As the sun rose over the horizon and the chirpings of birds echoed as they rose high above in the sky, Murmurs and laughter of people filled up the arena as they woke up for morning walks on the sidewalks, accompanied with the usual honking of a school bus as it awaited for the youngsters. The occasional horn of a bicycle could be heard as the newspaper man delivered the papers from house to house rapidly.

The witness of a new day, a new beginning by the world was accompanied by that of the Malhotra household. The clanking of utensils along with the rich aroma of tea filled up the entire household with occasional shouts at one another as they made the required preparations for the naamkaran ceremony of the Manik and Nandini's baby to be held.

The noise disrupted the sleep of the baby boy peacefully sleeping beside his father, Manik Malhotra. His eyes drowsily opened, peeking at the familiar man with his baby eyes beside him yet the absence of the comforting warmth of his mother resulted in his shrill cries, startling Manik from his sleep.

Manik drowsily opened his eyes, staring at the small infant, the culprit for his sleepless nights. The moment he raised his hand to pat him while his eyes closed back on their own accord, it felt like the cries grew louder prompting Manik to turn his head the other way as he shouted, "Nandini! Tera bacha ro raha hain."

A minute passed before the door to the bathroom opened as Nandini stepped out, freshly showered. She rushed to the baby, picking him up in her arms and tried to calm him down by patting his back and cooing, "Mera nona puttar uth gaya."

As her familiar voice and warmth surrounded the 12 day infant, he immediately calmed down and his eyes closed back, lulled back in a peaceful slumber. Placing him back on the bed and covering him with a comforter, Nandini gritted her teeth in irritation, staring at her husband, sound asleep.

Moving to his side of bed, she sat down beside him and moved closer, her lips pressing against his ear before she shouted his name, startling him. He stared at her with wide eyes, his heart beating rapidly as he snapped, "Pagal hai? Heart attack aa jata abhi mujhe."

"Nandini tera bacha ro raha hain," Nandini mimicked him before she snapped, "Mera bacha? Akela maine peda kiya hai?!"

"Uss raat shayad main thaka hua tha. Toh maybe," Manik joked, making her glare at him in a way that if looks could kill, he would have been dead. Manik sighed as he rubbed his eyes and grumbled, "Toh yaar woh chup ni ho raha tha mujhse. Usse tu chahiye thi toh hua na tera bacha."

As Nandini fretted over in silence, Manik's eyes widened as he took in his wife. Dressed in a pink churidar, highlighting her every curve that she gained post pregnancy in a delicious way, with her hair flowing past her shoulders. She had minimal make up for the ritual with a pinch of vermilion in her hair partition but it beautifully enhanced the glow of happiness on her face.

"You look beautiful, baby," Manik said as the back of his fingers grazed her cheek gently.

"Just stop joking," Nandini said, her throat closing up while she eyed him and her fingers fidgeted at the edge of the suit in anxiousness. She had become wider, her breasts enlarging and skin loosening while a small belly protruded out. Then there was the hair fall that wouldn't stop and the stretch marks which marred her entire body, not looking like they would fade away anytime soon.

"I'm not," Manik replied with sincerity before he sat up with a frown as she looked distressed. His hand cupped her cheek and turned her face towards himself, shocked when he saw the sheen of tears lining her eyes as he asked, "What is it, hmm?"

When she refused to speak, he pressed a kiss at the side of her face before he was taken aback as her arms wrapped around his torso as she laid her head on his chest. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he kissed her head as her voice muffled, at the verge of crying as she murmured, "I'm–I'm not how I was." His hold on her tightened, "I have grown so–so heavy. There are dark circles under my eyes and my skin doesn't even feel like my own. Whenever I look in the mirror I–I feel, look so ugly, Manik."

"Don't dare to call yourself that," Manik said sternly, pulling her face up till she was staring at him. He pushed off the tendrils falling over her face, placing a peck on her lips as his thumb wiped away the tears that escaped her eyes and he murmured, "If only you could see yourself from my eyes, you would know that you're anything but fucking ugly. I don't even know how the hell this thought even came up in your mind because I've never been more mesmerised with you since you gave birth to our child. As I look at you every day, taking care of him with so much love and patience, even when you're totally drained, like you were meant with this glow on your face since you found out you were pregnant has got me crazier for you than I ever was. And the weight you have put on, if you ever decide to shed it off, it will solely be for your own self because these extra curves during and post pregnancy are anything but a turn off from me because for me the more, the merrier. So, yeah, you aren't who you were because you have grown into a more beautiful woman in every sense."

"Those marks–" she whispered and Manik cut her off before she could self sabotage herself by saying, "Are proof of how strong you were when you conceived him. Anyone, especially me, who could never go through what you did in these past nine months and even now, will be the biggest asshole to ever mock you for those birthmarks. Nothing could ever make me love you less and I want the same from you for your own self. Do you get it?"

Nandini nodded and his words didn't shed off her insecurities entirely. However, gazing at his eyes, full of honesty and adoration, it did calm down her nerves, knowing that with time and his soothing words of encouragement would definitely help her get over them.

He gently wiped off the tears on her face before his eyes fell on the bags lined near the door. He scrunched his nose in displeasure as he enquired, "You really have to go?"

Nandini pulled back from his hold and nodded, making him ask, "Why?"

"It's a ritual to go to your mother's after giving birth because it will help my body to heal properly," Nandini replied.

"Toh yaha kyu nahi ho sakti heal?" Manik asked. "Hum kya tumhe maarte hain ya khaana ni dete?"

Nandini scoffed and raised her eyebrows as she replied, "It isn't about that. My body needs proper rest. You think, staying here, no one will ask me to prepare there breakfast or lunch or will they handle our child while I'm sleeping after not getting to even nap the whole night? I'm sorry but khud ki maa, khud ki hi hoti hai. It's just two months."

"Whatever," Manik replied as he stared at their baby, sleeping innocently, with his baby hands fisted over his head with his mouth parted, breathing deeply. Manik felt his heart full of love for the small creature yet he joked, "Aur iski shakal fir essi toh nahi lagegi jese uska pet kharab hain?"

But, it was wrong words on his part and he immediately realised that as Nandini's eyes widened in indignation as she snapped, "Kya kaha aapne?"

Manik shrugged while responding, "Toh dekho yaar ye kitna ajeeb sa hain. Adrak jese? Bilkul bhi cute ni hain aur sota rehta hain. Pata nahi kiske sapno main khoya muskurata hai. Udhta bhi hai toh bas rohne ke liye."

"Manik, I swear I will kill you. Usko adrak jesa kehne ki himmat kese hui aapki." Manik laughed loudly, getting up as Nandini picked up the closest object she could get her hand to, which happened to be a plastic bottle and threw it at him. He managed to escape it as he moved to the bathroom and shut the door behind him, still laughing.

•••••

With her head veiled with the dupatta, cradling the baby in her arms, Nandini stepped downstairs after being confined in her room for the past eleven days due to postnatal care. As she walked to the hall, her mother in law, Neyonika, came up to her with a smile, cooing at the adorable baby, dressed in a new baby blue sweater, as he peeked at her.

"Sab se mil lo beta fir isse mujhe dedo aur tum jaakar hawan paas beth jao. Manik wahi hain. Shub samay na nikal jaye," Neyonika said. Nandini nodded and met everyone, which included just hers and Manik's close family. She took every elders blessing before handing over the child to Neyonika.

Manik helped her sit beside him near the hawan. Soon, the priest started chanting Sanskrit hymns in the name of Agni, for good health and happiness in their baby's life. After performing the sacrifice, the priest asked for rice and a thali.

Neyonika handed over the required things before the priest spread the rice over the bronze thali while asking them to bring forward the baby. As Nandini took him, the priest forwarded the thali towards Manik with a gold stick and told him to write over the child's name, starting from the initial 'A' as it was auspicious according to his horoscope.

Manik looked at Nandini, making her pass him a smile before he wrote, 'Aarav Manik Malhotra.'

Whispers rose around them as the family members informed each other of the decided name while the priest asked Manik to whisper the name in the child's ear thrice as per the ritual.

Carefully taking over his boy, Manik raised him slightly and whispered the name in his ear thrice. Everyone laughed as Aarav woke up with a cry and slapped his baby hand on his nose in frustration. Rolling his eyes, yet with a smile intact on his lips, Manik pressed a kiss on his head.

"Nahi aaj toh tujhe main hi chup karvaunga," Manik said, refusing to hand him over to Nandini, as Aarav cried his lungs out. As Manik patted him while roaming around, the baby quietened down, peeking at him and then again fell asleep in his arms. Manik smiled, happy with his accomplishment. Nandini shook her head with a smile while everyone gathered around them to bless the three of them for their new lives while showering them with gifts.

After the rituals ended and everyone had a family lunch, chatting and laughing, celebrating the happy time in their life, it was time to bid adieu to their guests. When everyone left, except Nandini's mother and sister, who waited for Nandini and Aarav to take the duo with them. While everyone was playing around with Aarav, or trying to as he refused to wake up, Manik went upstairs to bring down her bags.

Nandini met everyone while Manik kept the bags in the car before she came up to him. He gave her a side hug, pressing a kiss on the top of her head and said, "Take care of yourself and his. Don't think too much, okay?"

Nandini nodded while pulling away before Manik grinned happily as he took Aarav from his sister, Mukti. Pressing a peck on his small nose, Manik mumbled, "Apni maa ko zyada tang mat karna, woh sirf mera haq hain." Nandini smiled before she glared in warning as he smirked while saying, "Aur I hope tu mere jesa dikhe doh mahine baad, mere pyaare adrak."

"Stop calling him that Manik," Nandini whined while Manik laughed as he handed Aarav to her. He helped her in the car before shutting the door. He looked at the car pulling away, waving at them until it disappeared from his view.

Hey everyone! I hope all of you're doing fine and if not and need someone to talk to, you can always message me. I would be happy to be the
listener of your problems ❤️

So, coming to the book, first of all, how is the name 'Aarav Manik Malhotra', which means 'radiance'.

Also, how was this chapter? Did you like any particular scene? Please do let me know your views in the comment section. And, don't forget to vote if you liked it and are excited for their journey further. Your constant support is highly appreciated!🫶

Thank you! See you soon, hopefully 🥺❤️