♕ Jhanvi ♕

          Aarav slides the door open and Arnav is reading through a file while seated on what looks to be an old green lounge chair, dressed in a polo tee and dark jeans. He probably looks just as young and charming as he must have in his younger days.

He comes to stand behind him and wraps his fingers around his eyes as something a child would do. Arnav warns, "Sweet pea, I told you I'm not in the mood for..." He trails off when his fingers wrap around Aarav's wrist to push his hands away and he realizes it isn't the person he was expecting.

Aarav teases removing his hands, "It's not always your Khushi, you know, dad?"

A smile spreads on his face and Aarav was right to say to Lavanya. He's never in a bad mood for him. He discards his file on the table and stands up to greet him with a hug. "Aarav, hey bud. You're back! What a surprise, how are you?"

Aarav pats his back with a grin, "Great, dad. You and Khushi have another argument?"

He chuckles as they part. "Oh, you know us." He then notices me and Aarav moves aside to allow room for his dad to walk to me. "Jhanvi, welcome home, dear. How are you?" He says placing a loving hand on my head.

I smile in response, "Good, Uncle. How are you?"

"Now that you both are here, much better." He answers sounding as if he really means it. "Khushi is going to be really happy seeing you two."

I nod politely, looking forward to meeting her. I've heard a lot about her since I've learnt of Aarav's family.

He adds, "Come, let's go downstairs."

He leads the way and we come towards the living room where everyone is out. Either Lavanya or Anjali must have told his siblings he was home. Before he could have stepped down the last of the stairs, he is trampled under the weight of Arshiya and Kriana.

Laughing, he wraps an arm around each of them. "Ah, I missed you two." He hugs them tighter moving them a step ahead and planting a kiss on both of their heads.

Arshiya hits his chest, "Bro, this isn't fair. You told Rihaan you were coming back but not me?"

Speaking of, the guy jumps on his back. Having it unexcepted, Aarav stumbles forward almost crashing into me.

I don't realize that I have a haunted smile on my lips watching the loving scene unfold in front of me. Seeing that such love in a family does exist.

A family that I have never seen or had of my own.

He blinks away from me when Arshiya snaps her finger in front of his eyes. "Aru, we all know you can't keep your lips shut with any secrets." He reminds her, answering her question.

She scowls though the huff is a clear indicator that Aarav is right and she very well knows that.

He turns a question to his cousin. "Kriana, how did your term exams go?"

She shrugs her shoulders with the least of care, "Exams, bhai. They come and go."

He lightly taps her head, "It's education, Ana. Don't take it so lightly. You know maasi isn't going to be bailing you out if you fail."

She arches a brow in self-confidence, "Have I ever failed?"

Rihaan nags, "You never top either." Perhaps because he might have topped a few times.

Kriana mimics him and Aarav dismisses their side conversation to walk towards Sanya. She too walks forward and gives him a hug. In par with her introverted nature, she seems to prefer a single hug instead of the rest of them who simply had pounced into a group hug without a care for the concept of personal space.

He asks patting her head, "Hi bacha, you doing okay?"

She nods while parting and he cups her cheek to get her to look at him. I imagine she may be a person with less words but Aarav knows how to read her eyes as if they speak in volumes. "I'm okay." She quietly mouths to convince him further and even though I do not know her, I get the feeling she is trying to convince herself.

Kriana screeches behind us clawing at Rihaan's arm around her neck as he holds her in a head lock position. "Bhai! Tell this boy to leave me before I give his eye a beautiful shiner."

Rihaan scoffs, "As if. Don't forget who taught you, tiny."

She elbows him and grits, "I am not tiny!" It sounds like she hates it whenever people comment on her height. "I'm still growing, okay? You just wait a couple more years."

Arshiya laughs, drops an elbow on Rihaan's shoulder and joins the teasing, "Oh, so you can learn to walk in heel by then? My dear, you'll still be tiny with heels."

With an arm around Sanya's shoulder, Aarav instructs, "Okay, you three troublemakers. That's enough. Rihaan, leave her before she really gives you a shiner. Gosh, all of you make a horrible first impression."

"Huh?" They question in confusion.

Lost in their normal banters, they hadn't realized I was here.

Shaking his head, he moves from Sanya to stand beside me. He says as if he is embarrassed of them but I know that is just playful. He loves them all to death from everything he has told me about them, "My siblings, Shona. What'd I tell you?"

I chuckle in a nod, "Yeah, they're definitely all crazy."

To the confused teenagers, he adds. "Everyone, meet Jhanvi. My girlfriend."

Once again, he uses that word and I realize I do need to talk to him. I never agreed, even if I did kiss him. I got carried away in that moment... but I had always told him he could help me as a friend. This...?

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

          Overwhelmed.

That is how I feel. I do recall Aarav's warning and I did have an impression when he had shared everything of his family. And yet, actually meeting every single person at one time itself was way too much for me to handle.

How is everyone so nice?

How is everyone so accepting?

Not a single soul questioned anything when he had introduced me to the elders first and then his younger siblings. They were all quick to accept that Aarav and I were together.

I fear if they will think the same... be just as nice and accepting when they learn I am pregnant. It isn't overtly visible as I am still in the first trimester, but I imagine I won't be able to hide this from them more than a day or two with my cravings or morning sickness. Besides, the point of coming back to have their help would be defeated if I start planning on hiding this.

As we sit at the dining table having dinner, I have met Arnav's wife, Khushi, as well as her brother Armaan and his wife Riddhima.

Imagine my surprise when I learn how Eva is related to them all. I used to think she was a friend to Aarav, but no. There is more. Eva's uncle is Sam, who is married to Lavanya. Therefore, it makes the two cousins. Maybe half-cousins? But wait... how would that work? Aarav isn't blood related to either Sam or Lavanya. Lavanya only adopted him.

Gosh, these connections really are confusing and intertwined. I feel like I'll have to sketch out a family tree on a piece of paper and probably even after that, it'll take me some time to grasp their intertwined, multiple relations.

Sam nags, "Eva, honestly, it's time for you to get married."

Eva groans, "What is with Indian parents always picking the topic of marriage?!"

Lavanya laughs, "Can you blame us? You're going to turn thirty in a few months. I gave Sam a hard time before agreeing for marriage, but even I didn't reach the 30s!"

Eva rolls her eyes as she takes a sip of the hot and sour soup, "Well, fine. If you must know, Jigar and I already talked. He's going to ask to work at the academy training cadets now that I am back in Mumbai. I imagine we'd be married by next year this time."

I'm confused for a second until Aarav leans in with an explanation, "Jigar is her fiancé. A commando in the army."

My eyes widen for a second with respect. How did I not know this? That is how they must have met. Eva was in the army too until a few years back.

All of this just goes on to make me realize... they know almost everything about me and I am still in my training wheels when it comes to decoding the Raizadas.

I nod and turn my head to the other side and watch across the table as his siblings Arshiya and Kriana glare at each other.

Arshiya is trying to get Kriana to do something but Kriana glares back and shakes her head to signal she won't listen to her. Arshiya squints her eyes as if to threaten her and Kriana huffs, slumping her shoulders. Placing her spoon in the plate, she leans towards Rihaan and whispers something in his ear.

I almost jump out of my seat when Aarav once again leans in to whisper, "Do you not like the food?"

I understand why he asks that. Probably for the last ten minutes, I've been playing around with the food and barely eating. It's not because the food isn't great. It was delicious from the few bites I did have. I just hadn't seen so many different dishes at one time. It seems no less than a 7-course meal, and more. It's as if everyone's likes were taken into consideration.

I shake my head in answers, "No, it's great. Just... is this dinner normal or...?"

He catches on and offers up the information, "Sort of, yes. We can be very picky eaters."

I nod and pick up my spoon again. A second later, I still feel his eyes on me.

When I glance back at him, he gently speaks. "If you don't want to, you don't have to eat all of it."

I feel bad for not finishing everything on my plate, but there is a thing called lack of appetite. "Sorry... I'm just feeling tired."

"It's okay. I get it." He says understanding and asks, "Do you want to go up and rest?"

I answer, "No, it's okay. I'll sit till everyone is finished eating."

When it's just me having meals the past few years, it wasn't an issue. But I do have the polite manners to wait for everyone instead of leaving the table just because I was done eating.

I shift back in the chair and though I feel like a creep, I observe all the various conversations taking place in this large group of 16 people. In just the past few hours I have seen love and care in this family that will probably last me a lifetime. I've trained myself into moving on, but today, I can't help the constant wondering of how different my life would've been had my parents not passed away at an early age.

I wouldn't have had this huge family filled with close relatives, but I could have had a small family of just my parents and me and perhaps a younger sibling.

My hand involuntarily rests over my belly in an unconscious attempt to convince myself. I may not have them but I do have this.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

          After dinner, everyone shifts to the living room for after conversations and the maids clear up the dining table. Aarav has me seated next to him with Arshiya, Kriana and Rihaan on his other side in order. Arnav, Khushi, Armaan, Riddhima, Anjali and Aman are on the opposite couch with Kripa, Angad, Sam and Lavanya on yet another with Sanya having her own love couch and her pet dog Shadow curled up in her lap.

Aarav was telling me how in ten minutes, he'd show me to the room so I could go rest when Rihaan speaks up. "Alright people. Listen up!" Within seconds, the elders pause their conversations and give him the attention. "Mark your calendars for the 29th. It's my recital and if a single one of you dares miss it, I will never speak to them again."

Riddhima jokingly scolds his son, "Oye, don't be so dramatic. You're no Mozart."

Rihaan rolls his eyes, "Just remember, mom. I'm your only son. You're supposed to encourage me."

Arshiya shows him her tongue, standing up and depositing herself in Riddhima's lap. "She was my maasi first. She loves me more."

I feel Aarav's breath on my nape as he chuckles and sits up from his slouched position. "If anything, I'm the eldest. They love me most."

"Please bhai, don't even start." Arshiya shuts him up with a scowl, very well aware of how pampered he must have been by being the only child for 7-8 years before everyone else.

Rihaan plops down on the arm of the love couch. Sanya looks up startled and removes the single earphone from her right ear. I would've thought she'd yell at him for startling her, but she just looks taken aback at finding Rihaan there instead of one of her sisters.

I remember Aarav telling me she was the quiet one, and it makes sense why she didn't scream unlike Arshiya or Kriana.

He asks, "So, will you come?"

"To your recital?" She questions in a quiet voice that no one would've heard had all eyes been not on her in complete silence. Rihaan nods and I realize its hope in his eyes. "Um..." She says fixing her glasses at the bridge of her nose.

Kriana comes to sit on the other arm of the single couch, "Oh, come on, Rihaan. We all know the answer. She's never come to any. What makes you think she'll come to this one?"

Even though Kriana was speaking to him, his eyes were fixated on Sanya as if wishing she would prove Kriana wrong. She didn't return his gaze. She went back to her tablet and he sighs in slight disappointment. "I guess I'll get a DVD for you again."

She answers with a simple nod and a slight pressure on her lips that must be meant as a small smile.

I find it all curious. There is something I need to understand here.

Aarav speaks up next to me, pulling all eyes to him instead of Sanya. "Khushi, I'm sure Jhanvi is tired after the long flight."

She nods, standing up and shifting away from Arnav's arm draped over her shoulder. "Sure, come Jhanvi. I'll show you to your room. If we get talking, we might end up staying up the whole night."

I turn to Aarav and he nods in encouragement to go with her. Standing up, I follow her around the couches and up the stairs.

Just as we reach the second floor, Sanya stands up and follows us. Though, after a quick smile our way, forced, she walks past us and takes another series of stairs to the third floor where I assume her room must be.

Khushi shakes her head next to me, "This girl. She loves locking herself up in her studio." I recall Aarav mentioning Sanya loves to paint. But... this late in the night?

She pushes a door open and walks in. "Well. Here we are!"

I step inside after her and observe how well furnished the room is. There's items on the mahogany dresser that gives me the impression someone uses this room. The walls are colored in silver and decorated abstractly. In the center of one of the walls is a king sized oval bed with side tables meant to be used as night stands and plush mint green pillows arranged on the bed with its matching set of covers and blankets.

Over the bed frame is an enlarged photo frame of Aarav and his siblings. There are more photo frames on the wall with different variations of families behind a three-seated couch by the long window.

"This is the guest room?" I question in surprise for it seems to have a lot of personal touch.

Khushi turns to face me in an amused smile, "Oh no dear. This is Aarav's room."

I narrow my eyes on confusion, "I thought..."

"We didn't know you were coming else we would've cleaned up the guest rooms. It's pretty much a storage room right now." She informs as she walks further inside the room and picks up a photo frame off his dresser.

"But then where will Aarav stay?" I ask and look over her shoulder. The frame is a picture of Aarav when he was young with Arnav and Khushi squished close together. It looked to be a wedding photo based on the red dress Khushi was wearing in it.

Her answer is so casual it concerns me. "Here ofcourse."

"What?"

She turns to face me again after returning the frame at its previous location. Her hand forwards and I inch back until I realize she is only forwarding it to hold the ring that Aarav had placed around my chain the day I had told him I would work to stop running away and he had given to me saying he was serious about marrying me.

"Jhanvi, I see that ring and that tells me Aarav plans on marrying you one day. It's his grandmother's ring that Anjali di had told him to ask for whenever he finds the girl he wants to marry. All these married couples you see in this family? We've all lived together before marriage so trust me when I say this. We'll be the last one to judge you. But, if you still feel uncomfortable, I'll tell Aarav to stay in Sanya's room till the guest room is fixed up."

I question her carefree attitude, "How can you be okay with that?"

She smiles while placing a loving hand on my shoulder and nudging me to take a seat on the bed. Sitting next to me, she speaks. "We've all been through plenty, Jhanvi. And speaking from experience, if you worry too much about what others will think, about what the society will think, you're only allowing strangers to have a say in whether or not you're happy. I learned it the hard way to not care about these rules the society has decided on. We've worked our whole lives trying to change that viewpoint. We certainly won't be the ones imposing them on our own children."

I assume she is talking about Anjali's rape and Aarav's acceptance, things that are frowned upon and the blame typically being placed on the female if she is molested. I do also recall that Aarav had said Arnav and Khushi have their own dark story. I do not know what, but I am inclined to believe her words.

After allowing me a few seconds of silence, she stands up and questions. "So, what should I tell Aarav on where he should stay?"

"I don't want to make him leave his own room..." I suggest, "I can stay in Sanya's room?"

She offers a soft look, "I'm sorry dear; don't mind but Sanya... she wouldn't be comfortable with someone she doesn't know staying in her room."

I nod understanding why she suggested Aarav stay there. Sanya was already a shy child. I don't want to make her uncomfortable. Still, I wouldn't want to be the one to kick him out of his own room after everything he keeps doing for me.

But how do I bravely say it to his mother?

Even if he claims she is his friend first, it's not something I can bluntly say to her.

She chuckles at my hesitance and pats my cheek. "My, you have a lot to learn. I'll let him know." She walks to the closet and shows me the extra blankets, "In case you need it. Aarav might get carried away catching up with his siblings so... there's extra towels under the sink in the washroom and I'll have someone bring your bags here. If you need anything else, anything, don't hesitate to ask, alright?"

"I won't, thank you." I politely express my gratitude.

"Sleep well!" She leaves with the greeting and pulls the door shut on her way out.

Alone, at last.

Exhaling through my mouth, I let my back fall on the bed and I stare up at the ceiling to notice ceiling lights around the edges with a curved designs created through plaster of Paris molds. This guy really does have so many layers to him, I didn't even know until now just how much more there is to learn about him.

I walk closer to the arranged frames on the wall by the couch to look at them. They almost seem to tell a life story. Pictures from when he was a child to a teenager to an adult. Some professionally posed for. I imagine some family celebration or the other as all the couples are dressed up in traditional Indian outfits and standing next to each other with bright smiles on their faces. Aarav was easy to spot and if not for the people holding the babies, it'd be hard to tell which child was who. Surely, Lavanya has to be holding baby Sanya in a cradling position in her arms and Khushi is holding Arshiya to her side. Riddhima looks pregnant and so does Kripa - almost as if the due date is near.

I inhale deeply. Again, my hand resting over my stomach. I'm not far along, am I?

My eyes dart over the other pictures briefly. Then I let out a sigh at the low back pain. I figure I'd take a warm shower and unknot the body ache. Since my bags aren't here yet, I eye his closet.

I walk over to it and pull out one of his shirts that isn't a button up. It is a process in itself for 99% of his wardrobe is filled with button ups. Most of them were high-end brands made from the best of the soft, comfortable fabrics.

There's rows of watches, ties, belts, cufflinks, perfumes, colognes, hair products, shoes. Anything and everything you could think of.

I shake my head in amusement as I reach on my toes and take the hanger from the rod. From the outside, he is a complete rich boy. Then, I shrug my shoulders. Why shouldn't he be? His parents certainly worked for it. He was working for it as well.

Nothing they had now had come easy to them.

Once I was in the shower and the warm water was running on my skin, I didn't have to the heart to step out. My body, however, called out for rest and I had to turn off the water and get dressed again to climb into the comforts of the bed.

I turn to the night stand to turn off the lights when I spot a small 5x8 folding frame. I turn it in my direction and open it so I can look at it, curious to see what he puts on his night stand. People usually put their most important things on it so it can always be in reach, right?

A soft smile spreads on my lips for some unknown reason. On one side of the folding frame, Annie couldn't have been more than 15 or 16 in the picture. She is brightly cheering at the camera while standing next to Aarav. His arm is around her back. The picture must have been taken when he wasn't aware for unlike Annie, he wasn't posing at the camera.

He was looking at her.

The reason I smile... there is this strange happiness reflecting on his face. Those rare dimples that only appear when he is truly smiling.

On the other side is a portfolio portrait of just her.

Their relationship really is something. Like they bring out the best in each other. I can only imagine that they've stuck by each other through their lives.

The care is clearly there between the two. He is habituated to Annie. Maybe he doesn't know it, but he is. They have a rare relationship that I think I need to understand more.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

          Some long hours later, I stir at the mattress dipping under a weight. Catching the faint perfume and figuring it was Aarav, I snuggle into the pillow again.

Seconds later, he shifts closer and presses his lips to my temple. His leg brushes over my bare one. His hand settles on my arm and traces it down my side. Just as it reaches my hips, I swat it away. He goes any lower and he's going to meet my bare thighs.

"Are you wearing my shirt?" He questions and I spot a pinch of surprise laced with amusement for swatting his hand away. I realize he must have been trying to figure out why my legs were bare and hadn't meant anything more by his actions.

"Hmm. My bags weren't here." I offer a quick explanation wanting to go back to sleep but how could I? His touch running down my side had pulled me completely out of my dream, firing up my skin even though his touch had been over the fabric of the shirt and nowhere on my naked skin.

"Hmm." He hums in response which I find odd. That's all? No teasing on wearing his shirt and no PJs?

I open my eyes and blink a few times to adjust to the dark. "What?" I question his silence while turning on my back to face him.

He is still propped on his elbow with head in his palm. "I hope my family hasn't scared you away." He expresses as his other hand lifts to my face and grazes barely over my cheek.

I wrap my fingers around his wrist, "You worry too much, Raizada. Sleep. I'm sure it's past midnight."

"Yeah." He whispers back and rests his head back on the pillow and slides inside the blanket further. "Sweet dreams, Shona."

I smile at his endearment, "Good night, Aarav." I speak back in a soft whisper, keeping my palm over his wrist and closing my eyes.

It might have been less than a day but it feels as if I haven't heard him call me Shona in ages. I was getting attached to him way too quick and that is an issue.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

∞ author note ∞

Hello! I hope you liked this light chapter filled with his family members! Rihaan & Sanya, aren't they cute?! Their journey starts tomorrow. Look out for it & if you haven't already added their book to your libraries & reading lists, you should ;)

QOTC: Khushi-Jhanvi's conversation: what do you think? Isn't she right to tell Jhanvi to not let others determine her happiness? And Jhanvi's concerns that they'll look at her differently after they learn she is pregnant: what would you say to Jhanvi for that?

More one on one with Jhanvi-Khushi and Jhanvi-Arnav coming up over the next chapters!

I have the next 3 chapters edited.. the remaining 4, I thought of making some slight changes as I played out some good dialogues in my head last night just before dozing off... so, let's see! Hopefully, I remember them & can pen them down soon :D