Chapter 105

One month later:

Its been a month Chaitra and Vimal were staying in the hospital since their babies were still recovering to be normal. None other that the couple were allowed to visit the babies in the NICU. Chaitra would cry in Vimal’s embrace that their babies had to suffer so much but Vimal stood strong for her and their babies. He consoled her and special doctors and nurse were appointed to treat their babies.

For the first week Vimal couldn’t hold back himself from crying everytime he saw the pain Chaitra had to endure since she couldn’t feed her babies. Chaitra pumped the milk and donated it to the babies in need through NGOs and Vimal felt proud of herself.

The couple and the whole family including Raghavan and Vani were waiting eagerly since the wait was finally over. The doctors had informed that the babies will be shifted to Chaitra’s room and after a day’s observation they would be discharged for home. Hari, Kavitha, Prabhakar and Rani visited a temple on way to hospital and offered special pooja for the well being of their grandchildren.

Vimal and Chaitra stood by the crib waiting for the doctor to walk in with their babies. As if their thoughts were heard the door opened and doctor entered followed by two nurses who carried the babies. They gave the babies to Vimal and Chaitra who shed tears to finally have them in arms.

Doctor let the family to rejoice the union and later sent them out and instructed Chaitra to feed the babies. Chaitra broked down the moment her baby boy latched his lips on her buds. Vimal kissed her crown and stroke her back to calm her down. Later the doctor passed the boy to Vimal and taught him to burp him and waited until the girl baby was fed too.

Doctor: Ok, I don’t see any problem in them being fed directly from their mother. We shall monitor for a day as we agreed upon already.

Vimal and Chaitra thanked the doctor and once she walked out the family returned to the room and Vimal gave the boy into his mother’s arms. Chaitra gave the girl to her mother’s arms. They laid the babies in the crib and they stood around watching them sleep. Aadhi sat next to Chaitra and kissed her cheek.

Aadhi: You got carbon copies of you and my bro. They look so cute Chaitu, so perfect they are. You got them in your arms so stop shedding tears.

Chaitra: They have gone through a lot.

Aadhi: Shhhh.. calm down sister in law. We are gonna spoil our babies with all our love.

Vimal wiped the tears off Chaitra’s eyes and sat next to her, their eyes still fixed on the babies.

Vimal: We shall bring the world at their feet love, you will never see them cry anymore so calm down. We have cried enough for this life time, now its time for us to leave every pain and grief behind.

Chaitra: I love you honey bear…

Vimal: I Love you too Ira.

Kavitha ward off the evil eyes and wiped the the tears with her pallu. Everyone left except for Vimal, Kavitha and Rani since doctor has adviced to avoid crowd for atleast two months.

The next day Rishi arrived at the hospital to drive the couples and babies to their home. Vimal and Chaitra carried their babies and Rishi opened the door for them. He got in the driver seat and looked at the couple who were smiling after a whole 4 weeks.

Rishi parked the car and Hari who was waiting for them immediately opened the door for them. Kavitha and Rani took arti for the couples and the babies before letting them in. Chaitra stepped in her home after a whole month and saw it was decorated to welcome the babies. They sat on the couch and Aadhi sat next to them with Ridha in her arms.

Ridha: Maa….

Aadhi: Yes baby… look your little brother and sister.. cute like our Ridha.

Aadhi held Ridha’s hand and let her touch the babies gently for once before Rishi carried her with him.

Ridha: Pa..

Ridha bobed her head and showed her tiny arms towards the babies and Rishi smiled at his daughter who had started calling him and Aadhi as mom and papa but with single syllable. Like always he raked his fingers through her hair and kissed her cheek before he gave a toy in her hand and settled on a couch with her on his lap.

Rishi and Aadhi took their leave with Ridha while Rani, Kavitha, Hari and Prabhkar decided to stay for a few days. Hari was once again handling business since Vimal had to give all his time to Chaitra and the babies.

Vimal and Chaitra entered their room and Chaitra gasped in shock on seeing the arrangements that Vimal had done. There were two cribs and lot of toys in the room. They laid the babies in the middle of bed and Vimal lead Chaitra to the closet, where he had arranged wardrobes with lot of clothes and baby stuffs.

Vimal: When I was at home for few hours I made sure to arrange that we have everything for our son and daughter. Do you like them Ira ?

Chaitra bobed her head and Vimal kissed her lips. He tossed the gown she was wearing and crouched down before her and kissed the scar on her lower abdomen.

Vimal: No words could express what I feel right now Ira. You are the goddess of my happiness. You had to endure so much to bring them to our world while I could do nothing but I swear love.. I will love you with every bone and fibre of my body. I will be devoted to you for everything you have given me. I love you baby girl.

He rose to his feet and hugged her gently whilst Chaitra caressed his back.

Chaitra: I love you Vimal.

They pulled back from the hug and Chaitra wore one of his shirt and track pant before they returned to the room. They sat on either side of the bed and watched their babies sleeping peacefully.

One week Later:

The whole home was decorated for the inimiate naming ceremony for the babies. Vimal and Chaitra sat with the babies on their lap. The whole familly was curios to know the name of the babies and Vimal smiled looking at Chaitra.

Vimal: Ira…we might have decided the names together but I want you to be the first to call them with the names.

Chaitra smiled at the way he was respecting her and kissed their babies forehead.

Chaitra: They are our lives and the day they were born, we were born too.

She leaned closer to the girl on her lap and called her ” Jeevika ” and then leaning to their son who was on Vimal’s lap she called him ” Jeevan “. Everyone called the babies with their names and blessed them.

Vimal: After witnessing what our babies had to endure due to their premature birth, Chaitra and I have made an important decision. We have planned to build a hospital exclusively for newborns and children, where treatment will be provided free of cost to those from underprivileged backgrounds. The hospital will be operated under a trust named ‘JEEV.’ We shall ensure that the hospital becomes fully functional by Jeevan and Jeevika’s first birthday.

Aadhi: Thats so thoughful of you both. Now, how about we give nick names to our cutie pies ?

Chaitra: Ofcourse, babies aunt deserves the right to name them.

Aadhi: Evan and Jivi.

Hari: Vimal, I really appreciate your thought and I have a suggestion. Our home is in the centre of the city and would be great place for building a hospital. You can renovate or construct a new building over there. Now its only me and your mom so we shall move into our other home which is a little away.

Chaitra: We would accept that on one condition dad. You and mom will move in with us.

Vimal felt happy on hearing her and Kavitha hugged Chaitra patting her back.

Rishi: I hope you don’t mind me and Aadhu being part of the trust to help the people ?

Vimal: Rishi, we are family so ofcourse we share everything.

Prabhakar: Vimal, I don’t have lot of money but I will give you what I can for sure.

Vimal: No dad, you can’t escape from this. I definitely need your contribution not as money but you will manage the trust.

Everyone was happy and finally everyone left except for Hari and Kavitha. Vimal and Chaitra got changed and she was feeding Evan while Vimal was holding Jivi who was also crying out of hunger.

Vimal: Ira, do you think they are starting with the twin things ?

Chaitra: I don’t know.. lets keep a close watch on everything they do.

Vimal: Alright princess, hold for a while, your brother is still not done. Aren’t you dada’s best daughter ? You are so cute, adorable just like mamma.

Chaitra smiled at him trying to coo the baby. She laid Evan on the bed and carried Jivi to feed her while Vimal carried Evan to burp him.

Vimal: Awww my handsome prince…so charming like dada

Chaitra: dumbo… he is just a baby and you are already calling him charming. He is cute and adorable like Jivi. Let him be the charming and handsome prince like dada when he grows up.

Vimal smiled sheepishly and sat next to her with Evan in his arms. That night once Evan and Jivi were asleep in the crib Vimal and Chaitra laid on the bed cuddling and Vimal was caressing her hair gently.

Chaitra: Honey bear, there is something that we haven’t talked about. Don’t you think that its time we talk ?

Vimal: Yeah, I m ready.

Chaitra: I heard from Aadhi that you didn’t file a complaint against her.

Vimal: What do you think would have happened if I filed charges against her ? Her stay at the asylum will be extended. When she was sent there, her father had made a plea in the court and even bribed some officials so she was having a better environment compared to other parents. I don’t want her to live a peaceful life after what she put us through.

Chaitra: So, what will happen now ?

Vimal: I paid more money to the doctor to declare that she is mentally stable and he will do that by next week. His official report will reach the judge and he will raise a question, if either me or Yuvraj will withdraw the complaint against her but that will never happen so she will be sent to jail. Inspector has become a good friend to me after Pratik’s case so he would do anything for me.

Chaitra: What have you planned Vimal ?

Vimal: I will show her something worse than hell.. I will make sure she screams thousand times more than you screamed that day, I will make sure she will shed tears a million times more than our babies shed when they were pricked with those needles all the 30 days in the hospital.

Chaitra: But what about Rishi bro ? What if ….

Vimal: I spoke to Rishi about this. I said he could stop visiting us if he has any soft corner for his sister but he made his choice afterall he watched our Ridha scream in the hands of that bitch. He paid equal share to the doctor and the Inspector. Not only that he made it clear to his parents that they should stop worrying about her and they gave up on her.

Chaitra: Aadhi was happy that they agreed to move in with her and Rishi bro.

Vimal: Its high time we get rid of the evil and bring joy in all our life.

Chaitra bobed her head and Vimal held her chin and started kissing her. The kiss was so gentle and their lips moved against each other slowly savoring the moment.

At Rishi and Aadhi’s home Ridha was standing on the carpeted floor with her palms on the bed for support and looking at Aadhi who was watching her with a smile. Rishi was sitting behind Ridha and watched the mother daughter talk.

Ridha: Papa..

Rishi: Yes, papa’s princess, aren’t you tired baby ? Look at the time and its already 1 princess so how about we get in bed with papa ?

He scooped her his arms and laid on the bed with Ridha on his chest but little Ridha was too active and sat on his chest playing with the pendant on his chest.

Rishi: Seems like she caught our plan and is hell bent to ruin it.

Aadhi: You should have thought of this before letting her sleep through out the evening so have a nice time daddy.

Rishi: Mommy, this isn’t fair. How about I wake you up once our princess is asleep ?

Aadhi: I don’t think that will happen tonight so happy father-daughter time.

Ridha: Mamma….

Ridha slid down from Rishi and laid next to Aadhi pulling her shirt. Rishi held back the smile and watched Aadhi open her buttons to feed Ridha.

Rishi: Let me turn off the light and caress her hair, she might fall asleep.

Aadhi: so eager are we daddy ?

Rishi: Aren’t you mommy ? We never got intimate after that incident and waited for this day. Now that everything is back to normal, I think we need some time for us.

Aadhi smiled nodding her head and Rishi kissed her forehead and switched off the lights except for the night lamp. He started caressing Ridha’s hair slowly and Aadhi buttoned her shirt once Ridha stopped suckling.

Rishi covered Ridha with a duvet and carried Aadhi to the closet. He left the door ajar and started caught her lips in a searing kiss.

Rishi: I missed you baby.. missed you so much

He pushed her to the couch shedding their clothes on way and they were lost in the abyss of pleasure. They were on the couch with Aadhi laying on Rishi and he was drawing circles on her naked back while Aadhi was playing with his chest hair.

Aadhi: Have you thought or wanted to ask what I felt when I saw you for the first time  at the college ?

Rishi: I would have said your heart would have a skipped a beat if you had been any simple girl but you are my Aadhu.. my very special girl so you would have sure felt something different and I don’t want to do any wrong guess so go ahead and reveal yourself.

Aadhi: My heart did skip a beat Rishu but something else happened. That day, one glance at you and I knew you are an introvert. I was watching your face  and I thought you would look adorable with a smile and I casually said, ‘hey handsome smile please’ and you know what happened ?

Rishi was so curious and looked at her whereas Aadhi got down and got dressed, Rishi dressed up following her. They sat on the couch and Aadhi leaned on his shoulder.

Aadhi: It was as if you heard me and you smiled for nothing and then I looked at your hair. They looked so soft and wanted to rake my fingers through it. You did that too and I couldn’t stop the craziness in me and I remember gripping my bag tightly because my heart was already acting strange. And then I said, ‘ Hey handsome put your hand in pocket ‘. You won’t believe me but you did that too.

Rishi: Oh my god, Aadhu… this is…

Aadhu: I m not done yet, I thought these might be qualities of many men and you might have done that out of habit or all those could have been coincidence so I decided to test further and simply said, ‘ stop ‘. To my surprise, you did, Rishu. You literally paused mid-step for three whole seconds before walking again. That’s when I knew… something about you wasn’t normal to me. That was the exact moment my heart completely lost its rhythm.

Rishi: Aadhu… this is unreal… what happened next ?

Aadhi: I did the final test. I’ve always believed in soulmates. So, I took a deep breath, steadied my pounding heart, and whispered to the universe, ‘Hey, soulmate.’

Rishi suddenly remembered the day and his eyes widened in surprise and interlaced his fingers with her. Aadhi felt his palm had turned cold and she heard him whisper.

Rishi: And I turned around…?

Aadhi nodded her head, a lone tears rolled from the corner of her eyes and Rishi kissed her tears.

Aadhi: Yes, Rishu. You stopped walking and turned back as if you’d heard someone calling you. I was there, among the crowd, but I wasn’t looking at anyone else. My eyes were only on you.

Rishi’s heart started pounding, staring at her in awe and Aadhi pecked his cheek.

Rishi: Aadhu… if I had known back then that I was turning towards my soulmate… I would have never walked away again.

Aadhi: But you did turn, Rishu. That was enough for me and that is the reason I never gave upon us.

Rishi cupped her face, his eyes locked on hers and kissed her forehead.

Rishi: And now ? What do you feel when you look at me ?

Aadhi smiled, placing a hand over his heart and leaned on his chest.

Aadhi: Now, I don’t have to say anything. You can hear me even when I don’t speak, right Rishu ?

Rishi: Always love….

Aadhi: Aadhu’s Rishu….

Rishi: Rishu’s Aadhu…