From the author's desk: You guys owe me for this update... Its a long one.. and I have been putting that extra time to give you all an update a day.. hahaha.. I know... I usually update only on weekends... but this time... its been almost three updates already in three days...Ok Ok.. to compensate for my long absence may be... Hope you all like it...
happy reading.. and yeah thanks for those lovely lovely comments... Love you all for every single comment! Do leave your comment reading this update too!
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Part 45
"Cancel the trip Rati... Do as I say .. I dont have to tell you the reasons" Arnav barked at his PA, Rati- the unfortunate girl who took over after Aman was sacked. Rati was a
competent girl and handled all the tasks given to her effeciantly even though Arnav's rage often pushed her near to tears, but the girl was little inquistive and talkative too.
Arnav was frustrated because of what was happening at home right now and as usual Rati became a target for his anger. He pulled out the bluetooth and threw it on the bed. After
the turn of events that evening, even after screaming at Rati for no fault of hers, his temper became still more acute, and he was sure he would react in a way that he would
regret later and decided to go on a long drive to calm down his temper and emotions. He grabbed his car keys and made to move out when he heard the slightest of a whimper. He
stopped on his tracks and looked behind him towards to the source of the sound. Did he inadvertently woken up Arush with his yelling?
Arush kept twisting in his sleep. Arnav went near him, and not knowing what to do, slowly called out his name. But Arush rolled over and then sat up straight, took a look at the
surrounding, and then started crying as the unfamiliar surrounding was making him scared.
Arnav remembered Kushi telling him that Arush was a little restless because this place was new to him.
"Arush.. Thats ok.." Arnav called out in a soft tone, trying to calm him down. Arush looked at Arnav and lifted both his hands up asking to lift him up.
Arnav lifted him up slowly, He had never held any baby in his hand, he felt awkward wondering if he was holding the baby right, and protectively held him close to his chest. He
didnt know what to tell him, he went and sat on the recliner, and cleared his throat.
"Dont be scared Arush, this is your house.. our house.." he spoke out to Arush wondering if Arush could understand what he is speaking...
"Dad is here...with you.." he added awkwardly blinking down at his son...
Arush watched his father's face, touching it with his chubby, soft and rosy palms.. replying back in some gibberish tone. This made Arnav grin at Arush, who looked around the room
and soon wanted to get out of Arnav's arms and toddled awkwardly towards the side table where a lot of photostands were kept.
Arnav who was not sure if Arush could walk, watched him "so you can walk?" He asked as he kneeled and moved behind him, scared if he would trip and fall down.
Arush promptly went to the table and took a photostand by the table.
"Maamma" he called out looking at Kushi
"Yeah.. thats Momma.." Arnav confirmed and Arush bent down kissing the photograph.
Arnav smiled remembering the times he had done the same thing.
Arush looked around and picked another photo in which Arnav and Kushi were together.
Arnav didnt know if Arush had initially called him Pappa just by coincidence or he really knew what it meant.
"Who is this Arush?" he asked slowly indication him in the pic
"Paapaaa" Arush told promptly..
"Dad" Arnav tutored him "say Dad Arush...Dad..Dad " Arnav repeated as Arush kept looking at Arnav and then back at his pic.
Kushi enter the room with the dinner plate and was startled to look at both the men in her life sitting by the side table enjoing a chat.
"Arush.. you got up? " She exclaimed "how did he?" she started to ask as she looked at Arnav and then stopped hesitantly
"I..I didnt wake him up.. He woke up and I.."
"I didnt mean to ask that.. No problem..lets have dinner first.." she told as she laid the table in the bed side table. She put the photographs in the right spot again.
As she put it back she recognised one of the photos which was not there before, her pic from the photoshoot that that had happen long back...during her days at AR. She stealed a
quick look towards Arnav who had been looking at her reaction seeing and recognizing the picture. Arnav looked away quickly as he realised that she was looking at him. Kushi put
Arush back in bed and told him to lie down..
"Nuuuh nuuuh..." Arush shook his head vigorously side to side and then said "teeetee" pointing at the television
"No TV Arush... its late. its time to go to bed"
"Teeteee" Arush told again gritting his 4 little teeth and slapping his hand hardly on the bed
"I said no"
"teetee" Arush shouted again grabbing Arnav's bluetooth which was lying next to him and throwing it further away on the bed.
"How dare you? " Kushi shouted.
Arush was nonchalent as he picked up the AC remote lying on the bed and pointing it to the TV.
"Thats the AC remote" Arnav told him helpfully as Kushi stared at him too
Giving up finally, she picked up the TV remote and switched it on and muttered "Look at how he has ended up... so adamant about what he needs... Just like his father"
"What?" Arnav gave her a unbelievable expression
Kushi ignored him "Only till Maa and Pappa finish dinner ok?" She told Arush.
"I am not hungry" Arnav muttered as he opened his laptop.
"I know you are angry with me.. Dont show your anger on your food.. Come and have some food"
"Didnt I tell you .. I am not hungry.. Leave me alone"
"Dont make it a point to prove to Arush how adamant you can get...come and.."
"Shutup Kushi.. I am not a kid.. I told you I dont want anything...you dont have to tell me what to do. Quit nagging me"
"I will keep nagging you until you eat...you have to take your medicines..."
"you dont have to act as if you care" Arnav retorted back in anger, which he knew hurt her badly
"Arnav.. how can you say like that?"
"Oh stop it Kushi... Where did all this concern go when you left me 2 years ago and vanished?"
Kushi's eyes welled up and Arush looked curiosuly at both of them, He looked disturbed as if he understood that all was not well between the two of them. Kushi looked at her son
and then slowly spoke out
"You dont like this cartoon beta? you like this?" she asked changing channel and then patting her son calming him down. Arnav watched this and went back to his laptop with a sigh.
"Arnav please.. Didnt I tell you I did it to protect you?
and can we talk about this after Arush sleeps? He doesnt seem to like the fact that we are arguing..." Kushi asked Arnav as she brought a peice of chapati towards his mouth
Arnav glared at her and then pushed away her hand, and started working on his laptop
"please?" Kushi asked him again waiting for him to open his mouth but he didnt budge she withdrew her hand as a tear drop fell on his hand.
Kushi was about to turn away when he pulled her hand which was holding the chapati peice and took the chapati into his mouth. Kushi smiled through her tears.
"Arnav.. thanks.. I.." Kushi started to tell but Arnav pulled the plate from her hand and started to eat by himself
"There is no need to thank me for this" Arnav commented cynically.
*****
Kushi put away the dinner plates by the corner table and took out her luggage, searching for her night suit
"Oh my bad!..I didnt pack anything suitable for milk feeding" She muttered as she pulled out her nightdress. Arnav looked at her then back at his laptop on which her had been
working on after he had gobbled up his dinner.
As she went into the bathroom to change into her night dress, Arush came down slowly and walked towards his father.
"Hey Arush.. Arent you feeling sleepy.. its close to 11 now..." Arnav asked his as he worked on the laptop. He heard the bathroom door open
"Arush.. again, you stepped out of your bed... get into the bed baby...we can play tomorrow" Kushi called out picking him up again and putting him to bed. Arnav noticed that Kushi
was wearing loose pyjamas and a light colored top which was thin enough to cling on to her. Though he realised Kushi's dressing style has changed in these two years, with her
comfort level for her night dress, she must be used to wearing this at night, this was the first time he was seeing her like this. He was angry with himself for loosing control
like that and turned to concentrate on his document, which was proving to be a herculean task right now.
"Dadadad" Arush protested wanting to stay near Arnav
Arnav immediately looked at Arush, a grin slowly spreading on his lips, Arush looked at his dad proud of himself, returning his grin
"what did you say?" Kushi asked "you learnt a new word?" she was surprised "say it again?"
"Daaddaa" Arush told again pointing at Arnav
"Oh you taught him that is it? " She asked Arnav "Hmm.. All the time I showed you pappa's photograph and taught you to say Papa... and now in ten minutes to learn to say Dad? such
a Daddy's boy!" She called out happily
"What? You showed him my photograph?"
"Yeah.. then how do you think he recognised you the moment he saw you.. I have been talking to him about you.."
"Oh great!.. when he could have bonded with the real me.. you showed him my photograph...to show him who is dad is... great going.. you must be really proud of yourself Kushi"
Arnav was skeptical, Kushi bit her lip
"Why do you have to cut me like this everytime Arnav. Dont you think,I would have a fair enough reason for whatever I did"
"If you havent noticed, I have been asking you the same reason for umpteen times this evening Kushi...I wouldnt If I didnt believe you had a valid reason."
Kushi didnt comment further but tried to put Arush to sleep that didnt happen for a quiet long time. Finally after all the playing, Arush started pulling a kushi's neckline,
wanting her to feed him again.
"Mmaaamma"
"No Arush.. wait wait.. No you shouldnt pull like this..." She told him, getting uncomfortable as she saw Arnav looking at her.
"Mmaaammaa" Arush called out again, geting impatient, putting his mouth on top of her dress, indicating her that he needed his milk
"Stop it.."Kushi laughed as she pulled the blanket covering both of them. As soon as the little one started sucking his milk, he kicked away the blanket, exposing his mom to his
father's eyes.
Arnav saw that as Kushi had been wearing a top which didnt have front buttons on it, She had lifted her shirt a little to feed her son, and As Arush had kicked away the blanket,
her milky white expanse on her stomach and chest came into Arnav' full view, making his mouth go dry. Kushi felt uncomfortable too as she tried to get the blanket which was
further away now and looked at Arnav who was very often than not watching her with his blazing eyes.
He got up slowly and came near her, He was about to give the blanket end back to her when she screamed
"Aahhh"
"What the.. I didnt do anything... I only .."
"He bit me.. " She said looking back at her son
Arush giggled as he kept sucking his milk
"Oh .. " Arnav sighed as he pulled the end of the blanket and gave it to her
"Did your father teach you this also?" she asked arush, playing hitting him
"What...How inthe world would I teach him that?" He asked her incredulously.
"I dont know" She answered back, Blushing profusely
Arnav couldnt stop smirking as her turned back. He went to get some water, but the water jug was empty. He moved towards the door.
"Where are you going?... You dont have to leave the room...I mean...Arush is almost done..." Kushi told him
"No its not that...I shall be back after fetching some water from the kitchen" Arnav smiled as called out as he moved out of the room
"Oh ok" Kushi called out as Arnav's smile changed into a smirk again.
As he reached the kitchen, he saw a shadow moving towards the main door, and moved back towards the hall to get a better look, he saw Sid walking out of the door.
Curiousity getting the better of him, he followed Sid, only to discover that Sid had actually got out to meet his mysterious friend.
"Are you there mate?" He heard sid call out softly.
"Hi Sid!" a familiar voice called out. It didnt take long for Arnav to place the voice to the correct person, afterall he had grown to loathe that person. Arnav was shocked to
realise whom the voice belonged to and his doubts were confirmed as he saw a hooded figure emering out of the bushes and walk towards the place were Sid was standing.
"Long time" the voice called out again as he saw Shyam's face by the moonlight.
To be continued
Edited by abavi - 12 years ago
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
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