Armaan was changing the dressing on Janani's foot when Mrs Seth knocked on the door.
"Yes Mrs Seth?" Armaan asked
"Mr Malhotra and his fiancee is here" Mrs Seth said
"Inder bhaiyya and Ananya? Ask them to come up, Shanthimaa" Janani said
Advi was fast asleep beside Janani.
"Shall I take him to the nursery?" Mrs Seth asked, pointing at the sleeping toddler
"Yeah. I wouldn't want him to wake up with all our talks" Janani said
Mrs Seth picked up Advi and left. Within a few minutes, Inder and Ananya were in their room
"Oh goodness! What happened to you, Janani?" Ananya asked, rushing to Janani's side
"I stepped on a piece of glass. Advi pushed a glass vase down and broke it" Janani said
"Oh God!"
"Sit, Inder bhaiyya" Janani said, pointing at the couch in the bedroom.
"Yeah. Thanks" Inder said with a smile and sat on the couch.
After completing the dressing, Armaan joined Inder there.
"So? What's the purpose of this sudden visit? Didn't you go to the hospital today? And Ananya? Who's there at the kindergarten. Aadesh dropped Ava and school" Armaan said with a frown.
"Relax, overprotective daddy. We have staff there. Inder had arranged for a couple of new staff, and they joined two days ago. Ava is safe" Ananya said, rolling her eyes playfully
"Oh that's great. New staff means, Janani won't have to come anytime soon, isn't it?" Armaan asked gleefully, earning a glare from Janani.
"That's right. I don't want Janani to come to the kindergarten for a couple of weeks. Because I want her with me. Inder's mom talked with a pandit and fixed a date couple of weeks from now for our wedding" Ananya said
"Two weeks? That's too less time" Armaan mused
"We know. But we are having a low key affair. Nothing extravagant. Ananya wants a small wedding with just the immediate family and friends attending" Inder said
"And your mom agreed to that? You are her elder son and she must have had several plans for your wedding?" Armaan asked and Ananya looked at Inder guiltily.
"Armaan" Janani hissed
"Uh I mean.." Armaan began to say something
"Mom is happy with our decision. She said, it's the new trend nowadays. Intimate weddings." Inder said
"Okay. But, what does this have to do with Janani?" Armaan asked
"Janani will accompany me for all the wedding shopping and all" Anany said and Armaan looked about to burst now.
"For goodness sake, we are going on a-" Armaan began to say something, but Janani cut him off.
"I would love to, Ananya." Janani said
Soon, the Malhotras took their leave, asking Janani, whether she would be okay to start the shopping the day after tomorrow.
"Damn it, Janani. Why would you agree to it. We were supposed to go on our honeymoon this week" Armaan burst out, as soon as they left.
"Come. Sit here" Janani said, patting the bed beside her.
Armaan huffed and sat next to her. Janani leaned against him and he wrapped an arm around her.
"Ananya wasn't married to Dhruv. They were engaged. But before the wedding, Dhruv passed away in an accident." Janani said and Armaan looked at her in surprise.
He wasn't aware of that. Inder never said anything about it to him.
"I am telling you this, because I know you wouldn't judge Ananya." Janani said
"Ofcourse, I wouldn't. Why would I?" Armaan asked. He himself has a very colorful past. He is in no position to judge anyone.
"After Dhruv's death, she found out she is pregnant with Aarav. You know how our society treats an unwed mother. So, Ananya fleed. She made a home for herself and her son here in Mumbai. They were two against the world. For three years, she struggled alone. Now happiness has knocked on her door again. And she has only Inder to share it with" Janani said and Armaan nodded, still not understanding where Janani is going on with this.
"I am probably the first person with whom Ananya opened up. She considers me as a younger sister. She told me so many times. I had papa mama Aadi and his family, all around me while preparing for my wedding. Ananya doesn't have that. Her parents passed away a year after she left. All she has is me. Do you want me to deprive her of that small happiness, Armaan?" Janani asked
Now he understood.
Isn't that one of the reasons why he fell madly in love with this woman! Because of her ability to empathise with everyone. Her ability to make everyone around her happy!
Armaan leaned down and placed an affectionate kiss on top of her head.
"I love you"
******
"I too want to come. It's been days since I met the kids there. Also, I want to meet the new staff" Janani said with a pout, looking at Armaan who was getting ready to go to the kindergarten to pick up Ava.
Armaan sighed. Can he ever win against her puppy face?
Never.
So, he picked her up bridal style and walked down the stairs.
Aadi who was sitting on the couch hooted making Janani blush.
"Shut up. Be ready, you will be joining the office from tomorrow" Armaan said sternly and Aadi made a face at that.
Armaan gently placed Janani on the passenger seat and drove towards the kindergarten.
Janani got a very warm welcome from the kids there.
"Momma" Ava squealed and rushed towards her.
"Ava baby. Momma missed you" Janani said, hugging her little girl.
"Momma, I got a new friend" Ava said excitedly
"Is it? Where is she?" Janani asked
Ava pointed at a little girl, with pretty green eyes arguing with another child over something.
"Drishti" Ava called out loudly and Drishti looked at them
"Drishti, come here" Ava called out
"You come here" the other one said, defiantly making Janani chuckle.
"My Momma is here" Ava said, pointing at Janani and Drishti reluctantly walked towards them.
"Aww, aren't you pretty?" Janani said, looking at the little girl.
The little girl grinned and nodded her head.
"Mom and dad always say that I am the prettiest girl in the world. Uncle Vihaan also says that" the little girl said proudly
"What's your name, little one?" Janani asked
"Drishti Singhania"
"Aww. Cute name. Is your mom here yet?" Janani asked
"There she is," Drishti cried, pointing at a woman, probably in her early forties, walking towards them.
Drishti rushed towards her and jumped into her arms.
"Hello, Mrs Singhania. I am Janani Verma. I am a teaching staff here" Janani said, introducing herself.
"Anjali Singhania" the older woman introduced herself
"Your younger daughter is very cute" Janani said
"She is our only daughter" Anjali said in a hard note
"Oh"
Janani didn't know what to say.
Seems like Drishti came along pretty late in their life.
The little one must have taken after her father, because she couldn't see anything of this woman in Drishti.
"We will take your leave, Mrs Verma" Anjali said
Drishti, oblivious to her mother's tone, waved happily at Ava.