The Raizada Chronicles [IPKKND TRF AU; OS Series]

Fourteen: Priya

"It's a girl Mr. Raizada! The baby is also healthy and we will bring her to the mother as soon as she's recuperated, Mrs. Raizada!" the doctor expressed joyfully to Mami Ji and Akash as they waited outside the operation theater.

"Hello hi Akash bitwa, pari is going to come in her Dadi's arms first. I tells you okay." Mami uttered ecstatically to Akash as the doors of operation theater opened and he saw his wife being shifted to the regular ward.


Akash, Mami, and Mama ji entered the ward altogether to see Payal holding their little angel. He walked over towards her and held the little bundle of joy in his hands before whispering 'Priya.'


Payal smiled looking at her husband. Her eyes moved towards her husband's parents who were standing behind.


"Ma ji, won't you hold her?"


"Of course I will," she uttered enthusiastically holding the little girl in her hands. "She looks like Akash bitwa."


"How can you tell she's like Akash bitwa Manu. Let her grow a little bit before deciding that!"


The small family laughed together rejoicing in the moment of happiness.

*

Akash picked up his daughter from her cradle as she started whimpering again. "Papa is here!" he uttered softly, rocking her gently back and forth in her hands.

He walked back and forth in the room placating the little newborn until Payal woke up feeling the bed getting cold beside her.

She smiled seeing her husband adapting to the role of father already before her. She closed her eyes in content realizing how well her husband had handled and let her tiring body fall into the abyss of a dreamless slumber.

Akash noticed his wife falling back on the pillow and disappearing into oblivion again. He smiled placing his daughter back in the cradle and walked over towards his bed, placing a soft kiss on his wife's forehead before retiring for the night as well.

*

Manorama came tumbling into Payal's room to see her week-old granddaughter awaken and lying her cradle. She sneakily looked around before taking her in her arms and sitting on the bed.

"Dadi's doll!! How is she doing!!" She uttered quietly not noticing Payal entering the room.

Payal smiled seeing her mother-in-law's different side. She silently turned around giving her the space she required. Her daughter was already treated like a queen by her immediate family.

*

"Are you sure Bhai?"

"Yeah, let her grow a little bit and then I'll pick her up. Six months should do."

"You didn't hesitate to pick up your daughters."

"Those are my daughters Akash. I literally don't have a choice." he smiled speaking.

*

Khushi pursed her lips as her nine-month-old daughter tried her best to sprint around the nursery to get away from the bland food her mother was about to feed her when her niece crawled in. She stopped and looked at the little girl holding on to the toy box to help stand up.

A month younger than her daughters, Priya was a delight and was the calmest child in the house. She scrunched her eyebrows wondering how did the little girl climb the stairs from her parent's room.

"Asma, DO NOT MOVE. I am taking Priya to Masi, okay!" she instructed her daughter sternly to which Asmara snickered and fell on the bean bag that was laid behind her.

*

A year-old Priya stumbled out of her high chair to hold the knife to cut the cake placed in front of her. Manorama pulled her little granddaughter out and held her up, leaning down to easily let her cut the cake.

"...Happy Birthday dear Priya! Happy Birthday to you!" the guests and family members chanted altogether as Monarama placed a little piece of cake in the little girl's hand and held it up in front of her parents.

"Ma's gudiya is one!!" Payal exclaimed letting her daughter lick off the cream that ended up on her fingers.

"Here you go Daddy's girl!" Akash exclaimed putting the cream in Priya's mouth to which she made a face.

"She doesn't like it that much." Mama ji exclaimed taking her out of his wife's hand.

The cake was taken away to be replaced by the dinner for the guests. Payal in the minutes that followed took Priya from her Dadu's hand and sat her up straight with her cousins to feed her.

"Payal, did you eat anything yet?" Akash came along with a plate full of Indian delicacies.

"No, I am trying to feed her a little bit so I won't have to feed her later," she replied showing the plate of rice in her hands.

"Make some space for me, I'll put few morsels in your mouth while eating," he said sitting beside her.

The little family sat in the corner rejoicing in their moments of happiness oblivious of their surroundings. The joy the little girl had brought in has made everything complete.