Na Bangaram (Pranushka)

Chapter 81

Anushka's Pov:

I stop stirring the sambar on the stove and turn the knob to the right, switching it off. I glance over at the dining table where Ma, Nanna, and Miheeka are sitting with the kids playing around them. Rana and Prabhas had a late meeting so they are coming straight here. I hear laughter break out when Ma exclaims how much she pities both Miheeka and I for having to put up with our children as well as her sons who are just like big babies themselves. I lift up the bowl of sambar and bring it to the table and before I make it, Ma runs up and takes it from me.

"You should've asked for help, you don't need to do all this," She frowns and puts the rice on the table between the curries and the sambar.

"It's ok, I didn't want you to have so much work with us coming over, making sambar is nothing too bad." She smiles and rubs my cheek gratefully with her hand before sitting back down by Nanna. 

He has Anand resting on his leg, with his arms on either side of the baby holding him. Krithi and Krish are running around the dining table playing with each other's toys with Miheeka to keep a watch on them while I was in the kitchen.

"Krithi don't do that," I pull her away from the leg of the chair which she is pulling on, trying to pull the chair out so she can sit on it. I lift her up and smooth down her dress.

"If you pull on that, you will just hurt yourself," I kiss her cheeks as she squirms around in my arms to be set down.

"You and Krish have to eat now, no more playing around." Krish runs into my legs and looks up at his mom with a pleading pout to which she returns a weak smile. I walk beside him and set Krithi down and put him on the seat between Miheeka and Krithi.

Miheeka reaches out to ruffle Krish's hair and sets the small, round plate in front of him. Miheeka has her moments where sometimes she's smiling happily, always playing around with Krish, but there are times when she becomes so weak she's barely able to move. 

This pregnancy has taken everything out of her and there's really no explanation for it. Her body is just really weak after her first baby and the 9 months of her current pregnancy are very risky and she has to take extreme care this time.

What amazes me, is despite the pale complexion, sickly feeling, eye bags, she manages to give a small, tired, but still a smile to bring her glow of energy she still carries.

"Krish don't bother Mumma, come here," Ma says to him, reaching his arms across the table to Krish as he sits up high on Miheeka's body, swinging his arms around and hitting Miheeka's chest.

"No Mumma, feed me," He insists, putting his body on hers, and moving away from his grandpa's arms. Ma shakes his head and gives Nanna and me a worried look as Miheeka tries to get him off her so he isn't putting all his weight and force onto her already weakened body.

"Krithi, can you ask Krish to sit with you," I whisper to her, slowly moving her off the chair and leading her to walk towards Krish. I don't know what she understood but she does tug on Krish's leg and pouts at him to come play with her, which isn't exactly what I needed, but it'll get Krish off Miheeka.

"Pway," She shouts at him a little louder, trying to climb onto the chair which Miheeka and Krish are already on. I hit my head with the palm of my head and lift her up into my arms. She's now left in a cranky mood and trying to slip out of my arms and sit on the chair with the two of them.

"We told you not to wait for us, but I guess you love us too much huh," Rana's voice rings through the kitchen before he and Prabhas step in, matching smirks on their faces as they set down a few bags. I shake my head at their cinematic timing as Prabhas walks over to me and Rana stands by Miheeka's chair. He lifts Krish up into his arms and throws the toddler into the air which leaves them both in fits of laughter and Miheeka with a loving smile now spreading on her face.