8 Chapter 8

Armaan looked at the defiant tilt of her chin, holding the baby close to her bosom fiddling with the seat belt with her free hand.

"But the plan was to give him away as soon as he was born. That's what you signed up for. That's what you planned when you left that note asking for more money" Armaan bit out furiously.

He felt her stiffening...

"As long as the pay off was sufficient, you were prepared to give him up. So you should have made sure that he is prepared for that. You shouldn't have let him get attached to you" He added

"I wasn't sure about the separation" she fired back, an angry flush spreading across her porcelain skin.

"I would have moved heaven and earth to find my son. I would have never quitted. From the day you disappeared, every single day, I have thought about him and searched for him" Armaan said gruffly

"But giving him up isn't going to be as easy as I once thought it would be" Janani said, her heart aching at the mere thought of it

Armaan shrugged

"You convinced a psychiatrist that you knew what you were signing up for and could cope with it"

"Things change" Janani whispered

Armaan made a frustrated sound and unbuckled himself and walked towards the cockpit.

During the take off he heard the loud wails of Advaith.

He might have woken up due to the pressure changes

Oh!! How he wants to scoop his child in his arms and sooth him

But he knew his presence would only terrify the little boy more.

So he remained in the cockpit with his pilots.

After a while when they were miles up above the ground he walked inside the cabin.

The first thing he noticed was Janani curled up fast asleep in the reclining seat and Advi out for the count beside her in his new fancy travel seat.

Her hair was braided and he wanted to see it loose

Even though he knew much of it was fake?

He scanned the worn leggings and casual washed out kurti she was wearing and frowned.

Why isn't she dressing up for his benefit? And not even an ounce of make up on her face.

From the first meet, she has been the same. Never did any effort to impress him.

Not even once??

No woman had ever been so sure of her hold on Armaan's interest that she would show up almost as poorly as a homeless person.

Or could this be some plot? An act, so that he would buy her a new wardrobe.

He shook his head in the direction of his thoughts.

How does her dressing style matter?

She could wear a sack for all he cares.

And she would still look stunning, a sly voice reminded his from somewhere in his head

*****

Janani was still in awe of the Verma mansion

It's past ten at night.

Advi had woken up during the landing and had let out an ear splitting scream and had continued to do so throughout the walk in the airport.

No one in the airport is going to forget him anytime soon.

As the house help led her to a room Janani was awestruck.

It had a queen size bed in the centre and a baby cot near it.

The house help kept the two travel bags at the corner.

"Ma'am, would you like something to eat??" She asked

"You can call me Janani. And yeah, where can I re-heat this" she asked, taking a milk bottle from her shoulder bag.

"I will get it done Miss Janani" the house help smiled and took the bottle from her before walking out

Janani shook her head and turned to look at a drowsy Advi.

"Miss Janani? I feel like I went back to the nursery school. I am going to miss them. Will you miss them, Advi? They loved playing with you" she said with a sad face making Advi frown

Janani gave Advi a sponge bath as it is late at night.

Advi loves his bath times.

He enjoys splashing water at his Mama and drowning his ducky

Advi was fast asleep when the house help came back with the bottle and a light supper for Janani.

"Thank you so much" she said

She took a quick shower and changed into her pyjamas.

She wanted to go down as she had to unpack some cardboard boxes.

She can't leave Advi alone either.

That's when she noticed the baby monitor.

She had seen that thing in movies, never seen one in real life.

Never needed one either.

At her home if Advi cries from one room ,it could be heard in the neighbour's house also

But here she would have to hire a taxi to go from one end of the house to the other.

So she is definitely thankful for the thoughtful gesture of Advi's father.

She switched on both the monitors and took one with her and walked out of the room in search of someone.

Somehow she reached the kitchen and saw all the cardboard boxes there. Khanna was instructing two men to take all the boxes upstairs to her room.

"Khanna bhaiyya, don't take all the boxes up. Only two need to go up" she said and started opening the boxes to check which ones are to be sent up.

****

Armaan sat at the edge of the bed and caressed his little girl's hair.

If she is awake she wouldn't let him anywhere near her.

So the only time he gets to spend time with his daughter is when she is asleep.

Aadesh was standing there leaning against the wall.

And the nanny was also in the room.

Armaan got up from the bed and walked towards her

"We need to talk. Tomorrow, come to my study at sharp ten in the morning" he said and saw her face brightening up. He gritted his teeth in fury.

"About Ava's nightmares" Aadesh added from behind him and her lips thinned into a straight line.

"Ah Armaan, I was about to tell you about her nightmare yesterday. I don't know what happened suddenly. She had been so happy all these days with me. I think she might have got scared of me leaving her or something. I have made her understand that I would never leave her. She is just insecure and needs me very much" she said, smiling at Ava's sleeping form.

Aadesh rolled his eyes and Armaan gritted his teeth at the blatant lie.

"Tomorrow" he said curtly and walked out followed by Aadesh.

"I want to meet my nephew " Aadesh said

He dozed off while going through some files and got to know about Armaan's arrival only now.

So he missed Advaith and his mother.

"We will go see if they got settled," Armaan said, walking towards the room he had arranged for Advaith and Janani.

He knocked twice, but there was no response.

So he entered the room and the only light was a small bedside lamp.

He walked in and saw his son sleeping in the baby cot.

He is lying on his stomach and his butt is up in the air.

He had also kicked aside his blanket.

He is hugging a worn giraffe soft toy.

Armaan chuckled at the sight

"Can't see his face, " Aadesh said in disappointment.

He was so excited to see his nephew

"Where is the mother??" Aadesh asked still wondering why Armaan had brought the woman along.

Armaan looked at the empty bed.

"Might be in the shower" Armaan said and looked towards the side only to see the washroom door open.

Where has this girl gone now?

Leaving his son alone!

What if he wakes up alone and get scared?

That's when he saw the baby monitor switched on.

"Where would she be??" Aadesh asked frowning

"Who knows??" Armaan asked throwing his hands up in the air

"I need a coffee. Would you like to join me??" Armaan asked Aadesh

Aadesh shrugged and walked along with his brother towards the kitchen

As they neared the kitchen, they heard sounds from the kitchen.

Who would be in the kitchen at this time of the night?

The staff has their own quarters and kitchen.

"Khanna bhaiyya, don't take all the boxes up. Only two needs to go up" he heard Janani's voice.

He walked in and saw Janani opening one of those cardboard boxes.

"Why are you unpacking in the kitchen? They will bring the things to your room" Armaan said

"Only two needs to go up Mr Verma" she said without turning

She checked all the boxes and pointed at two which were filled with toys and story books and asked them to be brought up

She packed all the toys?

"You didn't have to bring all his toys. I would have brought him new" Armaan said

"They are his favourite toys and books" Janani murmured offhandedly as she instructed the men of his security team to leave the box outside the room as little Advi is sleeping and she didn't want anyone to disturb him.

Once the security team left it was only they three in the kitchen

"I am Aadesh Verma" Aadesh said extending his hands.

Janani returned the gesture with a warm smile.

Aadesh was momentarily stunned by the woman in front of him.

She is not at all like the woman he had been expecting.

The woman standing in front of him is wearing a modest set of pyjamas and cute bunny slippers.

He was worried about having another woman in the house trying to seduce his brother.

"Why are you both still awake?? It's late" Janani asked

"We can ask you the same thing" Armaan said

"Oh I had to unpack these. I can't keep them in a cardboard box for any longer. They would get ruined by tomorrow if left here" Janani pointed at the boxes

"What's in that??" Aadesh asked curiously

"Oh nothing much. Some vegetables and baby food" she said and took out four large jars of some powder

"You brought baby food with you?" Armaan asked in disbelief

She kept those jars in a kitchen cupboard safely.

"Of course. What would I feed Advi if I didn't bring them along?" Janani asked, wondering why he was asking silly questions.

"If you had told me which company baby food he eats, I would have arranged it here" Armaan growled, making her frown.

"Company food? They are home made food, Mr Verma. I make what he eats myself " Janani said

"You made those powders??" He asked dumbly, making Janani more irritated.

"What is this? A murder case? You keep interrogating me" she asked placing her hands on her hips

"How do you make baby food?" Aadesh asked with growing fascination at this total contrary woman.

He doesn't know much about babies.

The only one he had seen close enough so far is Ava and now Advaith.

But he always thought baby foods are brought from shops.

"I researched in the internet and my mom helped too" she said, scowling at the dumb brothers.

She then took out some vegetables and fruits from the cardboard box and started stuffing them into the refrigerator.

"But why would you carry these fruits and vegetables all the way from home? These things are available here in Mumbai" Aadesh asked, confused at the weird behaviour of the woman in front of him.

Isn't she the supposed party girl?

"I have heard in cities everything is covered in chemicals. I can't take risk with Advi's health" she said

"What makes you think chemicals are used only in cities. Who knows how much chemicals might be there in the one you are holding now" Armaan asked, feeling offended at the thought that he didnt think about his son's welfare as much as he should.

"These doesn't have any chemicals" Janani scowled at him.

"How do you know that?" He fired back

"Because I don't use chemical fertilizers for my plants." She said, glaring at him.

"You?" He asked in horror

"Yes. Me! These are from my kitchen garden." She said and turned and picked up some plants which she might have plucked as a whole from the ground because they have roots too.

What the hell is wrong with her!!

"Do we have a kitchen garden here? I would like to plant these here." She said, filling some containers with water and placing the plants inside.

He saw Aadesh was also gaping at her

"What happened? There is no kitchen garden? No worries! I will make one" she smiled at them and picked up a plate from the cardboard box.

Armaan looked again and saw it was not a normal plate. It has numerous small depressions and a handle in the middle

"Who eats on a plate like this??" Armaan asked

"This is not to eat. This is to cook idlis" she said

"But idlis are larger than this" Aadesh pointed out

"But Advi eats baby Idlis" she said placing it somewhere in his once pristine kitchen.

Aadesh picked up a bowl with a cartoon picture of a girl and a bear.

"Who is this?" Aadesh asked and Armaan looked at him in disbelief.

"Oh that's Masha and the bear. Advi loves Masha. You should see him shaking with laughter while watching mischievous Masha" Janani said with a fond smile.

She arranged some fancy plates and baby bottles with cartoon pictures on the kitchen rack.

After arranging everything she placed her hands on her hips and looked around in satisfaction.

"All set. Now I can sleep well" she said and turned around giving them both a bright smile.

"You wouldn't mind keeping these boxes in the store room, would you??" She asked them

"I know you wouldn't. Thank you so much. Good night. Will see you tomorrow" she said walked out of the kitchen without waiting for their response.

"Does she have a split personality disorder?" Aadesh wondered out loud