Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

68. Anjali's daughter - part1

Soon, Arohi felt tired with all the running and came to her mamma. With her tummy full of heavy breakfast and now a lot of playtime, she was feeling sleepy. And nap times meant sleeping hugging her mamma. Khushi gathered Aru closer to her chest and started caressing her soft hair as Aru started snoring. The noises of her family gathered around her didn't disturb her one bit.

And there Anjali felt it again! She was looking with a longing at Khushi and aru.

"I wish I had my rajkumari with me, too." Anjali said in a mere whisper and wiped a tiny tear that formed in her eyes and this time, her mother-in-law, Saritaji saw it. She knew Anjali and Navin were hoping for a second baby and a daughter but couldn't conceive.

And she thought of something and decided to talk to Anjali right away... They were going to Lucknow for a few days next week, why can't they take one of Arnav-Khushi's daughters with them? This way, even Anjali will get to spend some time with their niece and feel better? Taking care of 3 kids must anyway be tough for Khushi so she imagined Khushi would easily say yes. And why would Arnav say no, if it involved making his di happy? It was only about a week anyway...

--*--

After lunch and little nap, they had decided to go to a nearby park so kids could play. And Khushi had a hard time handling Kavish-who wanted to take his cycle near the main road(!), Arohi who was standing near to a swing and Pari who was running behind their pet dog- Teddy.

Just then, they saw Arohi forcing another kid her age, to get up from the swing, as it was her turn! The kid started crying, not ready to leave yet. And aru being stubborn, kept pulling his hand...Khushi ran to them and took Arohi away,

"Arohi! This is not the way to behave. say sorry to him!" She scolded and Aru's eyes watered.

She whispered a quick 'sorry' but didn't like how it made her feel. Why did her mamma always scold at her? She looked at her bua for some help.

Anjali picked up Aru, kissed her cheeks and took her away to distract her, totally avoiding the 'swing' scene...Khushi didn't like it but couldn't say anything as it would create a scene.

"Khushi bitiya, is this a way to treat your kids? We never scold Pratham for anything. Learn from Anjali. If we had Aru bitiya in our house, we would never scold her." Sarita said and Khushi felt a hard time keeping a check on her manners. She didn't want to insult Anjali's mother-in-law as she was an elder as well as a relative. But she wouldn't take any wrong advice from anyone, least about her kids

"Aunty, please don't mind, but giving into kids' demands is not the only way to love them. In fact, it's the way to spoil them. I am trying to ensure so Aru doesn't-"

"Are you saying that we are spoiling our Pratham?" Sarita said, not letting Khushi complete her sentence. By then, Anjali came there as Aru had gone to play with Pari and pacified for now.

"No- no aunty, I didn't mean like that." Khushi said, even though it was true, but she tried to not get into argument and Anjali came to her side,

"Khushiji, let it be, I know. Maa, she just meant she knows how to handle Aru and besides, she is looking after these 3 very active and different kids, we should give her some break." Anjali said, trying to diffuse the tension. But in a way, gave a perfect opening for Saritaji to pitch in her idea of taking Aru with them...

Meanwhile, Khushi kept wondering if she was indeed doing wrong in being strict with her kids...

--*--

That evening:

Anjali came to talk to Arnav about the Lucknow plan, before leaving, while Khushi was changing Pari's dress and Aru was with Arnav. Kavish, Piya and Pratham were playing outside.

Anjali came near Arnav and took Arohi in her arms, and Aru being a friendly baby, easily went to her Anjali bua. She loved her Anjali bua for always bringing so many chocolates and muffins for her!

"How much will bua's cupcake miss bua?" Anjali asked in a baby language to Aru, and she giggled

"Very, very much!" Aru said making Anjali's heart swell with joy! Arnav and Khushi were used to Anjali showering so much love on their kids, so they stood there admiring the scene. Just then, Sarita ji also came there.

"Chote, kabhi kabhi toh lagta hain, ye hamari Rajkumari hi hain jo tumhare ghar paida ho gayi (Sometimes, I feel she is my rajkumari who is born in your house)." Anjali couldn't stop herself from saying before realizing what she had uttered...and Arnav felt alarmed. He had never expected Anjali to say this. Khushi too halted in her steps listening to it.

"Who bua?" Aru asked hearing her being compared with someone and Anjali kissed aru's chubby cheeks.

"Ek nanhi Rajkumari(a small princess) beta. Agar wo hoti na toh bilkul aap ke jaisi hoti (if she would have been here, she would have been just like you). Yahi laal honth, aise hi wavy baal, aisi hi badi badi aankhe aur aisa hi chaand sa mukhda (same rosy lips, same curly hair, same big eyes and same beautiful face)." Anjali said, with tears in her eyes, thinking about her baby girl...

"Toh le chale isse apne ghar (So, shall we take her with us)? Waise bhi Arnav aur khushi has 2 daughters, ek hum le chalte hain (Khushi and Arnav anyway have 2 daughters, we can take one)! I mean, we are going to Lucknow for some relative's wedding next week, why not take Arohi with us? She also likes travelling and she likes her bua. And Khushi too can take some rest from running behind Arohi bitiya all the time! Kyun khushi bitiya?" Saritaji asked much to Khushi's shock and Arnav's anger! That was it! Arnav was barely able to hold his anger as Saritaji kept saying more n more. He was already agitated when his di mentioned something about his Aru being her princess and then her mother-in-law legit dared to say she would take his daughter away! Like hell he would let it happen! His kids were only his dammit!

Before Khushi could even form a word or refuse, Arnav was already beside Anjali and had literally snatched Arohi from her arms!

"What happened chote?"

"Isske dinner ka time ho gaya hai Di (it's her dinner time Di). I will see you later." He curtly said while everyone looked on shocked as dinner time was good 2 hours away and Arnav literally ran downstairs with Aru in his arms!

To be continued...

Precap - "she is not your rajkumari, Di. She is mine!"

--*--

A/N - Adoption is a blessing when done right. But here, it was thought of/hinted at with all wrong intentions (and in the show too in 'that' track, it did not make any sense). While I think adoption is a noble thing, but taking a child out of his/her parents' arms to raise as your own, it's a little complex(second note below). Anyhow. Anjali and her MIL might have wanted to actually take our Aru in all seriousness, but they will have to face the wrath of ASR even before aru's ma! So, they better back off! What were your thoughts as you read it?

p.s. as a reference, adoptions within family are common, at least from what I have seen and heard. My grandfather's generation had his aunt (bua) adopt one of her brother's daughters as she and her husband were childless and needed an heir/heiress. They were wealthy and her brother was comparatively poor and had 3-4 daughters. I slightly admired that bua's husband for this whole thing as during that time, men would leave their wives if they couldn't give a baby no matter who was at fault, let alone adopt a baby girl. As I know, the girl who was adopted was raised with lot of love and was not told about it until her wedding.