Chup Chup Ke Part Two

Khushi and Arnav are expecting their first child and want to keep the secret to themselves for a while.

Part Two

“Do you want a boy or a girl Arnav?”

They were lying in bed, legs and hearts entwined.

Arnav took Khushi’s hand in his from where she had been stroking his cheek and kissed the palm before he took both their hands and placed them on her still flat stomach. “Anything Khushi, I’ll be happy as long as you’re both healthy.”

“Arnav! Give me a proper answer, I want a little boy just like you” Khushi whined. "The same loving eyes, the same strong chin and even the same big nose."

Arnav laughed and pulled Khushi closer towards him so her chest was on his and gently tucked her fringe behind her ear where it promptly escaped again and attempted to hide her beautiful brown eyes from his gaze. “That’s what Di said and look at her now every time Krish has a tantrum suddenly he becomes 'my nephew' and not her son.”

Khushi began to protest, eager to defend her nephew and sister in law but Arnav stopped her with a squeeze at her waist and a quick press of his lips against hers.

“A girl would be nice though. Didn’t your Amma say once that we need a girl in this family now that Di and Akash have both had boys?”

Khushi quickly rested her head on Arnav’s chest worried that he would be able to tell from her face that she hadn’t kept their secret and tried to move the conversation on. “Di will be so happy when she finds out won’t she? She will probably cry for half an hour”

“Hmmm,” Arnav agreed uneasily knowing full well that Anjali actually cried intermittently for closer to an hour until Krish had woken from his nap.

***

Anjali waited until Arnav and Khushi left to go to the office before leaving Krish in the nursery with Payal and her own son Sanjay and went in to sit with Nani while she prayed. She sat on the small couch and waited for Devyani to finish before she spoke. “What did you pray for today, Nani?”

“Today? The same as always. I prayed for all my grandchildren and their children to always be as happy as they are now and for God to keep away any bad influences from our home. Why are you asking?” She put away her book and came to sit next to Anjali.

“Nani, I don’t think I will ever need to ask God for anything again. All my prayers have been fulfilled. Or they will be very soon.”

Devyani smiled to see Anjali so happy, she was glowing in a way she hadn’t done since the doctor had handed a healthy baby boy into her arms after hours of stressful labour two years ago. “Anjali bitya, do you have good news to share with me? Are you pregnant again?”

“Not me, Khushi!" Anjali exclaimed excitedly, "our Chotte is going to have a little Chotte of his own,” she laughed before gathering her Nani in a crushing hug.

Stunned into silence Devyani wiped away the tears that had fallen involuntarily. “I can’t tell you how happy I am Anjali. Did you ever think this day would come? Where is Chotte? Let me box his ear and remind him now what he used to say about love and marriage.”

She made to get up from the sofa but found herself dragged back down by Anjali. “No no Nani! You can’t tell Chotte I told you. He made me promise. You can’t tell anyone!”

***

“Jiji! Wake up, jiji!”

“Hai re Nand Kishore? What’s wrong Garima?" Madhumati sat up rubbing her head at the premature end of her sleep. 

Garima looked around as if she was expecting a hidden third party to jump out of a cupboard and surprise them both before she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Jiji, Khushi and..."

"What has that Sanka Devi done now? Is she here today as well? Doesn't she have to do the dabbas for Arnav babuas office today?”

Garima shook her head impatiently "No jiji, it's not that. She's not here but you won’t believe what’s happened. Khushi and Arnav babua are going to be parents!”

Madhumati’s mouth fell open, “What? You mean yesterday when she was flitting here and there like a butterfly she was pregnant already? Let me call that crazy girl right now, and tell her off. What is she doing leaping and jumping around when she’s pregnant? She needs to sit in one spot and rest during this time.”

“No no, you can’t call her.” Garima stopped Madhumati who had been patting the bed in search of her glasses in preparation. “She can’t know that you know Jji, she and Arnav aren’t telling anyone yet, not even Anjali!”