Dark Paradise Chapter Forty Eight

Khushi was sat on the floor in the living room with Pari, Nani, Di and Payal were sat on the sofas planning Di's godh barai. The family had decided to keep it small and intimate because of the whole Shyam issue but Di was happy with that, all she needed was her family. Arnav was sulking upstairs, after all the fuss Khushi created over her hardly seeing Arnav, she'd rather spend her time with a little toddler than her husband- well fine, he'd just work then. Lets see how long madam lasts with a toddler when her feet hurt, back hurts, head hurts and her sickness kicks in. Khushi was happily playing with Pari when something occurred to Anjali.
"Khushi." Anjali said and Khushi raised her head towards Anjali with a smile. "Hum sochre teh, ki maine toh meri bacha ki liye naam sochke rakha hai, apne yah Chotte ne kohi naam...?" Anjali asked and Khushi rolled her eyes and put her arms on her hips.
"Yeh loh, apko patta hai Di, apke Bhai duniya ki sabse ziddhi mard hai. Any name I suggest, "No Khushi that's too common, too boring, no Raizada would have a name like Happy, Lucky or Pinky." Maine galaat hi kya kaha hai? Mera naam Khushi hai, english mein Khushi ka kya matlam hai, Happy, na?" Khushi asked and Anjali nodded and Khushi nodded also. "See common sense ki baat hai, lekin nahin, usse lagta hai ki yeh saare naam bekaar aur stupid hai. Phir humne socha ki aggar ladka hua to kya naam rakenge. Aur Di joh naam maine kaha tah, tum sunke khush hojayengi aur woh gusse se laal." Khushi said as she indicated her head upwards to where Arnav was working. Anjali exchanged a look with Nani and Payal and they braced themselves.
"Dheko ab maine toh pehle Prem kaha, ucha naam hai, na?" Khushi asked and they all nodded. "Arnav asked why Prem and I told him, mera favourite hero Salman Khan, "Maine Pyar Kiya", "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun" aur "Hum Saath-Saath Hain" main uska naam Prem tah. Usne toh what the- what the- kehke na bhola. Phir humne Raj aur Rahul naam kehe aur usne kaha ki uggar main humare bache koh Shar Rukh Khan pe naam rakhenge toh phir woh humare bache koh boarding school ko pechenga." Khushi said as she sulked, the women attempted to hold their composure, Khushi was so pagal but loveable and Chotte just seemed to fuel her pagalpaan without meaning to.

Arnav eventually came down when he heard the eruption of laughter, he looked to see Khushi looking confused as Nani, Di and Payal laughed.
"Aap sab haas kyun re hoon? Mere naam uche nahin teh kya?" Khushi asked. Nani was the first to compose herself.
"Nahin Khushi betiyaan aisa nahin hai, bhaas mujhe patta hai ki zuroor Chotte tumhare bache koh kohi "A" wala naam rakhdonga, jaise ki "Anjali" aur "Arnav". Isiliye yeh "Happy" "Prem" "Rahul" "Pinky" chalega nahin." Nani said and Arnav realised Khushi had told the family about her bizarre choice of names. If she could get her head out of the clouds for one minute Arnav genuinely would be in wonderment. Khushi raised her eyebrows and nodded with realisation, she looked at Pari.
"Ucha Pari, toh yeh baat hai. Chalo sochte hai, kya Salman Khan ne kohi "A" naam se role kiya tah..." Khushi said as she began to stare into the distance with concentration. Arnav shook his head and took a seat on the floor with Khushi and Pari.
"Khushi." He said gently but she shushed him and shook her hands in his face, she wanted to concentrate. Anjali smiled.
"Chote Bhabi naam sochrahi hoon, humare aanewale mehmaan ki liye." Anjali said and Arnav rolled his eyes.
"Isme kaun se badi baat hai, hum kohi naam nahin rakhenge jise hum dono ko pasaand nahin. Sochne dijiye, lekin decision humara hoga." Arnav said with confidence.
"MIL GAYA!" Khushi shouted aloud, she frightened Pari who started to cry. "Sorry Pari, sorry." Khushi said and she lifted her up to sit on her laps and she gently swayed her until she felt safe again. Arnav watched in awe, Khushi was a natural with kids, Pari clinged to Khushi as though Khushi were her mother. A smile played on his lips as he looked onto a sight which he hoped soon enough would become reality, but instead of Khushi cradling Aman's daughter it would be their daughter.
"So." Arnav said looking at Khushi and she looked bemused for a minute and then remembered.
"Arre ha! Woh, "Saajan" film thi na usme Salman ne ek khirdar kiya uska naam tah Akash...A-akash....oh." Khushi said as she realised there was already an Akash Raizada. Arnav grinned and took Pari from her arms as she looked ready to explode.

"Ha, toh kya hua, hum aur naam sochte hain." She said, Arnav at first was awkward with the child, he tried to sit her on his lap but she fidgeted and climbed up, she stood balancing her legs on his and grabbed his face for support. Arnav had his arms precariously around her in case she lost her balance, she just smiled at him and squeezed his cheeks. Normally Arnav would have found such an act irritating but today he found it endearing. The sheer joy in that child's eyes, it made him ignore the fact that it hurt a little when she pinched her cheeks and whatever annoyance he could have had melted away. Khushi clapped her hands.
"Ab milgaya!" Khushi said as she wiggled her eyebrows. Arnav looked up with doubtful eyes. "Okay, iss film mein Salman ne chota sa role kiya ta lekin uchi film thi, "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" khi "Aman"!" Khushi exclaimed and Arnav looked at her blankly.
"Khushi there is no way I'm naming our child after an employee." He said.
"Toh, I'm not saying we name the baby after that Aman, I'm saying we name the baby after Salmanji." She said but Arnav shook his head.
"No Khushi and that's final. Besides what if we have a girl?" He said and Khushi groaned.
"Dekho Di! Isilye hum kohi naam chun nahi sakte." Khushi said as she pointed at Arnav with an angry expression. Pari saw this and stuck her tongue out at Khushi, she liked Arnav he let her clamber all over and she didn't like the way Khushi was talking to him. Arnav begin to laugh as Khushi gawped.
"Pari! Apne itne jaldi party badal bhi gaye. Tik hai, hum tum dono se baat nahin karti." Khushi got up slowly and then waddled upstairs angrily, she could hear Arnav's laugh even in their bedroom.

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