Yuvaani
It has been an hour I am at my parents'. I decided to call Sanskar and check on him.
It has been a while since we last talked!
I dialed Sanskar's number and within two rings he picked up. "Hey, how have you been?" he was the first to speak with his everlasting cheerful voice, the voice that actually tells me that everything can be okay, we just need to find a way for it.
"Hey! I was missing you, where are you? Can we meet now?" I asked him placing my phone between my ear and my shoulder and parting away both the babies as they were literally slapping each other! They looked at me and I showed them my wide eyes, so they can be scared of me. But these naughty kids just spared me a glance and again began attacking one another!
Maa ke gusse ki kadar hi nahi hai!
[ They aren't afraid of me anymore? ]
"I'm telling you, if you both did this one more time, I'll ask papa to scold you!" I ordered them with my fake angry tone. As soon as they heard Papa from my mouth they looked up at me and came crawling at me. They stood and tried to snatch my phone saying papa, papa!
Aren't they extra mature by their age?
They know using phone one can talk to another!
Yeah, no doubt! Ansh knows how to receive a call. "Ye papa nahi hai, Sanskar uncle se baat karoge?" I asked them and they didn't understand anything I guess. Pihu just peacefully sat on my lap and hugged me. I hugged her back, caressing her back.
[ I ain't talking to your dad, this is Sanskar uncle you wanna talk? ]
"Seems like your babies are showering love on you" I heard Sanskar's playful glint in his tone.
"Yeah, yeah! You didn't answer my question? Can you meet me now?"
"Yes, I can. But where?"
"Come to my place"
"Hm? Your husband will be there-"
"Parents' place I mean. I'm here"
"Okay, see you soon"
"Bye" I said and cut the phone. Till the time Sanskar arrives I decided to feed them. I took this two little devils to my room and placed them on the bed. I locked the door and breastfed them. They were looking at me and I simply covered us with my dupatta. They found a new thing to play with and always pulled down the dupatta when I placed it over them! I securely held their heads and attached them to my body again. I love this sight. Them loving me, wanting me, having me as their own mother.
I'll cherish this forever!
Soon they were done with it and I wiped their mouth with their napkins, and checked their diapers. All good till now. I placed them on the bed and patted them to sleep. But it seemed like they didn't want to sleep anytime soon. They gazed the ceiling and the surrounding with their doe eyes and were observing everything. He was right when he said new environment can hinder their daily routine.
Nevermind, I made them sit and looked towards my room. It is just the same as I left it. Not a single thing is displaced or is missing. I took them and placed them on my study table. "See, when Mumma was a small girl she used to study on this table" I gestured them with my hand and they saw in the direction of it.
Very good, you are too understanding babies!
They looked at everything I showed them. Whether its my pen stand or my cupboard! I have a big mirror in my room which is like an oblique object attached between the floor and the wall. I placed them in front of them and sat with them. We talked much in our baby language, and I guess they might be tired by now, but I was wrong. I heard the door bell and received it.
Sanskar!
"Hey" he greeted me and engulfed me in a hug. I too, hugged him willingly. Maa and papa came out of their rooms to check who it was, and they were clearly not expecting him by this hour. But they were okay with it, and Sanskar greeted them too. I took him to my bedroom and he saw my cute little twins, looking at him.
"You are here with them? I thought you're here alone" he mentioned and kept his bag on the side of my bed.
"Um-hm! Wash your hands first, then touch them" I put an imaginary cautionary board in front of him as he was moving towards them. Soon, he freshened up in my bathroom and I gave him towel to wipe up.
"I feel so good to see you, after so long. I was so worried about you" I can hear the worries and pain in his voice as he expressed his concern.
"There is nothing to be worried about. Everything is going great!" I said in all excited tone as kids were climbing up on me and Sanskar was caressing their heads. I know twins would not run to him immediately, but the thing that they are not showing any reluctance to his touch is a good sign. He kept on caressing them and Priyansh chew his hand.
"Ouch! That was unexpected" he winced out
"Welcome to the baby world" I laughed and caressed where he bit him.
"You are getting naughtier day by day, my little devil!" I tried to scare Ansh in my deep voice while tickling him. He just laughed and Pihu slapped him.
Today they just wanted to declare a war on one another I guess!
"You are so good with kids" he whispered when I solved their fight and patting them on my lap to put them to sleep.
"You should get kids too, then! Get married and have kids, the fun part will walk to you in no time"
"Marriage! Ah! Not my thing!" he made an annoyed face expressing his distress.
"Why? You don't want to get married?" I asked him as I rocked Pihu to sleep. Ansh was listening our conversation and was playing with my dupatta. I am all good as long as he is not crying, or in trouble.
"Not really. I need time"
"Okay"
Sanskar got up and went to take his bag. I doubt he was leaving so soon. But soon, he took out something from his bag and gave it to me.
"I brought this.. For them" he told me indicating towards my kids. I excitedly took it from his hands and unpacked it. Those were two furry baby bear jackets for either of them.
"These are so cute, thank you Sanskar! But you didn't have to buy anything to visit us, you knew that right?" I expressed my gratitude towards him.
"Yes, but I wanted to. I never gave you anything on your wedding too, so I brought this for your kids. I wanted to bring them matching but they were out of stock, so I brought one in white and other in brown"
"Thank you" I said and showed those jackets to our twins. "See what Sanskar Mama brought for you" I said in a childish excited tone to catch their attention.
[ Mama means uncle ]
We continued our talk for some time and I heard a doorbell again. Ansh's attention diverted to the sound and Pihu who was about to sleep, splashed her eyes wide open!
I am not going to spare this person, who ever rang the door bell!
I got up and went to receive the door. But mom received it.
Aarush?
How can he be here this early?
I just checked my wrist watch amd it showed four thirty two pm. But he was about to come at six, isn't it?
I saw him stepping him smiling at me and I thought we would greet me but he walked past me!
Where is he going?
"Mere baccho!" I turned around to see him bent down and talking to Ansh.
They might came after me as I left the room. Priyansh was life two steps behind me and Pihu was walking fast from my room's door as she saw her dad. As she reached her father, he caught her in his embrace and held them in his arms and stood up. He pushed his face in them, as hiding from the world and kissed their stomach till no end. The baby giggled echoed in the house, making it more lively.
I went and kept my palm on his shoulder. He turned and gave me his charming smile.
"You took so long to come-" I heard sanskar emerging out from my room, but his words died as he saw Aarush. "What is he doing here?" Aarush asked me more like a whisper.
"I called him here" I replied and asked him to take a seat. We all settled in the living room and it was very awkward. Them. Together. Again.
"You were coming at 6 no?" I asked him while serving him cold water.
"Yeah, my work winded up soon" he answered me while looking at Sanskar. I could sense Sanskar shift uncomfortably.
"I think I should leave-"
"Why this soon? You came just now and-"
"It's okay, we will meet another time. I guess, its family time now" he got up and took a step to move out.
"You are my family, Sanskar. Please wait. I'll let you go after dinner itself." I held his hand and stopped him. There is no way I am letting him go this soon, plus not when I was the one to call him here.
"Isn't it, Aarush? He should join us for dinner" I turned to ask him. But I saw his gaze on my arm, which was held in Sanskar's. I immediately left his arm and looked at Aarush.
"Yes, you should wait" Aarush mentioned and sooner my parents came in living room to have our evening tea.
"I think, I should leave. My mom would be worried if I didn't reach home on time" Sanksar's voice came out like a concern.
"Your mom is here?" I asked him.
"Yeah, she came to see me after that accident thing"
"Oh. Send my greetings to her" I said.
"But, it's almost dinner time beta, Just have dinner with us" my mom asked him to stay a bit more.
"I wish I really could, aunty. But my mom had already made dinner for me" he stated the fact and got up to leave with a smile.
"Okay, but be in touch okay? And take care of yourself" I muttered when I was seeing him off to his bike.
"Yes, you too take care. And you need any help call me, whether it be big or small, don't hesitate" he mentioned his usual statement and hugged me before leaving. I too encircled my arms around him, and placed my head on his shoulder. He planted a light god bye kiss on my hair.
"Bye" I bid him sadly as he went off.
Soon, we were done with our dinner while my parents told Aarush my childhood memories. I felt embarrassed in one or two, but okay. It lightened the atmosphere. The car ride was silent too. With minimal interactions we got home. Our kids were fast asleep, so it was easier to carry them.
Locking all the doors and cleaning stuff, I finally got in our room and huffed a deep sigh. All the work is done, now I just have to change and sleep. I looked at the kids, they had already been changed and Aarush was closing his laptop.
I took the kids bag and removed all the items it had and emptied the bag. "When did you brought these?" aarush asked seeing the two kids' jackets which Sanskar has brought for them. "I didn't buy those. Sanskar got it for our kids" I mentioned, showing him the two fluffy jackets in my arms.
"They're cute, aren't they?" I asked him
"Hmm" he acted non chalanty and kept all the necessary things on its place. He was about to sleep, but I held his hand.
"You're mad, aren't you?" I asked him.
"Why will I be mad?" he answered not meeting my gaze and setting his pillow.
"That's your part to answer. You didn't like when I took kids to my parents' place, don't you?"
"Why will I not like it? If that's the matter I won't allow it in the first place!" he answered while his voice was an octave lower and his face held irritation.
"That's why you were there before time, isn't it? And Aarush, you didn't allow me to take them willingly either. You did it all half-hearted. I saw it in the morning"
"It's not like that.. And on top of that you invited your friend, why?" Anger and frustration were evident in his voice. Meanwhile he still composed his demeanor while laying himself on the bed.
"Keep Sanskar out of this conversation for a minute. Talk about morning event first. Why didn't you want me to take them with me?" I asked him again.
"When did I say that I don't want you to take them with you?" he retorted back.
"Because you don't trust them with me, Aarush. You-"
"It's not like that, Vaani" His voice calmed down a bit.
"Then how is it? Explain me!"
"It'll Be difficult-"
"Just tell me the truth damn it! Say it on my face that you don't trust me with your kids. Have the guts to speak the truth at least" I was now frustrated as he was beating around the bushes.
"I just want me to be there, for my kids. Wherever they go. I have to take extra care for them-"
"Would you had taken this extra care if Priya took them to her maternal home? You would trust her, don't you? You wouldn't arrive before time to check if she's treating your kids right. The simple answer to everything is just, I am not their birth mom. I'm their step mom. Isn't it?" saying I left the room as tears clouded in my eyes.
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Heya Peeps!
Hope you're doing well. I'm sorry for the delay that has occurred in posting this chapter. Actually, I wanna post it a week early, but on the day before I should post this, One of my Wattpad reader told me my book is being copied. Disheartened and heartbroken, I tried to reach that person. She legit copied every single thing, and was not ready to accept. But by the grace of God, she took the book down and didn't argue further. The matter solved in a day, but I was down die to this thing for a week. I'm sorry for that. I couldn't settle well with the fact that my book is being copied word to word, and the person says it's their own hardwork! Like wow! Anyways, here I am with a new chapter, hope you liked it.
My dear readers, I'm grateful to you in every way possible. Please do let me know, in future too, if someone is copying my book. Thank you for letting me know this time too.
This chapter is specially dedicated to those munchkins who wanted this story to spice up a bit, as they thought it was going dry due to the well settling things going between Aarush and Vaani.
I'm thankful to you beauties who responded me on instagram and here too â¤ï¸ Love you so much, may God bless you with good health and spirits!
Your honest reviews would be appropriated ð