Poles Apart

Chapter Twenty-Three

Arjun

Arvi stands outside Keerthi's hospital room with Vithi. Vithi has a sad pout on her face, looking at the door of the hospital room.

Arvi bends over Vithi; her hands clasped together on Vithi's front as she tries to appease Vithi.

The two had seemingly become the best of friends since the engagement yesterday. Sometime between the exchanging of rings and clicking pictures with guests, Keerthi started to have contractions.

Vinesh Bava rushed her to the hospital. Jyothi Peddamma, raced after them in another car, as soon as she knew. With only Jyothi Peddamma and Vinesh Bava at the hospital, my mother couldn't stay at the party but couldn't leave either.

The problem was solved when Madhu Aunty got wind of the news. The party dispersed immediately.

My mother, with Peddanana, went to the hospital for Keerthi. Pranathi didn't know what to do with Vithi. Vinesh Bava had forgotten his first-born, rushing to the hospital for his second.

Both my mother and aunt thought they were leaving Vithi in her aunt's care. Pranathi wanted to go to her sister, too. Taking Vithi along wasn't an option neither was leaving her alone with Savi.

Arvi volunteered to take care of Vithi with Savi, and Pranathi left for the hospital, too.

It was already night, and clear that none of them would come back for the night, or until Keerthi delivered her second.

The rest of us left for the Ravichander's mansion. When we didn't receive any news of Keerthi's delivery until midnight, dad and I made way back to our home, leaving Vithi and Savi with the Ravichander's.

It would be a better idea, Arvi argued.

"Let them stay here; how can the three of you take care of Vithi all by yourself?" she argued with my father. "It would be better for them to stay here. There are more people around." It wouldn't be just the three of us, but it was midnight, and the servants would've been asleep.

My father was, without doubt, impressed by his daughter-in-law-to-be. He told me so, on our way back to our empty house. "Have you seen how she made her argument?" he asked rhetorically, appreciating her. "Neither did she back down nor, was she disrespectful. She's the right amounts of her father and mother."

Now, Arvi was trying to soothe Vithi. Keerthi had delivered a healthy baby boy.

Vithi had come with Arvi, Savi and Madhu Aunty to see her brother. However, Vinesh Bava asked her to leave right after, afraid she might catch any infections, or so.

Once again, Arvi volunteered to babysit Vithi. Told you, they've become best of friends overnight. While my fiancée refuses to look me in the eye, she showers Vithi with hugs and kisses.

Jhansi Atha walks over to us. "I can take care of Vithi, Arvi," she offers, plastering a plastic smile on her face.

Arvi, who's talking to Vithi in hushed whispers, trying to console her, looks up at Jhansi Atha, putting up a small, hesitant smile for her.

"No, I don't want to go with you," Vithi tells Jhansi Atha, hiding behind my legs.

I didn't understand why my aunt was offering to take care of Vithi now, not last night or inside the room, but now.

Jhansi Atha looks visibly offended. "Vithi darling, let's go home with Advik Babai, I'll ask him to get you ice-cream."

Vithi shakes her head, clinging onto my jeans with her tiny fingers. "I've got her, Atha," I tell her with a smile.