Armaan looked at the defiant tilt of her chin, holding the baby close to her bosom fiddling with the seat belt with her free hand
"But you always planned to give him away" Armaan reminded her coolly leaning across to fix her seat belt.
He felt her stiffening...
"As long as the pay off was sufficient.Shouldn't you have prepared him better for the separation " He added
"I didnt know if there was going to be a separation " she fired back, an angry flush spreading across her porcelain skin
"I would let nothing prevent me from claiming my son" his voice turned gruff "Since you disappeared there has not been a single day that I haven't thought of him"
"But handing him over isn't going to be as simple as ...er....as I once thought it would be" Janani said her breath catching in her throat
Armaan shrugged
"You convinced a psychiatrist that you knew what you were signing up for and could cope with it"
"Things change" Janani whispered
Armaan made a frustrated sound and unbuckled himself and walked towards the cockpit.
During the take off he heard the loud wails of Advaith.
He might have woken up due to the pressure changes
Oh!! How he wants to scoop his child in his arms and sooth him
But he knew...his presence will only terrify him more.
So he remained in the cock pit with his pilots
After a while when they were miles up above the ground he walked inside the cabin.
The first thing he noticed was Janani curled up fast asleep in the reclining seat and Advi out for the count beside her in his new fancy travel seat.
Her hair was braided and he wanted to see it loose
Even though he knew much of it is fake??
He scanned the worn leggings and casual washed out kurti she is wearing and frowned
Why had she not yet made the effort to dress up for him
Not even once??
No woman had ever been so sure of her hold on Armaan's interest that she would show up almost as poorly as a homeless person
Or was this deliberate dressing down and avoidance of glamor her highly effective way of ensuring that he bought her a new wardrobe.
He shook his head at the direction of his thoughts.
What did he care about her dressing style
She could wear a sack for all he cares
And she would still look stunning....a sly voice reminded his from somewhere in his head
*****
Janani was still in awe of the Verma mansion
Its past ten at night
Advi had woken up during the landing and had let out an ear splitting scream and had continued to do so throughout the walk in airport
No one in the airport is going to forget him anytime soon.
As the maid led her to a room Janani was awestruck
It had a queen sized bed in the centre and a baby cot near it..
The maid kept the two travel bags at the corner
"Ma'am ...would you like something to eat??" She asked
"You can call me Janani....and yeah...where can I re-heat this" she asked taking a milk bottle from her shoulder bag
"I will get it done Miss Janani" the maid smiled and took the bottle from her before walking out
Janani shook her head and turned to look at a drowsy Advi
"Miss Janani?? I feel like I went back to the nursery school....I'm going to miss them...Will you miss them Advi....They loved playing with you" she said with a sad face making Advi frown
Janani gave Advi a sponge bath as it is late at night.
Advi loves his bath times.
He enjoys splashing water at his Mama and drowning his ducky
Advi was fast asleep when the maid came back with the bottle and a light supper for Janani.
"Thank you so much" she said
She took a quick shower and changed into her pyjamas.
She wanted to go down as she have to unpack some cardboard boxes.
She can't leave Advi alone also
That's when she noticed the baby monitor.
She had seen that thing in movies ,never seen one in real life.
Never needed one either.
At her home if Advi cries from one room ,it could be heard in the neighbour's house also
But here she would have to hire an auto to go from one end of the house to the other.
So she is definitely thankful for the thoughtful gesture of Advi's father
She switched on both the monitors and took one with her and walked out of the room in search of someone.
Somehow she reached the kitchen and saw all the cardboard boxes there and Khanna instructing two men to take all the boxes upstairs to her room.
"Khanna bhaiyya...don't take all the boxes up. Only two needs to go up" she said and started opening the boxes to check which ones are to be sent up
****
Armaan sat at the edge of the bed and caressed his little girl's hair
If she is awake she wouldn't let him anywhere near her
So the only time he gets to spend time with his daughter is when she is asleep.
Aadesh was standing there leaning against the wall
And the nanny was also in the room.
Armaan got up from the bed and walked towards her
"We need to talk. Tomorrow come to my study at 10" he said and saw her face brightening up.He gritted his teeth
"About Ava's nightmares " Aadesh added from behind him and her lips thinned into a straight line
"Ah Armaan...I was about to tell you about her nightmare yesterday....I don't know what happened suddenly...she had been so happy all these days with me...I think she might have got scared of me leaving her or something....I have made her understand that I would never leave her ....she is just insecure and needs me very much" she said smiling at Ava's sleeping form
Aadesh rolled his eyes and Armaan gritted his teeth at the blatant lie.
"Tomorrow " he said curtly and walked out followed by Aadesh.
"I want to meet my nephew " Aadesh said
He dosed off while going through some files and got to know about Armaan's arrival only now.
So he missed Advaith and his mother
"We will go see if they got settled" Armaan said walking towards the room he had got arranged for Advaith and Janani
He knocked twice, but there was no response
So he entered the room and the only light was a small bed side lamp.
He walked in and saw his son sleeping in the baby cot
He is lying on his stomach and his butt is up in the air
He had also kicked aside his blanket
He is hugging a worn giraffe soft toy
Armaan chuckled at the sight
"Can't see his face " Aadesh said in disappointment.
He was so excited to see his nephew
"Where is the mother??" Aadesh asked still wondering why Armaan had brought the woman along
Armaan looked at the empty bed
"Might be in the shower" Armaan said and looked towards the side only to see the washroom door open
Where had this girl gone now!!
Leaving his son alone!!
What if he wakes up alone get scared
That's when he saw the baby monitor switched on.
"Where would she be??" Aadesh asked frowning
"Who knows??" Armaan asked throwing his hands up in the air
"I need a coffee....would you like to join me??" Armaan asked Aadesh
Aadesh shrugged and walked along with his brother towards the kitchen
As they neared kitchen they heard sounds from the kitchen.
Who would be in the kitchen at this time
The staff has their own quarters and kitchen
"Khanna bhaiyya...don't take all the boxes up. Only two needs to go up" he heard Janani's voice
He walked in and saw Janani opening one of those cardboard boxes
"Why are you unpacking in the kitchen??They will bring things to your room" Armaan said
"Only two needs to go up Mr Verma" she said without turning
She checked all the boxes and pointed at two which were filled with toys and story books and asked them to be brought up
She packed all the toys??
"You didnt have to bring all his toys....I would have brought him new " Armaan said
"They are his favourite toys and books" Janani murmered off handedly as she instructed the men of his security team to leave the box outside the room as little Advi is sleeping and she didn't want anyone to disturb him
Once the security team left it was only they three in the kitchen
"I'm Aadesh Verma " Aadesh said extending his hands
Janani returned the gesture with a warm smile
Aadesh was momentarily stunned by the woman in front of him
She is not at all like the woman he had been expecting
The woman standing in front of him is wearing a modest set of pyjamas and cute bunny slippers
He was worried about having another woman in the house trying to seduce his brother
"Why are you both still awake?? Its late" Janani asked
"We can ask you the same thing" Armaan said
"Oh I had to unpack these....Can't keep them in a cardboard box for any longer....They would get ruined by tomorrow if left here" Janani pointed at the boxes
"What's in that??" Aadesh asked curiously
"Oh nothing much...some vegetables and baby food"she said and took out four large jars of some powder
"You brought baby foods with you??" Armaan asked in disbelief
She kept those jars in a kitchen cupboard safely
"Ofcourse...what would I feed Advi if I didnt bring them along" Janani asked wondering why he is asking silly questions
"If you had told be which company baby food he eats I would have arranged it here" Armaan growled making her frown
"Company food?? They are home made food. I make what he eats myself " Janani said
"You made those powders??" He asked dumbly making Janani more irritated
"What is this?? A murder case?? You keep interrogating me" she asked placing her hands on her hips
"How do you make baby foods??" Aadesh asked
He doesn't know much about babies
The only one he had seen close enough so far is Ava and now Advaith
But he always thought baby foods are brought from shops
"I researched in Google and my mom helped too" she said scowling at the dumb brothers
She then took out some vegetables and fruits from the cardboard box and started stuffing them into the refrigerator
"But why would you carry these fruits and vegetables all the way from home.These things are available here in Mumbai" Aadesh asked confused at the weird behaviour of the woman in front of him
Isn't she the supposed party girl
"I have heard in cities everything is covered in chemicals.I can't take risk with Advi's health" she said
"What makes you think chemicals are used only in cities.Who knows how much chemicals might be there in the one you are holding now" Armaan asked offended at the thought that he didnt think about his son's welfare as much as he should
"These doesn't have any chemicals " Janani scowled at him
"How do you know that??" He fired back
"Because I don't use chemical fertilizers for my plants." She said glaring at him
"You??" He asked in horror
"Yes. Me!! These are from my kitchen garden." She said and turned and picked up some plants which she might have plucked as a whole from the ground because they have roots too.
What the hell is wrong with her!!
"Do we have a kitchen garden here?? I would like to plant these here." She said filling some containers with water and placing the plants inside
He saw Aadesh was also gaping at her
"What happened?? There is not kitchen garden?? No worries!! I will make one" she smiled at them and picked up a plate from the cardboard box
Armaan looked again and saw it is not a normal plate it has numerous small depressions and a handle in the middle
"Who eats in a plate like this??" Armaan asked
"This is not to eat.This is to cook idlis" she said
"But idlis are larger than this" Aadesh pointed out
"But Advi eats baby Idlis" she said placing it somewhere in his once pristine kitchen
Aadesh picked up a bowl with a cartoon picture of a girl and a bear.
"Who is this?" Aadesh asked and Armaan looked at him in disbelief
"Oh that's Masha and the bear...Advi loves Masha.You should see him shaking with laughter while watching mischievous Masha" Janani said with a fond smile
She arranged some fancy plates and baby bottles with cartoon pictures on the kitchen rack.
After arranging everything she placed her hands on her hips and looked around satisfied
"All set.Now I can sleep well" she said and turned around giving them a bright smile
"You wouldn't mind keeping these boxes in the store room would you??" She asked them
"I know you wouldn't..thankyou so much..Good night...will see you tomorrow " she said walked out of the kitchen without waiting for their response
"Does she have a split personality disorder??" Aadesh wondered out loud