Chapter 1: Shattered lives

Third Person POV

The bell rang signalling that it was time to go home. Children started coming out with backpacks and bottles.
A boy of around six to seven years came outside and stood at the gate waiting for someone to come and pick him up.

Suddenly, his classmate, Ishaan came and stood beside him. The boy looked at him. "Paras, is uncle late today too?" he asked as the boy sighed helplessly.

A guard came and stood in front of them. Both of them looked up to see him. "Children, it is time to close the gate. Is anyone coming to pick up both of you?"

"Yes, my mom." Ishaan replied. 'Mom' the boy repeats the word while looking at the vast expanse of the sky. "Bye Paras, I need to go" Ishaan says while looking at a gloomy Paras. Paras looks back and sighs, waving at a disappearing figure of Ishaan with his 'Mom'.

The guard says, "Beta, is your mom coming to pick you up to?" He is about to reply when a car comes and halts at the front gate. It is a Mercedes. A man in grey tuxedo steps out of the car and practically runs and kneels down in front of the boy while holding his ears.

The boy doesn't budge but looks to another side. The man doesn't do anything but moves to the other side and holds his ears again. "Paro,baby I'm sorry. Very very sorry"

Paras doesn't say anything. "Paro, I was in a very important meeting and really forgot the time. I'm sorry this is the last time. Daddy won't be late from now. Pinky promise" Arjun says and holds out his little finger.

"You gave the same excuse the last time also Dad. I'm not talking to you. Katti!" Paras says and walks towards the car and their bodyguard, Sam helps him settle on the seat.

The guard was amused to see this scenario. Arjun stood up and apologized to him for being late and thanked him for taking care of his son. He settled himself in the seat beside Paras.

"Paro, I was thinking that the chocolates Daddy bought for you, I think I should give it back because Paro doesn't want it" Arjun said trying to appease his 'strict' son.

"No! Give them to me! King Paro forgives you" he said enacting like a king.

"Thank god" Arjun mumbled. "What!? Did King Paro just hear you say 'Thank God'!? You should thank King Paro and not God! King Paro is the one who forgave you"

"I'm extremely sorry my Lord! Daddy made a mistake! Will King Paro forgive Daddy?" Arjun said getting more and more into the drama.

"King Paro will forgive you if you take King Paro to the amusement park and help him with his English homework today. King Paro wants to complete the homework at the earliest."

"Oh... okay. Did King Paro forget to do yesterday's homework?" Arjun asks on purpose because he wants his son to be truthful.

"Yes. King Paro forgot to do two questions yesterday. But I didn't know how to solve them. You were as usual busy in your meetings and Rahul Chachu and Tanu chachi were in the hospital" Paras says pouting.

"Oops, looks like it is Daddy's mistake again. Will King Paro punish me now?" Arjun says, knowing that it was his mistake that he doesn't have time for his son.

"King Paro Bonaparte, the greatest general and the greatest king of the world, forgives you. I have a very big heart, you see." Paro says.

"Oh I see. King Paro is so cute and forgives everyone so easily." Arjun says in a dramatic way. "But who told you about Napoleon Bonaparte?"

"First thing, King Paro isn't cute, King Paro is fierce, very very fierce. And second thing, it was Tanu chachi who told me that Napoleon Bonaparte was a great great general and commander when she was reading to me and baby yesterday."

Arjun was about to reply when Paro said, "Daddy you know baby has really grown up and it talks to me!"

Arjun, looking at his son's excitement says, "Wow! That's amazing! Just four more months and baby will be here, with us!"

"King Paro, the greatest king, will love baby sooo much!" Paras says.

Arjun laughs at his son's cuteness and says, "Paro, always remember, no one is greater than God. The almighty is the greatest king of all."

"Then King Paro will be the second greatest, no no, third greatest king in the world! And the second greatest king will be Daddy! The best Daddy ever!" He says making Arjun smile.

"But Daddy, if God is the greatest, why did he take Mumma away from you and me?" He asks innocently, making the eyes of the same Arjun tear up who was smiling a few seconds ago.

Arjun did not know what to answer. He himself, was finding the answer to console himself from the past six years. He was speechless.

"Daddy, did Paro say anything wrong? Why are you crying? I'm sorry Daddy!" said Paro in an attempt to console Arjun. Arjun said nothing but gave him a faint smile.

"See, Daddy if you don't stop crying I'll go to Mumma!" Paras said innocently but firmly making Arjun's heart wrench.

"Paro!!" Arjun says and hugs him tightly, tears flowing out of his eyes. Paras pulls out of the hug and sees his super Daddy crying. He wipes his tears and kisses him on the cheek.

"Sorry Daddy. I won't go anywhere. I love you naa?" he said looking into his eyes with a smile on his face. "It's ok baby. But don't say such things next time. I don't have anyone else than you. If you go I'll die." Arjun said getting more emotional.

"Daddy, Tanu chachi told me die is a very bad word. Don't say it."

"Okay, my baccha. Now see, we're at the amusement park!" Arjun said while holding his tears back.

After a while...
"No Dadda! I'm pretty sure you can do it! Come on, you can hit the target!"

"Paro, I'm not good at shooting targets!" Arjun tried to convince his son who was hell bent on getting him to take part in the shooting competition.

"No! You can do it! If one decides, than he can do anything!!" He said in a stern yet cute voice.

"Hmmm...copy pasting my dialogues on me only?" Arjun said mumbling as he walked in to the arena where the shooting competition was about to be held.

After 15 to 20 minutes...

"And the award goes to Mr.Arjun!" the host announces.
Paras walks up to the small decorated stage and holds the big teddy bear which was to be given as a price to the child whose parent won.

He gets down from the stage, practically jumping and humming his favourite poem.

"See Daddy we won!! I told you naa, if someone decides, they can do anything!!" He said in a excited voice.

"Ofcourse Paro. Now let's head home, alright? Chachu and Chachi must be waiting for us." Arjun says in an attempt to convince him to go home.

"And baby too! I am gonna play with him a lot!" He squeals excitedly.

Both of them make their way out of the amusement park and settle themselves in the car.

In the mansion...
"Who is this teddy bear and where is my Paro? And why is this teddy bear moving?"

Paras, who was struggling to keep the big teddy bear bigger than him on the bed, somehow said, "Chachi I'm here under the teddy and this big teddy has made a kachumbar out of me!"

Tanya helps him keep the bear and settle on the bed.

"Wow Paro, this teddy bear is really large! From which antique shop did you buy it!?"

Paras pretends to be in deep thought and after ten to twelve minutes says, "Offo chachi, it's not from any antique shop. Daddy won it in the shooting competition!" And started narrating all of the activities.

Arjun who just came in the room smiled seeing Paras happy.

"Paras,go and change and then we'll meet here again, alright?" Paras didn't say anything but just nodded and went into the bathroom.

"Wow Arjie, you're smiling!?"

"So what Bhabhi? Is is wrong to smile?"

"No, but it's just that you rarely smile." Tanya said making Arjun sigh.

"You know what Arjie, when I had my miscarriage even I was the same. I used to rarely talk to anyone. But as time flies, it takes all of the pains with it. This unborn baby has brought so much of happiness in our lives. The same way, someone else is there is this world, who'll take away all of your pains."

Arjun says nothing but just nods.

"What alap-pralap is going on between both of you,huh?" Rahul who just enters the room asked.

"Chachu!!!" Paras runs to him.

"Paru!!!" Rahul shouts in the same baby voice and hugs him.

After a short chit-chat session, all of them have dinner, and go back to their rooms.

After dinner, in Arjun's room...
Arjun's POV

I entered my room and switched on the lights. Large pictures of my love Prerna, and us getting married were hanging on the wall.

She looked so happy.

"I miss you my baby girl. Why did you leave me? I loved you so much. I loved pampering you, listening to your tantrums. You know our son Paro, is the exact copy of you. His tantrums, his stubbornness everything is same, entirely same. Please come back to me Prerna. I miss you so.." I was stopped by a knock on the door.

I knew it would be Paro or Bhabhi. Hundred percent I would've forgotten something or Paro would've come to lecture me on "Early to bed and early to rise". That has become his daily work now.

I stood up, wiped my tears and opened the door to see Paro. "Arjun beta, get ready to get lectured now" I mumbled to myself. But to my surprise, he didn't say anything. He just got up onto the bed and settled himself under the blanket.

"Daddy, I want to sleep here, with you." I said nothing but just laid beside him and patted him to sleep.

Next morning......
Third Person POV

Everyone was busy in their own works. Tanya, being pregnant was bossing around Rahul and he was having a hard time handling her mood swings...Side effects of pregnancy.
Arjun was as usual busy checking his last minute presentations, but they all made time to get to the dining room and have breakfast together.

At the dining table.....

"Paro, isn't it your birthday next week?"

"Yes chachi! I want so many and so many and so many gifts from everyone. But from Daddy I want a special gift." He said pouting.

"And what is that? Won't you tell your chachu??" Rahul says in the same way, pouting.

"No! First Daddy gets to know" Paras said.

"Okay, let me ask. Paro, what gift do you want from me this time?"Arjun asked a little perplexed.

"Come on Paro, tell what you want!" Tanya says.

"Daddy, will you give me what I want?" He asks a bit unsure.

"Pakka promise Paro! You can ask for whatever you want."

Paro takes a deep breath and says, " I want a Mom." And like that the glass of water slips from Arjun's hand.

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#cliffhanger!
So Paro wants a Mom for his birthday. *grins*

Yagya's entry is coming!

For a fun fact, Arjun is Arjun and Yagya is one of the names of Draupadi, so they are our modern ArDi!

How was it?

To be continued.........