welcoming the gifts and the teasing by their loving sister-in-law.
Arnav and Akash sat in the corner of the room eying their wives when NK walked in with his camera.
"Ok guys! I need you both to say something. Anything ok."
"I'm not saying anything." Arnav replied grimly.
"What NK bhai. Isn't there enough noise here that you are going to ask us to participate?"
"Nannav, I know. You are such a bore but Akash! Akash you shouldn't disappoint Payal bhabhi like that."
"What do you want me to say?"
NK's face lighted up with excitement, "Anything about what the baby or Payal bhabhi."
"Ermm...Ok. Are you recording?" he asked
"Yeah yeah!!"
"Ok, Dear dear Payal. I'm the only one naming our child. Please tell Khushi ji that we will not consider aloos and puris to name our children after." All the seriousness blew away from Akash's face as he heard his brother chuckle under his breath.
"Not funny at all Bhai! Do you know she made Payal cry!"
NK panned the camera towards a grumpy yet smiling Arnav. "I know. She decided on better names for our child. Are you sure that that wasn't a revenge scheme Khushi was playing on Payal to get back at something?"
"She's your wife. You should know." Akash replied back grimly.
Tired after moving his neck back and forth, NK sat himself down on the chair opposite his cousins, "Guys guys! Calm down. Its time to think."
"Think what?" Akash asked leaning forward.
"Think about your future Akash. Nannav you too. What is going to happen to your lives!"
"What going to happen?" Arnav questioned bit too curiously.
"Well, for starters. There are going to be babies in your room 24/7. Or if not, Khushi ji and Payal Bhabhi in their babies room. No time for you guys." NK uttered as if narrating a horror story, "Think about yourself first Nannav. I know Akash will manage. But what are you going to do? Khushi ji never around you."
"I'll hire more servants to help her out." he spoke in the most obvious tone.
"Khushi ji would never agree to that, Bhai."
"Well, too bad for her."
"You're so stubborn Nannav."
"They call him ASR for a reason NK Bhai."
"Can you two stop."
"You know Nannav, some aunties are talking about how Khushi ji is going to have twins."
"What if they are triplets?" Akash laughed uttering.
"I'll make sure that you both are held more responsible for my death then the babies." Arnav replied getting up and walking off towards his wife.
God, she looked beautiful. He took the surrounding air in while his eyes lingered over her face. Feeling the hotness of gaze upon her, Khushi turned to look at him and wiggled her eyebrows questioning his advances towards her.
"Chotte, you aren't getting her right now. You can take her away after dinner." Anjali stood up blocking his view.
After much of his patience being tested, Arnav walked over towards Khushi who was busy chatting away for her sister and pulled her up.
"You are coming with me."
"Where?" She questioned looking back at her sister and then at him.
"For dinner Khushi. I've seen you eat nothing. Akash is going to get Payal. Stop worrying." They halted as they stepped towards the lounge upstairs. The dinner was already laid out on the table.
"I...I don't want to eat Arnav ji." Khushi whined.
"Open up." he held he spoon full of rice in front of her with a no-nonsense stare adorning his face. She silently ate up everything he fed her. The noise of the bustling guests form downstairs died down slowly. They both looked around to see the family distracted and walking around and cleaning up.
Arnav shook his head before addressing his wife again. "Khushi."
"ji?"
"I want to find out the sex of the baby and I also want to know how many of those are inside you."
"What do you mean how many. Both times, the ultrasound has been fine."
"Khushi everyone thinks we are having twins."
"Haw!!"
"Yes haw! Now we are going tomorrow okay."
"Okay." she uttered yawning before falling asleep in seconds on his shoulder.
Shiv Shakti
Cricket
15