ARHI OS I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH pt 2(9) (Page 9)

I love you too much…!

And that is the problem…

Part 2

Dad sat on the plush couch along with Shashi, while Mom sat on the single seat, with Aunty served them all coffee, who took her own seat afterwards. I watched them with a straight face, my arm held my wife by her waist, as we sat in front of them. She shifted slightly, uncomfortably, but made no move to push me aside. I never got why she felt so uncomfortable being close to me when we have audience. Not that I took her in my arms and have a PDA with them around us. All that is a simple gesture like holding hands, or snaking my arm around her shoulder in a protective way – nothing intimacy in that. Yet she didn't like it and I never bugged her about it. Now, the situation is something different – novel.

We are going to have our first baby. Khushi is too happy to care about anything. We spent last day in a memorable way. We got her test done and of course, got a positive result. She wanted to share the news with our parents, first thing. She was so excited to tell them and that rather irked me. I was excited to inform them, too, but I want to spend the time with my wife. It took me almost two hours to grasp that I am indeed going to be Papa. And the feeling – I could never find a perfect word to describe it. When I said the same, that I wish to spend the time with her, she smiled and kissed me – on my lips – while we were still in the hospital parking lot. That was a first. In our three years of wedding life, it was the first time we shared our private moment in public, though we had no audience, but still.

We reached home and had lots of discussion about everything. We need to shift to a bigger flat – that was the first thought that I had. 2 bhk is not going to be sufficient anymore. I want big space, where Khushi will have her own space, without actually compromising on anything whenever we had guests. I prepared a note, mentally, to hunt down the flat first thing in the office. I didn't want to waste my time while I was home. Then came many things. About baby – toys – and things that Khushi needed during pregnancy. Khushi laughed at me when I said these things.

"There's time to think about the baby and stuff we will need to have, Arnav," she had whispered, pulling me by the collar, "now, let me love you."

Mood swings made its way on her system, I thought with a chuckle. We spent the rest of the evening in making love. Then we had a fight over dinner. She wanted to have her favorite Spaghetti and I didn't want her to have an upset stomach with outside food. After a good argument for over four long hours, we concluded, giving in to each other's orders. Next hour, we had a good home made Spaghetti cooked by me.

This morning, I called to my boss and asked him for a leave for about 10 days. He accepted the request gladly. Why wouldn't he? After all, I was his favorite. Being selected by him in campus interviews 7 years ago, he had complete faith in me. I said him that the reason was too personal to share with him and the kind old man he is, dropped the discussion. Then his wife spoke to Khushi for half hour. They are good friends and the woman is very fond of my wife. Of course any one would be, the charmer my wife is. I called up Dad and Shashi, then, and asked them to come over our flat as soon as possible. And, we sat in the living area, from past hour, unable to find perfect sentence to disclose the truth.

"Are you going to tell us what the matter is? Or are we having the staring competition for the rest of the day?"

Dad broke the silence at last, while the rest nodded with him. I felt Khushi stiffen, her grip on my hand tightened while I shifted myself uncomfortably. That is new. I never felt nervous to talk to my parents. This is so unlike me. But to tell them about my baby – about the symbol of our love – isn't going to be easy as well. I felt proud. At the same time, I felt like a teenager, who was trying his best to confess his love to the girl.

They guessed the matter was serious and that was why Dad lost his patience, after waiting for long time. I got the temper problems from him, though he was excessively better than I was. I was worse. Khushi could never tell them the truth. And I am the one to tell them, I knew it. I loved it.

"Guys," I called out, pulling her to myself more closely and took a deep breath and said,"My wife gave me the best gift in my life." I watched them stare at us, unable to follow my words, but I loved to address that in that way. Yes, it is the best gift a man can ever receive in his life. It was more special because it was from Khushi. My Khushi. "We are going to have a baby," I uttered in a go.

They gasped at the revelation and the next moment, I felt lost. Incomplete. Because they took my wife away from me. I watched them all, dejected, as they hugged her one after the other. I stood with them, and returned the hugs to them all, as they wished us.

The women made her sit on the couch and they started questioning her, probing for details. They were telling her how to take care and how to be and stuff. When Khushi informed them about her resignation, they were satisfied, especially our mothers. They didn't want her to work.

Of course, I wanted to say, that I would never allow her to work in her pregnancy, can I?

I walked away and stood at the door that led to balcony, leaned on to the door frame with my feet crossed. I watched her smile with her eyes lowered for whatever they were saying. I could see the men talking to themselves at a corner. I had no mood to participate in their talks. My heart filled to watch them all in such a happy state. Our parents, with Khushi by their side, while talking like old buddies – I often wondered whether there was anything more a man could ask in his life?

My thoughts flickered back to Khushi and our relationship. It was a general meet at first between our family and we had few dates, tried to understand each other better. After about a month of dating, we decided that we could have a life together and said the same, and tied the knot. She is smart, beautiful, talented, friendly and most importantly, patience. She would always find a way out for any problem. Life has been beautiful with her presence. She brought all the colors with her.

"Don't you want to freshen up, Chotey?"

I heard Mom tease me, bringing me back to the present. I was presentable, with my best shirt that Khushi had bought. I guessed she was representing my stubble and chuckled, "I am, Mom," I said calmly, "Khushi likes it this way." She glared at me but I didn't care, and sat myself beside her, "I am going to look for more spacious flat," I decided to inform them about my plans. They might help me in searching too. "I will finalize the one with more comfort and relatively close to you guys. Whether it's you or Shashi… so that Mom can drop in and stay with Khushi till I reach home."

"Chotey,"

Mom called me with hesitance reflecting in her tone and I sat straight, as Khushi squeezed my hand a little. I understand they are up to something – and that would just upset me. With Khushi gripping me on my biceps, I can tell with her touch, that she wants me not to lose my temper. I avoided looking at her, knowing my weakness. Her eyes. If I saw her in her eyes, I couldn't do much but lost myself in her purity and accept whatever they were going to ask me, against my heart. With her being pregnant, I could never risk that to anyone. Be it my parents… be it hers…

"You are being busy these days that you are returning at 10 or 11. Therefore, we are thinking the best way for Khushi. It isn't safe for her to be alone, without elders guide."

Okay, I really got where they are heading now. "Okay," I said simply, "then decide among yourselves who are going to move in to be with Khushi."

"Not us, Chotey,"

Mom said with a tint of finality in her tone and my heart skipped a beat, as I pulled Khushi more to myself. I didn't want to hear the rest of their talks. I have decided what the best is for her – for us.

"I think it's best for you both to just move in along with us in the new flat that I will buy in a month or so. I have got 10 days and will finalize the flat."

I stared at Khushi when she squeezed my arm, asking me to look at her, and her eyes showed what was I expecting, yet she voiced our thoughts, "I think they are right, Arnav. Even I don't know anything about this – what I should eat and how much the spice should be. We will move in with Ma. Mom can meet us every now and then. Ma knew about it more as she nursed Anjali Di."

"Mom will move in, Khushi," I warned her with my eyes, to which she just lowered her eyes, "I will not let you stay away from me."

I watched as she left my arm and walked away, to our room, and I followed. I could feel their disappointed gaze on my back but the much pressing matter is to pacify my stubborn wife.

"You don't let me feed you, Khushi," I said, irritated, as soon as I closed the door, not giving her much chance to speak, "you don't even let me hold your hand in that flat. You will always avoid me saying they might watch us. I don't want that to happen, love, not at this phase of our lives."

"It's not about us, Arnav. I think I really need their help this time. I have no idea how to take care of myself and with our baby – I can't risk, Arnav. Didn't you remember our fight last night over my stupid mood swing and Spaghetti? I don't want that to repeat. Please do understand. I need their guidance."

I pulled her towards me by her elbow, ignoring her hiss, "can't we just go to the Gynecologist and prepare a chart about the food? Khushi, we aren't illiterates to have a careless behavior." I didn't understand how being with Mom solved the problem… "And all I am asking is Mom or Aunt to come and stay with us. Isn't it same in any way?"

She shook her head, pushing my hand off her, "don't behave as a kid, Arnav. Look, Ma wants me to come and stay with her for few days, and I want you to accept her offer."

"Khushi," I called her, desperately, as I buried myself in the crook of her neck. She hugged me back, and I knew she didn't want to go. May be, Mom did had a valid reason behind the offer, I reasoned myself, but keeping my distance with Khushi isn't my thing to do. I want to feed her, cradle her in my arms, carry her from the dining table to our room, help her to use washroom, want to make her dinner while she sat on the counter comfortably, ordering what and how to do according to her mood swings while we talk, discuss about our baby and our future. Nothing of that sort would be possible if we had audience with us, be it our elders. My crazy wife wouldn't let me do these things, which we both looked forward, eagerly from the moment she shared the news – the biggest truth in our lives. "Of course I trust them with you, love. I know they will take care of you and will never let you to even put your feet on the floor… but it isn't same sweetheart – making sure about your complete bed rest and carrying you in my arms around the world – isn't the same. I prefer later."

"I want it too," she whispered as I cupped her face, "but I really want to have some time with Ma and Mom. Arnav, it is a matter of few days. And you are going to be with me, of course. We are going to stay with them, Arnav. Not I. It is always WE. The only problem is you love me too much…"

"Can't help it, love…" I smiled at her sheepishly as I took hold of her lips in mine…

Nothing in the world can make me weak… nothing but my wife's presence…

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