The flight from the Caribbean back to India was long and exhausting. The players landed in Mumbai on the 11th of July. From there, they took their connecting flights to their respective home cities.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India had given the squad a mandatory rest period until the 19th of July. They had successfully conquered the West Indies. Now, they were allowed to power down.
Siddanth took his flight to Hyderabad. He landed, bypassed the crowds using the VIP exits, and got into his waiting car. Rahul drove him directly to the Shamshabad farmhouse.
Siddanth looked out the window. The monsoon had washed the city clean. The trees along the highway were a deep, vibrant green. He felt a sense of relief. He just wanted to sleep in his own bed and eat home-cooked food.
The car pulled up to the front porch of the estate.
Siddanth stepped out. He grabbed his heavy kitbag from the trunk.
Suddenly, loud joyful barking erupted from the side of the house. Ronny came sprinting across the lawn like a golden blur, ears flapping and tail wagging furiously. The dog leaped straight at Siddanth, planting his big paws on his chest and trying to lick his face.
Siddanth laughed loudly, dropping the kitbag and crouching down to ruffle Ronny's fur with both hands. "Hey boy! Missed me, did you? Yes, yes, I'm home!" Ronny whined happily and circled him twice, nearly knocking him off balance in his excitement.
Only after calming the dog down a little did Siddanth look up. The front door opened. Krithika stood there. She wore a simple, light yellow saree. Her hair was tied in a loose braid. She smiled widely as he walked up the steps.
After arathi and everthing is over.
"Welcome home." Krithika said.
Siddanth dropped his heavy bag on the porch. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a tight hug. He rested his chin on her shoulder.
"I am very glad to be home," Siddanth murmured. "The Caribbean sun is brutal."
"You look tired," Krithika noted, stepping back and looking at his face. "Go upstairs and freshen up. Amma is already setting the table for lunch."
"Give me ten minutes," Siddanth said.
He carried his bag upstairs. He took a long, cold shower, washing off the travel fatigue. He changed into a loose grey t-shirt and dark track pants. He felt his muscles relax. He walked back down the stairs and headed toward the dining room.
The dining table was ready. His father, Vikram Deva, was sitting at his usual spot, reading a Telugu newspaper.
"Siddu," Vikram said, folding the paper. "Good series win. You handled the slow pitches well."
"Thank you, Nanna," Siddanth said, taking his seat.
Sesikala walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth. She smiled at her son. "I made chicken fry and pulihora today. You must be tired of eating hotel food."
"I am," Siddanth agreed. "I can eat a whole pot of pulihora right now."
Krithika walked into the dining room carrying a stack of large, clean ceramic plates. She placed one in front of Vikram. She placed one in front of Sesikala. She set her own plate down. Finally, she placed a plate in front of Siddanth.
She turned around to walk back to the kitchen to bring the serving bowls.
"Amma, Krithika," Sesikala called out smoothly from her chair. "Why didn't you bring the other plate?"
Siddanth frowned slightly. He looked around the table. There were only four of them eating lunch.
"I will bring it, Athamma," Krithika replied instantly.
Krithika walked into the kitchen. She returned a moment later.
She walked up to the table. She did not set the item down on an empty chair.
She reached over and set the item directly next to Siddanth's large ceramic plate.
Siddanth stopped pouring water into his glass. He looked down at the table.
It was a plate. But it was not a normal plate. It was a tiny, brightly colored plastic plate. It had a cartoon lion printed in the center.
Krithika placed a tiny, soft-tipped plastic spoon right next to the plate.
Finally, she placed a very small, plastic water cup with two handles on it right next to Siddanth's large glass.
Siddanth stared at the tiny utensils. His brain completely stopped working. He looked at the cartoon lion on the plate. He looked at the tiny spoon.
He slowly turned his head.
He looked at Krithika.
Krithika was standing right next to his chair. She had her hands clasped together in front of her. She was biting her bottom lip, trying desperately to hold back a massive, radiant smile. Her eyes were shining with tears.
Siddanth looked across the table.
His mother, Sesikala, was pressing her hand over her mouth, tears freely falling down her cheeks. His father, Vikram, had pushed his newspaper completely aside. He was grinning so hard his eyes were crinkling.
The silence in the dining room was absolute.
Siddanth looked back at the tiny spoon. The realization finally hit him. The pieces locked together in his mind.
He stood up from his chair so fast the heavy wooden chair scraped loudly against the marble floor.
He looked at Krithika.
"Are you..." Siddanth started. His voice broke entirely. He could not finish the sentence.
Krithika let out a wet, happy laugh. She nodded her head. "Yes."
Siddanth did not say a word. He stepped forward. He wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his face in her shoulder, and hugged her. Then, overcome with a surge of joy, he tightened his grip, lifted her completely off the ground, and spun her around in a wide circle right there in the dining room.
"Orey!" Sesikala shouted instantly, jumping up from her chair in panic. "Are you mad?! Put her down! Put her down right now!"
Siddanth stopped spinning. He gently set Krithika back down on her feet.
As the family laughed and wiped happy tears, Ronny, who had been watching curiously from the doorway, trotted over and nudged Siddanth's leg with his nose, then gently rested his head against Krithika's thigh as if sensing something had changed. Krithika smiled and scratched behind his ears. "You're going to be a big brother, Ronny," she whispered softly.
"You foolish boy!" Sesikala scolded him loudly, rushing over and lightly hitting his shoulder. "She has a baby inside her now! You cannot spin her around like a toy! Have you lost your mind?!"
"I am sorry, I am sorry," Siddanth laughed, raising his hands in surrender. He looked at Krithika. He could not stop smiling.
Vikram walked over and patted Siddanth heavily on the back. "Congratulations, Siddu. You are going to be a father."
Siddanth pulled Krithika into another hug, this time keeping her feet firmly planted on the floor. He kissed the side of her head. "When did you find out?"
Krithika wiped a tear from her cheek. "Let's sit down. I will tell you."
They sat back down at the dining table. The chicken fry and the pulihora were forgotten. Siddanth reached out and held Krithika's hand on top of the table. He could not stop looking at the tiny plastic plate sitting next to his own.
"When we came back from London," Krithika started explaining, her voice soft and happy. "After the Champions Trophy. I felt very tired. I thought it was just the jet lag from the flight. But the tiredness did not go away for a week. And I started feeling sick in the mornings."
Sesikala nodded from across the table. "She came to me and told me her stomach was upset. I knew immediately. I told her to take a test."
"We went to the doctor two days ago," Krithika said. "We did the blood work. The results came back positive."
"Two days ago?" Siddanth asked. "Why didn't you call me? You could have told me on the phone."
"I wanted to," Krithika admitted, squeezing his hand. "But your mother stopped me."
"I told her not to call you," Sesikala said firmly. "You were in the middle of a match in the Caribbean. I know how your mind works, Siddanth. If she told you over the phone, you would have lost your focus on the game. You would have been worrying about her from a different country. The match was ending in two days. We decided to wait and tell you properly when you walked through the door."
Siddanth looked at his mother. He knew she was right. If he had known Krithika was pregnant while he was facing fast bowlers in Jamaica, he would have been distracted. He would have probably taken a flight home immediately.
"Did you tell your parents?" Siddanth asked Krithika.
"Yes," Krithika smiled. "My father started crying on the phone. My mother went straight to the temple to offer a coconut. Anjali was screaming so loud my ear started ringing."
"Subba Rao wanted to come here today," Vikram laughed. "I told him to wait until tomorrow. I told him we needed to let you process the news first."
Siddanth looked back at Krithika. He reached out and gently touched her cheek. "How do you feel? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
"I am fine," she laughed softly. "I am just a little tired. Stop treating me like I am made of glass. It has only been a few weeks."
"You are going to rest," Siddanth stated, his protective instincts completely taking over. He looked at his mother. "Amma, no more climbing stairs for her. We are moving our bedroom to the ground floor guest suite tomorrow."
"Sid, I can climb stairs," Krithika protested.
"No," Siddanth said simply. It was not a negotiation.
"Let him do it, Amma," Sesikala smiled at Krithika. "He will worry too much if you don't listen to him."
The family finally started eating their lunch. The conversation was centered around the new development. Siddanth ate his food, but his eyes constantly drifted back to the tiny plastic spoon resting on the table. The reality of bringing a new life into the world was settling heavily into his mind. He was going to be a father. He had built an empire, he had won World Cups, but this felt like the most monumental responsibility he had ever faced.
That evening, after the sun went down, the house was quiet.
Siddanth and Krithika were sitting in the living room. The television was turned off. Siddanth was sitting on the sofa. Krithika was sitting sideways next to him, her legs resting across his lap. He was gently massaging her feet.
Krithika pulled out a small, folded piece of glossy paper from a book on the Teapoy.
"I have something else to show you," Krithika said softly.
Siddanth stopped massaging her feet. He looked at the paper. "What is it?"
Krithika unfolded the paper and handed it to him.
Siddanth took it carefully. It was an ultrasound printout from the hospital.
The image was black and white. It was mostly filled with static and dark shadows. But right in the center of the image was a tiny, distinct shape. It looked incredibly small, barely the size of a bean.
Siddanth stared at the ultrasound picture. His hands, which gripped heavy cricket bats and hurled balls at terrifying speeds, were completely still. He did not say a word. He just stared at the small white shape on the dark paper.
Siddanth traced his thumb lightly over the edge of the glossy paper. An overwhelming wave of emotion hit him. It was a raw, primal feeling. He was looking at his own child.
He leaned forward, wrapped his arms around Krithika, and pulled her against his chest. He buried his face in her hair.
"Thank you," Siddanth murmured quietly against her neck. "Thank you, Krithi."
Krithika hugged him back tightly, resting her cheek against his shoulder. They sat there in the quiet living room for a long time, holding the small black-and-white picture between them.
An hour later, Vikram and Sesikala walked into the living room. They sat down on the adjacent armchairs.
"Have you thought about names?" Vikram asked, getting straight to the point.
Siddanth laughed, sitting back on the sofa. "Nanna, I just found out today. We have a lot of time to think about names."
"Time goes fast," Vikram argued. "We need to be prepared. If it is a girl, we need a strong name."
Krithika smiled. "My father already said it is going to be a boy."
Vikram shook his head immediately. "He is wrong. It is going to be a girl. Our house needs a girl."
"Why?" Siddanth asked, amused by his father's certainty.
"Because we already had a boy," Vikram pointed at Siddanth. "You were enough trouble. Always breaking windows with your cricket ball. Always bringing mud into the house. We have enough of that in this family. Ramesh has a boy. The Deva family has a surplus of boys. We need a granddaughter."
Sesikala nodded in complete agreement. "Your father is right. A house is completely empty without a girl. She will bring light to this house. We will buy her anklets and skirts. She will rule this family."
"My father disagrees," Krithika laughed. "He said because he had two daughters he wants a grandson. He told my mother he wants a boy so he can finally have someone to watch cricket matches with."
"He can watch cricket matches with Siddu," Vikram dismissed the logic. "He already bought a small plastic cricket bat, didn't he?"
Krithika covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. "He did. He bought it yesterday. He said the boy will open the batting for India in 2040."
Siddanth narrowed his eyes slightly. "I don't care if my child plays cricket or not. But nobody is handing my child a cheap plastic bat. If they want to play, I will order a custom English willow bat carved for their size."
"See?" Sesikala pointed at Siddanth. "He is already becoming an arrogant father. This is exactly why we need a girl. She will wrap him around her little finger. A daughter is the only one who can control a stubborn father."
Siddanth looked at Krithika. He could easily imagine a little girl running around the farmhouse. He smiled. "A girl sounds perfect."
"We need a name that sounds good with Deva," Vikram noted, entering full planning mode. "Deva is a heavy last name. It means divine. The first name must balance it."
"If it is a girl, we can name her Tara," Krithika suggested. "Tara Deva. It sounds nice."
"Tara is good," Sesikala nodded. "What about Diya? Diya Deva."
"Too many D's," Siddanth critiqued objectively. "It sounds like a cartoon character."
"What if it is a boy?" Krithika asked. "My father suggested Arjun."
"We already have an Arjun," Siddanth said, referring to his best friend. "It will get confusing when I call out for him in the house."
[A/N: Suggestions for Boys and Girls names]
They spent the next two hours playfully arguing over names. They threw out dozens of options, vetoing each other based on flow, meaning, and personal preferences. It was a completely mundane, ordinary family argument, but it felt incredibly special.
Suddenly, Siddanth's phone vibrated on the coffee table.
He picked it up. He had received a text message from Anjali.
Siddanth opened the message.
Anjali: CONGRATULATIONS BAVA!!! 🎉👶🍼 I am officially the cool aunt now! I am already making a shopping list for the baby. Prepare your wallet. Tell my sister to eat properly. See you tomorrow!
Siddanth chuckled, showing the message to Krithika.
"She is going to spoil the child completely," Krithika sighed, reading the text.
"I will handle Anjali," Siddanth said, typing a quick reply telling his sister-in-law to calm down.
They sat there in the quiet living room for a long time, holding the small black-and-white picture between them.
Ronny padded softly into the room and curled up at their feet, letting out a contented sigh.
Siddanth reached down with one hand and gently stroked the dog's golden coat while still holding Krithika close with the other. For a few minutes, the only sounds were Ronny's soft breathing and the distant call of night birds outside.
The night grew late. The elders went to sleep. Siddanth and Krithika retired to their bedroom. They fell asleep quickly, exhausted by the massive emotional swings of the day.
The next morning, Siddanth woke up at 6:00 AM.
He looked at Krithika sleeping peacefully beside him. He did not wake her up immediately. He went to the bathroom, showered, and changed into a traditional white cotton kurta and a plain dhoti.
He walked back into the bedroom and gently shook her shoulder.
"Krithi," Siddanth whispered. "Wake up."
Krithika opened her eyes slowly. She blinked against the morning light coming through the curtains. She looked at his traditional clothes.
"What time is it?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
"Six-thirty," Siddanth said. "Get up. Take a bath. We are going out."
Krithika sat up. "Where are we going so early? I thought we were resting today."
"We are going to the temple," Siddanth explained. "We need to take blessings."
Krithika smiled. She understood. She got out of bed, showered, and wore a simple, beautiful red cotton saree. She did not wear heavy jewelry, just her mangalsutra and a pair of small earrings. She tied her hair back in a neat bun.
They walked downstairs. They stepped out of the house and got into the Swift.
Siddanth drove out of the estate. The morning air was cool and crisp. The roads were empty. He drove toward the Chilkur Balaji Temple, located on the outskirts of the city. It was a very old, very traditional temple, famous for granting wishes.
They arrived at the temple grounds. There were no VIP protocols today. Siddanth parked the car in the regular parking lot. He wore his Chameleon's Cloak passively, keeping his aura completely hidden. He walked like a normal man. Krithika walked beside him.
They bought a simple offering basket containing a coconut, bananas, betel leaves, and fresh jasmine flowers from the small stalls outside the temple gates.
They left their footwear at the designated counter and walked barefoot onto the cool stone floors of the temple courtyard.
The smell of burning camphor, incense sticks, and fresh flowers filled the air. The chanting of the priests echoed softly from the inner sanctum. It was an incredibly peaceful environment, completely detached from the noise of the stadiums and the pressure of the corporate world.
They joined the line of devotees. They waited patiently. When it was their turn, they approached the main deity.
They handed their offering basket to the priest. The priest broke the coconut, placed half of it back in the basket, and returned it to them. He chanted their names and their family gotras, offering a blessing.
The priest handed Siddanth a small amount of holy water. Siddanth drank a drop and sprinkled the rest on his head. He did the same for Krithika. The priest applied a red kumkum dot to their foreheads.
They stepped away from the main sanctum.
They walked to a quiet corner of the stone courtyard. There was an old, massive tree standing near the wall. Devotees tied red and yellow threads to the branches of the tree, making wishes or offering thanks.
Siddanth held a small yellow thread he had received from the priest.
He looked at Krithika. She stood beside him, her hands folded in prayer, her eyes closed. She looked completely at peace.
Siddanth reached out and gently tied the yellow thread around a low-hanging branch of the tree. He secured the knot. He closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't ask for centuries or World Cups. He asked for health, safety, and a quiet life for his family.
He opened his eyes. Krithika was looking at him.
"Did you make a wish?" Krithika asked softly.
"I offered thanks," Siddanth corrected her. "I already have everything I could ever ask for."
Krithika smiled. She reached out and held his hand.
They walked out of the temple, the morning sun fully risen now, casting a warm golden light over the stone courtyard. The Caribbean tour was over. The records were broken. But as they walked back to their car to drive home to their family, Siddanth knew the greatest, most important chapter of his life was just beginning.