“Arnavji you remember about the appointment right? Today is aarush vaccination.” Khushi said through phone, patting aarush chest softly.

“Do you think I will forget this? I am winding up my works. Will reach there in half an hour.” Arnav replied shutting down his laptop.

“Yeah, how can I forgot that, it's only my birthday & our anniversaries are in your forget list.” Khushi huffed in annoyance.

“Don't start again khushi.” He chided making his way towards the parking lot.

“I am stating the truth arnavji.” She retorted back.

“Whatever. What's he doing?”

“He's staring me lying soundlessly on my lap.” She cooed in a soft voice nuzzling her nose on aarush tummy.

“Gotcha… Whose son is he?” Arnav squealed in delight opening his car door & drove it out of AR premises.

“Like father, like son. Hmpfff..” She feigned a growl grinning ear to ear.

“Ofcourse. If the lady in our life is one hella crazy cute girl we can't resist much.” He stated the matter of fact.

“Uffoo… I am a woman not girl arnavji.”

“But for me you're my cute girl.” Arnav said in a husky voice which still has the effect to melt her into puddle.

“Shut up. Speak like daddy Raizada not Romeo Raizada.” She chided but inwardly enjoying the each word he uttered.

“Why?”

Khushi frowned at his indifference “What why? I don't want want my jalebi to hear such indecent conversation.”

“Excuse me. When did I spoke anything indecent? In fact do you the meaning of it?”

“Now don't start again.” Now it's Khushi turn to get irked.

“I am stating the fact khushi.” He mimicked the same way Khushi did few minutes before. Khushi took the mobile away from her ears & ended the call abruptly.

“Your papa’s ego is bigger than those things he use in his gym.” Khushi complained to aarush with twisted face.

Within a second her phone dinged indicating the newly fell message on her phone. She frowned seeing Arnav name on it.

“Your papa sent a message baby. Isn't it unusual?”

She talked animatedly and opened her inbox.

“Stop feeding my son about my ego as if only I've that. You've equal amount Khushi.”

The nerve of this man, She gritted her teeth.

“Done cursing me?”

Khushi snapped her head towards the door and found him standing with his smirk. Ignoring him, she shifted her attention back to aarush.

“Arey what my baby want? Wanna go out baby?” Khushi cooed freeing him from his dress “My jalebi is going to out today. Are you excited baby? We can see tall trees, shiny buildings and not to forget my jalebi is going to breath fresh air.”

“Correction polluted air.” Interrupted Arnav walking inside sensing her ignorance.

Khushi eyed him dangerously for pointing her each time.

“What? Don't look at me like that. I am just stating the truth.” He said with tongue on his cheek. As  expected, her anger reached new heights that she threw aarush dress on his face. His smirk never ceased. Oh, How much he missed riling her up?

“Oh, come on. Grow up Khushi.” He continued his little play, fondling aarush's little cheeks.

“Did my baby missed daddy? Daddy missed you so much aru baby?” He softly placed his lips on aarush head.

“Aru?”

“When you put that stupid jalebi as his nickname, why can't I call him aru? My aru loves his new name na?” He cooed leaning closer to aarush who hit his cheeks softly.

“What you said? STUPID JALEBI? You're gone Arnav Singh Raizada.”

The loud voice of hers startled aarush who let out a wail startling his parents in return.

Khushi cradled him in her chest patting his back soothing him “shh… shh… mamma is here bacha. See papa is also here.”

“Don’t cry aru…” Arnav patted aarush little head not getting words to cease aarush wails.

Sensing the warmth around him, aarush gradually stopped his cries. His eyes brimmed with tears but didn't roll down like earlier.

“Arnavji it's getting late. Go & freshen up. We need to took him to vaccination.”

Arnav hmmed. Giving a peck to aarush and Khushi forehead respectively he marched to washroom taking another set of clothes.

***

“Arnavji what happened to you?” Khushi asked seeing his rigid face. She adjusted aarush in her arms so that he would be comfortable on new position.

“Huh... nothing.” He whispered patting aarush head.

“Now don't give extra workload to my brain. Spill the beans.” Warned she, tired by the mere thought of coaxing him to get his emotions out.

“Err.. Khushi… I know it's necessary to get vaccination shot but… how much technology has been developing, won't he get the needed medicine without needles? I can't even imagine the sharp needle piercing his sensitive skin. It'll pain like hell.”

“uff… How did I missed to foresee this coming? Everything is not fairytale arnavji. This is life. Stop treating him like a doll. He is very much living being who has all rights to undergo each & everything in this world. We've no say in this. One or other day he've to face everything. Let him walk on his feet.We should remove thorn in his life by guiding him not by walking on that path on his behalf.”

“What the! When did your brain grew this much?” He feigned his surprise. Khushi is all set to retort back but thankfully their turn came & they both entered inside doctor cabin.

“Hello little man. How are you doing?” The doctor checked him.

Arnav perked his ears in alarm. His eyes closely followed the doctor actions & he sat with bated breath seeing the syringe has been released from its cover and is being filled with medicine. His palms already gripped Khushi’s in tight hold. The moment syringe tip touched aarush butt he wailed out a piercing scream. Arnav's eyes misted in no time seeing his little baby's painful cry. On the other hand, Khushi closed her eyes & bit her lips.

“It's done boy.” Nurse patted him. Khushi marched forward taking him in her arms & cradled him to her chest. She patted his back softly cooing sweet nothings on his ear. Arnav was about to get up after settling his racing heart, he was interrupted by the doctor who explained what to follow after vaccination.

***

“Khushi do something. He isn’t stopping his cries.” Arnav spoke in worry fondling aarush head. They're walking towards parking lot with crying aarush in Khushi arms. However doctor assured his better health Arnav is not satisfied with aarush continuous cries.

“He'll be fine.” She replied with same worry securing him on her arms.

Arnav took a step ahead opening car door for her & helped Khushi to get inside along with aarush.

“Champ don't cry. See mama is here. Daddy is also here. Daddy will sue that doctor who dare to hurt my aru.” Arnav spoke in a convincing voice hunching to his level.

“Arnavji start the car. Maybe his cries will be reduced if we start moving.”

Nodding, Arnav ignited the engine and steered out the car from hospital. Khushi continued to pat his back & torso speaking animatedly. Arnav insides twisted in pain, seeing aarush non-stop cries. Khushi feed him on car itself to distract him from pain which somehow reduced his cries at the moment. Arnav took the shortest route & reached home little earlier. Aarush cries subsided as tiredness took over his energetic frame & his little stomach also filled. Eventually he went to his peaceful slumber with his tight fist holding Khushi pallu securely.

But that did last only for few minutes as the moment they entered into mansion a loud squeal from inside woken up the just-went-into-sleep aarush.

“What the hell???” Arnav roared and this time Khushi herself is disappointed by her family members. It's totally not their fault as they didn't know about aarush arrival but his parents was not pleased with the noise. Just now Khushi made him sleep with lot of difficulty. Adding to that Arnav roar scared the little one and he wailed loudly.

His loud cries made everyone to stand on their toes.

“What happened? Why is he crying chotte?” Anjali questioned limping forward.

“Is this house or some picnic spot? Why are you all yelling so loud taking whole city on your heads?”

Anjali pouted whereas Nani took aarush in her arms. Even before one could breath in and out aarush yells scared everyone.

“Naniji I am scared. He's crying so much.” Khushi whispered in a crying voice.

“Don’t worry, first sit down Khushi betiya.”

Khushi obliged & Nani put aarush on her lap. Khushi cradled him close to her heart and that did gave desired result. Feeling his mother warmth, he reduced the intensity of his yells & continue to sob softly.

“Wow Nani, you reduced his cries so soon.” Squealed Anjali and got an another round of scolding from her brother as her nephew increased his yells scared by the sudden shriek of Anjali.

“Shut up di… Why are you shrieking everytime dammit?”

Anjali gaped at him, nowadays she's seeing new chotte who's ready to pounce on everyone who dare to disturb or irritate his son.

“Chotte now stop your shout.” Nani chided stroking aarush back softly.

“Aww… don't cry jalebi... shh… shh… shh… See aarush badi nani, Bua, Massi, chachu everyone is waiting for my Jalebi’s cute smile. Stop na baby.” Khushi cooed patting his torso whereas Payal took fast strides towards kitchen scaring the shit out of Aakash.

“Aarush bacha see bua, see here. What my cutie want?” Anjali tried to console in her ways but it didn't work.

“Payal walk slowly.” Aakash yelled following Payal, but she came back with same speed. He frowned seeing the plate in her hands.

“Payal what's this?” Arnav asked bewildered by the thing. Payal ignored the questioning stares & took one piece from the plate & showed it to aarush.

“Arey… see na baby, Massi got you Jalebi.” Khushi cooed in delight showing the yellow sweet in front of his eyes.

“Payal bitiya what are you doing?” Nani’s question went unanswered as the sobs of aarush reduced drastically.

The yellow colourful thing intrigued aarush enough to stop his cries as he raised his little palm to touch it.

“What the!”

“Now you got competitor Khushi.” Payal teased.

“What else can you expect from Sankadevi son? Obviously he would be Sankadev (I don't know if this name exist. Pardon me if it was wrong)” Arnav muttered in a state of amusement & shock.

Khushi glared him but shrieked next moment as aarush got hold of Jalebi. He pressed it for a grip dirtying his fingers. Anjali instantly snatched the Jalebi & wiped it with her saree.

As his new found plaything was forcefully snatched away from him aarush wailed loudly.

“Arey Jalebi. Calm down bachha…”

“Hey champ calm down. See here...come to chacha…”

“You want Jalebi? Here see…” Nani showed it above his head keeping distance so that he wouldn't grab it like he did earlier. Yet, his cries continued. How can they snatch it from him? It's his play toy. His little nose turned red with crying. His ears stood straight in anger.

Amidst this Arnav mobile as usual rang in wrong time. Seeing the caller id, Arnav anger increased.

“What the hell Aman? Why are you always calling me at wrong time?” Arnav yelled attending the call.

“ASR, I need signatures in some important papers.”

“Do hell with your files. Stop disturbing me.”

“But ASR sign…”

“I'll fire you Aman.” Arnav voice unusually echoed on the walls of mansion. It's not about his voice but the loud voice which echoed inside the premises just a moment ago has stopped surprisingly letting Arnav voice to resonate louder.

Aman ended the call abruptly not wanting to be a prey for his boss anger.

Pocketing his phone, Arnav frowned. Each pair of eyes are travelling from aarush to Arnav back to forth. After exact five seconds again the mansion is resonated with little loud cries.

“Bhai, fire Aman.” Aakash statement not only brought shock to arnav but also his entire family.

“What the!”

“Repeat your dialogue bhai. Fire Aman like you did now.” Aakash stressed his words hurrying Arnav.

Arnav frowned but nonetheless did what Aakash said “I'LL FIRE YOU AMAN.”

And the cries stopped instantly much to everyone horror. After exact five seconds, again the cries increased.

“Arnavji Fire amanji.” Khushi herself persuaded this time.

“I'LL FIRE YOU AMAN.”

The cries stopped as if some magic underlying in that sentence.

Much to amusement and horror, they continued to fire Aman which entertained aarush enough to distract him from pain & he heard it again & again curiously and let out a laugh few times.

‘My baby grew hearing this stupid thing when he's in my womb. This is the result of it.’ Khushi’s complain went unheard as everyone immersed themselves in firing Aman.

_____