O Saathi Rey

Chapter 16

11 days post delivery.

"Raavi?" Shiva knocked on the door, since Raavi and the star of the show were the only ones left to be present.

"Aaja. Feed kar rahi hoon." Her muffled voice came from inside, as Shiva stepped in and closed the door behind.

Raavi had just finished feeding their son, and was holding him and patting his back.

"Isko swaddle kar de na, Shiva. Mujhe mera chehra theek karne de, aur ye stupid blouse-" Raavi complained, setting him down as she heard him squeak for a burp.

"Mujhe swaddle karna nahi aata." Shiva admittedly said. It wasn't any different than packing things at the store. But he was packing a baby. Their baby.

Kya comparison hai. Waah. Gadheda. Hatt.

"Accha, I'll swaddle, tu ye hook laga de please. Peeche nahi lage hote ye hooks toh kitna accha hota. " Raavi said, holding her shoulder.

"Kya hua?" Shiva asked, noticing her discomfort, trying 2-3 times to fix the hook on, finally getting it on the 4th try.

No wonder she hates these peeche waala hooks. I'd hate them too if I had to-

"Nothing. Gardan akad gayi hai bas. Chal." Raavi dismissed it off, wrapping their baby boy in a sky blue cloth with matching mittens and socks and carrying him in her arms.

"Tujhe chehra theek karna tha na?"

"Rehne de. Tu bata de kaisi lag rahi hoon." She asked, giving her signature smile. She was tired, yes, but her smile was just the same.

Shiva just kissed her forehead and smiled at her, before leading her into the living room full of people and one pandit in the center of the room.

All eyes turned towards them as everyone 'awwwed' at the little baby, because of course, babies are the celebrities of any event.

Especially if the event is for them.

Shiva sat down on the floor beside the pandit, who had just asked Raavi to sit next to Shiva as well.

"Pandit ji, mai neeche nahi baith sakti, woh stitches...." Raavi trailed off, and the Pandit nodded assuringly as Shiva pulled up a chair for her.

The Panditji started with the mantras for the well being of the baby as everyone looked at the couple lovingly. Shiva noticed Raavi holding her shoulder again and offered to hold the baby. As he settled him in his arms he looked at Raavi and smiled and in return got her sparkling smile. Soon the mantras were over and the Panditji asked the child’s bua toh whisper the decided name in his ear.

“Vo Panditji bache ki koi bua toh nhi hain, Maasi hain. ” Raavi said, a little dejected.

"Anita meri bhi kuch lagti hai ki nahi?" Shiva said, looking at Raavi. "Meri bhi behen jaisi hai, toh uss naate se woh bua bhi hai." He bent towards her and whispered only for her to listen, "Aise muh latka mat. Take a chill pill, babes."

And that was enough to make her laugh. In the middle of a pooja. Her husband had terrible comedic timing.

Panditji motioned for Anita to proceed with the rasam.

Anita got up and kneeled between them and Shiva held their baby up so that she could whisper the name into his ear 3 times.

Once she had settled back, the Panditji handed a plate of uncooked rice to Raavi.
“Ispe aap bacche ka naam likh de aur sabko bataye kya naamkaran kiya hain bacche ka.”

Raavi took the plate, looked once at Shiva and her little boy, wrote the name with her finger and showed the plate around.

Rudra.