Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

2. Like Mother, like son!

A/N - I had some free time this weekend so back to back updates. Enjoy.

This one is from the flashbacks. Remember that time when his wife-then enemy (and secret fantasy)threw hot tea on him? Yup, the same incident! The scars of the burn were still mildly present on his neck and chest area. But who thought that history would repeat itself some 7 years later? Certainly not us!

It so happened that –

Kavish had recently turned 2 and ever since then he was a very naughty, very active toddler! Messing with Nani's pooja items, pulling her pet goat 'Lakshmi ji's ears, throwing stuff in kitchen whenever Khushi took him there because he would not leave her, getting himself cut by butter knife because he thought that was an interesting 'toy', doodling on Arnav's work-papers with his recent obsession with crayons were a few of 'Mr. Chiku Singh Raizada's achievements! The havoc he had started creating in AR designs, every time he accompanied Khushi to Arnav's office was another story for another day.

So that fine morning as everyone was sitting around the dining table for breakfast, Kavish and Piya were under supervision of Nani, who already had her breakfast and volunteered to look after her great-grandchildren so Payal-Akash and Arnav-Khushi could have first meal of the day in peace.

"How did your son leave you alone today?" Arnav teased Khushi. He often used to mock-complain that Kavish had all Khushi's attention ever since he was born and vice-versa. But truth be told, Arnav used to crave for his son's attention too. Baring the weekends, he hardly got to spend any time with his baby while Khushi was mostly working from home on her new business which they had registered as 'Gupta foods'. How he wished, like Khushi, he could also take his son to work every day.

And it seemed the almighty granted his wish for Kavish's attention, or rather Kavish did!

As nani got a call from Anjali, distracting her for a moment, Kavish made a run to dining table-to his parents, or rather to his father! It happened in almost a fraction of a second that Kavish approached Arnav, leapt on his left leg asking his papa to pick him up and Arnav who was holding a cut of piping hot tea moved the cup away in a reflux so to not spill it on his baby. But in all that the cup anyway swung spilling its hot content on Arnav's other leg!

Everyone was in a shock! And even before they could process anything, Kavish started crying loudly. Khushi immediately lifted him while others started asking Arnav if he was badly hurt.

Understanding Khushi's plight at that moment was not an easy job! On one side Arnav who had got badly hurt by the hot tea needed attention while her son was throwing a fit and was probably frightened because of the 'accident' he just caused. She soothed down her son with great effort, constant kissing his cheek and wiping his tear strained face with her dupatta. He had buried his face in her neck then, his cries subsided. As she felt him calming down, she turned her attention to her other 'baby'!

"Arnav ji, aap hamare sath upar kamre mein chaliye, hum ointment laga dete hain" she said as he was already feeling awkward with so much attention from his entire family and they couldn't really help him as the tea had left burning his thigh. He followed her to their room and closed the door behind.

She put Kavish on his stroller and handed him his favorite toy who gladly started playing with it.

She finally turned to Arnav who was sitting on the bed and removing his trousers to soothe the pain and to take a look at the burn. Her eyes filled up and tears made their way on her cheeks. She should have been watchful, she admonished herself.

"I am so sorry Arnav ji, humein chiku ko pehle utha lena chahiye tha (I should have picked him up earlier)" she said coming closer to him. Some of the teardrops falling on exposed skin of his thigh.

Even though Arnav was in pain, he was not going to let Khushi beat herself for something that was not her fault. They both were Kavish's parents, and both had equal shares whether it was his happy days or rainy!

"He is my son too Khushi. Why would it be only you who hogs all his attention, or who eats alone later because someone needs to handle him?" he tried to reason in his own way. And when he was sure he had succeeded in stopping her tears, he added

"And rahi baat chai ki toh I am used to it" he winked at her. It took her a minute to register his words and the incident he was referring to. That time in their life when she accused him of holding her dupatta and had thrown a hot cup of tea on his face! Only her 'Laad Governor' could make fun of something so serious.

She smiled weakly and got up; her main priority now being applying ointment to his burn.

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Happy weekend folks! Hope you like this chapter. Please do leave your reviews as well.