Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

30. Back to present - Magic exists!

Hola guys! Meeting you all after almost a month! Hope everyone had a nice new year celebrations and are back to routine! Happy to present first update of this year! As the title says, we are back to present. Previous chapter was just a sneak peek of 10 years later like I do some chapters of past 10 years. But this ff will always run in the present time (2021-22) where arshi are married for over 9 years, had their first child after a few months of Ek Jashn episode and twin girls after their 7th remarriage anniversary. Rest everything is same as the show (except the adoption track). Now onto the update –

--*--

"Mamma is it true that Santa doesn't exist? And what about tooth fairy? And sing wala rakshas (horned demon)?" Chiku innocently asked Khushi a few days after Christmas and Khushi was surprised at the question of her 5-years-old son. She had ensured her kids knew of all magical tales that existed!

"Who told you beta? They all of course exist. Didn't you get a gift from tooth fairy when your first tooth fell? And didn't Santa gift you and your sisters this Christmas? And I told you, Preeto maasi had grown horns when she hit someone on the head and didn't hit again right? You trust your mamma, no? toh fir?" Khushi tried to convince him, hoping his believes weren't shattered by whomsoever tried to tell him otherwise.

"But papa said magic doesn't exist." Chiku replied, dropping his shoulders in a defeated stance. He trusted his mother, but his papa also never lied. Whom to believe?

Khushi thought for a minute. So it was Arnavji telling Kavish all this. She didn't want to break Kavish's trust on his papa neither did she want him to stop being a kid so soon.

"offo. That was because he was sleeping when Santa came and tooth fairy visited. And he never hits anyone on the head, except us and we always ensure to hit again so he doesn't grow a horn. That's why he said all that. Unhe nhi pata tha, but I will tell him about it ok?" thankfully Kavish accepted her version of the story and went from there but Khushi still had to confront Arnav. This was a new topic which they hadn't discussed yet, and needed to be cleared!

--*--

"Arnavji why are you telling my son that magic doesn't exist?" Khushi asked with her hands on her hips. She had found him working in his study room, busy on his laptop.

Arnav was least intimidated, he didn't even lift his head from the laptop "Because it's the truth Khushi. He needs to know the reality." Having had his childhood snatched away sooner that normal kids, Arnav had a strong opinion about living in fantasies. But that didn't mean their kids should be asked to grow up sooner than needed too. Khushi decided to ensure that Arnav's experiences don't affect their kid's childhood in this matter.

"Our kids are still very young arnavji and I want their world to be magical and fantasy-filled."

"but Khushi-"

"Nahi, let me complete. There's still time Arnavji. All I am saying is let them grow up a bit. Chiku is just 5 and our daughters are barely 2. Let them live in the fantasy world for a few more years, where its all beautiful, its all about magical figures visiting their world and their dreams. Where its about miracles happening. Just for a few more years, uske baad to asli duniya hai hi saamne, hai na?"

"hmm." Arnav could see her point, besides he had to accept, her stories as unrealistic as they were, were fun to be a part of.

"and by the way, don't you forget, kal 31st December hain, we need to-"

"see the face of the person whom we want to see the rest of the year, I know I know." Arnav finally smiled a bit and fondly remembered the New Year's Eve exactly 10 years ago, 31st December 2011! That time he had mocked Khushi about her believes in the heresy and then had challenged her that he will not see her at midnight but she herself will come in front of him. And then the opposite happened. By his sheer good luck, he had accompanied Akash that night and Khushi's face is what he saw as the clock stuck 12 and the new year started. However they both had apparently been irritated by that then.

But since the next year, the scene was different. The following year was their first New Year's as a married couple, and they were still in honeymoon phase. They hadn't been particularly paying attention to the clock as they were busy in their own world but yes they were with each other. And since then, every New Year's Eve in past 9 years, Arnav had found Khushi holding his hand in hers as a year rolled into a new one, ensuring it was a happy start.

And this year, Khushi had involved their kids too as she wanted to introduce them to another magical tradition and kids were more than excited for the midnight.

--*--

And now, exactly at 11.55 pm, Arnav and Khushi watched their kids who had fallen asleep waiting for the midnight and were safely cocooned in their parents' arms. Kavish was asleep in Khushi's while Pari and Arohi were safely nestled in Arnav's, Aru even snoring lightly making them chuckle.

And just as the clock stuck 12, indicating the start of a new year, 2022, Arnav found himself making a wish,

"Devi Maiyya. I know I haven't really been talking to you a lot, but you have still blessed me abundantly every time. I just wish that my kids and my wife always stay happy and safe. No harm should come in their way and even if it comes, it finds me first! Keep my kids healthy and bless my love, my wife Khushi with your best blessings. She's the backbone of my family, her heartbeat keeps my own going! Keep my family safe and happy, that's all I need."

He looked over at Khushi, who had her own eyes closed, indicating she too was making a wish,

"hey devi maiyya. Humein itna pyara pariwar dene ke liye shukriya (thanks for giving me this lovely family). Hamare baccho ki hamesha raksha karna, unhe hamesha mehfooz aur khush rakhna. (keep my kids safe and happy) Aur hamare Arnav ji ko lambi umar dena (and bless my husband with a long life). Hamare pariwar ki khushi mein hi hamari khushi hai (my happiness lies in my family's)."

As Arnav looked at her, the serene calmness on her face, a gorgeous smile on her lips and their kid peacefully sleeping in her lap, he realized one thing, THIS WAS MAGIC! The fact that they ended up together and now had a beautiful family together, despite all the bitterness they initially faced, despite the hardships in their way, despite evil creatures like Shyam trying to break them apart, they were still together! This was nothing short of magic.

Khushi had finished making her wish and found him smiling at her in a funny way. She raised her eyebrows as if asking what happened? 

"come here." Arnav almost whispered so as to not wake their kids, and she did, carefully laying Kavish on the mattress. Arnav too got up from the bed after tucking his angels in their bed.

"Kya hua? something wrong?" Khushi asked going near him

"yes, we haven't kissed yet and its already 5 minutes of the new year." Arnav again whispered but his voice sounded more husky than anything, making her blush. and with that he ended the distance between them to start the year with the magical union of their hearts and soul!

--*--

A/N – lets keep it short for this one. Keeping up with yet another arshi thing, the 'New Year's tradition', I wondered how they follow it now and if Arnav would have a different approach to letting his kids believe in magic. Hope it came out well. It's nearly been a month I updated last and hope haven't lost the touch 😊

p.s. this chapter unintentionally seems to have hit home. while this too is a piece of fiction, i do believe there is no right or wrong when it comes to kids' fantasy-world and every parent has to use their own better sense on what to tell, how to tell and when to tell their kids. I personally loved listening a lot of fairytales as a kid and believing in them for long and it still brings a smile to my face. but to each his own :) ❤