Chapter 28

PART - 22

Anjali, Mami, Mama, Nani and Payal were in the living room. Anjali was sitting on the sofa with her head on her hand and Nani was standing next to her, throwing draggers at Payal, who was standing a little distance away from them crying silently and Mami shouting at her. Mami stopped her scolding when she saw Arnav and Khusi. "Lo... Arnav Bitwa aur Phatee Saree aa gaye..."

Arnav went towards his Di and kneeling beside her said: "Kya hua Di?"

Anjali: "Chote, Thank god, you are here... Wooh Shyamji..."

Arnav: "What happened to him?"

Anjali: "The cream that Payal had made reacted badly on his burns... there is a lot of pus and swelling... the doctor is cleaning them. Akash and NK Bhai are there."

Arnav controlling his smile: "Don't worry Di, Jijaji will get well soon."

Anajli: "HP called to inform me about him, I had to come back... the girl was crying so much that I didn't had the heart to leave her but finally I managed to put her to sleep before I left. I tried your mobile but you had left that at home."

Arnav: "Sorry Di..."

Mami: "You don't have to say sorry. The person who is responsible for this should be saying sorry... but look at her, is standing and shedding crocodile tears..."

Payal: "Maaji... I didn't do anything... I made it the way Buaji said..."

Mami: "Hello Hi Bye Bye... Tumhari buaji doctor hai ka? When you don't know anything then why did you attempt? Ka soch ke ye sab kar rahi thi tum?"

Nani: "Even I was mad to say Anjali bitiya to apply it on Damdadji... because of that Damadji is so much pain now."

Arnav felt like thanking Payal for the first time. It gives him a sense of pleasure when Shyam is pain because he deserves much worse than this. But now he is happy not because Shyam is in pain but because his Di is coming out of being over-anxious of her husband and not creating a flood in RM by shedding tears. Right now she is frustrated because she had to leave the crying girl behind and return back. He needs to meet this girl soon, the one who is the reason of much change in his Di.

Khusi went near Anjali and sitting near her said: "Don't worry Di, Jijaji will get well soon."

Anjali: "I hope so Khusiji... She was crying so much Khusiji... She didn't want me to leave her... She wanted me to stay with her... but... but... I had to leave her."

Khusi: "I don't know who she is Di, if you both are so much attached to each other, then why don't you get her home? It will be better if she is here with you, with us, isn't it?"

Anjali instantly took Khusi's hand in hers and said: "I was thinking the same Khusiji... I was thinking of ad..." Leaving Khusi's hand she went to Arnav and cupping his face said: "Chote, you have always supported me in whatever I had wanted to do. Now I want something Chote, will you let me do it?"

Arnav: "Anything you want Di... You only need to say and it will be done. I promise."

Anjali: "Chote, I want to adopt Muskaan as my daughter, my legal child."

Arnav: "Di... are you sure? I mean..."

Before Arnav could complete the sentence or Anjali could answer, Nani said: "Anjali Bitiya, I don't have a problem if you are adopting a child. But now you are pregnant, you will be having a baby of yours soon, then why do you want to adopt her? She is nearly 12 years old, if you really want to adopt a child, you can adopt someone who is younger..."

Anjali: "Nani... I love Muskaan. To me she feels like my own daughter... You remember Nani, my parents had fixed my marriage when I was 18. Had I been married at that time probably now I would have been having a daughter of Muskaan's age... I know Nani, I am going to give birth to a baby soon but I am a mother much before that. (Moving her hand on Arnav's head) My Chote is my first child... Nani, I don't know why but I feel the same protectiveness for Muskaan that I feel for Chote and my unborn child... Nani, she too loves me... she loves to be with me..."

Arnav who was silently listening to Anjali till now controlling his emotions said: "Di, you sure, you want to adopt her?" Anjali nodded. "...Then don't worry Di, she will be here with you. You go and get her here... I will get the legal papers ready. She will be legally yours... only yours."

Anjali: "Sach Chotte..."

Arnav: "Haan Di... (He took her hands in his and said) "... Di, your love for me won't reduce even when you have your daughter, haina Di?"

Anjali smiled through her tears and said: "You only will remain my Chote... No one will take that place." Saying that she hugged him and both the siblings smiled with happy tears in their eyes.

Mami who too was emotional said trying to lighten the atmosphere: "Hello Hi Bye Bye... I was thinking of staying as Mami for a little longer but Anjali bitiya has decided to make me old very soon... Now, till my grand-daughter comes home, let me get my make-up touched up, so that she doesn't think me as an old lady..."

Arnav: "Di, when do you want to get her home?"

Anjali: "If possible today itself."

Nani: "Not today bitiya... The daughter of the house, the first child of a new generation should come home in full day light not during the dark, we will go to get her tomorrow morning..."

Anjali: "Okay Nani..."

Mamaji: "Bitiya, you can't adopt her on your own, you need Damadji's consent too. It is not possible for a married woman to adopt a child without her husband's approval."

Arnav: "You don't worry Mamaji, Jijaji won't object. He just needs to sign the papers that my lawyer will prepare. He doesn't need to get involved in this process."

Mamaji: "But still you need to ask Damadji about what he feels about this."

Mami: "Damadji won't object. He will do anything that makes Anjali Bitiya happy. After all his happiness lies in Anjali Bitiya."

Anjali: "Mamaji, you don't worry, Shyamji will never object. . . Chote, you please prepare the adoption papers soon."

Everyone smiled and Khusi said: "Di; is Muskaan the same girl for whom you made badaam-kheer yesterday?"

Anjali: "Haan Khusiji."

Khusi: "Arnavji, looks like from now on you will have to share your kheer with Muskaan..." she said in a funny tone making everyone laugh except Payal while Arnav muttered his copyrighted What The...

Akash came down and seeing everyone laughing said: "What's wrong with you all, Jijaji is not well and you all are laughing?"

Mami: "Hello Hi Bye Bye... Akash Bitwa, get ready to be mama soon..."

Akash: "I know, I am going to be mama, but right now we need to look after Jijaji."

Nani: "Akash Bitwa, Anjali Bitiya is getting your niece home tomorrow."

Akash: "Matlab..?"

Arnav: "Akash, you come with me, I will explain you and I do need your help also."

NK came down with the doctor.

Doctor: "I have cleaned the pus from the burns, but you all need to be careful about his wounds."

Anjali: "I will take care doctor."

Doctor: "Mrs. Jha, you are pregnant, you need to take care of yourself also. I would suggest if you hire a nurse for Mr. Jha, till he gets well."

Mamaji: "That is a great idea. Can you send a nurse from your hospital doctor?"

Doctor: "I will try to Mr. Raizada. I have given Mr. Jha an injection and he will be asleep till dawn. I will take leave now; in case of emergency do call me."

Anjali: "Sure Doctor."

After the doctor left, Arnav asked Akash and NK to meet him in study.

In the study

Akash: "Bhai, you want to tell me something?"

NK: "Yes, Nannav tell us, I am eager to know what you have to tell us."

Arnav: "Akash, what I am going to tell you now, will come to you as a nasty shock. NK knows about it. I want you to patiently listen to whatever I have to say."

Akash: "What is it Bhai?"

Before Arnav could say anything Khusi came into the study and said: "Arnavji, I have to talk to you, it is really important."

Arnav: "Say."

Khusi: "I need to talk to you alone. (Looking at Akash and NK) ...Akashji, Nanheji, would you please wait outside for a few minutes.

Akash: "Of course not Bhabi."

Saying he and NK went out of the room and Khusi turning to Arnav said: "Arnavji, you knew about Muskaan before right?"

Arnav nodded his head and she continued: "Then why didn't you tell me about her when I asked you?"

Arnav: "You didn't ask me anything about Muskaan?"

Khusi: "I did... yesterday night... I asked you, whether you know the girl?"

Arnav: "You didn't ask me about Muskaan. You asked me about the girl for whom Di had taken Kheer and I had no idea that it was Muskaan."

Khusi: "But you knew about Muskaan... Now Naniji told me about her. Poor soul faced so much at a small age... Why didn't you tell me about her?"

Arnav: "It is just that I didn't want you to worry... That time I didn't know that Di was planning to adopt her."

Khusi: "Arnavji, are you happy that Di is adopting her?"

Arnav: "I guess I am... Di seems so happy."

Khusi: "Arnavji, will you love her as your own niece, even after Di's baby is born?"

Arnav cupping one side of her face: "Khusi, I understand your concern... You think we all will be biased towards Di's baby, but let me tell you one thing Khusi, we are not Guptas... Muskaan will be the first child of our new generation. She will be my first niece; she will be loved and adored by everyone. I promise to love her even when Di's baby is born and even when we have a daughter of our own."

Khusi smiled and hugged him: "I know Arnavji, Muskaan will be loved by all... but I don't want her to think herself as an external entity. I want her to feel at home here."

Arnav: "She will Khusi... We all will love and pamper her so much that she will forget all her problems and begin a new life with us."

Khusi: "Arnavji, I wanted to ask you something else also... What is the important thing that you wanted to talk to Akashji and nanheji?"

Arnav: "I think we should inform Akash about Shyam. It is better he knows the truth."

Khusi: "Arnavji, I don't think it is the right time for it. Akashji and payal are married recently and this truth can hamper their relation... Like that also, I feel there is something wrong between them."

Arnav: "Akash should know the truth Khusi... And why do you care about Payal's relation?"

Khusi: "I am not caring about Payal... I am worried about Akashji. There is something wrong in his relationship with Payal and that is why he seems so disturbed."

Arnav: "Hmm... even I have noticed, he seemed to be disturbed during the meeting yesterday and..."

Khusi: "Exactly... that is why I don't want you to worry him more. I think..."

Khusi stopped when they heard NK shouting from outside the door: "Nannavv mere Bhai... can we come in now or should we go from here."

Arnav: "COME IN... ...Khusi, we will discuss about it later, I will only talk to Akash about Muskaan."

Arnav informed Akash about Muskaan along with inputs from NK. Both of them seemed excited at the concept of Anjali adopting her.

Akash: "Bhai, before she comes home, we need to decorate a room for her... After all she is our eldest niece..."

Arnav: "Yes, I want everything best for her... but I don't think we have enough time for decorating a room..."

NK: "Come on... Nannav mere Bhai, we can at least get something done... why not we three go shopping now and buy gifts for her..."

Arnav: "Yeah, I think we should go and buy gifts for her... NK, you have met her before, do you have any idea of what she likes?"

NK: "Oh no... She was so scared that, she trembled seeing me, gets panicked seeing any male..."

Akash: "Do you think she won't like our company also?"

Arnav: "She will like us. We are not irritating like NK... you must looked like a ghost to her NK, that is why she panicked."

NK: "Dude... I am the coolest among us... mark my words, very soon I am going to be her favourite mama."

Akash: "In your dreams NK Bhai... she will love me the most..."

Arnav: "What about me? She will love me too..."

Akash and NK together: "Only if don't shout at her."

Arnav: "What the!!"

NK: "Don't say what the before her... I don't want my niece talking like you..."

Arnav: "She is my niece too..."

Akash: "Bhai, NK Bhai, I think we should get going for shopping now or else we will get late."

NK: "You are right bro..."

Arnav: "Akash, before that you call Mr. Roy and ask him to prepare the adoption papers. The papers should be ready by tomorrow."

Akash: "Okay Bhai..."

Arnav: "And ask him to add certain points..."

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Akash called Mr. Roy and NK asked to Arnav: "Nannav, why you yourself didn't called Roy?"

Arnav: "I can't."

NK: "Why?"

Arnav: "Because, I have promised Khusi, that today I won't touch my phone or laptop."