Chapter Forty Four

Khushi wouldn't say another word, which scared Arnav. Concerned, Arnav took her home just as his father had told him to in his text. When they got there, Khushi stepped out and headed inside before Arnav could say a word. He followed behind her and watched as Khushi sat down on the sofa, lost in thought.

"Khushi?" He went over to her and crouched before her. "What's wrong? Is everything okay."

Khushi shook her head and then looked up at him. "Arnav, I'm scared."

He caressed her face. "Why? What's wrong?"

Khushi held his hands. "You'll never leave me, will you?"

Arnav's eyes widened in shock. "What the? Khushi why are you asking such a stupid question?"

"You won't ever stop loving me, will you?"

Now Arnav was getting irritated. "Khushi this is ridiculous! What the fuck is the problem?"

"Arnav, language!"

"I don't fucking care!"

"Well you should care because I don't want our child to hear such words!"

"I don't care if our-" And then it hit him. "O-our what?"

Khushi pursed her lips and a smile tugged onto her face as Arnav's eyes brightened up like the fourth of July.

"Our child? Our child?! Our child?!!!" He placed his hand over Khushi's stomach then quickly moved it away. "No, I need to hear it," and he moved his ear over her stomach.

Khushi broke into laughter. "You won't hear anything now!"

"Then when," he asked, looking up at her with wide and bright eyes.

"In time, when the baby is bigger."

"Well how big is it now?"

"Well the picture from the ultrasound in the file-"

Arnav didn't hear another word as he had gotten up and dashed out to the car to retrieve Khushi's report, leaving Khushi in a laughing mess. When Arnav returned, he had the picture in his hand and he was absolutely focused, looking at the picture as his feet moved him forward without thought.

Khushi felt relieved.  The baby topic wasn't exactly spoken on properly, clearing out how they each felt about having a child. She had her doubts due to her nerves, but her heart had convinced her that Arnav would love to have a child as well. But just to be safe, she played this charade - well, it was also to mess with him.

Khushi got up and joined Arnav by his side. The photograph didn't show much of course, as the baby was very small at about eight weeks.

"Khushi?"

"Hmm?"

She looked up at him, however Arnav was still focused on the picture.

"I'm really happy, I really am, but...."

Khushi froze, the smile on her face slowly fading. "But what?"

Arnav looked at her, searching her face. "Promise you won't hate me?"

Khushi blinked, her body continuing to freeze. "For what?"

The serious expression disappeared from Arnav's face and embarrassment flooded in. "For not being able to tell where our child is."

Khushi sighed in relief inwardly as a smile threatened to spread. She was trying hard not to because she knew Arnav would complain if she did.

However she failed miserably.

"Hey! This isn't funny! I'm new at this," Arnav exclaimed.

Khushi could no longer hold back her laughter and held onto Arnav for support as she laughed away.

Arnav rolled his eyes and focused hard on the black and white photo, trying to figure out where the heck his child was.

"Come to papa," Arnav mumbled, but Khushi heard him clearly.

"Here, give it to me," she chuckled.

Arnav held it out and Khushi held the other side of the picture while he held the other.

"You see that over there? About the size of a kidney bean," she pointed.

Arnav focused on it. "Yes."

"That's our child."

Arnav inspected the photograph carefully. "But that's so little," he finally said.

"Well yeah, all babies are at one point. Didn't you pay attention in biology class?"

"And watch that birth video? No way, I cut class that day."

Khushi broke into laughter once more.

Arnav continued to inspect the photograph. "How old is she?"

"He is about 8 weeks old."

Arnav rolled his eyes. "So when was she conceived," he wondered, going into thought.

Khushi's eyes widened. "Arnav," she scolded, blushing brightly.

"What? I'm just trying to figure it out."

Khushi shook her head. "Unbelievable."

Arnav rolled his eyes. "Just wait till Dad and Ammu hears this. Ammu will go through the roof!"

Khushi blushed. "You'll tell them, won't you?"

Arnav scrunched his eyebrows. "Why me? Why not you, or together for that matter?"

"Because it's embarrassing."

"How's that embarrassing?"

Khushi hugged Arnav, burying her face in his chest. "There's only one way for this to have happened and if I were to tell them..." and she blushed harder.

Arnav grinned roguishly and tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. "Oh? Is that your reasoning?"

Khushi nodded.

Arnav chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist as he kissed her. "Whatever it is, I'm very happy. Just think - our baby will enter our home and will bring joy for everyone, running around with its little tiny feet. The five of us will be happier than ever!"

"Actually..."

Arnav and Khushi looked up to the sound of Aryan's voice. Both Aryan and Shalini stood together, looking down to the floor. Something seemed off, and Arnav and Khushi split to look at them carefully.

"What's wrong," Arnav asked.

"Is everything okay," Khushi asked.

In all of the excitement, Khushi totally forgot about Aryan and Shalini, which she felt guilty about. However the guilt didn't stick around for long because she was much too concerned by the expressions on their face. Something seemed wrong, and it was beginning to worry her.

"Why aren't you saying anything," Arnav asked. He looked at his mother. "Ammu, what's wrong? What happened? Your head was spinning earlier and Dad what was up with your text? Why did you want for Khushi and I to leave you guys behind at the clinic?"

Khushi scrunched her eyebrows, looking from her husband to her parents. "Head spinning? Ammu what's wrong?"

Arnav stepped forward and held his mother by her arms. "Tell me," he said sternly, his eyes fierce with seriousness.

Shalini finally looked up and then at her husband. They exchanged looks and Aryan nodded.

"Will someone please explain what is going on," Arnav exclaimed.

Aryan nodded and gestured them to sit down. Arnav didn't move until Khushi told him to, his serious/angry expression still on his face. Aryan looked at Shalini as they stood before the kids, then looked down at the file in his hands.

"There's something important we need to talk to you two about," Aryan said.

"We get that," Arnav said impatiently. "What is it?!"

With a sigh, Aryan held out the file and Arnav snatched it out of his hand. Aryan wrapped his arm around Shalini's waist as Arnav opened the file to read it. There were medical reports inside, but he was clueless, trying to find something that would tell him what the problem was, rather than knowing if she needed more vitamin D or calcium. Khushi looked over at it as well, but she didn't understand it. But as Arnav picked up a few pages, Khushi noticed a paper clip in the back. Curious, she took the file from Arnav's lap and flipped to the back while Arnav continued to observe the pages. When her eyes landed on the content held by the paper clip, her eyes widened. She looked up at Shalini and then back down at the file.

As Khushi freed it from the paper clip and stood up, Arnav groaned and looked up at his parents.

"What the fuck is the problem," he yelled.

"Chote," Shalini scolded.

"Arnav, what did I say," Khushi scolded. "I don't want to hear you cussing around the babies!"

"Well excuse me if- wait a minute..." Arnav stood up, looking at his wife with scrunched eyebrows. "... you said babies..."

Khushi didn't respond.

"... that's plural."

Khushi looked down.

"Are you having twins? You didn't show me another baby in the ultrasound."

Khushi pursed her lips. "That's because there isn't another baby in my ultrasound. But there is one in here," and she held it out to Arnav.

Arnav looked at it confusedly then took it. It was another ultrasound picture, however it was different than Khushi's. He didn't see anything similar to his kidney-bean-sized baby, but rather a big black circle-like shape.

"What is this," Arnav asked, looking up at the others.

"Look at it carefully," Khushi said softly.

Arnav did and he noticed the bottom left corner. Unlike Khushi's picture, which read Raizada, K over the date, this one read Raizada. S.

And it hit Arnav immediately, causing him to gasp. He looked at his parents with wide eyes, his mother looking quite embarrassed, her cheeks flamed, while Aryan seemed totally normal.

"You're..." but Arnav couldn't finish his sentence.

"I can't believe it," Khushi squealed with joy, and she reached out to Shalini, giving her a hug while Shalini blushed really hard.

Arnav blinked, still in shock. He glanced down at the ultrasound picture and then at his father, who was now looking at him with concern, waiting for his reaction.

Finally Arnav recovered. 

"You old man!" Arnav came forward and gave his father a hug. "You've still got game in you, huh?"

"You bet I do," Aryan chuckled, hugging his son back.

"Arnav," Khushi scolded.

"Aryan," Shalini scolded.

But neither Raizada men cared, doing their handshake, causing the Raizada ladies to roll their eyes. 

One thing for sure, everyone was really excited. Khushi's wish was coming true, and she was really happy, excited to have her child in her arms soon. Shalini was happy as well, her wish of having another child from years ago, coming true. Of course, she did feel somewhat odd. After all her kids would have a 20+ year gap instead of the 7 year gap she had intended. But a blessing was a blessing, and once she was relieved with the excitement of not just her husband's, but of her children's as well, she was truly happy.

Eventually it was announced to the rest of the Raizada clan, and as they had expected, everyone was not only happy by the news, but shocked by Shalini's news. But it didn't matter for long, as they only cared for her happiness. She deserved it and so did Aryan, and that was all that mattered.

"Are you excited," Padmini asked.

Shalini and the other ladies were sitting in the back patio, while the men were sitting in the main room, the children in the media room.

"Nervous actually," Shalini confessed.

"Hello, hi, bye, bye. Why," Manorama asked.

Shalini shrugged. "Well I am 43 running on 44. And you know what doctors say about having a child at this age."

"You'll be fine," Padmini said, holding her hand. "Your doctor will take good care of you."

"I guess, but it'll be kind of odd right? I mean Khushi is pregnant with my grandchild and I'm having a baby a well."

"It's like Father of the Bride 2," Manorama said, thinking of that movie.

"Huh... come to the think of it, it is," Padmini agreed.

Shalini scrunched her eyebrows. "I don't think I've seen it."

"Well it's a really good movie and you should watch it," Manorama said.

"Okay. Well I know what I'm doing tonight."

*~*

Over in the media room, a talk similar to the mothers was going on.

"Isn't this totally like Father of the Bride 2," Lavanya asked.

The others agreed, recalling that movie.

"You mean with Steve Martin," Arnav asked.

"That's the one," Payal said.

"Huh... I guess it is."

"Whatever it is, I'm very happy," Khushi said. "Ammu deserves this. Her and Papa always wanted to have another child, and now she is," she smiled softly.

"That she is, but imagine you both go into labor together," Seema squealed.

"Omg, that would be so weird," Lavanya squealed along. "But cool!"

The three other ladies gushed while the two other men rolled their eyes.

"Are you feeling weird about this though, Bhai," Akash asked.

Arnav shook his head. "Not really. I remember Dad mentioning about having another child when I was younger, and I was excited and wanted a brother. But then dad asked how I felt about having a sister instead and the first thing I thought of was that menace," he said, gesturing to Lavanya with a nod of his head.

"Hey," she whined.

"Lucky you, she was a nightmare," NK said, recalling memories of the past.

"Hey! I'm right here!"

"Where," he asked, glancing around the room before his wife playfully hit his chest.

Khushi chuckled and then sighed. "Just think - what if they do have a baby girl? It would be Ammu's dream come true."

Arnav wrapped his arm around his wife. "True. It would be, but then she'd have two daughters, rather than one, and I'll be defenseless."

Khushi rolled her eyes and playfully hit him.

"What," he said innocently.

Everyone else chuckled.

"Nanav, you better take good care of my Bhabi," NK warned.

"Like I need to learn that from you."

"You could learn a lot."

"Is that so?"

Arnav and NK began to fuss and Khushi could no longer hold back her laugh. Seeing the family together and in joy excited her. She truly couldn't wait to discover new experiences of her pregnancy. She wouldn't be alone and would have the support of her loving family, especially of her loving mother.

That night, both mother and daughter decided to watch the movie together, their husbands joining them. Eventually they dozed off, but one thing for sure, they were one happy family.