FINE WINE Last Part

 

Last Part

It was Khushi’s eighth month. Arnav wanted to see the movement of the baby most frequently. He liked it very much. He enjoyed the movement of the baby keeping his palm on Khushi’s belly. Her stomach moved like a wave.

“Khushi…look at your stomach…” he shouted.

Khushi smiled.

The movements of the baby enthralled the kids. They requested Khushi to be with them to see the movement. They were so excited to see that. After finishing their homework, they curiously sat with Khushi in Arshi’s room.

“See see… her tummy is moving,” Shali said.

“Wow… yes…” Shamli clapped.

“Come here” Khushi called them.

They came close to Khushi. Holding their hands, she kept their palms on her stomach. At first, they feared touching her tummy. They fisted their fingers tight.

“Arrye, why are you scared? Nothing will happen. You can feel your brother. He will touch you”

Aarav took the lead. Khushi’s belly slightly raised up. They could say it was his ELBOW. Aarav looked at Arnav who nodded his head like, go ahead. He touched it with his fingertip and nodded his head excitedly. Shali and Shamli looked at each other. Both of them slowly touched her belly which moved slightly.

“Yes… he is moving,” they said, cheerfully.

“Mom, is it aching when he moves?”

Khushi nodded no.

“He should move… then only we can be relaxed”

“Why so?”

“The baby would move only if he/she is alive”

“is it…?”

“Mmm…”

“When will he come to us?”

“Very soon”

“Will you let us take him?”

Before Khushi answered, Arnav did.

“No way…”

“Why Dad?”

“He will be so small. His neck bone would not have been stronger. If you don’t hold him properly, his neck will be strained. Being a small kid, he should not tolerate the pain. He will be crying until it gets cured. Even I’m not going to pick him until his neck bone becomes strong” Arnav said.

“Ok, we will also pick him when his neck bone becomes strong,” They said.

Khushi sighed in relief. She was so worried about how to stop the kids from picking the baby because children would like to pick the baby and it was common. Thank God, Arnav solved the problem.

 

A month later

Khushi almost stopped going to the office. Of course, Arnav also. He went to the office only if needed. He was almost at home and went to the office only twice or thrice a week. They were expecting a family member after all.

Arnav was sleeping. His sleep was disturbed as Khushi tapped his back. He woke up and looked at her with sleepy eyes. His sleep fled away, seeing her in some trouble.  

“Khushi… what happened?”

“We have to go to the hospital”

“Yeah…” he jumped off the bed and took the car key.

Khushi walked fast as the pain was intolerable.

“Khushi, wait, I will pick you”

“No… I will walk… the delivery will be easy…”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, take the bag” Khushi pointed at the bag that was at the corner of the room.

Arnav knew what bag that was. In that bag, Khushi kept all the things that she and the baby would need for use in the hospital. Taking it, Arnav rushed towards the car. Keeping the bag in the back seat, he opened the front door for Khushi.

Khushi sat in the car. Closing the door, Arnav started the car and headed to the hospital. After sending Khushi to the labour ward, Arnav restlessly paced in the hospital corridor. No one in RM knew they were not at home. Arnav didn’t disturb anyone as they were kids and elderly people. 

After an hour, a nurse came out and said,

“Sir, you have a baby boy”

Arnav smiled brightly.

“How is Khushi?”

“She is fine… will be shifted to the special ward in an hour”

Arnav nodded ok. Arnav waited for Khushi to shift to the special ward. She was shifted after an hour. He kissed her forehead.

“He is fine,” he said smilingly.

Khushi smiled weakly.

“You look exhausted. Sleep… you should sleep when he sleeps. You can’t be at rest if he wakes up”

Khushi nodded yes and closed her eyes. She drifted into sleep in a jiffy as she was tired.

 

The next morning

RM people panicked not seeing Arnav and Khushi at home. Dadi called Arnav. He attended the call.

“Dadi, did you wake up?”

“Yeah, where are you?”

“In the hospital. It’s a boy”

“Whaaat? Really?”

“Mmm”

“We are going”

“Yeah…”

Dadi disconnected the call and conveyed the message to Nani. The kids who came there heard that and shouted,

“Reallllly? Did the baby come to our family?”

“Yes…”

“Dadi, we will also come to the hospital… please take us”

“Don’t you want to go to school?”

“We will go to the school straight from the hospital,” Aarav said.

Dadi looked at Nani who nodded ok. The kids wore their uniforms and got ready to go to the hospital to see the baby. All of them came to the hospital. Khushi smiled at them. The kids rushed to the cradle in which the baby was sleeping.

“Shhh… don’t make noise,” Arnav said.

They nodded ok, tightening their lips.

“Dad, what name will you choose for him?” Shali asked.

Arnav looked at Khushi.

“You chose…” Khushi said.

“Abinav…” said Shali and Shamli in the same tone.

“Wow, the nice name,” Nani said.

“Yea, Arnav, Aarav and Abinav…” Shamli said proudly.

“Great…” Dadi said.

Khushi raised his brows and looked at Arnav who was smiling at her. It was the same name she wanted to name their child. At the same time, she knew kids wanted to choose the name for the baby. She gave the chance to the kids as she didn’t want to disappoint them. But Arnav was not ready get compromise. So he spoke to the kids and gave them choices like, his name should start with the letter A and finish with the letter V. So that it would sound like his and Aarav’s name.

The kids became excited and thought about the name. Of course, they would have to choose Abinav too. Arnav appreciated them for choosing an amazing name. Aarav was so happier than anyone. His brother’s name would sound like his.

Khushi looked at Arnav shrinking her eyes because he smirked at her. His smirk was not a simple thing. There would be a hidden meaning behind his smirk.

“Ok, guys, got to school.”

“But, he is sleeping… won’t he see us?” Shali aksed.

“He is a small kid. He won’t see us. It will take time for him to recognise us” Aarav said.

“Aarav is right.  You can come here again in the evening. He may be up at that time”

They nodded ok and left the hospital half-heartedly.

“I will send your food with Hariprakash,” Dadi said and left the hospital with Nani.

Arnav smiled at Khushi.

“How did the children also choose the same name I chose?”

“How do I know?” he asked seriously.

“Arnavji, I know you should have done something”

“Might be… but everyone is happy and satisfied…” he said.

“You became an expert in handling kids”

“I have to because I can’t let you feel bad for anything”

Khushi smiled.

“Don’t tease me again, taking my past decision of not to get married…” he chuckled.

“No… I’m not thinking about it. My guess about you become true”

“What guess? Didn’t I tell you why you don’t want to get married?”

“You didn’t get married not because your kids are important to you… it’s because your wife would also become important to you if you get married. You know very well you would give equal importance to your wife in your life. You would consider her as a part of your life. You didn’t want to break your wife’s heart going against her wish. You could not do it. That’s why you don’t want to get married… right?” Arnav smiled.

“Did you memorize it?” Khushi chuckled.

“You know how stunned I was? That was what exactly was in my mind. you understood it very nicely.” He entwined his fingers with his lovingly.

“And, what you thought you could not do, you are now effectively doing that…” Khushi kissed his knuckle.   

“Will always because you are more important to me. I can’t let you hurt”

“I thought our age difference would be the biggest hindrance between us but you superbly mended things between us” She smiled.

“I hurt you once. It hurt me too. I never wanted to repeat it again…”

“You no need to think about it…”

“No Khushi, we should not forget our mistakes. We should keep them in our mind and let them WARN us always. Then only we will not repeat it again. We are human. We will make mistakes but repeating them is unforgivable. I don’t want to be such a man.”

“I’m so lucky to have such a man with such a mentality” Khushi leaned on his shoulder.

Arnav kissed her hair, assuring her that he would always be like that.

The End.