Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

106. Pain & Pleasure - part 2

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The case with Pari and Arohi was no different. In fact, it went a notch higher for both their parents, Khushi, and Arnav!

Especially for Arnav. As, this was like history repeating itself!

Arnav's daughters had earned their place in his life, just like their mother, Khushi had! Because it had begun exactly on the same note, it had been exactly like he held reservations against Khushi when he first met her. She was threatening his long-held principles, his views on the world that it worked only in crooked ways and there was no place for honest and naïve people. But slowly, she had made him believe in her and his hearts, she had made him fall in love with him! And a few years later, their daughters did the exact same thing. When he had got to know about them i.e. Khushi's pregnancy, he had held many reservations against these two new people who had threatened his life aka Khushi. When doctors had advised and made them both aware of the complications in her pregnancy with twins, he was sure he didn't want these two in his life. So, throughout her first trimester, for 3 months, he had been angry and upset at those two tiny specks of life growing in Khushi's belly. They were part him and part her, yet he didn't like them... and then slowly, gradually, they made him believe in their tiny heartbeats, their small kicks every time his hands caressed her stomach and when they first opened their eyes and looked into his, they successfully managed to make him fall in love with them. Like their mother.

And today, he couldn't imagine his life without Pari and Arohi.

If Khushi was his world, Kavish, Aru and Pari were its axes around which his world revolved.

So, every time they shed tears, it took a stab in Arnav's heart!

It was no different for Khushi too. Because if Arnav was their father, Khushi was their mother who gave them life from her own blood! So, her daughters' pain had magnificent impact on Khushi's heartbeats!

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The first time Aru was learning to stand, taking support from Khushi's hand, and then slowly learnt to take wobbly steps herself, Khushi had been ecstatic! After all, very few babies achieve that milestone of growth at 10-months of age. Arnav was working from his study at that time. So, Khushi carried Aru in her arms and decided to proudly show Aru's dada her latest achievement.

Arnav was in the middle of a call, but when someone tapped on his leg, he looked down to see his baby standing, holding his leg with her chubby hand and her hand in Khushi's. Arnav didn't realize when he put down the call (well, it was Aman so he would understand anyway), and Arnav's eyes became moist in joy!

Baby Aru too got excited seeing she was doing something that made her parents happy so, a few seconds later, she tried to take a step on her own. Her untrained legs were unable to balance her weight and she fell on a hard carpet floor in the room, scratching her knees!

A lot happened in a fraction of a second then. Arnav and Khushi reaching out to hold her, terrified Arohi clinging to her mother in fear and pain, Arnav shouting at Khushi for where was her attention, Khushi half-crying-half-angry speaking in anger right back to blame him why was he here and not in their room where they had soft carpet...

Suffice it to say, it took a few hours for Aru to calm down and a few more for her parents to do so!

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Shriya Singh Raizada aka Pari was a special baby! Her chocolate brown irises that held secrets of the world were special, her soft-slightly-curly tresses were special, her almost-inaudible cries were special and her rare-but dazzling smiles and giggles were special!

Compared to Arohi, her growth stages were a bit late. But Arnav and Khushi were cherishing these moments. For example, they both would never forget the moment Pari giggled for the first, like an actual laugh. It was the day when Kavish was playing with his sister and showing off his 'artist' skills to her with his coloring book. As Kavish kept on turning pages and showed her different combinations of crayons he had used for pictures of animals, toys, flowers, Pari started giggling in happiness.

Khushi had instantly taken her phone and recorded that scene while Arnav had been awestruck at his baby's magical smile!

When they showed this clip to both kids when they grew up, they kept arguing whether it was kavish's 'arguable' coloring skills she had laughed at or whether it was her own attraction to painting and nature that had made her happy. Well, whatever it was, it was a moment of happiness for all of them!

And equally special was the moment this baby got hurt!

The first time it happened was when Arnav had taken her to his garden at the poolside and she was sitting on his leg, his one hand holding comfortably and securely there while Khushi was feeding Aru some mashed apple sitting nearby. They were near a rose plant, Pari's favorite. And then, something Khushi said made Arnav turn to her and at the same moment, Pari reached out to hold a stem nearer to her. A thorn pricked her. Having sudden and unexpected pain, she started crying, making Arnav look at her and Khushi too, to get up holding Arohi and reaching there instantly!

"Pari, hey sweetie, calm down, angel." Arnav whispered but to be honest, seeing a tiny dot of blood on her tiny finger had made him feel the prick too.

Khushi put Arohi in her stroller and picked Pari from Arnav's lap.

"What was so urgent that you called me, Khushi? It's all your fault." Arnav said, the father in him taking front seat.

"My fault? It's all your stupid hobby that hurt her. What was the need to bring her so close to the plant? She is a small baby!" Khushi accused right back. And Arnav, actually accepting his fault, stayed quiet for a minute.

And finally asked, "please, can you calm her down, Khushi? I can't see her cry."

The mother nodded, tearfully, blowing air on the hurt finger of her baby's. Thankfully, it was a very tiny prick and Khushi applied medicine on it immediately.

Long after Pari slept, Arnav came to Khushi and held her hand, "you were right, it was my fault, I am sorry."

Khushi calmed down herself by then, looked at him and smiled a little, "No, it was just an accident. Could have happened to any child, Arnavji." She then kept her hand on his tear-stricken-pale cheek and said, "I am glad if she is taking after your hobbies. But just please make sure, she is grown up enough to take care of herself."

"I will." he said, keeping his hand over hers.

But they both knew, neither Pari nor Aru nor Chiku will be 'grown-up' enough for their parents to not worry about them!

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The moments of pain and pleasure through their kids kept coming in both Arnav and Khushi's lives, and they knew this was a lifelong commitment for them.

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A/N - Long time, I know. AD was (and still is) going rough so couldn't take out needed time. Anyhow. Some of this we already saw when Kavish fell from cycle and broke his bones and when twins fell sick, or when Aru was kidnapped but I went a little deep here. Hope you all liked the chapter. Vote and review please if you did.

Have a happy weekend, everyone!