Chapter 23

Pebblez

@Pebblez

This part goes out to Devanshi, for whom i wanna say, no hope is lost till the thing comes to an absolute end ;)

To Nia...i miss you girl, where are u....the lack of fetusia is kicking in now...ping me soon!!

And most importantly to Sneha, um gonna miss you like anything girl....all the very best...and i love you loads!! Always remember that...

Riddhima woke up with a start as the light rays enlightened her room. She was a little disillusioned, as she couldn't figure out when she had fallen asleep amidst the story telling sessions and deciding who would sleep where. She had been so lost in thinking over her past that she had no idea when she had finally dozed off.

As she turned from her position of sleeping at the corner of the bed, she was baffled to find Armaan's face within a few inches of hers. She backed out at once, had she been a little closer her lips would have touched his cheek. She looked at him sleeping peacefully, upside down on his stomach like always, with one of his arm over her waist and his legs splayed over hers. Smiling slightly, she looked over Armaan to see Rhea cuddle up to him, her both tiny hands lying on his chest and her head lying on his other outstretched arm. Beside Rhea lay Ryan, curled into a ball with his hands clasped under his chin.

The whole sight was so adorable that she couldn't move for a second; they actually looked like one happy family. The cute little kids, the disheveled sleepy wife, the perfect husband. Wait, did I just say husband, Riddhima thought. She looked at Armaan and pursed her lips…No, she couldn't even afford to think that way, he was her best friend and that's it. Nothing more.

With that determination in her head, she clambered out of the bed and stretched herself, yawning loudly. Feeling her leave the bed, Armaan opened one eye to see her stretching her arms above her head, standing on her toes and yawning with her mouth open. He smirked at this adorable sight, and opened both his eyes, sitting up straight, leaning against the bed post.

Armaan: Good Morning, sleeping beauty….

Riddhima turned to look at him and rolled her eyes…

Riddhima: yeah…and so the dead man waking up from his beauty sleep talks….

Armaan smirked a little, playing with Rhea's hair, who slightly stirred and with a shudder, woke up. Her huge, rounded eyes focused up at Armaan who smiled and picked her up in his arms.

Armaan: awwwww…my princess woke up!! Good molning pwincess….(tickling her slightly)

Rhea laughed and put her tiny arms around his neck, as Riddhima walked over to the other side of the bed to wake up Ryan. Ruffling his hair slightly, she shook him.

Riddhima: Ryan…come on, wake up baby boy….time to get up…

Ryan turned in his sleep and laid his head in her lap, snuggling in to her stomach.

Rhea: please lemme sleeeeeeeeeeeeepppppppp….

Armaan: nope….nothing doing….come on…get up!!! (punching his stomach slightly)

Ryan: (waking up and looking at him angrily) owwwww….Armaan!!! that hurt…Di, tell him to…

He stopped in his tracks as he saw Riddhima glaring down at him…

Riddhima: what did we decide about not calling him Armaan, huh??

Ryan blushed with embarrassment and looked down. Armaan saw this exchange and slightly smiled..

Armaan: aww, come on Ragz…he is a kid…he will learn…and I am okay with Armaan, seriously…(standing up, still holding Rhea)

Riddhima: no Armaan….he needs to learn how to respect people…that's what Ma would have wanted….

Riddhima looks at him meaningfully and Armaan, after a second's thought, nods and sighs. Then, he hands over Rhea to Riddhima and goes over to Ryan…

Armaan: come on now…let's go…

Giving him a piggy ride on his back, and Riddhima holding Rhea in her arms…they all walk over to the bathroom.

………………………………..

Riddhima, Armaan, Rhea and Ryan were standing in a row in front of the mirror, brushing their teeth and talking to each other. While Ryan and Rhea were busy in deciding who brushes their teeth first, Armaan looked over at Riddhima and winked.

Armaan: so…are we happy people now??

Riddhima looked at him, confused….

Riddhima: what??

Armaan: you know…the kids are here, everything's sorted out…so do we finally move from the i-am-sick-of-my-life people's group to the happy people's group?

Riddhima: Ha-ha!! Very funny….(Armaan smirked) NOT!!

Rhea: yaayyyy!! Um done….

Riddhima and Armaan looked over at them and frowned…

Armaan: wat, princess??

Rhea: I blushed faster than Bhai…(in her baby-ish voice)

Armaan laughed and picked her up in his arms, and giving a peck on her cheek, smiled…

Armaan: yes princess…blushing is a family problem, isn't it? Your di blushes too, like anything…(looks at Riddhima with meaningful eyes) and looks prettier than ever when she does…

Riddhima stopped and turned around to look at him….her cheeks aflame…Armaan winked at her, and pointing at her cheek, he moves out of the bathroom with Rhea in his arms. Riddhima stands rooted to the spot,….*had he just complimented her?? If yes, then why was it feeling so different…he had always told her how pretty she was…but this….*

She smacked her head and then washing her mouth for a last time, walks out with Ryan…

……………………………………………………..

Armaan was sitting on his bed, working on his laptop while Riddhima brushed Rhea's hair and Ryan played with his football.

Riddhima: there….we are done…!!! (looks at Rhea and kisses her cheek) my beautiful baby….

Armaan: (not looking up from the laptop) do not even try, she's all mine…

Riddhima turns to look at him and rolls his eyes…

Riddhima: right!! And you are….???

Armaan: I am the guy who picks her up and drops her off to day care everyday, who was the first one to change her diaper ever, who has made her eat the disgusting broth that u make, on whom she has puked the most since she was born, and who used to wake up in the night to make her go back to sleep…so yeah, that makes her my baby…(wiggles his eyebrows)

Riddhima made a face at him while Rhea jumped down from her lap and started playing with Ryan.

Riddhima: rigggghhhttt…..and by the way, the broth was the only thing I knew how to make…and yeah, the puke part…you were the one who wouldn't let go of her for a minute when she was a baby…so, not my fault…

Armaan: ahaaan…?? Have we forgotten the part where Lady Diana ala Riddhima Gupta wouldn't get out of her beauty sleep when this beautiful baby here used to scream at the top of her voice…?? (putting a pen to his mouth)

Riddhima picked up a cushion and threw it at him..

Riddhima: shut up!! I had done all that when Ryan was born….Rhea's your baby…Ryan's mine..!! (ruffling Ryan's hair)

Ryan: Di…(looks at her, irritated) do NOT play with my hair…

Riddhima looked at him, a bit surprised as Armaan snickers…

Ryan: oh btw…I need to ask u guys something…

Armaan: yep dude…spill…(picking Rhea and pulling her into his lap)

Ryan: why are we all sleeping together…??

Armaan and Riddhima share a confused look…then both concentrate on looking at Ryan…

Riddhima: what?? What do u mean..??

Ryan: I mean..ok, I get the part where either Bhai or u used to sleep with us in London…but why are you both…(points at them) sleeping together…??

Armaan and Riddhima now look at each other, horrified. They would have to explain everything to him, and they didn't know how much they could tell him. Before either of them could say anything, Ryan gasped and put a hand to his mouth.

Ryan: oh my GOD!!!

Armaan: what…??

Ryan: ewwwww…you guys are doing the seed thing…!!

Riddhima: the SEED thing…what's that…??

Ryan: you know…the thing in which Bhai puts something in you…and then you have a baby…it's called…ummm..mating yeah…Ms. Sally told us in school…(in a matter of fact thing)

Riddhima wished at that moment that the Earth split open and would eat her up. She couldn't have been more mortified ever, and the look of utmost glee on Armaan's face further made her blush with humiliation. A second later, Armaan burst out into laughter, rolling on the bed, holding his stomach while Riddhima stood there still horrified and Ryan looked at them confused.

Ryan: why are you laughing…??

Armaan: oh…ohh…(holding his stomach) the…the seed thing….hahahahahahahhahaa…

Riddhima: SHUT UP ARMAAN!!! (glaring at him)…

Ryan: what…he didn't know about the seed thing…?? (looks at Riddhima questioningly)

Riddhima: ignore him..he's a nutcase…! (throws a dirty glare at Armaan who finally stopped laughing)

Ryan: So…you guys ARE doing the seed thing right…that's why you are sleeping together…so are you guys now mommy and daddy??

Armaan: whaaaaaattt?? (incuriously)

Ryan: you know…are you guys married…like mommy and daddies are…so they can do the seed thing and have babies…are you gonna have a baby…??

Riddhima shook her head in embarrassment as Armaan finally got a grip over himself and grabbing hold of Ryan, he gently made him sit beside her and put an arm around him.

Armaan: ummm…Ryan…dude, we…meaning, me n your Di…she ummm…we guys are married…(Riddhima looks at him shocked, Armaan nods reassuringly at her)…and ummm…no, we are not going to have babies….

Ryan: oh…okay then….(as if it didn't matter the least to him, he picked up the ball again and walked to the door)…just don't do the love things in bed when I am there…okay??

And saying that, he walked out of the room while Riddhima squirmed with embarrassment. This had to go down as one of the most embarrassing conversations in her entire life. Armaan, who himself felt quiet flushed after the whole, quite humiliating conversation, walked over to her, gave her a small smile and tweaked her nose.

Armaan: cheer up…he is just a kid…

Riddhima: trust me, after the things he said…he is so not a kid…

Armaan laughed and lightly pulled her hair…

Armaan: so you wanna try…?? (winks at her)

Riddhima turned to look at him…

Riddhima: the love things…??

Both look at each other up and down…and say: NAHHH!! at the same time….then laugh and Riddhima walks out of the room while Armaan gets back to Rhea and his laptop….

………………………………………..


Armaan had helped them move into the small two bedroom apartment they had found together. He had been formally introduced to Misha and Ryan as a 'friend' and no questions had been asked. Riddhima was extremely grateful to him for all his help, yet she couldn't figure out why he was doing so much for them, they were practically strangers. So, after they were done with the moving in and everything had been sorted out, they both walked down to a deli to grab some food for everyone and while sitting in their booth, waiting for the food to come, Riddhima had at once looked up at him and spilt it out.

Riddhima: why are you doing this Armaan…??

Armaan looked at her surprised, then looked down at himself…

Armaan: what…playing with the mobile…(flashing it before her eyes)

Riddhima sighed and looked at him…

Riddhima: I mean…you are doing so much for me, for my family…and I dnt even know you very well…then why…??

Armaan groaned and closed his eyes…

Armaan: not again Riddhima…we have had this discussion…why are you so bent on making me seem like an angel…??

Riddhima: you ARE my angel Armaan…what you have done for me, I couldn't have dreamt of someone to do it…so i get to know the answer to this…why??

Armaan looked at her speaking earnestly and realized that this really meant to her. Clasping his hands together over the table top, he looked down at his interlocked fingers and spoke up.

Armaan: you have been coming to the tuition centre for the past 4 months…and I always noticed you, because you were always this…this happy, lively girl who brought a smile on everyone's face…you had this amazing aura of spreading happiness wherever you went…and your zest for life…I just liked looking at you, the way you were…you made me wanna smile, I realized that I was intrigued by you….

Riddhima heard him speak and was astounded, she had never imagined or thought that Armaan had known her for so long.

Armaan: I don't know…I had newly shifted here…I missed my family…and I dunno why but whenever I looked at you, I felt some kind of familiarity, some kind of security of being around someone I knew…we never talked, I just watched you from a distance…then a few weeks ago, your smile started faltering…the glitter in your eyes was gone….i couldn't feel the warmth that usually radiated from your presence….and I knew something was wrong…

Armaan: then you stopped coming to the tuition centre….and I was restless to know why…and then one day, you showed up…I was so happy to see you, but then I saw your face and instantly knew something was terribly, terribly wrong…and then I saw you sitting there, crying alone in the basketball court…and I couldn't resist…I came and sat next to you, thinking that maybe my presence would calm you down, the way yours did always…

Riddhima looked at him with slight tears in her eyes. She was a mere 18 year old, she didn't deserve to go through so much…but him being there, was a great comfort in itself…

Riddhima put her hand on his, and the lump in her throat wouldn't let her speak but he didn't even let her….he put his hand over hers and lightly squeezed it…and she mouthed a thanks while he simply nodded.

The next few months passed like that; Armaan helped Riddhima study and get into a good university, she was surprised to discover that he was 3 years elder to her. He truly was her angel, for he soon teamed up with Ryan and even warmed up to Misha very soon. Riddhima studied in the morning and worked in the evening in the same place where Armaan did and they soon became inseparable friends.

Armaan formed a special bond with Misha soon, he was like a mother to him and he was a son in the true meaning of the world. Both Riddhima and Armaan pampered her a lot through out her pregnancy, and then the day came when Rhea was born. Only, it was the same day Riddhima lost the most important person in her life, Misha.

Misha already was aware of the complications in her delivery, but she was determined to bring this baby in the world. When Armaan discovered the truth a few weeks before the birth, he tried every mean and way to stop her, but she was inconsolable. She made Armaan promise he wouldn't tell anyone, and thus when Rhea was born, as expected, Misha died within a few minutes of the birth.

The shock of her death took its toll on both Riddhima and Ryan, and they both were irrevocably inconsolable. Ryan had settled into a deep depression while Riddhima became a workaholic. In all this time, Armaan stood by her and he was the one to take care of Rhea in the early days. Soon, Riddhima came out of the shock and realized the importance of giving full care and love to the new born baby, and thus the baby was named Rhea after mutual consensus after 3 weeks of her birth.

However, it took much longer for Ryan to get out of the depression; his father and then the loss of his mother was too much to bear for his young mind and he soon became an introvert, not interacting much with anyone and yet being himself around the people he loved.

A few years passed, Riddhima finished her bachelors and got a new job while Armaan was doing his MBA. With a mutual decision, they all moved into a bigger house with two more friends and pooled in the rent…and that was how life had been ever since…

………………………………………………………

Riddhima jerked out of her thoughts about her past as she felt someone tapping her shoulder. She turned to find Padma standing before her. Riddhima had been preparing milk for Rhea, who was now seated on the shelf next to the stove.

Padma: kahan gum ho beta…??

Riddhima: huh…?? Nahi…nothing Auntieee…I am just…making milk for Rhea…(smiled at her)

Padma: Auntiee nahi beta…Mama bola kero…main tumhari bhi to mama hun na….hmm?? (holds her chin)

Riddhima nods after a second's thought, and gets back to the milk that had been warmed by now.

Padma: ummm…Riddhima beta….??

Riddhima turned to look at her: Jee…??

Padma: main aik baat kahun to bura to nahi mannogi??

Riddhima: of course not…ap bolo….

Padma: beta who ummm….(a bit uncomfortable) yeh bachey tumhare saath…I mean, tum logon ke kamre main kyun sotey hain??

Riddhima is now caught unawares and doesn't know what to say…

Riddhima: *oh no….what do I say now….oh God, I SUCK at lying…she would get to know straight away that I am lying…just by looking at my face…uff…where is Arman when you need him??? * ummm…who auntie…

Her voice falters…..

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

Sorry for the delay again. And i hope you guys liked this part...and yayyy, 150 pages...thanks a ton guys!!! I want long comments now..hehehe...and yes, i will be replying to urs pretty soon too...love ya all..

Kiran