Wish you all a very happy new year! Enjoy the update...
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Chapter 44

Siya's POV:

"Ariya, I said close your eyes and sleep." I told my baby devil irritated, after giving me a glare she closed her eyes.

I was patting her to sleep even though she wasn't sleepy, Ms. Attitude couldn't sleep without seeing her dad. But I wanted her to sleep because tomorrow is my daughter's first diwali. I wanted her to be fresh and enjoy the day thoroughly.

After she slept, I asked one of my maid to stand out of the room and went down to wait for my dear husband. He came after an hour almost drenched.

His tired face lit up and flashed a million dollar smile when he saw me. I approached him and touched his shoulder " Is it raining outside Arjun?" I asked looking outside.

"Work baby! " he told circling his hands around my waist. I took his coat off and dragged him to the dining area "Wash your hands Arju and have food it's already late." With that I went into the kitchen to make dosa for him. I dismissed all the maids in the kitchen to sleep since they were already tired.

I started making dosas but jumped in my place when suddenly someone hugged me from behind.

Arjun !

Resting his chin on my shoulder he sighed in relaxation. I love it. I love him close to me more than that he makes me feel functioning.

"Today was very tiring baby! I had to attend five meetings back to back and like cherry on top there was a problem in our water plant, had to stay all the while, talk to the mechanical engineers and.... Ah..... I'm drained." He told snuggling in the crook of my neck closing is eyes.

I touched his cheek and told him " Eat and sleep.... Sleep all you want." Usually Arjun would never say his discomforts out. He always used to maintain his demeanor as if he wasn't affected but my husband was also a human and I was immensely happy that he's opening up to me. Finally!

"Where is Ari?" He asked me. I told him that she's asleep and served him food. After he finished his food we both retired to our room.

I opened the door slowly without making noise, my baby is a very conscious sleeper. My eyes popped out of my sockets when I saw her playing with her teddy on the bed, she didn't see us, her full concentration was on her teddy.

"Ariya..." I called her name aloud. She looked at me with wide eyes but once she saw her dad, she got down the bed and ran to him in lightning speed. I didn't know where did the so called tiredness of my husband vanished?

She hugged him, traced his face and hugged him again, this was her daily routine. I sighed and walked towards the restroom
" Mrs. Arjun, look at my mommy." Told Arjun kissing Ari's cheek.

"Ofcours she's your mom and undoubtedly.... my mother in law." I told sarcastically hitting my chest before stepping into the restroom and heard Arjun burst into laughter.

I came out and changed my night ware then saw both daddy and daughter sleeping peacefully on bed.

They were inseparable!

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I woke up exactly at 5:00 AM thanks to my alarm, after taking bath, wore a simple blue cotton salwar and climbed down the stairs leaving both Arjun and Ari sleep. It's too early to wake them up, many maids were cleaning the whole mansion. I asked few of them to make Rangoli, sent few to clean the pooja room and make arrangements for the prayer. Deepa aunty suggested me a pandit for some special prayer today. I went inside the kitchen and saw our cooks preparing today's feast. I have invited Sanjana Akka and Surya yesterday, I called daddy he's on his way home. I need to meet him it's been long. Today according to our tradition, we need to take oil bath, which I did. After instructing my cooks about the preparation of sweets, I went to wake up my sweet babies.

I climbed on the bed next to Ari and tried to wake her up. After twisting and turning for almost 20 minutes she opened her eyes. I didn't wake up Arjun because Ari will accomplish that job. She claimed on him with half closed eyes and started pulling his beard and hitting his chest.

He suddenly pulled me to him yawning, I laid on his chest for a while deciding to pass some quality time. Then I stood up and dragged them both to the restroom.

"What's this Siya?" He asked me surprised looking at the bowl of oil.

"This is a ritual Arjun, Actually....ah... We weren't in good terms during our last diwali.... Ah... This year is different. This is Ari's first diwali and..." I tried my best to tell him that I want him to enjoy and experience the full waves of a typical south Indian festival but I couldn't.

"This is my first diwali too wife, I haven't celebrated any festival in my life and last year you wasn't ready... It's OK... So let's start, tell me what should I do? " he told me casually but I felt really bad for hurting him so much. An unstoppable pang of regret washed my face when he told me he haven't celebrated any festival for life.

"Hey Siya... Baby I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry." He cupped my face feeling bad. I gave him a warm smile and made him sit on the corner of the bath tub.

I made Ari sit on his lap and started patting her hair with a hand full of oil. She looked annoyed and started wailing while shaking her head.

"Easy... Easy heartbeat... It's nothing." Arjun tried to console her. Once I'm done massaging her whole body. Arjun hugged and kissed her cheeks. Without giving him a second to think, I poured oil on his head making him yelp.

"What the hell!" He screamed.

"What?" I asked him deadly calm.

"No...Nothing go ahead!" He surrendered raising his hands. I took my own time to massage his head.

"Siya... it's bliss!" Arjun moaned in relaxation.

"And it's good for health too. It reduces body heat." I told him confidently.

"OK now both of you take bath and quick we need to pray. So hurry up." I told and tried to leave the bathroom but a strong pair of hand hugged me stopping.

"Where are you going wife? Heartbeat, I think its time to give your Chiyaaa her oil bath." He told Ari making her clap her hands.

Daddy's Daughter!

"No no... I already took bath early morning." I told them sternly.

"How could we believe you? No, no you didn't wake us up so it wasn't our fault..... Ari, your dad is gonna help your Chiyaa oil bath. " with that he tried to get hold of me but I pushed him and started running inside our room. Both daddy and daughter would never leave me today I guess.

All on a sudden Arjun pulled me by my waist making us both fall on the bed in a way he was hovering over me.

"You can't escape love." With that he pored a hand full of oil over my head.

Aarrrggg!

I started hitting him just when we heard a knock and the door slightly cracked open. There stood my dad in his own glory, we both got up from bed and Ari ran to dad squealing " My goldfish..." Dad lifted her and threw her in air whirling and making her laughter resonate the walls.

I went close to them and gave a bone crashing hug to my dad. He looked pleased and happy seeing us after long time.

"I guess, I disturbed your moment." he told Arjun.

"Nothing like that uncle your daughter insisting me and my daughter to take oil bath on the other hand she hesitates for it." He told sharing a hug with my dad. Ari got down from dad's arms I was about to see where she was going but gotten away by dad.

"Exactly Arjun, I used to have a tough time bathing her when she was a kid. She hates oil bath. " told dad making Arjun laugh with him and I gave them both a hard glare.

"Dad you go and fresh up we need to do the pooja, the pandit must be on the way." I told him. He was about to leave just when my little rabbit clutched his shirt and guesture him to sit.

He sat matching her height and asked " Tell me goldfish!" Without warning she pored a bowl of oil which I left in the bathroom on his head and started tapping his head with her delicate soft little palms.

I and Arjun started laughing clutching our stomachs. My daughter is such a cutie pie. Dad took her in his arms and kissed her cheeks after laughing briefly.

"You know Chittu... You used to do the same, when you were like my goldfish. Now leave Ari to me, I'll give her bath and get ready myself. You both get ready and come down for the pooja." With that he took Ari's dress and went to the adjacent room of ours, I already kept his cloths ready there.

"So wife do you want me to help you bathing." He asked.

"No thank you, I can help myself." I pushed him and went to restroom.

Arjun was inside the restroom while I wore a beautiful blue silk Saree and applied a little make up. I just wore the gold bangles and a big jimki (ear hanging) and left my wedding chain hung free on my neck.

Arjun was struggling with his dhoti, I went close to him and helped him with that. All the while he was looking at me without blinking.

"You look beautiful Siya." He told me stroking my cheek with the back of his hands sending waves of electricity to my spine.

"You don't look bad yourself, now come its getting late." With that I dragged him along with me downstairs.

My dad and my cute baby was waiting for us. Dad was wearing a traditional white silk shirt and dhoti. Ari was wearing a blue silk skirt and blouse matching my dress looking utterly cute. We had breakfast together listening to dad's trip experience.

Finally pandit visited us and we all sat in the pooja (special prayers) later Arjun and I distributed cloths and sweets for the workers and headed to have lunch.

Dad took care of Ari the whole day and dressed her up in the evening. Arjun changed to jeans and wore a white T-shirt while I changed to a comfortable pink cotton salwar.

Deepa aunty, Sanjana Akka, Surya, Kavya all visited us in the evening. We went to our massive terres to play crackers. Arjun held Ari in his arms while she opened her mouth in awe looking at the colorful sparks in the sky. She clapped her hands flashing her rabbit teeth. My baby was very happy and enjoying her day thank god.

I left the place and slowly sneeked to the other end of the terres and looked at the sky, I was all alone here but a pair of hands sneeked around my waist from behind.

Arjun...

"I love you.." He told resting his chin on my shoulder. I turn around and hugged him placing my head on his chest. I love you too Arjun. I will confess my love tomorrow, I'll surprise you and make you faint with happiness. No more hiding just wait for a day.

He got a call, so he excused himself and claimed downstairs. I waited for him to join me but couldn't find him. I went straight to the other side and asked Surya but Arjun wasn't there too. So I went down and searched him but he was nowhere to be found.

Where are you Arjun?

I heard his voice from the study room, so I went closer and heard another voice.

"Are you taking your tablets properly Arjun?" He asked Arjun but wait, I know this voice. It's Mani uncle's voice, my dad's friend. What was he doing here and what tablets?

"Yes uncle, but it's very difficult for me to hide them from Siya. I'm dead, if she finds out that." He told him.

Find what?

"Why don't you tell her Arjun? She will understand you. And one good news, I don't think you need pills anymore but instead of stopping them, I reduced the dosage." Mani uncle told him.

Why was he taking tablets?

"Thanks uncle but I can't let her know. What if she leaves me? No, I can't take risk. " Arjun told him.

"OK then I'll start, need to reach home in time if not your aunty will kill me. Don't stress yourself more OK. Take care." Before they could come out I hide behind the curtain.

Now what were you hiding from me Arjun? Tablets? Why were you having them?

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Assalamu Allaikum and hello to all my lovely readers.

I'm know, I'm late. Sorry about my late update but I have a life here. All my cousins and kids are in my home for the holidays so I can't get time to update. I'm not even online. So please don't mistake. I'll update the next part in time inshaallah!

Wish you all a very happy new year and today is my parent's wedding day don't forget them in your prayers.

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-Yours Sajal😎