Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

98. Lucknow Diaries - part 1

The year 2024 had started on an exciting note for the Raizadas. The kids were happy for having extended winter break thanks to Delhi's cold and foggy weather. Akash, Mama ji and Arnav were happy as they had won a very important deal for winter clothing. Little Palash had learnt a few new words which made his mamma- Payal and dadi very excited. Nani ji felt grateful to her gods for showing her this day to see her family happy. And as for Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada, well she was always cheerful, always happy...

The cheer quotient however went 2 notches up, as January meant twins' birthday, this year Arnav-Khushi's precious princesses were going to turn 4 and second reason was the family was set to spend a few days in Lucknow!

Shashi and Garima Gupta who had been living in their old, small, and ancestral house Gomti Sadan in Lucknow had decided to renovate a few things and Khushi and Payal insisted on staying there for a few days before their childhood house underwent changes, thus altering or modifying those places they had special memories. Luckily, kids' extended winter break came at the right time, and Khushi convinced her workaholic husband to take a break from his mistress aka AR! Over the years, his bitterness towards this city, which was not only Khushi's hometown but Arnav's too, had been reduced, thanks to them adding many sweet memories too it, main one the night when twins were conceived in this very city(!). But he still preferred it if they didn't travel anywhere apart from his strictly needed business trips. It was another story that this mighty business tycoon had no option as his Khushi had decided to go with or without him along with their kids and his life residing in those 4 people, he had to give in.

Although, he had agreed only for a weekend, it soon changed into something else :P

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It all began 2 weeks ago, when Shashi Gupta felt a need to renovate his beloved house to better preserve it for his future generations- i.e. his daughters' kids and then their kids. Garima and Madhumati(Buaji) tried to convince him saying Khushi's and Payal's kids relocating to Lucknow had no practical chance, but he silenced them saying this was his earning and his elders' blessing for him and it will pass onto his future generations. It will be up to Piya, Kavish, Aru, Pari and Palash to use it in whichever way they need, whether to live in it for a few days in a year or sell it if they thought so, but he will ensure to hand them over his beloved property. Even if his daughters and now their kids were multi-millionaires and could buy and even owned many such houses, this was his lifelong earnings and had to be given to them in the bestest form he could.

Thus, the renovations in Gomti Sadan!

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It was decided that Payal, Khushi and all 5 kids would go to Lucknow for a week, while Aakash and Arnav would visit for a 3-days-weekend for their return journey. Mamaji, mamiji and Nani were going to stay back and so was their fur buddy, their pet dog Teddy.

However, there was a change of plans as Arnav suddenly "realized" he had an important client around Lucknow who was asking for in-person meeting since long. Thus, ASR could definitely club his official work with his family time and decided to tag along with his wife and kids from day 1. The amusement on his Nani's face or the giggles from his sister-in-law Payal or the smiling eyes of his brother were something he probably didn't see or ignored even if he did. The only thing he noticed was his wife's happy face when he announced that he was accompanying them from the first day!

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The family flew in a direct flight in business class seats, AR chopper being small to accommodate 8-9 people and also being unsafe for kids- as per their doting mothers! The plane landed by early evening as Sun was about to set and painted the sky in shades of orange.