Chapter 12

Janani looked at the dress Ava is wearing in stark disbelief .

Last night the child was only wearing an under pants.

Today she is wearing a frock made in brocade cloth.

Who dresses a three year old in such clothes?

Maybe in the eighteenth century, the royal family might have made their royal babies dress up like this.

This is the 21st century for crying out loud.

She turned towards Mrs Seth, now Shaanima, for her name is Shanthi Seth.

"Shaanima, aren't there any other dresses for Ava in here?" Janani asked.

"There is a cupboard full of clothes for her, but all like this" Shanthi pointed at the dress Ava is wearing.

Ava and Advi were now sitting on the rug on the floor and playing.

Ava is being the momma and Advi her little baby.

Janani opened the drawers one by one and checked what all Ava had got in here.

They were full of new and exquisite baby clothes which made her catch her breath.

Not in admiration.

In dismay!

Lovely though they were, these were what she privately called 'dress up clothes'

The type that in a traditional aristocratic family a baby would be dressed in to be passed around from one elderly relative to another.

There was nothing remotely practical in here.

Nothing a child could wear to stretch or play or grow up in.

It seemed plain to Janani that whoever had chosen these clothes did not really have an informed idea about what a child needs.

Beautiful hand embroidered clothes and traditional long dresses were fine for a high end party.

But where were the dungarees, the tee shirts and the robust clothes that an active child would need?

It all brought her back to the same conclusion.

Armaan Verma loves his children a great deal, but he doesn't know the basics when it comes to what they need.

As a committed mother, wasn't it her duty to bring the family together.

Because, whether she wants to accept it or not, she will have to give up Advi one day soon.

And before she goes she will make sure Advi is in a happy home.

She looked down at the children and Ava looked up and smiled shyly at her.

Ava too!!

Because Ava was already gripping her heart in her small baby fist and Janani knew there was no way she was going to prise those small, dependent but oh-so-strong little fingers free.

Even if she wanted to!!

Oh!! Losing Advi would be painful enough, and now losing Ava too.

No, she isn't going to think about the future.

She is going to live the day as it comes.

She would make the best of the days she has with these two little munchkins!!

*****

At noon, Armaan decided it would be nice to go home and check on his children.

He hadn't had time this morning as they left earlier than usual because of the monthly board meeting.

He walked out of his cabin only to see Aadesh getting out of his l.

"Going somewhere??" Armaan asked

"Well, I didn't get a chance to see my nephew's face yet" Aadesh said shrugging

"Right!! Even I was going home" Armaan nodded l.

"And maybe, Janani would have prepared lunch too" Aadesh said wistfully making Armaan glare at him

"Don't get used to it. She is ridiculously unpredictable. Today she would be happy cooking and caring for children, tomorrow she might decide partying is her style and day after she might even decide she wants to be the president of India" Armaan said rolling his eyes

***

They reached home after an hour with a twenty minutes stop in between at a toy shop.

Armaan and Aadesh walked upstairs and heard noise coming from Ava's room.

They stood outside and watched the scene playing out with growing wonder.

Advi was lying on his stomach on the bed tearing papers out of a book and Janani was feeding Ava.

Janani closed her eyes and opened her fist with a small morsel of food in it.

"Oh! Who is that?? Oh no!! The crow is going to eat it!! Would it eat before I open my eyes??" He heard Janani asking dramatically.

He saw his little girl giggling before taking the morsel from Janani's hand and popping it in her mouth.

Janani opened her eyes and made a play of looking around.

"Oh no!! Where did the crow go? Did anyone see the crow who stole my food? Did you see the crow Angel Ava?" Janani asked dramatically.

Ava covered her mouth with both her hands hoping Janani wouldn't see the food in her mouth and nodded her head in a no.

Once she swallowed the food, she giggled shyly looking at Janani and said

"Yesterday you called me princess" Ava said softly.

"Haa. Testerday you were princess, today you are an angel and tomorrow you will be a fairy" Janani said poking her button nose

"And Advi??" Ava asked

Hearing his name Advi looked up at the duo and grabbed Ava's dress into his little fist and brought it to his mouth

"Now he wants to eat my dress," Ava said cutely, frowning at her naughty little brother.

Armaan cleared his throat making his presence known.

All three looked up at him and the happy atmosphere inside the room faded.

Ava scooted closer to Janani hiding herself behind Janani's dupatta.

Advi, not liking his mama hugging someone other than him, protested by trying to push his sister away.

Janani pulled Advi into her lap and hugged Ava sideways and smiled brightly at the kids

"Look who is here. Dada and chachu"

They both walked in and Armaan saw Janani whispering something to Ava in response to which Ava came out from behind the dupatta and looked at him tentatively.

He could feel his heart making its way to his throat.

"I have something for you two" Armaan said in a croaky voice.

He first handed out a colorful ball to Advi who enthusiastically clutched it and rolled on to the bed with his new toy.

They he took out the toy he brought for Ava.

A water pistol

He saw Janani looking up at him in surprise

"All princesses has a water pistol nowadays right" he forwarded it to Ava who hesitantly took it from him and examined it.

It was bright yellow in color with the tip and trigger in red.

"I have already filled it with water" Armaan said

Advi who saw the new toy abandoned his ball on the bed and clutched the pistol with his chubby hands and tried to pull it to himself.

"Advi. That's Ava's. Yours is here" Janani picked up the ball and gave it to him.

Advi threw the ball on the floor and latched onto the pistol again and let out a small wail.

Ava who clearly adores her brother already, let it go.

"He is a baby," she said, defending her brother.

Aadesh watched the interaction in front of him and he was close to tears.

Oh he wants to get to know his nephew and niece too.

But this is his brother's moment and he doesn't want to intrude.

So to distract himself he picked up a story book lying upside down on the floor and started flipping through the pages.

The next moment he could feel the spray of water on his face.

He looked up to see his little nephew has pulled the trigger of the water pistol and made his chachu the first target.

"Aivi ouk!!!" He screamed looking at him

Armaan and Aadesh frowned in confusion

"That's his story book in his hands, he is staking claim" Janani said shaking her head at her nephew's possessiveness

"What did he say now??" Armaan asked

"Advi book!! He is telling you that it's his book" Janani said

Aadesh wiped the water off his face and gave the book back to Advi with a grin.

"You play with the ball" Aadesh picked up the new ball Advi had thrown away and gave it to Ava.

Advi who saw that abandoned both his book and water pistol on the bed and snatched the ball from Ava making her huff

"He wants everything" Ava mumbled

"Aakhir bacha kiska hai?" Aadesh said dryly earning a glare from his big brother.

(Whose son is he after all?)