Aryamann's POV:

"Bhumi, are you ready?" I called out from the kitchen.

I was cleaning up the mess the boys created while having their breakfast.

Being a stay-at-home daddy is not as simple as I thought.

Now I will happily salute those working mothers who manage the kids and their career so expertly. I will have to make special considerations for the working mothers in Mehrotra Inc.

The boys, as I mentioned many times before, are a handful. Add to the group an equally messy puppy.

"Yeah. Almost done. I gave the boys a bath. Don't bother with that," Bhumi called out, and I sighed in relief.

One task off the list for the day.

It has been a month since our move to Bangalore.

Bhumi has suggested arranging for her previous babysitter to continue her work, but I refused. I was confident I would be able to manage them alone while Bhumi goes to university.

Well, I was proved wrong pretty quickly.

Now my pride couldn't ask for a babysitter.

"Heyy. Where are you lost?" Bhumi asked softly as she wrapped her arms around my arms.

"Nothing, my love. Are the broken condoms ready?" I asked cheekily.

"Stop calling them that. One day they will hear you say that and they would want to know what a condom is," Bhumi said in annoyance, and I laughed.

"Well, pretty soon they would be wanting that too. Let's say, in another twenty years?" I asked.

"Shut up. Don't spoil my innocent babies," Bhumi said.

I love working her up.

"Okay, let me go change. Then we will drop you off at the university," I said.

"No need. I will go by myself," she said in annoyance, and I smirked.

"Why, darling? I love to drop you at university," I said.

"Oh really? You love dropping me off there, or you love being ogled at by your fawning female fans at my university?" Bhumi asked, turning red in fury.

The first day I went to drop Bhumi at the university, some women there recognized me. Women who follow celebrity magazines and tabloids.

Silly women, they should have recognized Bhumi long back if they follow tabloids so dedicatedly. She has been the tabloid favourite since our marriage three years ago.

"That's the only form of enjoyment left for a married man, darling. How can you wish that away from me?" I asked teasingly.

"Oh! So you want enjoyment now? You are bored of me? You are tired of me?" Bhumi asked, and her eyes welled up.

Goodness! Did she take it seriously?

"Oh love. Why are you crying? I was just joking," I said and tried to pull her into my arms, but she swatted my hands away and sniffed.

"It didn't sound like a joke to me. You miss being the carefree playboy you once were. Don't you? All these family trappings must be suffocating you," Bhumi said, as beads of tears rolled down her eyes.

"When did I say that?" I asked in horror.

"You just said now. Those girls are your only enjoyment nowadays. It means me and the boys are an albatross around your neck. Stopping you from having more fun," Bhumi continued, and I stared at her in growing horror.

Where is all this coming from now?

"You gotta be kidding me," I exclaimed.

"Now you are getting angry with me," Bhumi said and wailed loudly.

My eyes widened in horror seeing Bhumi bawling her eyes out, even louder than the boys.

The boys came running towards us.

"Mommy is crying," Abhi exclaimed.

"Daddy scolded mommy," Sammy came to his own conclusion.

"I didn't," I said, defending myself.

The boys hugged her from either side, and she gathered them into her arms.

"It's okay, mommy," Abhi said, patting Bhumi on her back.

"I love you," Bhumi told the boys, as she hugged them tightly.

"What about me?" I asked out loud, still trying to figure out what I said to make her cry.

A couple of days ago something similar happened. I said something in a teasing way, and Bhumi took it seriously and bawled her eyes out.

Could she be PMSing? That is the only possible reason for this emotional up and downs.

"Okay. I am sorry. I was just joking. I love you all," I said and wrapped my arms around all three of them.

Bhumi sniffed and looked at me.

"Am I forgiven?" I asked.

"If you take us for ice cream," Bhumi said and the boys nodded enthusiastically.

"But your classes will start in half an hour. And who eats ice cream in the morning?" I asked, and the three of them sulked.

"Okay okay. Ice cream it is," I said, and all three grinned at me.

"Okay. Let me go get my bags. We can have a quick stop at Baskin Robbins, have ice cream, and then go to university," Bhumi said and literally skipped towards our bedroom, as if she hadn't been crying until now.

Weird!

"Your mommy is crazy," I told the boys, and they giggled.

"Don't tell her I said that. She might start crying again," I said, and they kept their fingers on their lips, letting me know that their lips were sealed.

*****

It was a couple of hours after I dropped Bhumi at her university.

The boys were watching some cartoons on the television, and I took that opportunity to catch up with some work.

I was halfway through checking some documents when my phone rang. I smiled when I saw the caller ID.

It was Daksh.

Life had become so busy after I became a stay-at-home dad. I rarely get time to catch up with my brothers.

Now seems like a good time.

"Hey Daksh. Hey Gaurav," I said as soon as I saw them both on the other side of the screen.

"Good time to talk?" Daksh asked.

"As good as a stay-at-home dad of twins can get," I said, and they both laughed.

"I never imagined I would be able to see this one day. Aryamann Mehrotra, a domestic man," Gaurav said, shaking his head with a disbelieving laugh.

"Tell me about it," I said in equal disbelief.

"So, where are my cute adorable nephews?" Gaurav asked.

"Well, they are cute and adorable to look at from a distance. Try living with them on a daily basis. You will find them tiring and a handful," I said with a fond smile, thinking about my boys.

"Well, your smile says that you are enjoying every minute of it," Daksh said.

"I am. Absolutely. There is nothing more precious and content than spending time with my wife and kids," I said.

"Ah! Words of wisdom from an ex-playboy," Gaurav teased.

"Ex being the key word, Gaurav. That life is behind me now. All that matters now is the love of my life," I said cheekily.

"Eeeww. You are sounding too cheesy, man," Gaurav said, making a face.

"You won't understand the bliss of a happily married life, Gaurav. You have to fall in love for that. Isn't it, Daksh?" I asked.

"True," Daksh agreed.

"Remember what RJ RAM said back then, Aryamann? You will believe in love when you finally fall in love. And see, it finally happened. She told you to inform her when you fall in love. Unfortunately, she isn't doing her show anymore," Gaurav said.

RJ RAM. The radio jockey who used to give relationship advice.

I remember that call. Daksh and Gaurav were adamant that I was in love with Bhumi. But I was in denial.

And her words.

She was spot on about everything.

Even about Harini.

She was the one who told me that I was not in love with Harini. I was in love with the idea of being in love.

And she also said that I will only believe in love when I finally fall in love.

And that's what happened too.

Hopefully, one day I will be able to meet her and thank her for making me understand what I really felt for Harini wasn't love.

"Aryamann? Where are you lost?" Daksh snapped his fingers trying to get my attention.

"Uh, nothing. Tell me. How's everything back in Mumbai?" I asked.

"All going well. I also wanted to tell you something important," Daksh said.

I saw Gaurav too looking at Daksh in curiosity. Which means he also doesn't know what it is.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You both are going to be chachus," Daksh said, and we both frowned for a moment before the news finally sunk in.

"Woah. Congrats, man," I said. I wish I was there, so that I could hug him and express how happy I was for him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Gaurav asked as he jumped onto our elder brother and clung to him like a koala.

"I wanted to tell you both together. No one in the family knows yet. We did a home pregnancy test in the morning and it turned out positive. We are going for an OB-GYN appointment at noon. After the confirmation, we will let everyone know. I think Ishitha must have called Bhumi by now," Daksh said.

"Wow. This is a happy occasion. Bhumi does not have classes for the next three days. So we will try to fly over tonight," I said.

"That would be great," Gaurav exclaimed.

"You have to teach me how to be a dad, Aryamann," Daksh said with a chuckle.

"You learn it on your own, Daksh. Nobody can teach you. It just happens," I said.

"Maybe. But I am helluva nervous. What if I mess up?" Daksh said, and I smiled sadly.

"You are lucky, you got a chance to become nervous at the thought of being a father. You can anticipate those moments. I missed all those," I said sadly.

"Because of your own doings," Gaurav pointed out mercilessly.

"Gaurav," Daksh hissed furiously.

"It's okay. You don't have to always point it out, Gaurav. My guilt is punishment enough, I think," I said dryly.

"Sorry, bhai. I shouldn't have said that," Gaurav said in remorse.

"It's okay. This is a happy moment for Daksh. Let's not spoil it," I said, and Gaurav nodded.

I heard the sound of little footsteps.

I turned around to see Sammy peeping inside my study.

"Daddy?" He called out and rushed towards me, and a tiny ball of fur followed him into the study.

"Sammy woke up early? What happened?" I asked as I made him sit in my lap.

"Hey, Sammy," Gaurav called out.

"Gaulav chachu," Sammy screamed in excitement.

The puppy barked in excitement and tried to jump high enough to see the screen.

But it was too small for that.

"Daddy. Teddy wants to see Gaulav chachu," Sammy said and demanded that I pick up the puppy too.

Why in the hell would they name a puppy as Teddy?

I reluctantly picked up the puppy and placed it on my lap, along with Sammy.

The little pup barked happily at Gaurav.

"How the hell did you get friendly with the dog?" I asked in surprise.

"Language, Aryamann," Daksh hissed, and I winced.

Thankfully, Sammy was busy trying to take Teddy into his lap.

"I FaceTime with the twins at least three times a week," Gaurav said.

"You do? When?" I asked in surprise.

"They know how to answer the calls. When I call Bhumi, sometimes they take the calls," Gaurav said.

"Kids these days. They know things we don't know in smartphones," I muttered.

We talked for a little while more.

Once I hung up the call, I saw I had got three missed calls from an unknown number.

I dialled the number back, and a woman attended the call.

"This is Mr. Mehrotra speaking. May I know who this is?" I asked.

"Mr. Mehrotra, I am Bhumi's classmate. Bhumi fainted in class today. We took her to the sick room. She is conscious now, but I thought I would inform you, since she looked so pale and weak," the woman said, and blood drained from my face.