Bhumi's pov

"Look what mommy has won?" I asked my little boys, waving the flight tickets in front of them.

They both looked at the tickets with a disinterested stare and got back to playing with their building block set.

"We are going on a vacation, darlings," I again said and they looked outright bored at my enthusiastic screams.

Well, I am their mommy. I know how to get them on board.

"We are going to a beach side resort. There is a huge pool there. And you can also get into the sea for swimming, with the help of the swimming instructors," I said and a huge grin appeared on their identical faces.

They are water babies. They absolutely love water and swimming is their favourite pastime..

I figured it out early in their life. They used to enjoy their bath times a lot and used to create a ruckus when taken out of their little tubs.

That's when I realised that looks weren't the only thing that they inherited from their devilishly handsome father.

"Poooool," they screamed together and clapped their hands in excitement.

"Now, now, who is going to come help mommy in packing?" I asked, placing a finger on my chin.

"Me! Me! Me," they both screamed and ran to their bedroom, making me laugh.

My boys are so adorable!

Chennai! Here we come!

***************************************************

Aryamann's pov!

"Yes. I am going to check in, Daksh. Yes, I did fly over to Chennai. I am at the resort now. I am not lying," I spoke to Daksh on the phone, rolling my eyes at his interrogation.

Daksh had all but packed me to Chennai, demanding I take a break. Ever since Bhumi left, I had concentrated on finding her and working more and more.

I refused to have free time.

Because any leisure time would bring forth the pain of loss and I was not able to handle it.

"Good evening, Mr Mehrotra. It is a pleasure to have you stay at our resort," the manager said with a bright smile and I simply nodded acknowledging him.

"Is my suite ready, Mr Kumar?" I asked, after reading his name from his name tag.

"Of course. Mr Mehrotra. The presidential suite is prepared for you. Hope you have a good stay. Please dial the room service if you need anything at all," the manager said.

As I was about to walk away, I heard the receptionist talking on the phone.

"Yes, Miss Basu. Right away. Please relax. I will send over someone to help quickly."

I froze as I heard the name Ms Basu.

Could it be?

No! There must be a hundred Ms Basus around the world.

But the heartbroken man in me couldn't walk away without confirming it once.

So I turned towards the receptionist.

"Excuse me, Miss. I heard you talking to one Miss Basu. May I know her full name, please?" I asked and the receptionist hesitated.

"I am sorry, Sir. But it is against the resort rules to give away the information of our clients." The receptionist said.

The owner of the resort is a friend of Daksh, and I made a couple of calls and soon the receptionist was nodding to everything, the person on call with her was saying.

"Mr Mehrotra. The occupant of deluxe suite no 103 is Ms Bhumika Basu. If you need any other information, please let me know," the receptionist said.

Bhumika Basu!

Could it be my Bhumi?

I hoped against hope that she is my Bhumi.

"Where are the deluxe suites located?" I asked, my legs already taking me to the direction the receptionist pointed out.

As I neared room no 103, I could hear shrill cries from inside the room.

Cries of little boys!

I pressed the doorbell and waited for it to open.

I was stunned when the door opened.

There stood my Bhumi!

Her hair was a mess and she was wearing only a bathrobe. Her hair was still dripping, which means she just got out of the shower.

But what stunned me more is the little boy on her hips and another one on the floor.

"Finally! I need help. Please get me a first aid kit immediately. I don't know where mine is. I had packed it, but I can't find it now," Bhumi said, without even looking at me.

She was too busy holding the bleeding point on the boy's forehead.

"Okay, Abhi. Stop crying. You are not the one who fell down," she spoke to the boy, sitting on the floor and crying.

I was too stunned to move.

"For goodness sake, do something," she said and finally looked up at me.

All blood drained from her face when she saw me.

I could see her going pale.

"Aryamann?" I heard her throaty whisper.

The little boy on her hip cried more louder when he realised he had lost Bhumi's attention.

Bhumi looked at the boy and jiggled him on her hips.

"Do you have a first aid kid, Aryamann? I can't find one in the room," she said and I moved on autopilot.

I took out the small first aid kit I always carry with me and Bhumi bandaged the little boy's injury.

His cries turned into hiccups and both the boys looked up at me as though I were a ghost.

That's when I noticed them clearly.

Dark hair!

Dark brown eyes!

Long nose!

Tanned skin!

And the classic Mehrotra Chin clefts!

Perfect little me!!

I sucked in a breath when realisation sunk in!

It is happening all over again with me!

Bhumi kept the news of me being a father a secret.

"How could you? How dare you?" I asked furiously.

************************

Bhumi's pov!

I was in the shower when I heard the painful cries of Sam.

I quickly wore a bathrobe and got out to see Sam bleeding.

I panicked seeing that.

Abhi started crying seeing blood on his brother.

I searched for the first aid kit and couldn't find one, so I called the reception desk, asking them to send one.

When I heard the doorbell ringing, I was finally relieved.

But I didn't realise my life was going to change again, once I opened the door.

The next few minutes were a blur.

I still couldn't believe that Aryamann was standing in front of me.

How did he find me?

Then I saw him staring at the boys and I watched as realisation finally dawned on him.

"How could you? How dare you?"

I froze when I heard the accusations in his voice. In his eyes.

I knew this would happen if he came to know about the twins, but then why does it still hurt?

"Well, if you will excuse us, we have plans for the evening," I said, pointing at the door, refusing to answer him.

He looked at me in disbelief.

"Oh, well, when you can fit me into your schedule, I think we can have a conversation. One like— oh, I don't know... How about: Aryamann, it totally slipped my mind, but I had your babies a few years back...?"

"Lower your voice Aryamann. I don't want my boys to witness an ugly scene," I said in an even tone.

"Damn it, Bhumi."

"Sorry that you have found it out this way," I said, without feeling particularly sorry for him.

"So? You are not even going to deny it?" He asked.

"What's the point?" I asked, a cool facade falling over my face.

"You lied to me,"

"I didn't lie, Aryamann. I just decided not to—"

"Burden me with the truth?" He asked sarcastically.

I winced at his acid sarcasm.

"Did you ever intend to tell me?" He asked.

Aryamann's pov

"I thought about it," she said casually.

"And?"

"And I decided it was better not to let you know," she said and I didn't think it was possible to break my heart into even more little pieces.

"Why??" I asked painfully.

"Because I know how you would react," she said.

"And how is that?"

"Pretty much like this," she said.

A hiss escaped my lips.

"Damn it, Bhumi."

"Listen. No one knows. And no one needs to know. Nothing has to change," Bhumi said adamantly.

"It already has changed," I said, through my clenched teeth.

She opened her mouth to contradict, and her eyes connected with my relentless stare.

I felt satisfied when she was the one to look away first.

"Please leave, Aryamann," she begged.

"Leave? I am a father," my voice came out as a growl and I saw the boys coming to stand on either side of their mother, with their chubby little hands curled into tight fists.

"See. You are scaring them." She accused me, glaring at me.

I looked at the boys, only to see them glaring at me angrily.

"Don't shout at mommy," the little one, without the bandage on his head, yelled at me.

Goodness!

They are mine! Definitely mine!

"Abhi, take Sammy inside and play," Bhumi said, looking down at the boy who yelled at me.

"No mommy. Let the bad man go first," Abhi said, staring at me furiously.

Bad man!!

Way to go, Aryamann!

You just went ahead and ruined your first impression.

"He is not a bad man, Abhi. And don't talk to elders like that. Only bad boys speak like that. Are you a bad boy Abhi?" Bhumi asked, kneeling in front of Abhi.

"No. Abhi is a good boy," he said, puffing up his chest proudly.

"Sammy also good boy," the one with a bandaid on his head said.

"You both of you are mommy's good boys," she said and gathered them into her embrace.

For a moment there, she seemed to forget my presence. All that exists are her boys.

I felt an irrational jealousy run through me.

Good god! How pathetic am I? To feel jealous of my own children?

I coughed awkwardly to gain their attention. All three looked up at me, with displeasure quite evident on their faces.

The feeling of unwantedness seeped through me like acid.

"I stay here, Bhumi. In the presidential suite. We will meet for dinner and talk, once the boys are down for their sleep." I said and raised a hand to stop her, when she opened her mouth to protest.

"No arguments Bhumi. You owe me at least this,'' I said, turned on my heels and walked away.

*****

Bhumi's pov!

I watched as Aryamann walked away.

Shock wiped my mind and I refused to accept that this is not a dream.

My heart beat increased with an adrenaline fuelled speed.

The last time he came into my life, he had turned it upside down. And yet, I loved every moment of it.

And he gave me the most precious gifts of my life.

Sam and Abhi!

"It's okay mommy! He is gone," Abhi said, patting my back with his chubby little hands.

Aww. How cute my baby is.

"I know baby," I said, hugging them both closer.

But I know he isn't gone for long!

He wants to have a conversation tonight and I know Aryamann enough to know that he would get what he wants, at any cost.

Aryamann's pov!

I was operating on a combination of adrenaline and anger.

Hours have passed since I discovered that I am a father.

Father to a set of twin boys!

And I have missed the precious first two and a half years of their life. Three and a half, if you count Bhumi's pregnancy period.

I had missed her growing round with my babies.

I had missed her midnight cravings.

I had missed the first sonogram!

I missed the moment when we realised we are having two babies, not one!

I missed the moment when my boys came into this world.

I missed their first step!

I missed their first word!

What was their first word? Mommy?

Would they call me daddy?

I missed all these, because Bhumi decided to keep me in the dark.

She decided to deprive me of all those precious moments.

And I will never forgive her for that!

A/N

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