Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

100. Lucknow Diaries - part 3

"Chup kar. Aur ja ke daamad ji ko phone mila kar puch ki ab tak kaise nahi aye (Call daamad ji and see why he hasn't come home yet)." Garima admonished her and Khushi frowned.

As if on cue, Arnav's car entered the front yard of Gomti sadan!

"Sau saal ki umar hai Arnav babua ki (He will live a 100 years)." Bauji said, folding her hands.

"Woh toh hogi hi. Har saal hum bhukhe reh kar Karva chauth wrat jo rakhte hai inki lambi umra ke liye (Obviously, he will. After all, I stay hungry every year on Karva chauth for his long life)!" Khushi whispered.

"Ae Sanka devi! Kya badbada rahi ho(what are you whispering)?"Buaji asked her and she shook her head in denial refusing answer.

--*--

After dinner, the kids continued to play in the open yard, while the elders were busy making a list. It was a special day tomorrow, Pari and Arohi's 4th birthday and this was the first time they were celebrating it somewhere away from Shantivan, Delhi! So, Shashi, Garima and Buaji especially wanted to ensure they made perfect arrangements for the joyous occasion!

"Khushi, cake ka order kaha dena hai, yaha ki sabse achi bakery kaunsi(which is the best bakery for the cake order)-" Arnav wasn't done asking when shashi intervened,

"We'll make it at home, daamad ji. We are khandaani halwai (generational sweet makers)." Shashi proudly told him. But Arnav wasn't convinced. This was "the birthday cake" for his princesses, could it really be made at home?

"Amma, woh aap ka special wala cooker toh rakha hai na (Do you still have that cooker)?" Payal asked Garima who instantly nodded.

"Cooker?"

"Yes Arnavji, the 'oven' we will use will be pressure cooker, except without steam pressure!" Payal supplied.

Khushi was watching the entire conversation with amusement and decided to enlighten her Englishman husband that it wasn't so bizarre to have a homemade birthday cake, in fact it tasted even better than outside bakers!

She waited until they went in their room and then told him,

"Arnavji, you know when I and jiji were little, we could hardly afford birthday parties, let alone cakes. But we would ask for it to amma and babuji" She said and stood near the window, Arnav stood beside her, "One day, babuji made it at home. Uss waqt internet toh tha nahi (It wasn't internet era), so babuji had to rely on his observations and culinary skills and when we saw the cake, the frosting and everything and tasted it, it was even better than what we ate at our friends' houses." she said emotionally.

Arnav silently listened to her.

"So, befikar rahiye, aapki shehzadiyon ka iss saal ka cake sabse best hoga (Don't worry, your princesses would be getting the best birthday cake this year)!" she said.

He smiled and brought her closer holding her hand and pecked her forehead.

--*--

The next morning, the whole Gomti Sadan had a different, vibrant energy as they all were preparing for Aru-Pari's birthday. The birthday girls woke up a little late than usual and while everyone else was debating over who would wish them the first, their parents had beaten them to it!

Arnav and Khushi had together wished their darling daughters a million happy returns of this day while the girls were sleeping in their arms. They slightly stirred in sleep when their parents kissed their crowns! The twins then smiled in their sleep as if their parents' voices reached them in their dream world!