Meethe Pal

2. 10 years & counting (K)- IPK anniversary June21

Khushi looked from the kitchen counter at the father-son duo. They were busy playing some cricket videogame. Arnav was not much of a cricket fan earlier, but one would debate he knew much more about the cricket history now than he did about any other sport, courtesy his son! It was funny how Kavish, their 5 year old son, made Arnav not only sit through the live cricket matches being telecasted on TV but also play video games related to the sport. And Arnav happily gave into his demands. He no doubt was a doting father to her 'chikku' and to his 2 princesses. She smiled thinking about that.

"Mamma food" came a voice from behind her and Khushi turned to look at her 1.5-year-old daughter Arohi, who was sitting in her stroller and asking for her meal. Her other twin daughter, Shreeya was with nani and was probably taking a nap. Khushi often wondered how her twin daughters Arohi and Shreeya were so different from one another. Not only in looks, because that they were, Aru was Arnav's Xerox copy while Shree was a beautiful blend of them, his eyes-her smile but they also were different in personalities. Aru was very impatient and always demanded-nay-commanded attention, while Shree was very calm, very patient child. No one would notice there was a baby around for shree was that calm. They all used to joke saying shreeya was a reincarnation of some saint or philosopher!

Khushi remembered when she and Arnav first started trying to get pregnant. It was shortly after her 25th birthday and to be honest, that was her birthday wish! Though he argued that she herself was still a baby, he eventually agreed that it was not such a bad idea. "Your wishes are my dreams" he said. Another benefit to it was he really enjoyed every bit of the process, specially the 'trying' part!

She remembers the days of her first pregnancy, the crazy pampering by whole Gupta and Raizada clan, specially a certain laad governor who seemed to have made his office in their bedroom to be available for her all the time. And then how he panicked when she was in labor and how half of their family's attention went on to pacify him and tell him she was fine. He had made her swear that she will not make him go through it again, as if he were the one pushing a baby out from his body! But she understood he said all that because he was afraid of seeing her in pain, of losing her. And then there were their twin daughters. Despite him taking all precautions, they found themselves pregnant again after their yearly summer holiday in 2019. "I should have just gone ahead with the operation after Kavish's birth" he had cursed frustrated, after she refused to terminate the pregnancy. Khushi always knew he would eventually get over his initial fear and come around. And that is what happened. Whatever little apprehensions he had about their second child; it all went out of the window the moment he held their daughters. The world watched in awe as a once dreaded ruthless business tycoon ASR tuned into a most loving and mushy as it can get, family man for his wife and kids! She would always visit AR when Kavish was little, but those trips reduced after she was pregnant with their twins and later because Covid pandemic happened. They always used to say that while 2020 might have been a difficult year for everyone, it brought them their angels. They cannot imagine their life without their daughters Arohi and Shreeya aka Pari.

Naming their kids was another story. Arnav had successfully convinced her to not name their baby boy 'Prem' or 'Chulbul', as her Salmanji's characters names from his movies were apparently too 'tacky' for their son. He eventually let her call him 'chikku' while his official name was decided as Kavish. It's another matter altogether that very few in their home called himby that name. He was 'laddu gopal' for buaji and nani, 'champ' for nanheji and akash jiju, 'kishu' for her amma and babuji and 'kavish' for the rest. Arohi and Shreeya's names were decided relatively easily. And while it was decided against having any more nicknames for the Raizada kids, they still had a bunch of them. 'Aru', 'Princess arohi', 'Shree', 'pari' to name a few!

She handed the food tray to HP, with daliya for Arohi and pari and picked up Arohi to walk into the twins' room. While she fed aru her food, kavish walked in the room. He put his arms around her neck from the backand kissed her on her cheek, something he always did to shower his love on his mamma. Khushi caressed his hair, kissed him on his cheek and head, and told himto get freshen up and come for dinner. When he made a fuss about it, she knew how to get her eldest's attention.