Chup Chup Ke Part Five

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

Part Five

“Hello, hi, by bye bitwa it is time for you to settle down now. Every week my poor sister complains to me I have grandchildren to play with and she has none.” Manorama was sat at the dining table, she had just finished her weekly video call with her sister Lata who had once again bemoaned her own lack of daughter in laws to complain about lovingly while Manorama had gotten lucky and been rewarded with two.

Nand Kishore laughed into his phone, “Mausiji, I am still young and cool. There’s still a lot of time before Uncle NK turns into Daddy NK.”

“No, this will not do. I have decided, this time when you come to see Arnav and Khushi’s baby we will get you married for sure. I will look myself for a high-class girl for you. Better even than these Gupta sisters. They’re not bad but…”

“Baby? Nanav? Khushiji? Mausi what are you saying? This is so exciting!” He felt like there was a ball of light inside him threatening to burst out. Khushi, and Arnav too, deserved this, they deserved every happiness that God could bestow upon them.

Manorama clapped a hand over her mouth. She had been so intent on keeping the secret, well she had told her sister but that didn’t count. “Bitwa, you can’t say anything, you must promise me. Your Mausaji will never forgive me.

NK laughed. He had wondered why Khushiji or Akash hadn’t told him the news already as he was in regular contact with them. It must be very  “on for his Mausi to be worried about telling him. “I will keep your secret on one condition Mausiji. You have to promise that when I come to India this time there will be no talk about getting me married. And if there is it HAS to be to someone exactly like those Gupta girls. Nobody high class for me thank you.”

“Hello, hi, bye, bye,” Manorama sniffed indignantly, “what magic do these girls have? All my boys are crazy for them.”

/

“Akash my brother, how have you been?”

Akash smiled when he realised who was video calling him, “I was just thinking about you NK! How have you been? When are you coming to India next?”

“Well that’s the thing Akash, I was just wondering what everyone’s plans are next month. Are you and Nanav very busy at work or will you have time to hang out?” NK had contemplated waiting until the baby was born to visit India again but by then Akash and Di’s children would both be much older and he wanted to spend more time with them while they were still young.

“That would be great NK, everyone will be so happy to see you and Sanjay is so big now you won’t believe it. And I think Bhai will be spending a lot more time at home soon enough…” Akash left his sentence hanging and waited for NK to pick it up.

NK hesitated, he wondered if Akash knew but Mausiji had suggested that the only people that knew were herself and Mausaji. Although how that would have come about he wasn’t sure. “That’s a good thing then that Nanav isn’t working so hard these days right?”

Akash rolled his eyes, NK was very dim sometimes and needed things spelling out directly. “What I mean to say is Arnav bhai will have to work hard but he’ll be working hard at home as well…”

“Okay… that will be good for Khushiji to have him around won’t it?” NK couched his reply, not wanting to give up his secrets.

“NK! Bhai’s going to be a father!”

“Ah,” NK stifled a laugh in case Akash should realise he already knew. “That’s brilliant, does everyone know or is this a secret…?”

“No, no. You can’t tell anyone I told you! Payal will kill me!

NK laughed openly now, “okay my brother I promise, nobody will find out from me!”

/

The whole family had migrated to the living room after lunch where NK was distributing all the gifts he’d brought over from Australia. Arnav looked over at Khushi who was admiring a colourful and tasselled bag NK had gifted her. He could just make out the swell of her stomach, they had been worried that because she was so slight their pregnancy secret would have been betrayed by her changing body but instead they had managed to keep the secret. Even Di had hardly mentioned the pregnancy to him which had surprised him. He reached for Khushi’s hand and squeezed expectantly.

Khushi looked up and understood his meaning, her eyes brightened immediately. She had been bursting to tell more people her mother just wasn’t the person to have endless engaging conversations with about the merits of different baby names. She put aside the bag and nodded in affirmation.

They waited until there was a lull after tea ad coffee had been served. Arnav cleared his throat and they both stood up.”

“Everybody,” Khushi began with a smile “we want to tell you all some exciting news.” She turned then to the person she knew would be the happiest for them. “Di, you’re going to be an aunt!” Khushi waited expectantly for a scream or faint of excitement.

Anjali smiled weakly and Arnav shot her a look of anger before he quickly took over and addressed Khushi’s parents, “Aunty, Uncle, Khushi and I are going to become parents.”

The reaction here was also lukewarm and Arnav realised what must have happened. He turned to Khushi in mild annoyance. Khushi who had been perplexed by Anjali’s reaction and realised at the same moment what must have happened.

“Khushi we said we weren’t going to tell anyone!”

“Arnav, you told Di?”

They both huffed and looked around the room at their family and were met with a myriad of guilty and furtive expressions. Arnav turned to Anjali first, “Di! You told everyone?” and at the same time Khushi spoke to her Amma at the same time, “Amma, I told you to keep it a secret!”

“No, Chotte, I only told Nani. I was just so excited,” and “Khushi bitya, nobody can keep a secret from your Buaji,” came the simultaneous replies.

“I was only telling Mahendra I was worried I would never get to see Chotte’s child before God called me to him,” and “Payal bitya needed to know to look after you in this difficult time,” Nani and Buaji added.

“You can’t have secrets in a healthy marriage,” Mahendra defended himself and Payal agreed with her father-in-law in a quieter tone, “Akashji and I share everything.”

“Nand Kishore was all the way in Australia, where was the harm in telling him this good news?” Manorama said obstinately at the exact same time as Akash who said “I knew he would be the happiest for Bhai and Khushiji.”

Everyone turned to NK who raised his hands in surrender, “Nanav, Khushiji, I promise I didn’t tell anyone!”