12. Namakaran
"How much old are they?" Shimla Mausi asked turning towards Deviyani Raizada as the three young baby girls clad in plain cotton jumpsuits of different colors, slept peacefully.
"Ten days old already!" she boasted with pride.
"They are really adorable! Didn't we tell you godh-bharai day that it was going to be twins! Look Devi Mayyian gave Arnav bitwa and Khushi betiya three little angels!" Paravati ji spoke sitting beside Madhumati and Garima, who had finally come back from Lucknow.
"I think they all look like Khushi ji, don't you think aunty?" Anjali chipped pulling the cots away from the ladies who were hovering over the babies.
"Yeah betiya. Khushi was really skinny from the time she was born."
"I think the middle one looks bit plum. She might take after Arnav bitwa," Paravati ji chimed in handing Anjali the gift she had taken out from her bag. "Where is the mother of these three? I haven't seen Khushi beti and Arnav in quite a while?"
"Anjali betiya, why don't you go and see. She said she'd be coming down in a while. It's been about twenty minutes." Deviyani uttered to her ever obedient granddaughter who smiled as the reasons for her brother and his wife's absence rose inside her mind.
*Khushi's eyes fell on the clock lying on the dresser as Arnav pulled the hook of her blouse off. She gasped pushing Arnav away who looked at her in shock.
"Khushi!" he uttered
"You've practically disrobed me here and everyone must be waiting for me downstairs!" she exclaimed panicking. She pulled the zipper of the blouse to see it tearing apart. Tears burst from her eyes as the knock on the door echoed the room.
Arnav bit his lip before squeezing her shoulder softly and turned to check the door. He pulled the handles to see his sister standing with a expression that clearly stated she was displeased with him.
"Where is Khushi ji?"
"She is..." he was cut off as his Anjali pursed her lips and pushed open the doors walking inside to see the disheveled condition of his wife.
"Khushi ji? What happened!"
"Devi Mayyian! Why did I marry your brother Di! WHY!"
"What happened Khushi ji."
"I only one full length blouse and the zipper broke! What am I going to do?" she cried.
A smile teased on Anjali's face realizing what had was happening in the room. She suppressed the reaction watching the tiring expression on his brother's face who was standing unusually silent, "It's okay Khushi ji. These zippers weren't probably of good quality. One of mine broke too the other day. Why don't you wear a kurta or salwar suit?"
"I.."
"I have one for you. I was going to gift it to you today. Let me go and bring it." Anjali uttered rushing out towards her room.
Khushi slumped her shoulders and looked at her tear stained face in the mirror. Why was she feeling so restless?
"Khushi?" Arnav spoke moving towards her.
"Ji?" she mumbled in response
"Are you okay? I've never seen you like this before."
She heaved a sigh before looking at him through the mirror. "I don;t know Arnav ji. I just...I just feel so overwhelmed ever since the girls arrived. I...I ... I really do want to spend time with you but I guess the decision of not finding out anything and waiting till the last moment to find out we were having twins...oh god...I just don't feel so prepared!"
His features softened hearing her cry out the tormenting feelings clashing inside her. He took her hand into his as he sat on the edge of the bed, "Khushi. You've been such a wonderful mother in these east few days. You haven't looked at yourself for one minute but only looked at the girls."
"Arnav.." she sighed
"It's okay Khushi. We'll get through this together." he replied softly to the queries in her eyes. Khushi smiled looking at him. She felt compelled to throw her body around him when the knock on the door brought her out of there reverie.
"Aap dono phir shuru hogaye! The guests are waiting downstairs for you so we can start with the pooja!" Anjali spoke entering inside.
"Here Khushi ji! Wear this. It's not to tight and it'll adjust well on you."
"Thanks Di!"
"Chotte, let Khushi ji get ready quickly and come with me. Bua ji and Aunty wants to meet you anyways." Anjali said pulling her brother along with her.
*Arnav stepped down to see many of the ladies sitting down in the hall while the men enjoying chit chatting in the lounge area. He walked towards the men to see Aman sitting with Akash as well.
"Aman?"
"Evening sir!" A man of about Arnav's age stood up and greeted him firmly. "I know I should've told you that I was coming."
"But Aman I never invited anyone from the office." he replied sitting down with his brother.
"Bhai, Khushi ji called him today and threatened his job if he didn't come." Akash spoke cheekily.
"Ah! No wonder!" he smiled sitting back as the congratulations on being a father came his way by the extended family members.
*Anjali walked with Payal and helped her sit before seating herself as well.
"Betiya, where is Khushi?" Deviyani asked
"Her sari got stuck to a nail Nani and got torn. She's just changing and coming down." she replied to see Khushi coming down, holding the sides of the dress as she took small steps coming down. "There Nani, there she is."
Khushi walked over and called Arnav over who without questioning stood up.
"What happened Khushi?"
"The girls. Pooja Arnav ji!"
"Ah." he uttered taking the eldest one up while the youngest one went in arms of Khushi and the middle one rested in her bus's arms.
"Chale chale, pooja ka muharat ho gaya hai!" Madhumati ji
The family gathered in the mandir while the guests lined behind and around the small area as the priest went ahead with blessings the babies and completing the rituals. Arnav's eyes for the first time weren't looking at his wife during a religious ceremony, instead with a soft smile he was looking at the three little angels that laid before him.
It was true that Arnav Singh Raizada always got everything right the first time and when he and Khushi had decided to try to bring a child, he was positive that they were going to make a happy family but as his eyes stayed fixated at the little angels that were lying in front of him, he didn't know wether he was going to keep the women of his life happy or not considering his past record.
"What are you thinking." a soft whisper came into his ear from his left side. He looked at his wife and gave a teasing smirk leaving her gaping.
The prayers subsided in few minutes as the dinner trays opened up. The new members of the Raizada family walked along and found there space in a corner when Anjali finally pulled them in amongst everyone.
"So, what are the names? We deserve to know by now, don't we Payal ji?" Anjali chimed
"Of course, of course! It's been quite a surprise. After all, we need to know how many people with the names of food will be roaming around!" she laughed giving Anjali a high five while the guests looked at each other confused by the joke.
"Alright alright!" Arnav intervened in between the ladies. "Okay, so amongst the three we've decided to name all of them with the same letter."
"Yeah, Arnav ji realized that he can't name them after him so he had to go with the letter." Khushi chipped a snarky comment to which Arnav rolled his eyes.
"Beta now tell us that what ARE you both naming the children!" Shimla Mausi remarked.
"The eldest is Apsara Arnav Singh Raizada. The second one is Asmara Arnav Singh Raizada and the little one is Aaina (meaning mirror in hindi) Arnav Singh Raizada." Khushi finally exclaimed.
"I like Apsara. Whose choice was it?" NK questioned.
"Khushi's." Arnav smiled.
"The names are beautiful bitwa!" Nani ji remarked.
"Yesh yesh! Very bhootiful names!" Mani ji commented in English at which Mama ji rolled his eyes at.
"Now what we have to see is how Arnav bitwa manages the cricket team he has gotten!" Mama ji joined teasingly.
Arnav looked at the glow adorning his wife as felt his worries of being a good father brushing off. He had her and that was it. He didn't need anything more.
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Edited by areeba_blossom - 11 years ago
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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