SidNaaz Imagines

Imagine Four

Love from a distance

Shehnaaz tiptoed into the room, struggling to hold her giggles and wrapped her arms around Siddharth's huge chest, snuggling into him. 

Siddharth sighed, clicking his tongue and gently detatched her from himself. "Hi.."

Shehnaaz looked up at him, flabbergasted. "K..kya hua?" 

Siddharth shook his head, "Thak gaya hoon Shehnaaz.. can we not-- today?"

Shehnaaz pressed her lips together. She absolutely didn't want her disappointment to show on her face. She was in a happy mood today and usually that was enough to brighten Siddharth up as well, but not today.

Shehnaaz understood. It might have been a bad day. Everyone has bad days, and everyone got out of them. Hopefully he will too, and by tomorrow they'll be back to being cheerful.

Shehnaaz nodded her head slowly, "Dinner ban raha hai, tujhe kucch chahiye? Sar daba doon-- champi kar doon teri?" She asked, seeing his face contorted into a grimace.

Siddharth shook his head. "Kucch nahi.." He responded quietly and Shehnaaz nodded in understanding.

"Mein-- fir.." Shehnaaz gestured awkwardly towards the door of their room. "Hall mein.."

Siddharth didn't acknowledge her, and slumped onto the bed, burying his face into the pillow. Shehnaaz smiled at him, half tempted to rush up to him and pull him into her arms, run her fingers through his hair but she knew that today was not that kind of day. Today was a "Love me from a distance" kind of day.

We all have those, the days where you just don't have the energy to share yourself with another person, not even if they're the best thing that ever happened to you.

Shehnaaz backed out of the room, slowly. 

A few minutes later, she returned with a steaming hot mug of tea and placed it on the side table. "Baby, adrak waali chai banai hai, uth ke pee lena." She called out, softly.

Siddharth hmm-ed in response.

***

"Kya hua baccha?" Preeti asked, confused. "Mujhe laga tha tu Siddharth ke saath hogi."

"Thak ke aaya bahot, shoot se. Aate hi so gaya." Shehnaaz explained, hopping on the counter-top next to where Preeti Di worked. "Aaj woh touch-me-not waale mood mein tha."

Preeti chuckled.

"Lag jaayegi tujhe, ek dum choti bacchi hai tu Sana.." Preeti chided her softly.

Shehnaaz pouted. "Aap merko help kyon nahi karne de rahe?"

"Kyonki tumne lunch aur breakfast dono banaya tha. Shaanti se baith jao ab." Preeti said, pulling her cheeks, cooing at her. 

"Jab mein Mohali rehti thi, tab bhi yeh sab kaam karti thi Preeti Di. Merko aadat hai." Shehnaaz said innocently.

Preeti smiled at her. "Mohaali gaye kitna waqt ho gaya tujhe, yaad aati hai?"

Shehnaaz sighed. "Kabhi kabhi.. mann karta hai akele rehne ka, lekin fir darr jaati hoon. Mene apni saari zindagi sirf khud ke saath jee hai, akele. Maa ke saath jaise hai na, bina bole samajh jaati hai woh apne bacchon ko, Siddharth ko.. aapko.. mujhe bhi-- vaise kabhi apni mumma ke saath nahi raha. I don't blame her, woh akeli thi. Papa-ji bhi humaare liye hi humse door the, magar kabhi kabhi bura bhi lagta hai. Mann karta hai usko zor se daant laga doon. Shikaayat karu unse baithke.. unhi logo ki. Poochu unse.. ki kyon mujhe poora pariwaar hote hue bhi unhone akela kar dia but then-- soch ke reh jaati hoon."