Nothing Can Keep Us Apart
Part 100 - They're here
"They're here! They're here! Nana, Nani, Didi, Bhai, they're here!" Dhiren ran up and down the halls of the mansion, having seen his parent's car turning into the main driveway from his window. Now he was determined to inform everyone in the house.
"Dhiren beta, sambhal ke," said Rano, trying to hurry after him.
"Nani, they're here, they're here," he yelled, jumping up and down.
"Dhiren," said Priya in a firm voice, as she walked up to him and placed her hand on his should, "remember what we talked about at breakfast?"
"I know, I know. No running, no shouting, be good for Mama, be careful with Choti. Didi, they're here, they're here!"
Priya smiled and shook her head fondly at her brother's enthusiasm. He was too little and it was too hard for him to contain his excitement. However, with little Tanaya coming home, he was going to have to learn how to become a big brother.
"Dhiren, I want you to listen to me very closely. You are Tanaya's big brother. It's your job to help look after her." Dhiren nodded his head up and down, agreeing with what his didi was saying. "Do you want your choti to cry?"
"No, Didi, Choti can't cry. I'm her big brother. She can't be sad, only happy."
"Well, if you run around all crazy and yell, she might cry."
"No! Why?"
"Well, Tanaya is a little baby. She doesn't understand things yet. She will get upset if you do that kind of behavior. But, if you talk softly and move gently, she will like that."
Dhiren thought for a while, and then asked in a whisper, "Is this soft enough, Didi?"
Priya smiled her approval and gave him a big hug. Her little brother had actually spoken softly for once. It was almost unbelievable. After a few seconds she felt him squirm, a clear indication that he wanted out of the hug. He then tugged on her arm and started whispering again.
"Didi, I need my picture. Where is my picture?"
"Let's go look for it."
Rano watched her grandson and granddaughter walk off hand in hand, and couldn't stop the tears falling down her cheeks. Mohinder came up beside her and wiped her tears away. With the silent language of spouses, he asked what the matter was. Rano just shook her head and smiled.
Taking a deep, calming breath, she folded her hands and looked up, saying, "Shukriya, Babaji, that we are here with our daughter and her family. That we can see our grandchildren happy and playing."
Mohinder also smiled and said, "We should thank Babaji for giving us such a good daamaad. It is only due to him that Geet was willing to forgive us."
Rano nodded in agreement, remember all those months ago when she had first approached Maan to ask for his help. He had been skeptical, but loved Geet very much, and was willing to do anything for her happiness. Unfortunately, he had not been successful in convincing Geet to speak with them, and Rano had feared that they lost the chance for ever. However, the entire family came back to Hoshiarpur only a few months later for Rajji's godh bharai, and they finally had a chance to talk. Maan had spent those months carefully discussing the situation with Geet, until she was ready to finally give her parents another chance.
It had also turned into a double happiness when the entire family found out that Geet's slight feelings of illness were actually caused by pregnancy. Rano had been especially happy, because the first time her daughter was carrying a child, circumstances were such that it was impossible to rejoice. She didn't even know about her two other grandchildren until they met at the Godh Bharai. Only a mother could understand the joy to be felt when her only child was about to become a mother herself. Rano had missed out on that joy three times previously, but was finally able to feel it with her fourth grandchild.
The entire family gathered near the entrance, with the children waiting anxiously for their new sibling to be brought home for the first time. When Maan and Geet came in the house everyone came forward at once, excited to welcome the new addition to the family. Maan was definitely in protective mode, telling everyone to move back and let Geet and the baby get seated on the couch. Only then could everyone get their chance with the baby, but only one at a time.
The children lined up excitedly, waiting their turn. Priya got to go first as the eldest, Amit next, and then finally Dhiren. Priya and Amit had talked to each other and decided that they wouldn't ask to hold the baby, since if they did, Dhiren was sure to want to. They knew that he was not experienced enough with babies to hold Tanaya, and he was too little anyways. They didn't want him to feel bad about not getting to hold their sister.
If the truth was told, Amit was relieved too. The only baby he had ever held was Pari Bua's, and he had to have help from his mom to do that. He didn't want to look like he wasn't a big boy in front of his family, so selflessly giving up his chance to make Dhiren feel better appealed to his ego.
When it was Dhiren's turn, the adults were a little nervous and ready to step in if there was any problem. They didn't think that Dhiren would do anything on purpose, but he was so little, he would have trouble knowing how to act. They needn't have worried. Priya had coached him very well. He whispered hello to his choti and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. He then pulled out his picture and unfolded it to show his little sister.
"See, Choti? This is our family. Here's me, Dhiren Bhai, and here's Amit Bhai, and that's Didi, and there's Papa and Mama, and that's you right there."
"That's a wonderful picture, Dhiren," said Geet, proud of her youngest son. "You are turning into such a talented artist!"
Dhiren beamed at the praise from his mother and said proudly, "Didi helped by writing the names for me, but I did the drawing all by myself."
"You did?" asked Geet, impressed.
"Yes, Mama, I did."
Just at that moment Tanaya started whimpering, and Geet stood up and took her off to the nursery. Dhiren was upset, thinking that he had made her cry, even though he had done everything that Priya told him. Maan was quick to assure him that it wasn't his fault, and that Tanaya would cry over other things sometimes, not just because of how her brother treated her. After getting a hug and some soothing words from his father, Dhiren finally noticed that someone who had be missing was finally back.
"Dadi!" Temporarily over come by excitement, Dhiren reverted back to his shouting as he ran towards Savitri. He held out his arms, indicating he wanted her to pick him up. She obliged.
"Dadi, you've been gone..." Dhiren thought to himself, slowly counting on his fingers, and then giving up and holding all his fingers up towards his great-grandmother's face, "...this many days!"
"Really? That many days? That's a long time." Savitri laughed at her great-grandson's exaggeration. She had only been gone two days to take care of some work for the Khurana Foundation.
"Dadi, did you see our new baby?"
"Yes, I did, Dhiren."
"Isn't she cute? I drew her picture, you know."
"So I see. But Dhiren, there is a problem with this picture. I'm not there."
Dhiren's eyes got big as he realized that his grandmother was right. He thought seriously for a minute. Then his eyes brightened.
"I know," he said, "I'll make another picture of you and Nana and Nani. And then I'll make a picture of Adi mausa and Pinky mausi, Chachu and Chachi, and Mausi and Mausa and Narinder, Mamuji and Mamiji..."
Maan laughed to himself, as his little male Geet continued to ramble off people in their family he wanted to draw. He was also amused as Priya tried to explain to Dhiren once again that he should refer to Meera as Aunty and not Chachi. Dhiren just didn't want to listen. He insisted that Meera was his chachi, and he would call her Chachi.
With his children well occupied, he decided to slip away to the nursery and spend some time with Geet and the baby. Even though he was a father for the fourth time, he still could not get over the wonder at having helped in creating a new life. He also loved having the opportunity of watching his wife nurse their children. She always scolded him for being naughty, but he knew that she secretly loved the attention. Unable to resist any longer, Maan strode off towards the nursery, intent on reuniting once again with the one who had given him this happy life.
And Thanks Goes To:
Nothing this time
Who Got There First:
Geet forgives her family - Serial first. Jan. 22 episode
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So, as Dhiren is only three, he is unlikely to have enough coordination to draw a picture as well as the one shown, but since it was actually me who drew the picture, I preferred to have it be something more recognizable than scribbles. We'll just pretend that Dhiren is going to become a super talented artist, and is able to draw so well at three, okay?
Edited by laxmi2010 - 14 years ago
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