Yuvaani
Morning rays peeked the window lane and set upon my eyes, informing me it was time to wake up. I lazily got up and took fresh air from the balcony.
This morning breeze..
Getting up early gives me a sense of leadership and encouragement to get my things done in time, so it's the main reason I like to get up early.
I swiftly moved to his room and saw kids sleeping. I quickly did my morning chores and got to the vanity table. Today I decided to wear a slit knee length multicolour kurti pairing it with jeans. I also put the silver jhumka to compliment my look. I've noticed a few good changes in me. First, I'm learning to maintain my weight, which gives me a bit of confidence and second, to control my emotions.
I wasn't used to being this heavy- it's not that I'm 'fat' I am considered in the medium body shape category itself. It's just that I'm feeling heavy and lazy due to those post implantation changes. Doing my hair I felt a piercing gaze on my back. I glanced at it from the mirror only to know it was him.
He gave me a soft smile to which I returned him back. He went to the restroom to do his morning routine and I went to the kitchen to prepare tea for everyone. I don't know why, but I'm feeling better today. A new vibe, a new energy. And I absolutely love it.
It was seven thirty five now, I made tea and served the family. Aarush is yet to come out so, I'll give him tea later.
I felt a tug on my kurta!
I looked down, learning it was my little man Vihaan.
"Mami, suno na" he said sleepishly, rubbing his eyes.
"Bolo, baby" I encouraged him to say while making him sit on the kitchen island. And chopping the tomatoes for Aarush's tiffin.
"Kal mera birthday hai na, so aap mujhe kya doge?" He pouted. Cutee! I know, as a kid there's a kind of thrill and excitement of their birthday that decreases down the age.
"What does my Vihaan want?" I asked him in a baby voice. I literally want to give him something that he won't forget when he goes back to the US. It almost slipped my mind that I have to give him one! I mentally noted that I'll go shopping today for him.
"Anything I like.. like- you can gift me Iron man, Spider man, Batman, Thor-"
"Arre bacche, in movies na, people play the roles of those characters you know?" I informed him by ruffling his hair and putting those tomatoes into the pan to make sabzi.
He pouted. And I can bet he didn't get a single thing I had said. "What about toys?" He asked me.
"Which toy do you want?" I asked him back.
"Squishy wala, softie that is sooo big" he spread his arms as much as he could to mark me the size of the soft toy.
"Okay, done! Aur kuch chahiye?"
"Nahi, lagega toh bata dunga" saying this he gave me his toothy smile! Kids my god! Have my whole damn heart. I love them to no limits!
And I told him to go and brush his teeth and get fresh and while he left the kitchen Aarush entered. I know what he came for, so I thought of offering him the same.
"Your tea" I handed him the cup of visible steam escaping it, indicating it is hot.
"Thank you" he smiled at me and took it and sat in our living room with a newspaper in hand, reading it.
I quickly prepared his tiffin and packed it. I prepared Upma, too, for breakfast.
Soon everyone was gathered on the dinner table for the breakfast session. I served everyone, including myself and noticed Pihu and Ansh were not here. I need to check whether they got up or not.
I quickly paced to the bedroom and saw Pihu staring at the surroundings with doe eyes.
Aww, my baby!
I gently picked her up and hugged her. She too, wrapped her arms around my neck, nuzzling into my neck. It means she just woke up.
I cooed and patted her, talking to her in a baby voice. "My baby woke up? Why don't you call Mumma?"
"Mama" She repeated after me, giving a yawn. It just makes my heart skip a beat. We snuggled more, I saw Ansh and woke him up. He made a face that he'll cry anytime soon. But, my face came into his view and he stopped struggling and lifted his arms to me, asking me to hold him.
I carefully picked him up and walked to the bed. Talking with kids is my favorite job of the day. As soon as I sat on the edge of the bed, Pihu grabbed my breast and looked at me saying "Mama"
And there she goes, she's hungry. I looked around to find something that I could cover, but I found Aarush's comforter. I carefully picked up the babies and went to the headboard of the bed. Leaning against it, I covered us and began feeding her.
Watching his baby sister, Ansh was hungry too. So he pushed her and sucked the mamilla from which Pihu was being fed. She began crying. Harshly.
Babies!
I made Ansh feed from my other mamilla and Pihu was having it from the previous one.
After they were done, I wiped their faces and headed to the living room. Pihu wanted to go to Aarush, so I gave her to him. And Ansh was in Jiju's laps.
I took my seat and had my first bite. It was cold.
Hamesha ka hi ho gaya hai ye! I never get to eat sizzling breakfast as kids duty is on priority. A pungent smell hit my nose.
"Ah! She pooped" It was Aarush letting us know the source. Seems that breakfast is not my luck.
I was supposed to get up but he stopped me and said he'll do it, and I should have my meal.
"No, I'll do it-" I tired to take Pihu as he has an office too, and he was in his formals. But he put down my protests calmly and went in with Pihu.
I had my breakfast quickly, and put the plate in the sink. While emerging out from the kitchen I saw Aarush giving Pihu to Maa and leaving for his office. I noticed he didn't have the tiffin bag so I rushed and called him to stop as he was about to leave.
"Aarush!!" He stopped listening to my voice, and I gave him the bag.
"Ah! I forgot. Thank you" he smiled and I returned it.
"Wo- aapse kuch puchna tha" I initiated.
"Bolo?"
"Yaha aas paas mein kids toy shop hai kya?"
"Hai. But kyu? Mujhe bata do na Mai leke aata hu" he offered
"Actually, I thought of gifting Vihaan as his birthday is tomorrow"
"Don't worry about that, I'll bring it. You tell me what you want to give-"
"Actually I want to gift him Aarush, please" I requested.
"Baat ek hi hai na, tum do ya mai du" he uttered, giving me an unknown churn in my bingy.
Is he addressing us as one?
Yes!! He is!
Well, that's new.
"I want to gift him, please?" I requested again and he agreed and gave me the address of the shop in this locality and he left.
"Vaani" Maa called me out.
"Haa, aa rahi hu" and I went to her.
She first told me of the midnight birthday preparations. She had prepared the cake for him. The decorations of tomorrow's party and early morning Pooja.
"Beta, for tomorrow's birthday party I've invited your parents as I know you would be busy these days. Why don't you call your friends?"
"Can I call them?" I asked her genuinely.
"Yeah, why not beta?" Her voice held concern.
"I think Aarush won't like it-" I hid the actual reason.
"Arre, why won't he? Jab Priya ke dost-" she stopped. Maybe because she realized she uttered her name in front of me. But I genuinely want to know about her. I know she's a good soul.
"Kahiye na Mumma, I want to hear" I smiled heartily, maybe that encouraged her to speak further.
"I was saying that Aarush used to meet her friends too. Some of them were male ones too, but Aarush never prohibited her from meeting any of her male friends or asked her not to meet them or talk to them. He's an open minded person, dear. Why won't he like it?"
But that day he blamed Sanskar. Is he the same person Mumma is talking about? Maybe because he trusted Priya, and not me. Does he think that I have an affair with him?
"O-okay, I'll try" I said.
"Try? Kyu beta? Wo nahi aayenge kya? Are they busy?" She worries to no extent. I calmed her, assuring that they'll be there. And I texted Tara and Sanskar, inviting them. After an hour or so, they replied they'll be there at the venue.
I took Mumma's permission to go out and buy for Vihaan, in reply she asked me to buy something for myself too. But I guess, it's not that necessary. I'll buy something for myself later on.
I went to the address that Aarush told me. It was a Mall. I went into the shop and asked for a big squishy ready bear. The owner presented a huge teddy bear of nearly my size! How am I going to take this home? And moreover, how is Vihaan taking this to the US?
I asked him to show in a bit small size and I ended up taking a squishy bear for almost half of me.
Still it is huge for a five year old Vihaan!
Nevertheless, he wanted a big one so, why not. I got it packed and my eyes landed on a car set that has seventeen cars and the player has to make own way to the car. I negotiated about it and got it wrapped too. I booked a cab and headed home.
I called Ishaani Di to distract Vihaan so that my surprise wouldn't be revealed. She took him in their bedroom and I placed the gifts in the room I usually sleep in and locked it, so he won't enter.
The evening approached soon and the bell rang. I opened the door which revealed a tired Aarush. He smiled and removed his shoes and placed them properly in the shoe rack.
Discipline.
He went directly into our room. I got in the kitchen and took a cold water bottle for him and headed to the bedroom, offering him.
"Thank you! This was much needed" he grabbed and drank it on the go.
"How was your day?" I asked him.
"Good. Yours?"
"It was nice. Actually while the day went in tomorrow's preparation, pata hi nahi chala kab din nikal gaya"
And I told him about tomorrow's preparations.
I was to handle the kids but he politely denied as he said he hadn't spruced up, so he couldn't hold them. Aarush is a man of culture and discipline. He knows what's better for him, his kids, his surroundings. I liked the discipline in him. Many men lack that, but he doesn't.
We chatted a bit and it was time for dinner. Dinner was a quiet affair. Vihaan is jumping here and there expressing his excitement and telling each minute how much time is left for his birthday.
It was eleven fifty eight and Vihaan had been blind folded already and made to sit on the sofa in his night suit. He looked cute tho! Cake cutting in a night suit. Lol.
It's usually actually midnight cake cutting. Soon, the clock strikes twelve. The blindfold was removed and his aarti was done by Dii, Maa and me, and we sang the birthday song. He wished and blew the candles and cut the cake.
First Di and Jiju wished him and fed him cake and kissed him. Next were Maa and Papa, they did the same. And it was my turn.
I went to him and wished him "Happy Birthday my little young man for turning five" and kissed him and fed him cake.
"Mera gift kaha hai" he asked me with doe eyes
"Close your eyes and I'll bring it" he did as I said and I went into the room to bring it, but Ansh crawled behind me asking me to pick him. I carefully held Ansh and the bear in my either hands and closed the door behind me.
I came to the living room and placed it in front of him and asked him to open his eyes.
"Wowww!" I heard his excitement and he hugged it.
"Thank you Mami! I love you" he kissed my cheek coming to me, and I returned it back welcoming him.
"Love you too, baccha" I said ruffling his hair.
After me Aarush wished him and fed him cake with ample hugs and kisses, making little Vihaan giggle. Everyone was feeding each other and Aarush too, took a bite and gave it to Pihu first as she was next to him.
But it seemed she was in no mood for the cake and he moved to Ansh. Ansh tasted it but he immediately hit his face on the crook of my neck.
What's with kids today? They aren't eating cake?
Maybe they don't like it, as of now
Yeah!
I expected him to eat that piece himself but what he did was unexpected. Shocking.
He placed the piece of cake in front of my lips asking me to have it. I wasn't sure if he really wanted to feed me the cake?
"Have it" he decreased the distance and the cake touched my lips. His expressions were normal as he has everyday. But my demeanor wasn't the same. My heart paced. It accelerated to no limits I guess!
There was a sudden adrenaline rush in my body, and I don't know how to react. I just kept looking in his eyes and took a small bite.
The cake.
He fed.
Me.
It's the sweetest cake ever!!!
He fed me.
Someone has said the truth 'Unexpected things are the best'
And I fed the same piece of cake, and I felt something flash.
"Thanks guys! Lovely picture!" Jiju said and I slightly blushed looking down. Today was a good day indeed. We wrapped it up soon and called it a night, going to our respective rooms.
My brain isn't the same now. It was just dancing and jiggling, for God knows what reason.
You know the reason
O-okay! I know.
But I don't wanna hype it much. So be on the ground my dear not to sweet brain! With that I put off the light and pulled the comforter over me. But the idiot brain of mine is not letting me sleep!
Tasty cake!
Tasty cake!