41. Welcome Home, Baby #2
Without saying anything, he pulled her a little closer to himself.
Rashmi aunty and Jhanvi couldn't stop their own tears either.
"Oh God, women, stop crying." Rahul finally spoke, trying to lighten the mood.
"We are welcoming our princess for the first time. Don't make the moment emotional."
His words made Rashmi aunty and Jhanvi chuckle.
Shivika laughed softly too, wiping the corner of her eye.
"So we will dip her feet in this water and take her footprints?" Rakshit asked, looking at Shivika.
She nodded.
A grin appeared on his face, but then he looked at Rashmi aunty.
"Sorry aunty, but we can't do this. She can have an infection or allergy from this."
Shivika smiled because she had been thinking the exact same thing but hadn't known how to refuse the tradition without disappointing everyone.
Rashmi aunty rolled her eyes.
"Haha mujhe Pata hai mujhe mat sikha ye kumkum ka pani nahi balki beetroot ka juice hai to use koi allergy ya infection nahi hoga."
(Haha, I know. Don't teach me. This isn't Kumkum water but beetroot juice, so she won't get any allergy or infection from it.)
Shivika's eyes widened slightly before she smiled excitedly.
She had been a little disappointed thinking they wouldn't be able to complete the ritual with a newborn, but Rashmi aunty had already thought of a way around it.
"Oh, then there is no problem," Rakshit said with a relieved smile.
Shivika chuckled.
The others simply shook their heads at him.
"Rahul, bring the cloth," Rashmi aunty instructed.
Rahul nodded and was about to leave when Rakshit stopped him.
"I'll bring it."
Before anyone could say anything, he headed towards their bedroom.
Shivika stood at the threshold, their baby nestled carefully in her arms.
A few moments later, Rakshit returned.
"Here."
He was carrying a white shirt and a white handkerchief.
Shivika looked at the two pieces of cloth and giggled.
"Aksh, did you bring all your white clothes?"
Rakshit smiled.
"No. It's just... I want to take her footprints on one shirt. I'll wear it on a special occasion."
For a moment, everyone went quiet.
The simplicity of his words touched all of them.
He wasn't thinking about keeping the shirt safe in a cupboard.
He was already imagining a day when he would wear that very shirt and carry the tiny footprints of his daughter with him.
Satyam's heart swelled.
"I would also do this when I get a daughter. Good idea, bhaiya."
Jhanvi immediately became shy, making everyone chuckle.
"Me too," Rahul added.
Rakshit smiled at both of them.
"Ab chalo sab shant hojao bacchi kabse darvaze per khadi hai, aao Rakshit phataphat."
(Now come on everyone, be quiet. Shivika has been standing at the doorway for so long. Come, Rakshit, quickly.)
Rashmi aunty took the cloth from Rakshit's hand.
Rakshit moved beside Shivika and carefully took their daughter from her arms.
Shivika gently moved the comforter away from the baby's tiny legs as Rashmi aunty brought the plate closer to her feet.
Shivika carefully held her little feet, ready to dip them into the beetroot water.
"Ika, slowly," Rakshit immediately reminded her.
Shivika turned towards him and gave him a glare.
"She is my daughter too."
"Yeah," Rakshit whispered timidly.
Satyam, Rahul, and Jhanvi struggled to hold back their laughter.
Shivika gently dipped their daughter's tiny feet into the water and then placed them carefully on the cloth Satyam was holding.
After that, she pressed her little feet gently onto the white shirt Rahul was holding.
Rakshit's smile grew brighter the moment he saw the tiny imprints.
Jhanvi clapped excitedly.
"Okay, now make her feet touch the ground slowly," Rashmi aunty instructed.
Rakshit nodded.
He carefully bent down, still holding his daughter securely, and slowly brought her tiny feet towards the floor.
The moment her feet touched the cold surface, the baby scrunched up her little face in discomfort.
"Shh..." Rakshit whispered immediately, looking at her with concern.
Then he slowly straightened.
His eyes fell on the tiny footprints left at the entrance.
For a moment, he simply stared.
Those tiny marks were more than just footprints.
They were the first footprints of the little girl who had turned their house into a home.
The home that her mother had unknowingly filled with warmth.
The home where her father had finally found the family he had spent his entire life without.
Their princess had finally come home.
"Now come in, guys," Rashmi aunty said, stepping aside.
Everyone was about to move when Rakshit suddenly stopped them.
"Ika..."
Shivika looked at him.
"Now dip your legs too."
She blinked.
"What?"
"Your feet," he said, pointing towards the plate. "Dip them too and enter the house."
He then looked towards the white shirt and cloth lying on the floor.
"And step on my shirt and this cloth too."
Shivika stared at him.
Rakshit gave her a small smile.
His voice was soft, but there was no hesitation in it.
For him, this wasn't only about welcoming their daughter.
This was about welcoming the woman who had made that house a home long before their baby ever took her first step inside it.
Shivika's eyes filled with tears again.
But this time, she smiled through them.
Rashmi aunty smiled as she brought the plate closer to Shivika's feet.
"Come, beta."
She gently patted Shivika's shoulder.
Shivika's eyes were already filled with emotions.
She slowly removed her slippers and dipped her feet into the beetroot water. Since Rakshit's hands were occupied with their daughter, she held the edge of his shirt in one hand to steady herself.
She carefully took her first step onto the floor.
Then onto Rakshit's shirt.
And finally onto the white cloth.
Her footprints appeared beside their daughter's tiny ones.
Rakshit's heart swelled at the sight.
For him, those footprints meant everything.
His daughter had entered their home today.
And so had the woman who had made it a home for him.
Shivika carefully stepped back onto the floor after leaving her footprints on the cloth.
But the moment she did, she couldn't hold herself together anymore.
She turned towards Rakshit and immediately buried her face in his shoulder.
Her fingers tightened around his shirt as the tears finally escaped.
"Ika..." Rakshit called softly.
She didn't lift her face.
Rakshit looked towards Rashmi aunty.
She understood without him having to say a word and gently took their princess from his arms.
The moment his hands were free, Rakshit wrapped them around Shivika and pulled her into a proper embrace.
He held her close, one hand resting protectively against the back of her head.
He didn't ask her to stop crying.
Because sometimes, he knew, all she needed was a place where she could finally let herself feel everything she had been holding inside.
For a few moments, everyone quietly watched them.
Then Rahul cleared his throat.
"Okay, okay. Emotional scene baad mein. Let's take pictures before the baby decides to cry through her own welcome."
(Okay, okay. Emotional scene later on. Let's take pictures before the baby decides to cry through her own welcome.)
Shivika laughed softly as she pulled back.
Rakshit gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Her eyes softened.
He kissed her forehead before stepping towards the others.
They all clicked some pictures with the baby and the new little family.
After some time, everyone settled comfortably in the living room.
Rashmi aunty sat on the sofa, holding their little princess carefully in her arms. The baby was still fast asleep, completely unaware of the excitement surrounding her.
"Aunty, you know she has blue eyes," Satyam said suddenly.
Rashmi aunty's eyes widened.
"Really? Just like Rakshit's?"
She looked down at the sleeping baby with curiosity.
"Yes. Just a little shade different," Jhanvi added softly.
Shivika was sitting beside Rakshit, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder. The exhaustion of the past few days was finally catching up with her.
Rakshit's arm was wrapped around her while his other hand slowly massaged her back.
"How come you are here? And when did you guys plan all this?" he asked, looking at everyone.
"Actually, Rahul gave the idea for this surprise. Then we just made the plan and came here. Rashmi aunty also helped us," Jhanvi explained.
The couple smiled at them, touched by the effort everyone had put into welcoming their daughter.
"Me and Jhanvi had a flight early morning," Satyam added. "So we thought we'd make a special welcome for the baby. We'll just leave for the airport from here."
That reminded Rakshit and Shivika that Satyam and Jhanvi were leaving for their honeymoon.
"Thank you, guys, for the surprise," Shivika said sincerely. "I'm literally blessed to have you all."
Everyone smiled at her.
Just then, Rahul's phone started ringing.
Rakshit, who was sitting beside him, happened to catch a glimpse of the screen.
Ishani Calling.
He looked at Rahul and nodded towards the balcony.
Rahul understood and stood up.
"I have to take this call," he said before walking towards the balcony.
The others continued talking.
After a few minutes, Rakshit leaned closer to Shivika and whispered, "Baccha, I have to talk to Rahul."
Shivika nodded and lifted her head from his shoulder, letting him get up.
Rakshit walked towards the balcony.
Rahul was still on the call when he noticed Rakshit standing beside him.
He smiled.
"Ask him yourself if you don't believe me," Rahul said into the phone before handing it to Rakshit.
Rakshit raised an eyebrow but took the phone.
"Hello."
"Congratulations, Jijs!"
Ishani's cheerful voice came from the other side.
Rakshit smiled.
"Thank you. But what's with you and your boyfriend calling me by unique titles?"
Ishani laughed.
"You are older than us, but we also want to call you by some cool name. He calls you Big B, and I'll call you Jijs from now onwards."