43. Raksha Bandhan #4
She sat beside Rakshit for a moment before looking towards Paulo.
"Paulo, you wanted to meet her, right?"
Paulo nodded immediately.
"Of course."
Shivika smiled and carefully moved Akshvi towards him.
"Then hold her."
Paulo's eyes widened slightly.
"No, no... it's okay."
Shivika stopped.
"Why?"
He looked at the baby and then at Shivika.
"What if she cries again?"
For a second, Shivika didn't understand.
Then Rakshit remembered.
He looked at Paulo with an amused smile.
"The hospital?"
Paulo nodded.
"Exactly. She cried the moment I held her that day."
Shivika and Rakshit both chuckled.
"I was not even doing anything," Paulo defended himself. "I just held her and she started crying like I had personally offended her."
"She was just a few hours old," Shivika reminded him with a laugh.
"Still, she clearly didn't like me."
"She was sleepy and uncomfortable that day," Shivika assured him. "She won't cry now."
Paulo still looked doubtful.
Rakshit leaned back against the sofa.
"Just hold her, Paulo. If she cries, we'll take her back."
Paulo looked at him for a few seconds before finally giving in.
"Okay..."
He carefully extended his arms.
Shivika gently placed Akshvi in them, making sure her head was properly supported.
Paulo became completely still for the first few seconds.
Akshvi looked up at him with her wide blue eyes.
Paulo stared back.
"Hello, little rabbit."
Akshvi moved her tiny fingers and grabbed one of his fingers.
Paulo's entire face lit up.
"Oh..."
He looked at Shivika.
"She didn't cry."
Shivika laughed.
"I told you."
Paulo carefully moved his finger against her tiny palm.
"See? We are friends now."
Akshvi made a small sound.
Paulo smiled even wider.
"You've grown so much."
He looked closely at her face.
"And you aren't that reddish anymore."
Rakshit smiled at his observation.
"She was much redder when she was born."
"Yes, that's what I meant."
Paulo gently touched her cheek.
"Now she looks like a proper little rabbit."
Shivika smiled at the nickname.
"She has become your little rabbit already?"
"Of course."
For the next few minutes, Paulo kept playing with Akshvi, making small sounds at her and moving his finger whenever she tried to catch it.
Shivika watched them with a smile while Rakshit quietly observed his friend.
After some time, Akshvi's expression suddenly changed.
Her little lips started forming a strange shape.
Paulo immediately froze.
He looked at her.
"Wait..."
Her lower lip trembled slightly.
Paulo's eyes widened.
"No."
He quickly handed her to Rakshit before she could even let out a cry.
Rakshit caught her comfortably in his arms.
The moment she settled against him, Akshvi remained quiet.
Rakshit looked at Paulo and chuckled.
"You've learned."
Shivika burst out laughing.
"You didn't even wait for her to cry this time."
Paulo looked embarrassed.
"I saw the expression. I knew what was coming."
Rakshit smiled as he looked down at his daughter.
"Smart."
Akshvi moved her tiny head against his chest, seemingly satisfied with being back in her father's arms.
Paulo shook his head.
"She definitely remembers me from the hospital."
"Maybe," Shivika teased.
Paulo laughed before suddenly remembering something.
"Actually..."
He reached into his pocket.
"I got something for Shivika and Akshvi."
Shivika immediately looked at him.
"For us?"
Paulo nodded.
He pulled out two small boxes.
Rakshit looked at him, clearly unaware of the gifts.
"You didn't tell me about this."
Paulo smiled.
"It's a surprise."
He stood up and walked towards Shivika.
Shivika also stood up, still curious.
Paulo handed one of the boxes to her.
"Here."
She looked at him before opening it.
The moment she saw what was inside, her eyes widened.
"Oh my God..."
She carefully lifted the small box.
"A gold bracelet?"
She looked at Rakshit in disbelief and showed it to him.
Rakshit's eyebrows rose.
He looked at Paulo.
"Paulo..."
Shivika immediately shook her head.
"No. We can't take this."
She hadn't even opened the second box.
"Please, you take this back."
Paulo looked at Rakshit, almost as if asking him for help after his gift had been rejected within seconds.
Rakshit sighed.
"Yes, Paulo. It's too much."
He gave him a helpless look.
"I know it's probably nothing for you, but she won't take it. So take it back."
Paulo's shoulders dropped slightly.
"Shivika, you're like my younger sister. And Akshvi is precious to me. Please don't say no."
Shivika shook her head.
"No, Paulo. If you want to give us something else, that's completely fine, but this is gold. I can't take it."
Paulo stared at her for a moment.
I was thinking about bringing a diamond one. Thank God I didn't. She isn't even accepting the gold one.
He almost smiled at his own thought.
"Shivika, you know it's nothing for me."
He tried again.
"It's not even that expensive. And my mom always told me that whenever you're invited to someone's home, you shouldn't go empty-handed. Please don't say no."
His voice had turned softer.
"I bought it with a heart."
Shivika looked at him and then towards Rakshit.
Rakshit already knew Paulo wouldn't back off now.
And if Shivika rejected it again, he knew Paulo would genuinely feel bad.
So he simply nodded at her.
Shivika understood.
She sighed before looking back at Paulo.
"Okay."
Paulo's face immediately brightened.
"But..." Shivika added, raising her finger.
"If you're saying I'm like your younger sister, then you have to come here frequently to meet me and your niece."
Paulo smiled widely.
"Deal."
He looked genuinely happy.
"Thank you so much, Shivika. I promise I'll come to meet you and little rabbit."
He pointed towards the other box in her hand.
"Now at least open the second one and see what I've got for you."
Shivika nodded.
She placed the bracelet box in his hand and opened the second one.
Inside was another bracelet.
But this one looked slightly different to her.
She picked it up and looked at it curiously.
Paulo immediately explained.
"Actually, I know you Indians celebrate a brother-sister festival..."
He frowned, trying to remember.
"Umm... what is it called?"
"Rakshabandhan," Shivika supplied.
"Yeah, yeah! That only."
He smiled proudly.
"So I brought this for you as your brother."
Shivika blinked.
"But a sister ties this on her brother's hand in our culture."
She looked at the bracelet.
"You want me to tie it on your hand?"
Paulo's smile disappeared.
He looked at Rakshit for confirmation.
Rakshit nodded.
Paulo frowned.
"But Rahul told me the opposite."
Rakshit closed his eyes for a second.
He already knew what had happened.
"Paulo..."
"Hmm?"
"Rahul pranked you."
There was silence.
Paulo's face slowly changed as realization hit him.
"I will kill that man someday because of his pranks."
Rakshit nodded seriously.
"Same thoughts."
He remembered how Rahul had once manipulated Shivika at the orphanage too.
Paulo looked down at the bracelet.
"Sorry, Shivika. I didn't know. I would have gotten something else for you."
Shivika immediately shook her head.
She looked at the bracelet and then at Paulo.
"If you don't mind..."
Paulo looked at her.
"I can tie this on your hand."
He blinked.
"What?"
"You said I'm like your younger sister."
She smiled.
"So let me tie this on your hand. Then I'll get one more brother."
Her smile became wider.
"And what can be a bigger gift for me than getting you as my brother?"
Paulo stared at her.
He seemed genuinely surprised.
"Really?"
He looked at the bracelet.
"You're fine with tying it on my hand?"
"Yes, Paulo."
She smiled warmly.
"It's completely fine. And I would be happy to be your younger sister."
Paulo's face immediately lit up.
"Okay."
He sat down and removed his watch, extending his left hand.
Shivika and Rakshit both chuckled.
Rakshit shook his head.
"Not that one. Right hand, man."
Paulo looked down at his hand.
"Oh."
He quickly switched his hands.
"Right."
Shivika laughed.
"If we're doing it, then I think I should do it properly."
Paulo looked at her in confusion.
Rakshit, however, already knew what she was thinking.
He smiled and nodded.
"You sit here. I'll bring everything."
Shivika excitedly took the box and walked towards the small temple they had in their house.
Paulo watched her go.
Rakshit looked down at Akshvi, who had somehow fallen asleep again in his arms despite all the talking, laughing and movement around her.
He smiled in amusement.
"You just slept in Papa's arms despite all the noise and disturbance, baby."
He gently kissed her forehead.
Then he looked towards Paulo, who was watching Shivika prepare everything with a smile on his face.
"So..." Rakshit said teasingly, "how are you feeling, big brother?"
Paulo looked at him and chuckled.
"Amazing."
His grin widened.
"Till now, I was only a younger brother. Now I'll finally be a big brother to someone."
Rakshit smiled knowingly.
He understood exactly what that meant.
Paulo had always been the younger one in his family, with an elder brother above him.
And perhaps that was why the simple thought of finally becoming someone's big brother made him this happy.
For the first time, something had changed between them.
It wasn't about business anymore.
It wasn't even just friendship.
It was a new relationship being made quietly in their home, one that none of them had planned, but somehow felt right.
Shivika opened the drawer where they usually kept the pooja items and took out a small pooja thali. She placed a little kumkum and rice in it and arranged everything carefully.
Then she paused.
There was no sweet in the house.
She looked around the kitchen before remembering the ice cream.
"Sweet toh hai nahi..." she murmured to herself.
(There is no sweet.)
After thinking for a moment, she took out a small bowl and scooped some ice cream into it.