Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

135. Chiku's birthday!

A mother loves all her kids equally, no two opinions in that. However, the firstborn always holds a special place. Everything and anything about that baby remains special because those are the first experiences. Especially in cases like Khushi's when she got her Chiku, her son after one miscarriage. Thus, Chiku was always a tad bit more special.

And so was his birthday.

It was surreal to believe her baby was going to turn 9 years old. Wasn't it just yesterday when a gurgling bundle was handled to her and arnav after hours of painful labour (and months of anxious waiting)? He was born beautiful! That tiny head covered with soft, jet-black hair (unlike his sisters who were born with like 3 hairs on their heads at birth!), those perfectly round cheeks, his soft cotton-like skin and his soulful eyes! Devi maiyya had truly blessed her and Arnavji with cutest baby. Of course, Arnav begged to differ, saying it was more to do with him and her that their baby was so good looking. But she always thanked devi maiyya for delivering that precious bundle to her lap!

And now he was going to be 9! Where was time flying?

Similar to khushi, arnav too was lost in the memories of past 9 years- blissful 9 years- since his son was born! Just like khushi, he too had been grappled with insecurity before Kavish's birth. Especially due to loss of their first pregnancy, khushi's miscarriage... and then almost a year and half later, they finally got to hold their first baby! He would never forget the moment he held his son who sought the warmth of his touch as if he understood, identified it as his father's.

Right since that moment, everything about Kavish was a precious memory to Arnav. His first smile, his first yawn, his first sickness, his first step and so on. All those times when khushi and kavish brought the house down with their masti- he had somehow developed a liking for her 'aaj mausam hai suhana' song (with 'what-the' replaced by la-la-la-la of course) and both mother-son used to sing it loudly, all the time. The song had its bath version, milk version, sleep version etc. Arnav smiled remembering it. And then there were times when even a small hiccup from kavish scared them both. They say, first child is experimental child you learn everything with them.

And now that baby was turning 9! This was crazy! How time flew!

Currently, a little before midnight, Arnav and Khushi were both lying down on their bed, Khushi keeping her head on his chest, and both having identical thoughts centered around their son. They looked at the clock at the same time and chuckled. It showed 11.55, five minutes till midnight, till it was officially chiku's birthday. It was time to get up...

They both tiptoed into kids' bedroom and went near kavish's bed. For a few moments, both stood watching their perfect creation sleep peacefully. Well, he had kicked his blanket away in sleep. But that didn't count. Khushi sat on his bed and adjusted the blanket. Chiku stirred a little and moved his face near his mother's lap. She smiled even as she felt her vision blur due to fast approaching tears.

Just then arnav showed her his watch, which showed it was exactly 12 am.

And with that, they both wished their son, at the same time, albeit in hushed voices lest birthday boy (and his sleeping sisters) woke up.

"Happy birthday Chiku!"

Khushi then bent to kiss kavish's hair, his forehead, his cheeks softly, while he smiled in his sleep. Just like he would since when he was a baby. Lighting her world with infinite joy!

Arnav too sat down on the bed and caressed kavish's back. And then softly kissed the side of his head.

--*--

Chiku, however, woke up that morning in a grumpy mood! He was not going to get the gift he had asked his mamma-papa and thus, he was not in 'birthday' mood! He wanted them to take him to Disney world like his friend Ojas had gone 2 weeks ago, but their replies that it couldn't be arranged in such a short time didn't really satisfy him. And thus, the apple of arnav-khushi's eye was pale on his birthday morning.