Chapter 21

Pebblez

@Pebblez

Riddhima looked from Armaan to Rhea to Rahul, and then to Aditi. Her mind had gone completely blank, and howver much she tried, the lower part of her face refused to open and blurt out anything, leaving her look like a mindless puppet opening and closing her mouth over and over again.

The display of varied emotions on the faces of the people standing before them left Armaan wondering: while Aditi was looking amused, Padma and Bey-jee looked like the earth had split open and they were about to fall in, Divya had a cocked raised eyebrow that showed a tinge of disapproval while Nikki had a highly 'oh-i-could-say-so-much-right-now' look on her face. His gaze shifted to Riddhima's face, and he had a sudden urge to laugh. However, before he could say anything, two tiny, cold hands landed on his face as Rhea made him turn to look at her.

Rhea: kaa hua Almaan...??(in her cute, innocent voice)

Smiling, he shook his head at her. The prolonged silence was now unnerving him by the second. He looked at Riddhima and whether he could split the reality to them....the hidden reluctance in her eyes made him restrain himself.

Padma was the first one to break the silence now. Taking a few steps forward towards them, she gave them a confused look.

Padma: Armaan....beta, yeh bachay....??

Armaan: Mom woh....(gulps) yeh...ummm....

He was stopped in his tracks when Da-jee walked forwards, his cane sounding like a gun-shot in a silent night. Coming to stand before them, Da-jee gave them both such a piercing look that Armaan couldn't dare to look up again.

Da-jee: yeh bachay kaun hain Armaan...??

Armaan looked down, not knwoing what to do. He couldnt lie to Da-jee, and yet he couldn't break Riddhima's trust either.

Da-jee: main tumse kuch puch raha hun...Armaan...

Rahul, still standing at the door, takes in the situation. Noticing Riddhima and Armaan both silenced with fear, he decided to make matters better by stepping in. Coming forward, he stood between Armaan and Riddhima and spoke up.

Rahul: yeh...yeh mere chote behen bhai hain....

Now the focus of eveyrone's attention is shifted to Rahul. Though Padma knew him just by face as she had seen his picture, no one else knew how close Armaan and Rahul were.

Da-jee: aur tum kaun ho??

Armaan: (finally finding his voice) Da-jee yeh mera dost hai...Rahul....humare saath London main parhta hai....issey maine yahan invite kiya hai...(smiles)

Da-jee nods, then lightly touching Rahul's head as he bends down to touch his feet, goes into his room. Everyones breathes a sigh of relief, and norml bustle and talk breaks out.

Padma: main to darr hi gai thi...pehle shadi chupai....aur phir mujhe laga, ke bachay...(sighs) Armaan, tu bol nahi skata tha??

Armaan: Maa main kia...

Rahul: its okay Padma Auntie...actually ghalti meri hai...Armaan ko pata nahi tha ke yeh log bhi saath arahay hain...

Padma: acha...(smiles) kia naam hai beta ap ka...? (looking at the young boy)

Ryan clings to Riddhima's legs, as he was generally shy and didnt interact much with people.

Riddhima: Ryan...beta, Auntie kuch puch rhai hain na...(fondly rubs her hand on his head)

Padma: tum in bachon ko janti ho??

Ryan: (spekaing up slowly) jee, she's our Di....

Padma looks a little confused, from Armaan to Riddhima to Ryan.

Armaan: actually Mom...yeh bchay humare kafi close hain....Rahul akela rehta hai na, to kafi time yeh bachay humare pass hi hotey hain...(covering up for her)

Padma: achaa...(smiles) (looks back at Aditi) arey tu wahan kia kharri hai, aa ker mil na...

Aditi and Nikiti walk towards them, and meet the kids. While Ryan was more of an introvert kid, Rhea was totally his opposite. Young, bubbly and full of life, she easily mingled with people, and was quite clever for her age too.

Riddhima looked at Armaan and signalled him to come upstairs to the room, as she had to talk. He blinked his eyes at her cofortingly and nodded.

Riddhima: chalo...Rhea, Ryan...lets go up to the room...come...aoo Rahul..(looks at him)

Holding Ryan's hand, she walks up to their room, followed by Armaan holding Rhea and Rahul bringing up the end of the line.

.........................................

In their room. Now, Rhea and Ryan are sitting on the bed, Armaan is standing with his back to the wall, one leg leaning against it, and Rahul is sitting on the arm of a seat. All of them are looking at Riddhima pacing from one part of the room to the other.

Armaan looks at Rahul and rolls his eyes, smiling slightly as Riddhima is constantly muttering under her breath. Rahul snickers. Armaan mouths 'the crazy pacing act kicks in again" at him and Rahul laughs a little. However, Riddhima at once turns and bursts out at Armaan.

Riddhima: THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE WEIRDEST THINGS YOU HAVE EVER DONE!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS...BRINGING THEM DOWN HERE, WITHOUT EVEN INFORMING ME...??? AS IF IT WASNT SCREWED UP ENOUGH ALREADY, YOU DECIDED TO BECOME THE KING OF SUPERB IDEAS THAT SCREW UP THINGS EVEN MORE....TELL ME ARMAAN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? (glaring at him)

Armaan gulps, speechless, taken-aback by her sudden outburst.

Riddhima: (rounds up on Rahul) AND YOU!!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE SANE ONE AMONGST US, THE PERSON WHO HAD A LITTLE MORE SENSE THAN THIS MORON OVER HERE...(shoots an angry look at Armaan) BUT YOU PROVED ME WRONG...!! Of course, what else do you expect, you guys are like best friends from eternity....!! Gosh, Armaan....Rahul....(puts a hand on her forehead) WHAT THE F... IS THIS!! (stomps her foot)

Armaan shoots a suprirsed look to Rahul. This was definitely not how things were planned.

Armaan: ummm...Ragz....let's just keep the F word out na....kids here...?? (biting his tongue as he saw her look)

Riddhima: Seriously???? SERIOUSLY??? You are more concerned about me using the "F" word (makes inverted comma signs in the air) than you being the world's biggest moron and bringing them all the way to India to expose them as our KIDS to your family, who hasnt even got used to the idea of us being married...?? And then you give me crap about the F word, Armaan?? (glares at him, hands on her hips)

Armaan grins her a little sheepishly, as he is unable to control his laughter now.

Riddhima: DONT!! (points at him) Dont...you...dare...give me...that stupid smile...Armaan Mallik...!! (saying one word at a time)...

Armaan stands straight and decides to calm her down now. He goes to her, puts both his hands on her shoulders as she glares. Steering her towards the bed, he makes her sit down while she protests...

Armaan: sit...(she tries getting up) SIT!!..(commandingly)....and SHUT UP NOW!!!

Riddhima looks at him, her anger subsiding a little.

Armaan: look Ragz...we did this for you...because you have been worried to your death about them, and well, they were on their vacations, you wwere here, and they had no other place to go...and we dont have to tell them the truth, we just tell them that they're Rahul's siblings, like he said....and we cleared up the kids misconception right now...I dont see how things are getting screwed up here??

Riddhima looks at him, grim.

Riddhima: Armaan, why dont u understand?? I just got custody after fighting for the past 2 years like anything....you really think he's not gonna kick up a frenzy when he gets to know they are here??

Rahul butts in before Armaan could answer

Rahul: Riddhima...i have notified the court about them being here, and they are perfectly okay with it...now they are your responsibility, he cant do anything about it...what's the big deal...??

Riddhima looks from him to Armaan, who nods fervently....she sigs, giving up...

Riddhima: okay then...how long do they stay???

Rahul: till you are here...they are not leaving without you...

Riddhima looks at Rhea and Ryan, who were sitting quietly, looking at them, hen sighs.

Riddhima: oh...okay....then its settled....(looks at them) thank you guys, its not like i am not happy to see them...its the best surprise ever....i just got a little worked up...

Armaan: hey...come here....(holds her hand)

He makes her stand and pulls her into a bear hug, Riddhima ugs him back tightly for reassurance..giving her a final tight squeeze he backs out and smiles at her.

Armaan: dont worry...hum hain na...tu fikar na kar...(winks at her)

Then he walks over to the bed and picks up Rhea, and kissing her cheek, throws her up in the air to catch her back as she squeals with laughter.

Armaan: So...now its team Mallik against team Gupta...you are gonna lose big time honey...(winks at her)

Riddhima: no way....(putting her arm around Rahul's waist, as he put an arm aorund her shoulder) the Gupta's never lose, do they Rahul??

Rahul: never....(smiling down at his baby cousin)

Armaan: soch lo....its you two against us three...(points at himself, Ryaan and Rhea)

Riddhima: technically speaking, its only you and these two in my team....but owing to the fact taht you are a big manipulator, you bought our team members...(wiggles her eyebrows at him)

Armaan: chal chal...teri team members bikaao hain....

Riddhima: acha...?? Maybe you are forgetting Mr. Mallik, one of ur team members became a traitor too....(folding her arms triumphantly) now i have Aravh in my team too...so its tit for tat...

Rahul laughs at their silly banter...just then Divya walks in...

Divya: Armaan...tum log abhi takk yahiin ho....tum ne Rahul ko uska kamra nahi dikhaya??

Armaan: (scratches his head stupidly) umm wo....

Rahul: let it be...you must be D, rigt??

Divya nods....Rahul introduces himself and shakes her hand...

Divya: come on...i will show you your room...let these two fight...(winks at him)

Rahul laughs, and picking up his bag, leaves the room......

Armaan settles Rhea onto the bed as Riddhima picks her upp again and he starts tickling Armaan....

Ryan: owwww....no Bhaiya...dont...!!! owww...hahahahahahha....

Riddhima: Armaan nee karo...he gets ticklish, u knw that...(frowning at him)

Armaan: come on...aint u my strong boy...?? Hey dude...(sitting up) i got the latest Tekken 5...wanna game...??

Ryan: Yaayyy!!! Lets go...!!!

Armaan got him on his back, and giving him a piggy-ride, walked to his 'den' as Riddhima sighs, watching them go. Rhea wraps her arms around Riddhima's neck and hugs her tightly...

Rhea: Di...!!

Riddhima: awww my baby...(kissing her) i mished you soooo much...!! Come on, lets get some food into u...you must be hungry...

Talking to her, she walks downstairs to get food for her.

.......................................................

At night.

Riddhima comes out of the bathroom. wearing a short cropped Hello Kitty shirt, that ended just below her belly button and light blue coloured pyjamas under it. with her hair an absolute mess and her face void of any make up, she looked fairly cute in her outfit. She was holding a brush to her mouth, brushing her teeth as she walked over to the dressing table to pick up her face wash. She saw Armaan lying in the middle of the bed, wearing three-quarters and a sleeveless black shirt. Rhea was sitting on his stomach, bumping up and down and laughing while Ryaan was lying down next to him, smiling as Armaan lightly brushed his hair with his fingers and read them both a story.

Shaking her head at them, she lightly smiled and walked into the bathroom. Armaan always pampered both the kids like they were practically his own....he had a way around kids she could never understand. Rhea was his absolute favorite, she could get anything she wanted out of him, and Armaan was Ryan's best friend. Though Ryan had his reasons for being the introvert kid he was, she was happy that he had at least some male company to look upto. Armaan was undoubtedly the best idol for the kids.....her kids, she mused. Though they weren't her biological children, she had brought them up and loved them as much as one could love her own. As she washed her face and came out of the bathroom, she again saw the adorable sight before her and smiled ot herself.....

The past had indeed been cruel, and while she thanked God that the bad part was over, the inauspicious day that was today made her mind reel back into those dark days again....

,......

Here i am, only 3 days late...sorry guys...and sorry Devanshi, i was a bit rude earlier...i am just a little cuagt up with things...i am sorry...

Hope u guys like this part...plz do comment...and yeah, next part: Riddhima's past.

Loads of love

Kiran