PUNARVIVAAH - ARRANGED TO LOVE (L&M #3) [COMPLETED]

SHOT 49

​​Third person's pov!

"You?" Abhay looked at Vaiga in shock.

It was only half past eleven. Just a little over two hours since she left.

"Ga ga..." Kriti squealed and leaned out of Abhay's arm towards Vaiga. On an instinct, Vaiga picked Kriti up and cuddled her closer, breathing in the smell of baby powder and formula milk.

"Vaiga.." Abhay called out again, gaining her attention. Vaiga squirmed, not knowing what to say.

"It is only half past eleven. What are you doing here? Don't you have classes?" He asked, as Vaiga walked past him into the house.

Kriti was sitting on Vaiga's hip and talking animatedly to Vaiga, her baby language incomprehensible. But Vaiga was nodding and making appropriate noises to everything Kriti was saying.

Abhay let out an exasperated sigh and walked towards her and stood in front of her, arms folded across his chest.

Vaiga let out a nervous chuckle and Abhay raised an eyebrow at her.

"I called you many times. You weren't picking up the calls. I got worried and couldn't sit in the class. So, I came home.." Vaiga said in a breath.

"I didn't hear the calls, Vaiga. My phone is in the bedroom. When Kriti woke up, I hurried to the kitchen to get her formula ready. I forgot to take the phone along." Abhay said.

"An hour ago, I messaged you too asking you to have the water boiled and kept to be cooled down, so that it would be easier when Kriti wakes up. But I didn't get any response either." Vaiga said and Abhay scratched beside his eyebrow.

"I didn't see the message, Vaiga. I was working on something important and didn't notice the message." Abhay said and Vaiga nodded.

It was the first time Abhay and Vaiga were having such long conversations. In the morning too, they talked a lot. It was the first time for both of them. All these days, the house was full with everyone and there was no need for any sort of communication between them, even though they share a room and a bed.

But now, it's just them and communication has become inevitable.

Kriti squirmed in Vaiga's arms, letting out a small cry. Vaiga sniffed the air and made a face.

"I think she needs a diaper change." Vaiga said and Abhay's eyes widened slightly.

"Uh, right. I guess I should learn how to do that." Abhay said with a sigh.

Vaiga smiled.

"Come on, I will show you." She laid Kriti on the changing mat and began to remove the cloth diaper.

"First, we take off the dirty diaper." She deftly unfastened the diaper, revealing the mess inside.

Abhay watched closely, feeling a mix of apprehension and fascination.

"Okay, got it." He said gently.

Vaiga lifted Kriti and carried her to the washroom.

"Now, we wash her gently." She turned on the tap and tested the water temperature before washing Kriti's bottom. Kriti cried when the water touched her rashes, and Vaiga soothed her with soft kisses and words.

"It's okay, baby. It'll be over soon," she murmured, holding Kriti close as she finished washing her.

They returned to the changing mat, and Vaiga gently dabbed Kriti dry with a soft towel.

"Make sure she is completely dry before putting on a new diaper," she instructed.

Abhay nodded, taking mental notes. Vaiga applied the diaper rash cream, and Kriti giggled at the coolness of the cream.

"See? She likes this part," Vaiga said with a smile.

Once Kriti was dry and happy, Vaiga put on a fresh cloth diaper.

"There, all done." Vaiga said and Abhay nodded.

"I think I can manage that." Abhay said, though doubtful.

Back in the living room, Vaiga turned to Abhay.

"You can work now, Dev ji. Kriti will sit and play for a while." Vaiga said with a smile and Abhay nodded, returning to his laptop. Despite his intentions to focus, his eyes kept drifting back to Vaiga and Kriti. Watching them together gave him a strange sense of peace.

A little while later, Abhay received a phone call. It was a conference call from his best friends Shravan and Mithran.

"Hey, Abhay! How's your day with Kriti going?" Shravan asked.

"Well, I had a bit of a kitchen adventure earlier. But Vaiga came back from college, so I am relaxed now." Abhay said, telling them in detail about the mess he made in the kitchen.

"Why don't you take Vaiga and Kriti out to the park? Kriti would enjoy it." Mithran suggested.

"Maybe some other day. Today's been a bit much already." Abhay said tiredly.

When it was time for lunch, Abhay ordered food for himself and Vaiga. Vaiga had already prepared lunch for Kriti.

"I will show you how to feed her," Vaiga said.

It was some mashed veggies and rice. Vaiga let Abhay feed the baby, but Kriti's interest was elsewhere. Sitting in her high chair, she attempted to reach for the things on the dining table. Abhay didn't know how to get her attention.

"Talk to her," Vaiga suggested.

"What do I talk to an eight-month-old about?" Abhay said, confused.

Vaiga smiled.

"Watch." She started telling Kriti a cooked-up story, and Abhay watched as Kriti, in between her attempts to reach the things on the table, listened to Vaiga. When her attention was on Vaiga, Vaiga nudged Abhay to give her a spoonful of baby food. Kriti, engrossed in Vaiga's words, opened her mouth when nudged with the spoon.

This happened repeatedly, and Abhay fed her half the food.

He felt exhausted after the experience and realised he hadn't felt this tired even after football tournaments during his college days. And he had played a lot of football tournaments, being the college football team captain.

Once he fed her half of the food, he took the water jug and gulped down half of it. Vaiga chuckled at his plight, and he glared at her.

A camaraderie formed between them at that moment, marking the beginning of a beautiful relationship ahead.

A/N

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Love,

SF❤️