FF- We Are Family NOTE pg. 78 6/7 - Page 7

She shifted in her seat from one side to another as her eyes kept glancing at the clock on the wall. There was only 5 more minutes left, before it was their turn. What am I going to do now? It is almost time and I am not even properly ready! What now? Haye Devi Maiyya! Why does this always end up happening? I was prepared this time! We were all prepared but off course it couldn't happen as planned. How could it when he is in the plan'

She broke out of her thoughts when she heard a girl's name being called, "Mariam Patel." What!?!? NO!! No it can't be!! It's his turn next!! Right?!? Right?!? Just to make sure, she went through the alaphbet, already knowing the result. P comes before Q which comes before R. Since no one has a last name by Q then' It's his turn'

Frantically she looked at the door to see if he was there yet, but to her disappointment, no one was there. He promised him! He promised Adi he would be here. Where is he?!?! Oh if he doesn't come...! Adi was so happy! He was looking forward for this event since he the beginning of the year and when he said he was coming, Adi was over the moon!! How could he break Adi's heart?!

Then it happened. What she had feared for happened.

"Aditya Singh Raizada please stand up," the old man said in his booming voice.

"Mommy, mommy! Where is daddy??" asked the girl sitting next to her as she pulled on Khushi's hand.

"Daddy? I don't know where daddy is beta," Khushi gritted out thinking, But I know where Daddy will be when he arrives at home tonight.

"Did he forget?" questioned Viren who was sitting next to his sister, already too aware of the answer.

"No bhai! Silly why would Daddy forget?!?! Daddy would never forget! He is Arnav Singh Raizada! My Daddy! Who never forgets! It's all that old man's fault. Can't he see Daddy isn't here yet? How dare he forget," Rhea exclaimed as she hit her on the arm for being so dumb.

"Exactly! How dare that old man forget that I am not here yet?! It's his entire fault! Right bunny?" said a voice as he neared his family who were sitting on the corner seats, one seat empty, waiting for him.

"Daddy!!" Rhea said as she quickly ran into him, giving him a bear hug around his legs.

"See. If it wasn't for my Rhea, all you would be planning a conspiracy against me," Arnav commented as he lifted his baby girl in his arms, "You okay bunny?" smiling when she nodded her head, too concentrated with his tie too actually understand what he had said.

"Daddy where were you?" asked Adi when he finally came down from the stage, a degree in his hand.

"Oh never mind that shonu! You did it!! You passed all of your exams!! You passed first grade!" Khushi exclaimed as she picked up her little boy and spun him around.

Without even realizing what happened, she ended up losing her balance since she stepped on the heam of her saree. She was about to falling back on her spine, when she felt a hand on her back, steadying her by bringing her closer to the body. She didn't have to see whose hand it was since she would have know that hand and the body on which she was now leaning, any day. She looked up to see him looking at her with worry in his eyes and found herself lost once again.

Khushi forgot that she was still holding Adi and that they were in public. His eyes held hers in an unmoving trance. Everything around them faded as she kept staring at his eyes which always had spoken more to her than he himself had. She only snapped out of the trance when she saw the worry out of his eyes, slipping back into the depths of the cover he had made, the steel gray stare that had people shaking.

How could you Khushi?! What was that?! How can you melt so easily?!?! Is that all it takes? A worried glance to break you?? Haye Devi Maiyya! Shakti dena! She turned back to look at Adi to make sure he was alright, all too aware of the fact that his arm was now around both of them in an unbreakable hold. Her head was so close to his chest, she could hear his heart beat, which only made her more nervous and giddy but he did not need to know that. He didn't affect her and the proximity was not going to resolve the deed he had done today.

"Mom are you okay?" Viren asked as he quickly moved up to his Mom and Adi, dragging Rhea behind him.

"Bhai what has gotten into you today?! Why do you keep asking dumb questions??" Rhea asked as she finally yanked her hand away from her brother's tight grip.

"Good question Rhea!" Adi contributed, not even aware of what was going on between his parents.

He gave his Mommy a big kiss on her cheek and leaned over from her arms to give his Daddy and one too, and then slipped down from his mother's hold. Rhea immediately slipped her hand into his to make sure he wouldn't get lost and grabbed hold of her other brother by his arm, so they all wouldn't get lost.

"Di! I'm your di!!" Rhea complained for the millionth time.

Every since Adi had started to talk, he had adopted a habit of copying Rhea. Since she called her Mommy, Mommy, he had to as well. This all worked out fine for everyone in the family until the day Adi started calling Rhea by her name. Everyone in the family was older than Rhea so they called her by her name but when Adi had been born, Rhea had been the happiest out of all since now she had someone who would call her Di. When Adi had refused to adopt to the name Rhea had assigned herself, it started the first rough patch in their brother and sister relationship, which was only added on to as everyday passed by. In the end the two would always go crying to their older brother, Viren, and bad mouth the other until Viren told them who was right and wrong in the argument.

Now that the word Di had been mentioned, Viren knew that a fight would start off with the two so he stopped paying attention to his Mom thinking, Dad's here. She is fine as along as he is here. He turned his full attention to his little brother and sister who were already about to yank each other's hair out in frustration. Somethings never change'

Khushi watched as Adi went to stand next to his sister and started to argue as well. She kept her eyes intently on her children, trying to ignore his hot breath as she felt him moving closer to her. Her heart skipped as it always did when he was so close and she started to breath hard. The only reason her eyes had not closed by now was since she was staring at her kids.

"Careful," he whispered in her ear huskily, smirking when she finally caved in and closed her eyes. He pulled away and quickly picked up Adi, "Let's go guys! We have to get home!" leaving a baffled Khushi to follow them.

They were just about to leave the school when Adi pulled on his tie trying to get his attention.

"Daddy, you didn't' didn't forget my gradation right?" Adi emplored, his eyes wide as tears neared falling out of them.

"No Adi! I did not forget you gradation!" Arnav told him sincerely, bringing up one of his hands to his face, "Now stop crying Adi. You know I don't like tears."

In response Adi just wrapped his arms around his dad and placed his head comfortably on his shoulder. "I love you daddy," he whispered and closed his eyes to fall asleep.

When they reached home, Arnav quickly went to put Adi into bed since he had fallen asleep in his arms. He walked into the additional room that had been added to Raizada Mansion just for the kids. The house was empty right now since Nani had gone on another teerat yatra, taking Mami, Mama, and Di with her this time. Akash and Payal, who had recently gotten married, had gone for their honeymoon while Dhruv was probably at work. All of the prakash brothers were on vacation excluding Om Prakash who had gone with Nani.

Arnav sat down on the bed and looked at Adi for some time. It surprised him how much the little boy looked like his mother when he cried, they all did. He hated it when anyone of them cried and for some reason, he felt horrible today for being late even though it had not been his fault. He put his hand on Adi's head and stroked his hair slowly. Finally, he got up and walked to their room, thinking of all of the work he had yet to do.

So I hope you liked the first part of my FF!! It's longg haha😃

Anyway, Do leave comments and likes!! Its really helpful espeically since I pm so many ppl!! Thank you so much for those who do like and comment! I do read them all and and like!😃