Part 2
"Amma, are you mad at me?" Ebu asked as he laid on his Amma's back and hugged her.
"No, baby...Why I will be angry with you?" Khushi asked, her eyes closed. She was feeling so sleepy and tired.
"Then why are you not playing with me?" Ebu asked and buried his face between her neck and shoulder.
"I...I am feeling little sleepy, Ebu.." And exhausted, too. Khushi thought. But she knows Arnav ji was sitting on the recliner, and if she says anything about her health, it will be enough to send him into panic mode. She can do without a panicked Arnav ji.
"But you never sleep at day time." Ebu said.
"Hmm...I know ... I am still sleepy ...you too take rest. Come here..." she pulled him down on the bed and held him close.
Ebu sulked. "But Amma, I want to play...please play with me?"
Khushi opened her eyes and stared at his dear face. She smiled. She remembered the cranky little baby Nani had placed in her arms. He had become dearest to her the moment she had seen him, felt him. People say he is not her Son. But they don't what she feels for him. They don't know how much she loves him. They don't know what he means to her. They don't know how much he loves her. They don't know her baby stays up whole night when she is not well, taking care of her. They don't know anything. Then how can they judge their feelings? Why should she bother about what people say then? Abeer is her Son, only her.
She kissed him and held him close. "Amma loves Ebu.. Amma will do anything for Ebu .." pulling him back, she caressed back the strand from his forehead. "We will play. Come" Getting off the bed, she picked him in his arms. "Ask Daddy if he wants to play with us.." Khushi whispered in Ebu's ear.
"Daddy , would you play with us?"
Arnav's finger stopped working on keypad and he turned his head to look at Khushi and Abeer.
"No, I have some work." Arnav replied and went back to his work.
Khushi's smile dropped from her face.
"Daddy don't want to come, Amma." Ebu said and smiled at her.
Khushi nodded her head and turned to leave the room, Ebu's smile bothering her. He isn't upset with his Father's refusal. He is content with her. She don't want that. She want Ebu to love Arnav ji the way he loves her. The way he craves for her, nags her, she want him to do all these with his Father too. But, neither he nor Arnav ji behave like a normal Son and Father. Ebu talks with Arnav ji when she asks him to, or when he needs something from him. Arnav ji never initiate the conversation with Ebu, and his answer to Ebu is always monosyllabic.
It's like Arnav ji has build an invisible wall around him, hiding himself from Ebu, and Ebu has become accustomed to it. She don't want that. She wants Ebu to be as free and comfortable with Arnav ji as he is with her. She needs to talk to Arnav ji soon.
"Amma, catch!" Ebu shouted and threw the ball towards her, standing at little distance from her.
Khushi extended the hand to catch the ball, the heat of the sun making her feel light headed. She threw the ball back at Ebu.
"Amma throw properly!" Ebu complained. Khushi smiled. When he can't catch the ball, it's she not throwing the ball properly.
Khushi caught the ball and lifted her hand to throw it when everything went black momentarily. She staggered back. She caught her suddenly heavy head between her palms and knelt down on the grass.
"Amma, what happened?!" Abeer ran towards his Mother and knelt in front of her. "Amma, kya hua?"
"Baby, can you call your Daddy.." Khushi swallowed. "My head is spinning..."
Abeer got on his feet "I will be back soon, Amma. Don't worry" He shouted and ran inside the house.
Abeer entered the room, breathless. He went and stood in front of him. "Daddy come with me, fast"
"I told you I don't want to play, Abeer" Arnav replied, eyes fixed on the file in his hand.
"No. I don't want you to play. Amma's head is spinning, she is asking for you. Please come fast."
All the colors drained from his face, he lifted his eyes to stare at Abeer. "What did you say?"
"Amma...her head is spinning, she told me. Come fast.." he tugged at his hand.
Arnav stood up with a jerk and ran outside the room, panic gripping his heart.
"Khushi!!" His heart thudded violently against his rib cage as he saw her lying on the grass. He ran towards her and pulled her on his lap. "Khushi?..Khushi?...Wake up ...Wake up dammit!" he patted her cheek. "Khushi?" Picking up in his arms, he strode inside the room.
"Is Amma fine, Daddy?" Abeer asked, his throat cloaked with tears. It's all because of him. He shouldn't have nagged Amma to play with him. She had wanted to sleep.
Arnav heard nothing. He laid her on the bed and rubbed her hands. "Khushi ...Khushi get up please... Open your eyes, idiot!" With his mind going blank with worry and fear, he picked the glass of water from the bed side table and poured it down on her face. "Khushi...Yes, please get up ..." A shuddering breath left his body as he saw her opening her eyes.
"Is Amma fine, Daddy?" Abeer asked again as he came and stood beside his Mother.
Arnav gritted his teeth. With anger and fear blinding his mind, he ragged at Abeer. "She told you she don't want to play with you, still you coaxed her! Why? Ek din nahi khelte toh kuch ho jaata kya?! Why did you do that?!"
Khushi gritted her teeth and forced her eyes open. He cannot talk to Ebu like that! What is he thinking?
"Khushi?..." Arnav saw her trying to sit and leapt forward to help her. But she jerked his hands away. "Khushi?" his confused eyes looked into her angry ones.
"Leave me alone.."
"Amma...are you ...are you fine?" Abeer sobbed. It all happened because of him.
Khushi's chest tightened painfully and tears pricked her eyes. Not listening to Arnav ji's protest, she stood off the bed and picked Ebu in her arms.
"Khushi you are not well, dammitt! Keep him down and get back into the bed!"
Khushi gave him a cold glare before walking out of the room.
"God dammitt! Get back here!!" Arnav shouted, angry.
Khushi clutched the sobbing Ebu to her heart. "Nothing happened because of my baby. See I am fine. Daddy was angry. He shouts at me, too. You know that, right? Don't listen to him. Stop crying, Ebu. Stop it please, baby..." She entered the Ebu's room and lay on the bed with him. "Shh... Amma is all right ... Stop crying ... Daddy was just angry , he loves you. Are you listening to me , baby?" She pulled him from her chest and cupped his face. "Look at me, baby. Forget everything. Close your eyes and relax." She again held him close and ran her hand over his back. "Shh... my baby is world's best baby.."
Khushi pulled back as she heard his even breathing, indicating he was asleep. Tucking him inside the blanket, she got up from the bed and headed back to her room. She needs some answers today, and she will not have otherwise.
She stomped inside the room to see Arnav ji pacing the room, his fist clenched in a tight ball. Walking towards him, she stood in front of him.
"What was that? How can you say such things to our baby? He was crying already and you blamed him for everything? How can you, Arnav ji?" Khushi demanded, too furious.
Arnav closed his eyes for few seconds to compose himself before opening it to look at her.
"You told him you don't want to play today and still he coaxed you. Wasn't that wrong?"
Khushi eyes widened at his answer. "Wrong? Wrong?! Hey Devi Maiya! What is wrong you ask? He already was feeling guilty and you went ahead accusing him for the same. And if you care so much for me then you should have volunteered instead. He did ask you to join, didn't he? But you refused!"
"Do not talk to me like that!" Arnav gritted his teeth. She has changed. She ...she has become bold. She is no longer the love struck puppy that use to obey his every command, grudgingly, but did, nonetheless. Now she just charges at him and demand answers. Doesn't abide him till he gives her a good reason to do that. She is no longer the timid, giggling girl he had married. "Fool" he said aloud. The former one was better to manage.
"What did you say? You called me a fool? I am no fool, you are! Why don't you act like a Father. Fathers don't open their mouth to only shout at their kids, but to also convey how much they love them. Why don't you then? Why you keep Ebu at bay? Why? Answer me!"
"You just love to prove how much you love Abeer despite of not being his biological Mother. I have no such hobby." He knew he wasn't making sense, but he like to be in attacking mode.
Khushi gaped at him. "What? You...You are changing the topic. The question is why you don't act like a normal Father? Answer me. Now. You ...You restrain yourself from ...from Ebu ... You ... It looks like...like ..." she closed her eyes. She don't want to say this, but this is exactly what she feels. "You ...you don't love him...'She opened her eyes to look at him. "No..I don't mean like that ...I mean you ...you don't care to show how much you love him ... You just don't care ... It's like you force yourself to stay away from Ebu... Why? Why you do that?" Khushi clutched her head, it had started spinning again.
Arnav was beside her in no time, pulling her in his arms. "Khushi, are you OK? Dammit you didn't had your lunch today, this is all because of that." Picking her up, he laid her down on the bed and sat beside her. "Khushi, talk to me...open your eyes..." he cupped her right cheek in his palm. "Khushi.."
Khushi was angry, irritated, furious. She was not feeling herself. It irritated her. A tear spilled out of her close lids. "You sometimes upset me so much..." a soft sob left her mouth, she was feeling sooo sad.
"Khushi, look ..." He swallowed. He don't want to upset her, but some things he can't change, it's not in his hand, he is helpless. "Khushi, .." he wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks and kissed her lips. "You take rest, you are not well ...I will bring something for you to eat...I ..am sorry, I will be more careful with Abeer next time ...I am sorry , if that makes you happy.. "
Khushi wanted to shout at him that she don't want him to be careful with Abeer, she want him to show how much he loves Ebu! But she felt tired to the bones, no energy left to fight this stubborn man she loves so much. So she allowed him to kiss her gently, and go away to bring something for her to eat.
Hope you all liked the update!
294