Each day spent waiting for thenweeks to pass was torture. By the end of the second week, both Nakul and Sahdev had left too.

It was rather better they had. A pregnant woman did not need to be stressed so much. I was glad Subhadra was living with Krishn. Atleast she'd be safe.

Now, after the birth of Devi's son... One we still hadn't named after nearly two weeks of his birth, we were preparing to leave.

I was also incredibly annoyed by my own child...

Not Madhu... She was a sweetheart. I still hasn't told her she'll be having a sibling.. I want to surprise her before she... She leaves.

I did not want to let her go. It's as simple as that.

" Mumma! " Madhu said, running into the room.

" Hi bacha. What is it? " I asked, as she jumped up onto the bed.

" I want to eat matar kulcha. " She insisted.

Once when she  was around five years old and against eating anything, I made it for her, in hopes that she'll eat it... I have never been happier than when she ate all of it and even asked her more.

" Alright, I'll ask the chefs to -"

"No no. I want you to make it. " She said, putting her hands around my neck from behind me.

" Really? Alright. Well, whatever my princess wishes for. " I told her as she giggled.

Hauling her over my back, I pulled her into a piggy back as we left the room.

" What on earth are you doing Sagarika. " Yudhishthir asked me, running over to us from the end of the hall.

"Get down Madhu. Your mother is not well. I'll carry you around if need be -"

"You're not well mumma? Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have asked you to make —"

" Papa is just being too worried Madhu. Get down, I'll still make it for you. " I said, settling on my knees so she could get off easily.

" Come on! " I told her giggling and she laughed, when I was pulled back by a very concerned Yudhishthir.

"You know you shouldn't be lifting-"

"My dear darling husband. I know. I am sorry. I'll be more careful. " I said, interrupting his tirade with a kiss to his cheek.

" Don't ask. " He told AJ who had just entered the scene.

In the kitchens, I sat down near the big stove, well the coal one, as I cooked the matar.

" Am I supposed to be going somewhere mumma? "She asked me suddenly and my hand slipped, touching the side of the wok without a cloth. Very smart Saag.
You burnt your own hand.

" Ah. " I winced, rushing to wash it in some water.

"Are you alright? Should I call papa -"

"Oh no! Don't call him. He'll permanently bar me from the kitchen then. Don't worry. It isn't much. What was your question again? " I asked, approaching where she sat perched on a stool.

" Well, since Kaka Nakul and Sahdev, along with Tatshree Karn, Kaka Bheem, Kaki Kaali and Kaka Arjun and Kaki Panchali all have left, I was wondering if we're also going somewhere.. Have they all gone on a vacation? Why haven't we gone together? I rather enjoyed our vacation to the Pushpbhoomi last to last year. It was so much fun! Papa also taught me how to use the flowers to paint." She chirped excitedly.

"You are going dear and yes, it is... Well, it's a vacation for them to study hard and learn more things. " I told her, rubbing some flour on her nose.

" Mummy! How is it a vacation if they have to study! " She whined, before sneezing the flour away.

" Well , because they're about to learn something new. "

" So! And what do you mean I'm going. Aren't you coming with me? " She asked, her voice now betraying her anxiety.

I sighed, turning around to, her with the plate of food ready.

"We have something to talk about Madhu. Come. And I'll need to find your papa too." I muttered, as she looked up.

"You're not sending me away because you hate me right? " She asked, lips quivering.

" No! What gave you -no! Absolutely not! I could never hate you Madhu! " I pulled her into my arms, she might be too old for a carry but she was definitely never too old for a hug.

" Because I heard mama say that the 'children' will go to mama Krishn's house. Does that mean you'll have a vacation without us? " She asked, burrowing her head into my chest.

"No no. We're not going on a vacation. We're-well, we're going for work. We are going to finish an important work and then come back soon. " I told her, pulling her closer if possible and pressing a kiss to her hair.

" Good. Because I'm not leaving you. Wherever you are going you'll take me along. That is it. " She said, staring up at me with clear, strong eyes.

Why did I make her so brave.

" No. Madhu you can't come with us. This is big people work. You can't go. " I told her, holding her face.

" No! You won't take me because you're not going for work! You're going to have fun and you don't want to take me along! You don't like me now that Mama' s son  is here !" She exclaimed, freeing herself from my hug as she ran out of the kitchens.

"Madhu! Madhu! Listen to me please! " I called, running after her, but then, I lost her in the corridors.

"Yudhishthir! Yudhishthir! AJ! Devi! Somebody! Guards! Look for Kumari Madhu! " I shouted, running along the corridors and halls, hoping to see her somewhere but I couldn't.

My daughter hates me... She thinks I'm abandoning her.. No no no no . I can't -I can't - where is she! I couldn't find her and eventually, I started feeling a bit light headed.

" Sagarika? Sagarika! " I heard Yudhishthir shout as he caught onto my shoulders, but by then I was already far to gone to listen to what he could say. My heart was twisting knives into itself. I was right! I couldn't let her go! She didn't want me to go! Why do I want to leave her with Krishn! She's a big girl she -

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" Mumma? " A soft voice whispered. It was hoarse as if it had been crying.

"Madhu? " I asked, squinting my eyes open as I saw her sitting on the bed next to me.

What I didn't expect was for her to put her whole wait on me as she lay down to hug me.

" What is it? Are you alright? Did you get hurt? " I asked, watching as tears rolled down her soft and bubbly cheeks.

" No," She sniffled, wiping her tears away with her hand.

" Then what happened? Did someone say something to you? Did someone scold you for something you didn't do? " I asked her, holding her face close.

" No. But I did hurt someone. " She mumbled.

" I'm sure they'll understand tht you didn't mean it Madhu." I told her, pushing the incessant hair away from her forehead. She had Yudhishthir's hair, which meant that despite my best efforts, they wouldn't stay in their place.

" Pa-papa told me that I was not a good person for saying all that to them. " She whispered.

"But what did you say? " I asked and she sniffled more, before burrowing herself into my side.

" I told them that they didn't like me anymore. " She muttered. I know I was looking for her, but any conversation I had before that was hazy as of now.

" Well then, say sorry to them. Did you ask if they still liked you before saying that? " I asked her gently, which is when my mind started to function properly.

"No. I told them she hates me  and I'm so sorry I never wanted to say that  -" She cried, her waterfall breaking free again as I sat up, wincing slightly and pulling her into a hug.

"It's alright baby. I know. I don't mind. I know you were angry. It's alright. But we should always speak about things then get angry first. Okay? " I asked, holding her face as I booped her nose with mine.

"Yes mumma. I am sorry. Papa told me you were not well and I shouldn't have said that to you. You became sad. " She whispered.

"Papa doesn't know what he's talking about. " I muttered.

"What? " She asked, looking up at me.

" Nothing. It's alright. It's okay. I'm fine. And I'm healthy too. See. " I told her, making faces at her.

Her giggles warmed my heart... But it also brought with it what I hated about my pregnancy more than anything in the world.... An influx of hormones.

" Why are you crying now? " She asked urgently.

I cleared my throat, " Not crying. Something went into my eyes. " I told her.

" Mummy. It is bad to lie. " She said, crossing her arms over her chest.

" You still haven't learnt your lesson Priye that it is not okay to lie? " Yudhishthir said, walking into the room..

" Papa! Mummy said you don't know what you're talking about. Does that mean you didn't know enough about the paints and what you were telling me was not enough? " She asked, mood switched now.

"Really? She said that? " He asked, sitting on the bed next to me.

" You could not have been more discrete?" I hissed to him as Madhu bounded along to the toys in the room.

" Well, she needs to know when she's hurting someone. I was worried about you. " He said, putting an arm over my shoulder.

" Yudhishthir. She already thought we love mowgli more than her. What we're you thinking? " I asked, sighing as I puty head on his shoulder.

" It's alright. Alla well that ends well. What  do we tell her now? " He asked.

" Madhu? Baby come here for a moment?" I asked and she trotted back up, jumping in between us.

" What is it.. " She asked, eyes wide.

"Well, firstly, we're still having that matar kulcha. Second. We are your mumma and papa. No one loves you more than us okay? And if we spend time with someone else, it doesn't mean we love you less. Okay? " Yudhishthir asked her, placing a hand on her head.

" Okay. Now can I go play? "She asked.

" No. Wait. I need to tell you -"

" Oh I know. I know I'm going to mama Krishn and Mini mausi. Don't worry. I'm going to go and study a lot of things and then me and mama AJ will gang up on you and show you what all I learnt. " She chatted out, unconcerned.

" Uhh. What? " I asked, looking at my husband. He had the right to blush.

" After you -fainted.. AJ talked to her for fifteen minutes. And... She came out very excited to leave... I don't know what he said to her but she's fine with going. "

" Alright. And does she know about the other thing? "

" What other thing mumma?" She asked.

" Okay. Come back here." I said, before pulling her to sit in my lap.

" I told you na that I love you. " I asked her.

" I know mumma. I will never say something like that again -"

" No no. I don't mean that. I mean. You. Okay. There's a baby here. " I told her pulling her hand to my stomach.

The way she laughed was criminal.

" Don't be silly mumma. I think you need to rest more.Doesn't she papa? She thinks there's a baby in her stomach... You know only food stays there -"

" She's not wrong Madhu. You are going to have a new sister or brother. " He told her solemn.

" Will she be like a doll I can play with? " She asked.

" Uhh. No not really. But she will be like your friend. She's your sister or brother like Mini mausi, is mine. " I told her.

The way her eyes blinked, they looked like confused little buttons.

" I'm sure I'll understand when I'm a bit older. But I do want a new friend. All Mowgli does is make faces at me. Maybe we'll be able to play with my yoys together? This new friend. " She said, while my husband held his hand to his mouth to control her laughter.

" Alright. Go now. " I told her.

" That went better than I expected. " I told him.

" That's because she doesn't know what we're talking about. " He told me, pulling me into a hug.

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Madhu is me when my mom told me one random night she ahd a baby in her stomach... I thought she had eaten a baby.. So I asked her.. But mumma you're a vegetarian....

I was around the same age as her too. So my mother just laughed at me like crazy.

Around march, a month before my birthday my parents took me to the hospital, saying they had an early birthday gift for me.

Turns out they were just talking me to see an ultrasound of the baby.

Colour me disappointed.

But I was also one of the most excited people on earth when I met my sister....

She's truly the best pre birthday gift I could ask for...

So to all the younger siblings out there... We do love you.. Even if we might blackmail you into not revealing our secrets if we know yours too.

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥