Chapter 12

‘What have you thought now?’ Akanksha placed a tray full of fruits on Natasha’s bedside.

‘Nothing Akanksha, I think I was right in breaking up with Nitin. That guy is now harassing me and threatening me that he’ll leak our photos to the guy whom I’d date in future or marry. I mean, those casual photos mean nothing, and nobody will have a problem, still he’s threatening me.’

‘What? Seriously? What a jerk! I’ll call Shrey and tell him all this, don’t you worry sweetie, Shrey will handle him well!’ Akanksha picked up her phone from her lap and started scrolling her contacts that Natasha snatched the phone from her.

‘No, Akanksha. Just wait, I want to see till what extent he can behave as a jerk, let me see. Don’t involve Shrey right away. I want to see what he can do with those seven casual photos I have of both of us; three in a mall, and four in a coffee shop. I wasn’t ever intimate with this guy and you won’t believe, but I haven’t even kissed him yet, not even once! I don’t know why he still is forcing me for marriage? And I’m going home today, it’s been almost a week that I’m lying here with you guys and I’m a burden on you too…’ Natasha was talking that suddenly she heard screams and cries of the babies, from their room. Natasha was living in guest room, which was adjacent to the babies’ room, Akanksha ran outside.

‘Oh my God!’ Akanksha screamed and picked up her younger son, Nirvaan, whose forehead was badly scratched and bleeding. The elder one, Akshan had scratched him.

‘Where the hell are both the nannies? I appointed two girls and they both are so damn careless!’ Akanksha’s anger was at its height.

Listening to the voices and screams, both the girls stood by the door.

‘Welcome! Now that one of my boys is badly injured, you come here to witness the scenario as if some entertaining reality-show is going on! You both are fired…’ Akanksha shouted and stepped out, she didn’t even give a chance of explanation to the girls.

One of the girls, who was Nirvaan’s nanny, had tears in her eyes. It was almost nine months that they were handling the babies now, they were also fondly attached with them, seeing Nirvaan hurt and injured, almost killed the girl inside.

‘I’m sorry Ma’am, actually we never leave the babies alone, but today we just went down for five minutes to get some milk from the kitchen for them, and we didn’t know they’d start fighting.’ The girl started explaining to Natasha.

‘It’s okay, you’re not fired, you both have taken care of the babies fantastically, we all know that, Akanksha is only upset right now, I’m sure she didn’t mean any of it. Seeing her baby bleeding and crying has hurt her too. Give her some time, and you both take care of Akshan now.’ Natasha said, and walked away towards the opposite direction where Akanksha’s room was situated, she wanted to see Nirvan’s condition.

‘Is he okay, Akanksha?’ Natasha stepped inside.

‘Yeah, I’ve called Shrey, he’s in a meeting, he said he’ll send a doctor right away.’

‘Why did you call Shrey? The injuries are very minor…’

‘No, Natasha! Just see his age, he’s not even a year old, he can get infected, he can get sick, injuries can develop some kind of rashes, or sometimes, little babies also get…’

‘Akanksha! Stop! My darling loving sister, just calm down, I know he’s your son and you love him more than anything else, but you have to accept it. It’s a part of life! They’re kids, tomorrow they’ll go to school, they’ll grow up and they’ll fall down many times, they’ll fight with classmates, they also will live a normal life like everyone else, and you can’t protect them everywhere.’

Natasha was right in a way. Akanksha was no doubt their mother, and a mother’s heart can only be understood by another mother, but Natasha made a point that Akanksha can’t protect them everywhere. Her sons will also join schools and colleges in future, they’ll go out in the world and obviously, not everyone will treat them with respect and love. This world has every kind of people and the people their kids are going to interact with in future, will also include the impolite and rough ones, who may even harm them! She can’t be their protector throughout their life.

‘Natasha…can’t you see, there’s blood all over his forehead…these scratches must have hurt him so bad…’ Akanksha started sobbing incessantly. It was the second time that Akanksha cried for her sons, the first time was when she gave them birth, and Natasha hated her tears.

‘Akanksha, please calm down…’ Natasha consoled her and meanwhile the doctor knocked the door.

‘Doctor, please come-in, please see my son. My other son scratched his forehead, and it was bleeding, he cried so much, it must’ve hurt him, doctor…’

‘Mrs Chauhan, please calm down, let me see the injuries.’ The doctor started examining the baby.

‘You don’t need to worry at all! A baby has scratched another baby, the injuries are very minor and slight, and about the blood, it’s because a baby’s skin is very soft and fragile, the skin cells can rupture very easily if manhandled, that’s why he bled. I’ve cleaned the wound and bandaged it up for now, you don’t worry, just apply this ointment twice a day, there will be no marks or rashes. Have a nice day Mrs Chauhan, please allow me a leave now…’ the doctor explained the situation and left.

For the next few hours, Akanksha held Nirvaan in her lap and consoled and loved the baby. She fed him, kissed him but she was always next to him. The manservant entered Akanksha’s room and told her there was a parcel for Natasha. Natasha excuses herself and rushes downstairs to receive the parcel. She enters her own room and reads out the address, it was from Nitin. She grumpily tosses the packet into one of the drawers, without even opening it, and returns to Akanksha’s room.

Shrey came in the evening and entered his room.

‘Hey sweetheart, how is Nirvaan now?’ Shrey placed his palm on Akanksha’s shoulder. Akanksha was lying down with Nirvaan, sleeping next to her.

‘He’s better now. He cried for two hours, Shrey…’ Akanksha broke down again. Shrey hugged her and picked up sleeping Nirvaan.

‘Come here my baby…muwah!’ he kissed his bandaged forehead and placed him back on bed.

‘Where the hell is that scratch-machine Akshan? He scratches my face every morning…’ Shrey rubbed his forehead, slight rashes were still there. ‘I’m not going to leave him today.’

‘No, Shrey! He’s also our son, we can’t beat them up, be sensible.’ Akanksha held his arm.

‘But this is not the way. Akanksha, you know, I’m afraid…’ Shrey sat down on the bed with his head in his hands.

‘What happened? Is everything okay in office?’

‘It’s not about office. It’s about Akshan and Nirvaan.’

‘What’s the matter?’

‘I am the only son of my parents, and I never had many cousins who were raised with me. I was raised alone, like a prince. And you’re also the only daughter of your parents. But, what if our sons become monsters in future?’

‘What do you mean, Shrey?’

‘You won’t believe this. You know the Rawats?’

‘Varun and Shekhar Rawat, those rich and spoilt brothers of the city?’

‘Yes, Varun shot Shekhar in the head three days back, there was some property dispute between both of them, and police has arrested Varun for murdering his own brother.’ Shrey was silent, Akanksha was shocked because she was totally unaware of the news because she was busy with the babies whole day, ‘Will we be able to raise them up like we both are raised? Without any jealousy and material wants? I don’t want my sons to be influenced by the stupid norms of society and bicker on cheap issues like property and money.’ Shrey sighed.

‘Shrey…’ Akanksha held him from his shoulders, ‘I know it’s very difficult in today’s world, to raise babies with moral values, people have become mean and tomorrow, many people will provoke them to separate and divide the property and business, but it’s us who have to teach them that being together is better. It’s us who have to instil them with qualities like honesty, love, affection and brotherhood. We have to teach them to become responsible persons tomorrow, and I believe you Shrey. You can be the best father, anyone can have, your sons will be the role models for generations to come, like you’re the role model to many today…’ Akanksha kissed his forehead.

Shrey got up and went to Akshan’s room. Akshan was crying badly.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ he asked the nannies.

‘Good evening, Sir. Actually he’s missing Nirvaan. They both play together and sleep together, but today Nirvaan is sleeping with Akanksha Ma’am, so he’s missing him.’

‘Give him to me…’ Shrey stretched his arms and the nanny gave the baby to Shrey. Shrey held him and placed his head on his shoulder.

‘Akshan, my son.’ Shrey kissed his head, ‘Nirvaan is your younger brother, and you have to love him, respect him, and not scratch him…’ as Shrey spoke, Akshan listened carefully. Though he didn’t understand even a single thing, but he listened to Shrey very patiently and slept on his shoulder.

Shrey entered his room, with Akshan sleeping on his shoulder.

‘He slept?’ Akanksha awed, his both sons looked so adorable while sleeping.

‘Yeah, I made him understand that he has to learn a lot of things, and the first thing is, love and respect for his younger brother!’ Shrey felt proud.

‘As if he understood even a single thing, come here my boy…’ Akanksha took the baby from Shrey and lied him down on the bed.

‘Excuse me? Where will I sleep?’ Shrey mentally calculated, there was hardly any space on bed to accommodate his six-feet tall frame.

‘There…’ Akanksha pointed a finger at the couch.

‘Really? Is this why I made you a mother, so you could throw me in a couch and enjoy a deep sleep with your babies on my lavish bed?’

‘Okay then, you sleep with the babies, and feed them if they wake up in the middle of the night, and I’ll enjoy my sleep on the uncomfortable couch, deal?’ Akanksha stretched her hand.

Shrey mumbled something and lied down on the couch. Being a mother was tough, but being a father was impossible!