Because of you, I'll always have a friend. ❤️

A couple months had already passed after the day Rudhi got to know about her soon to arrive sibling. She had been so happy and excited, she announced it to her friends with all the pride and happiness.

That day when she returned home after school, her Baba was at home. He was often at work during this this time, so seeing him home was exciting for Rudhi.

"Babaa!!" Rudhi ran into the study, her school bag still on her shoulders.

Anirudh looked up from the book he was reading and stood up instantly, knowing Rudhi would jump into his arms like everyday, and she did.

"How was your day at school?" Anirudh asked after he kissed her cheek with love.

"It was good." Rudhi murmured, but she didn't seem really happy today, which caused Anirudh to frown.

"What happened Mishti? Did something happen in school? Someone said something to my princess?" He asked gently caressing her cheek as he walked back to his chair behind the writing table.

He put her down on the table in front of him as he sat and held her hands in his. Her hair was braided into two little plaits with red ribbons according to the uniform and she looked really cute in them.

"Mishti, won't you tell Baba what happened?" He asked again as he saw her looking down with a sad face.

"Rudra has a baby brother...." Rudhi murmured.

"I know that. What about him?" Anirudh asked.

"Rudra said that once his brother was born, his parents forgot about him. They love the new baby more and also scold Rudra for touching the baby sometimes." She told with sad eyes and a little pout on her lips.
"Also, now the baby sleeps with their mother and Rudra has to sleep in another room. She also feeds the baby with her own hands and Rudra has to eat by himself." Rudhi stopped and looked up at her Baba was a moment.

Anirudh knew exactly where she was going with this, but he let her complete.

"Will you and Maa also forget me after the new baby comes?" She asked with little tears glistening her eyes.
"Will you not let me sleep in between and also not feed me with your own hands because I'm a grown up child now?" She asked, almost on the verge of breaking into tears.

"Mishtii! Calm down darling!" Anirudh wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her hair with love.
"It's good that you shared it with me, okay? We will talk about this now." He pacified her before saying anything.

Tears had finally rolled down her cheeks but she was assured that now her Baba would surely solve her problem.

Anirudh broke the hug and held her hands again. Looking into her ryes with love and assurance, he gently wiped off her tears as well.

"Listen to me now, Mishti. Maa and Baba love you very much. We will never stop loving you in any situation, okay? You're always going to be our sweet little princess." He smiled as he saw some relief in his daughter's eyes.
"You know, when the new baby comes, it will be really small. They will need much more care than any of us, so Maa will have to take care of the new baby a little more than she cares about us." He explained.

Rudhi was listening to him patiently and he was happy that his daughter was mature enough to try and understand what her Baba had to say.

"Also, the baby is going to be new in this world right?" He asked and she nodded.
"So they will surely be needing extra care from Maa and Baba right? And about sleeping in between us, Mishti has always been sleeping on my chest right?" Anirudh smiled at her with raised eyebrows.

"Yess! That's where I sleep every day!" She smiled with pride at the thought.

"So that's where you're always going to sleep okay? But ofcourse we can share it with your little sibling too right?" He chuckled and Rudhi happily agreed.

"And about feeding me with your hands?" She asked as if she was listing all her demands in front of her father.

"I promise I'll feed you with my hands always, okay?" He smiled and touched her cheeks, assuring her.

"Okay!" Rudhi smiled happily and wrapped her arms around him.
"Thankyou Baba, I love you!" She giggled.

"I love you too my Mishti!" Anirudh hugged her back and kissed the side of her head.
"Now quickly go to your room and change into fresh clothes. Baba will feed you lunch after that." He commanded, putting her down on her feet and she ran upstairs.

........

Bondita was sitting in her office at the court, writing some papers for the next hearing. Her Pati Babu hadn't come to court with her today, she was getting bored at work without him. Not that they would generally talk a lot, but just him being around was enough for her to be happy and calm.

After the papers were completed, she kept down the pen and leaned back on her chair. Her back was slightly hurting with all the sitting, so she stood up and stretched her body a little. Her eyes fell onto the small photo frame she had kept on the writing table. Anirudh standing with Rudhi in his arms while she kissed Bondita's cheek. His free arm wrapped around Bondita while he grinned at his favourite girls.

She smiled. This was the most important part of Bondita's life, her priority above any other, her family. Everyone's priorities is different and it's fine. Some prioritize work and career while some prioritize family and love. And then there are sone conventional humans, one in a thousand, who prioritize the society, the nation and the people around them. That one was her Pati Babu and she was forever proud.

As she was holding the frame, glancing at it with love, the telephone on the table rang. She picked it up without moving her gaze from the frame.

"Hello, this is Barrister Bondita Roy Chowdhary." She spoke out of habit.

"Hello Madame, this is Mr. Roy Chowdhary speaking." Anirudh chuckled from the other side and she just shook her head with a smile.

"You're never growing up, right Pati Babu?" She teased.

"Arey? Why do I need to grow up anymore? I'm your husband already and also a father now. What else do you want?" He teased back and she just giggled.

"Fine Sir! Now tell me what happened?" She asked, sitting on the chair with a sigh.

"Is it that I can call my wife only when something happens?" He raised an eyebrow as if she could see, but anyways she knew his expression just by his tone by now.

"No, but you know how my husband scolds me for being distracted during work? That's all!" She replied obediently.

"I don't care if the distraction is your husband. Afterall he loves you so much!" Anirudh flaunted, making her giggle.
"I'm totally biased!"

"Good for you!" Bondita chuckled.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours. Come pick me up?" She asked.

"Always at your service, your highness!" He smiled and she could just shake her head at his drama.

"Ain't you in a mood too good today?" Bondita enquired only to hear a sigh and chuckle from him.

"Had your lunch? And the medicines I kept in the bag?" Anirudh asked instead.

"Oh yes I had the lunch and the medicine I'm just going to have." She replied and pulled her bag onto her lap.

"Now your husband needs to call you and remind for medicines, right?" Anirudh sighed, not getting angry.

"Sorry! But yeah my husband can really do this because I love it." She giggled and had her medicine.
"Here! Had it Mr. Roy Chowdhary!"

"Good!" He replied as he swayed in his chair relaxed.
"Okay listen, I miss you already or maybe I'm just bored I don't know." He complained playing with the pen in his hand.

"Your Mishti slept, didn't she?" Bondita asked, knowing him too well.

"No, she's busy playing with her brother and Dadu." He replied.

"I knew it! You're never gonna miss me until she's around you!" Bondita giggled, teasing him.

"Yeah because she's a part of you, just a replica of my Bondita!" He said rolling his eyes with a smile.

"No thankyou! We all know who's more important these days! Let my son come and you'll see how I love him more than you!" Bondita huffed and said something even she couldn't believe.

A son? How did that even come up in her mind? Was this a sign or did her subconscious mind already know something she didn't?

"Already planned on him being a son? Not good Mrs. Roy Chowdhary! It might be another beautiful daughter." Anirudh chuckled at her cuteness.

"Then you'll love her more than me as well. Go I don't want to talk to you. BYE!" She huffed at him and he knew her mood swings had started to pour in but when did they ever scare her husband?

"Aww! You might not know, but my wife already knows she's my first favourite girl. Any of the others come only after her!" He smiled and she knew it was all true. She wanted to listen more.

Anirudh knew this and he continued to talk to her with love and not teasing anymore for some time. He could really condition his mind to understand when she wanted to be teased and when she needed to be assured with love and care. But ofcourse she was at work and soon the barrister babu inside was back and he asked her to quickly finish her work so that he'll come pick her up.

.......

That's all for this chapter. An update after AGES isn't it?!🥺 I feel sorry and happy at the same time. Sory because I made y'all wait for so long and happy that I wrote again only when I could and didn't just write ANYTHING to complete the book. 🥺❤️ I have been loved and supported by my readers so much that I can't even thank you all enough! You're the best BEST readers I could have ever recieved!🥺❤️ Truly readers and friends like you all are a TRUE blessing!!❤️✨️

Love you All so Much!!❤️❤️

Love,
Author!❤️

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