The flight from Colombo landed in Hyderabad on the morning of September 7th.
Siddanth bypassed the media waiting at the airport, exiting through the VIP gates. He got into his car and drove directly to the Shamshabad estate. The Sri Lanka tour had been a physical grind, but as the iron gates of his farmhouse opened, the fatigue left his shoulders.
He had six days of rest. He was scheduled to report to Chennai on September 13th for the upcoming home series against Australia.
He walked up the front steps and opened the heavy wooden door.
The house was quiet. He left his kit bag near the entrance and walked into the living room.
Before he could reach the sofa, loud, excited barking echoed through the hallway. Ronny came sprinting from the other side of the house, his golden fur flying as he charged straight at Siddanth. The big retriever jumped up, nearly knocking Siddanth back a step, tail wagging wildly as he tried to lick his face and whine happily.
Siddanth laughed heartily and crouched down, wrapping his arms around the energetic dog. "Heyy, Ronny! Missed me that much, boy?" He ruffled Ronny's ears and neck vigorously. Ronny kept pushing against him, overjoyed, his whole body wiggling.
Only after calming the dog down did Siddanth look up. Krithika was lying on the long sofa, watching them with a soft smile. She was almost three months pregnant now.
"Do not get up," Siddanth said quickly, walking over to the sofa.
He sat on the edge of the cushion and leaned down, hugging her gently. He kissed her forehead.
"Welcome home," Krithika murmured, resting her head against his arm. "You were gone for a long time."
"The tour is over. We swept them," Siddanth said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," Krithika admitted honestly. "And hungry, but nothing sounds good when I actually look at the food."
"We will fix that," Siddanth promised.
For the next few days, Siddanth did not leave the farmhouse. He turned his phone on silent, ignoring the cricket world. He dedicated his time entirely to Krithika.
If she felt sick in the early morning, he woke up before her to brew fresh ginger tea. He made sure she ate small, frequent meals throughout the day to keep her energy up. When she rested on the sofa reading her books, he sat on the floor next to her, gently massaging her tired feet. He arranged soft pillows behind her back so she was always comfortable. He hovered over her constantly.
Anjali was also staying at the farmhouse. She was in her final year of her B.Tech degree, which meant she had very few mandatory classes and a lot of free time. She had come over to help her sister.
On the third afternoon of his break, the sky over Hyderabad turned dark. Heavy, grey monsoon clouds rolled in, and a steady, cool rain began to fall over the mango orchards.
Krithika was sitting near the large glass windows, watching the rain.
Siddanth walked into the room carrying a glass of warm water. He handed it to her.
"Sid," Krithika said, looking at the rain. "I want to eat something."
"What do you want?" Siddanth asked, ready to call the kitchen staff.
"I want Mirchi Bajji," Krithika declared. "But not the fancy restaurant kind. I want the proper street-style ones. The big green chilies, deep-fried, cut open in the middle, and stuffed with raw onions, roasted peanuts, and lots of lemon juice."
Siddanth smiled. It was the perfect rainy-day craving. "Give me twenty minutes."
Siddanth walked into the massive kitchen. He tied an apron around his waist.
Anjali walked into the kitchen behind him.
"Akka wants Mirchi Bajji?" Anjali asked, rolling up her sleeves. "I heard her from the hallway."
"Yes," Siddanth said, pulling out a large mixing bowl. "We have the large green chilies in the fridge, right?"
"I will check," Anjali said, opening the vegetable crisper. She pulled out a fresh batch of thick, mild green chilies. "Found them. I will help you, Bava. What should I do?"
"Wash the chilies and slit them down the middle," Siddanth instructed smoothly. "Take the seeds out so it is not too spicy for her. Then finely chop two large red onions and some coriander for the stuffing."
"Done," Anjali agreed, grabbing a knife and moving to the chopping board.
Siddanth prepared the batter. He mixed gram flour, a pinch of baking soda, carom seeds, and a little rice flour to make it extra crispy. He added water slowly, whisking it until it formed a thick, smooth paste. He heated a large cast-iron wok filled with oil on the stove.
Anjali finished chopping the onions. She mixed them with roasted peanuts, chaat masala, and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl.
Siddanth dipped the slit green chilies into the thick batter, coating them perfectly, and dropped them gently into the hot oil. They sizzled loudly. He fried them until they were a beautiful, crispy golden brown.
He took them out and let the oil drain.
"Okay, pass the stuffing," Siddanth said.
He took a sharp knife, opened the hot fritters slightly, and Anjali carefully spooned the onion and peanut mixture into the center of each bajji. She squeezed a few extra drops of lemon juice on top.
Siddanth arranged them on a large plate and carried them out to the living room.
He placed the plate on the coffee table in front of Krithika. The smell of fried gram flour and tangy lemon filled the air.
Krithika's eyes lit up. She picked up a warm bajji and took a bite. The crunch was loud.
She closed her eyes and smiled happily. "This is exactly what I wanted. It is perfect. Thank you, Sid. Thank you, Anju."
"Eat slowly," Siddanth chuckled, sitting next to her on the sofa. Anjali sat on the other side, picking up a bajji for herself. The three of them sat by the window, eating the hot snacks and watching the monsoon rain fall over the estate.
The next morning, Siddanth was in his home office checking some emails when his phone rang.
It was Arjun.
"Are you resting?" Arjun asked as soon as Siddanth answered.
"I am," Siddanth replied.
"I need you to break your rest," Arjun said. His voice was full of energy. "I am flying to Madrid, Spain."
Siddanth frowned. "Why are you going to Spain?"
"The global ad campaign for the Nexus Apex," Arjun explained. "The marketing team finalized the shoot. Cristiano Ronaldo is on set tomorrow. He is shooting the commercial."
Siddanth paused. Cristiano Ronaldo was his idol. He had watched the football legend for years. Meeting him was something he genuinely wanted to do.
"I am going to watch the shoot. Do you want to fly out tonight? We can take the private jet. We will be back before your Australia camp starts in Chennai."
Siddanth looked at his calendar. He looked at the open door of his office. He could hear Krithika talking to his mother in the hallway.
He loved football, and meeting Ronaldo was a massive opportunity.
But Krithika had a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It was her twelve-week scan.
Siddanth did not hesitate.
"I can't, Arjun," Siddanth said simply.
"You can't?" Arjun sounded surprised. "Sid, it's Ronaldo. You have posters of him in your old room."
"I know," Siddanth smiled. "But Krithika has a hospital visit tomorrow. It is an important scan. I am not missing that to go watch a commercial shoot."
Arjun went quiet for a second, then laughed softly. "Understood, brother. Family comes first. I will tell Cristiano you said hello. I will bring you a signed jersey."
"Do that. Have a safe flight," Siddanth said, ending the call.
He placed his phone on the desk. He had no regrets.
The following morning was the day of the hospital visit.
Siddanth and Krithika walked out of the farmhouse. The sun was shining clearly today.
Rahul was waiting in the driveway. He stood next to the royal-blue Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Siddanth wanted comfort and privacy for her today.
Rahul opened the heavy rear suicide doors of the Phantom. Siddanth held Krithika's hand, helping her step into the luxurious, spacious cabin. He got in next to her. The doors closed silently.
The drive to the city was smooth. The heavy suspension of the Phantom absorbed every bump on the road. The cabin was soundproof, blocking out the traffic noise.
They drove into Jubilee Hills and pulled into the underground parking of a highly secure, private maternity clinic. Siddanth had booked the entire floor for the hour to ensure no media or other patients would disturb them.
They took the private elevator up to the clinic.
The senior doctor, a kind, older woman with decades of experience, was waiting for them in her office.
"Good morning, Siddanth. Good morning, Krithika," the doctor smiled, shaking their hands. "How have you been feeling, Krithika? Any severe nausea?"
"It comes and goes, Doctor," Krithika said, sitting in the chair. "But mostly I am just very tired."
"That is completely normal for the first trimester," the doctor assured her. "Today is a very standard visit. We are going to do the ultrasound, check the growth, and listen to the heartbeat. Let us move to the examination room."
Krithika lay down on the examination bed. Siddanth pulled up a chair and sat directly beside her. He held her right hand firmly in his.
The room was dim. The ultrasound machine hummed quietly.
The doctor applied a clear, cold gel to Krithika's lower abdomen. Krithika shivered slightly at the cold contact.
The doctor pressed the small handheld scanner against her skin and moved it around slowly.
A grainy, black-and-white image appeared on the monitor mounted on the wall. It looked like a storm of static to Siddanth, but the doctor watched it with expert eyes.
"Alright, let us take a look," the doctor murmured, moving the scanner slightly.
Suddenly, a fast, rhythmic sound filled the room.
Swish-swish-swish-swish.
It was a heartbeat. It was fast and strong.
Krithika gasped softly. Her grip on Siddanth's hand tightened instantly. Tears sprang to her eyes. Hearing the actual heartbeat made the reality of the child undeniable.
Siddanth stared at the monitor. He felt an overwhelming wave of emotion hit his chest. He squeezed her hand, a genuine, unguarded smile breaking across his face.
"The heartbeat is very strong," the doctor noted happily. "Everything looks perfectly healthy."
The doctor continued moving the scanner. She moved it slightly to the left.
The doctor stopped.
She frowned slightly, squinting at the screen. She moved the scanner back to the right, then back to the left. She pressed a few buttons on the machine's keyboard.
Siddanth noticed the pause. "Is something wrong, Doctor?"
"No, no, nothing is wrong," the doctor said quickly, a wide smile suddenly forming on her face. "I am just making sure I am seeing this correctly."
The doctor looked at Siddanth, then at Krithika.
"Krithika, Siddanth," the doctor said softly. "You heard the first heartbeat."
The doctor moved the scanner firmly to the left side of the abdomen.
A second, distinct rhythmic sound filled the speakers.
Swish-swish-swish-swish.
Krithika blinked, confused. "Is that an echo?"
"That is not an echo, Krithika," the doctor smiled brightly, pointing at the monitor. She drew a small circle with the machine's cursor around a dark spot on the right side of the screen, and then drew another circle around a dark spot on the left side of the screen.
"I see two distinct gestational sacs," the doctor announced. "You are going to have twins."
Absolute silence fell over the small examination room.
Krithika stopped breathing for three full seconds. She stared at the monitor. She looked at the doctor. "Twins? Two babies?"
"Yes," the doctor laughed softly. "Two perfectly healthy babies."
Siddanth froze. The man who calculated run chases in milliseconds and managed a multi-billion dollar tech empire lost his ability to process information.
He looked at the screen. Two heartbeats. Two children.
A slow, massive, radiant smile spread across his face. He let out a breathless laugh. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against Krithika's shoulder, holding her hand tightly against his chest.
Krithika started crying and laughing at the same time. She reached her free hand out and ran her fingers through his hair.
"Twins, Sid," Krithika whispered, her voice shaking with joy.
"Twins," Siddanth repeated, sitting up and looking at her. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly.
The doctor printed several glossy photos from the machine. She handed the strip of photos to Siddanth.
They thanked the doctor profusely and walked back to the private elevator. Siddanth kept his arm wrapped securely around Krithika's waist the entire time.
They got back into the Phantom.
"To the farmhouse, Rahul," Siddanth instructed.
The drive back felt incredibly fast. They sat in the back seat, looking at the printed photos, unable to stop smiling.
When the car parked at the farmhouse, they walked up the front steps.
Siddanth opened the door.
Vikram Deva and Sesikala were sitting in the living room, waiting for them to return. Anjali was sitting on the floor, working on a college assignment on her laptop.
"How was the hospital?" Sesikala asked immediately, standing up. "Is the baby healthy? Did you hear the heartbeat?"
Siddanth and Krithika walked into the center of the living room.
"We heard the heartbeat, Amma," Siddanth said. He looked at his father. "Nanna, do you remember the argument you had with Mama the day we found out?"
Vikram Deva frowned, trying to remember. "Yes. Subba Rao said he wanted a boy so he could teach him cricket. I told him he was wrong, and that the house needed a girl to control you."
"Yes," Siddanth smiled widely. He pulled the ultrasound photos from his pocket. "Well, you don't have to argue anymore."
Siddanth handed the photos to his mother.
"Because we are having twins," Krithika announced happily.
Anjali dropped her pen. It clattered on the floor. "WHAT?!"
Sesikala stared at the photos in her hand. She looked at the two distinct shapes. She covered her mouth with her hand, a massive gasp escaping her lips. Tears of joy instantly filled her eyes.
"Oh my god," Sesikala wept, dropping the photos on the table and rushing forward. She hugged Krithika fiercely, holding her tightly.
Vikram Deva stared at his son in shock. Then, he threw his head back and let out a booming, triumphant laugh.
"Subba Rao!" Vikram shouted to the empty room, clapping his hands together loudly. "We won the lottery! We get both!"
Vikram walked over and pulled Siddanth into a hug, patting his back heavily. "Twins! This is the greatest news, Siddu! This house is going to be full of noise!"
"I am going to be the aunt of twins!" Anjali cheered, jumping up from the floor and hugs Krithika. "I have to buy double the clothes now!"
"Call your parents, Krithi," Sesikala urged, wiping her eyes. "Tell them right now."
Krithika pulled her phone out and initiated a video call with her parents.
Subba Raa answered immediately from their house in Tarnaka.
"Did the scan go well, Amma?" Suma asked anxiously through the screen.
"It went perfectly, Amma," Krithika smiled. She looked at Siddanth, who was standing behind her. She looked back at the screen. "Nanna, you wanted a boy, right?"
"Yes, of course," Subba Rao nodded.
"Well, you are getting one," Krithika said. "But you are also getting another one. Or maybe a girl. We are having twins, Nanna."
Subba Rao froze on the screen. Suma let out a loud shriek of joy, clasping her hands together in prayer.
Subba Rao took his glasses off and wiped his eyes. "Two grandchildren at the same time. God is very kind, Krithika. God is very kind."
The two families spent the rest of the day celebrating the news. They talked for hours, planning double nurseries, arguing playfully about names again, and simply enjoying the overwhelming happiness.
The next morning, Siddanth walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel.
He stopped near the door.
Krithika was standing in front of the large, full-length mirror near the wardrobe. She had pulled her loose cotton kurti up slightly. She was standing completely sideways, her hands resting flat on her stomach, inspecting her profile in the glass.
Siddanth smiled, throwing the towel onto a chair. He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder, looking at their reflection in the mirror.
"What are you looking for?" Siddanth asked softly.
"The doctor said there are two babies in there," Krithika murmured, turning sideways again. "But look at me. It is completely flat. I just look like I ate too much biryani yesterday."
"Give it time," Siddanth chuckled. "It is only the third month."
He stepped away for a second. He walked over to a small drawer in the dresser and pulled out a soft, flexible tailor's measuring tape. He walked back to her.
"What are you doing?" Krithika laughed as he stepped in front of her.
"We need a baseline measurement," Siddanth declared smoothly. He wrapped the yellow measuring tape gently around her waist, pulling the ends together right over her stomach. He looked at the number.
He picked up a small notepad and a pen from the nightstand. He wrote the date and the number down.
"Exactly twenty-nine inches," Siddanth read aloud. He placed the notepad in the drawer. He looked at her, his eyes warm and completely focused. "When I return from the Australian tour, we will check it again. We will see how much the twins have grown by then."
Krithika smiled, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his chest. "I will hold you to that."
Later that evening, Siddanth stood in his bedroom, packing his heavy blue Indian team kit bag. The Australia series was beginning. He packed his batting pads, his thigh guards, and his custom bats.
Krithika sat on the edge of the bed, watching him zip the bag.
Siddanth looked up. He walked out into the hallway. Anjali was sitting in the lounge chair, texting on her phone.
"Anjali," Siddanth called out.
Anjali looked up. "Yes, Bava?"
"You do not have mandatory attendance at your college right now, correct?" Siddanth asked.
"No, just project submissions," Anjali confirmed.
"Bring the rest of your clothes from your house," Siddanth instructed her. "Move into the guest room here permanently until I get back from the tour. My mother is here, but Krithika needs a sister right now. Make sure she eats on time, and make sure she doesn't climb the stairs too fast."
Anjali sat up straight and offered a playful, mock salute. "Consider it done, Bava. I will guard her."
Siddanth smiled. He walked back into the bedroom.
"I will be back before you know it," Siddanth told Krithika, lifting the heavy bag off the floor. "The series is entirely in India."
"I know," Krithika said. "Just play well. Do not get injured."
Siddanth walked over and kissed her forehead. "Take care of the twins."
He walked downstairs, said goodbye to his parents and Anjali, and got into the waiting car. He drove to the airport.
He boarded his flight to Chennai. The rest period was over. The Australians were waiting, and the captain was ready to go to work.