Cradle of Joy

The long lost friend

"Yeh anubhav hai" she said laughing looking at the picture of the toddler wearing frock and two pony tales.
"Han.....kitna pyara lagra hai na...Haye...pata hai...hum aur Anubhav k baba Isse aise hi Kai bar frock phena te thae....anubhav k baba ki bahut icha thi ki unki ek beti hoti...unhone tho anubhav k janam se phele hi itni sari ladkiyon k kapde frock la rakhe thae iss ummed se ki unhe beti hi hogi.... karishma tho bahut bad me ayi thi...issyle kabi kabi isse hi frock phena tae thae..." Amma said laughing.
"Chal beta ek aur niwala kha le " ammi said forcing her ...while she was busy enjoying her album.
"Nai ammi...pls...humse nai khaya jayegi yeh methi ki sabji....hume ulti ati hai...aur hume aaj Chinese khane ka man hai pls...." She said pleading eyes looking at ammi and Maa.
"Nai beta...yeh sab tho anubhav ka department hai...aise masum chehra lekar humare samne koi fayda nai hai....jiska department hai...usse bat kar " both said unison while haseena
Sighed.
"Pls na maa...ammi"
"Beta anubhav abhi ata hi hoga ....usse bat kar le...tu janti hai na...tere health aur diet ko leke voh kitna strict hai...."
"Par app log humara side lege pakka..." She said like babies...while ammi and Maa laughed.
"Han baba...hum koshish karege ....tere Mr. Khadus ko manane ki"
"Kya bate hori hai" anubhav said entering tired from duty
"Aa gaye app ..." Haseena said smiling.
"Ji...." He said kissing her forehead.
"Apki tabiyat kaise hai.....dard ya peeda tho nai hui na phir se .." he said
"Nai...hum bilkul thik hai..."
"Anubhav dekna beta...haseena khana nai khari hai ... Dek vaisa hi pada hua hai" ammi said complaining.
"Kyu haseena....kya bat hai ...apki tabiyat thik hai na..."
"Haa thik hai....par man nai hai huamra khane ka ....aaj hume Chinese kahna hai " she said with pleading eyes...
Anubhav sighed.
"Anubhav pls na....yar....bahut man hai.... .plss....."
"Haseena...app"
"Kya anu...tu bhi...har bar itna sakt kyu banta hai beta...man hai uska...
Khila Dena ..jaa lekar usse kuch der k lie...vaise bhi ....jab se usse false labour hua tha tab se abhi tak tu usse gin k ek do bar bahar lekar Gaya hai.....voh bbi bore ho jati hai beta...aur upar se bache ki movements se bhi kabi kabi irrate ho jata hai...aur vaise bhi iska 8th month chal raha. Hai...bas 1 mahine mae bacha aajyega..tho kuch kha pee bhi nai paegi...isse acha Abbi usse Jo man hai khila de " Maa said .
"Par maa..."
"Anu...that's an order" maa said chuckling
"Lo ....abb home minister order degi tho kaise tal sakte hai " anu said giving up
"Thankyou maaa" Haseena said hugging maa tightly
"Par khud ka dyan rakna...dhere dhere chalna....2 min k lie anu isse akela mat chodna beta ..." Maa said instructing.
"Ji.....maa...."she smiled
"Chale  mohtarma...ready tho jaiye..."
"Chaliye janab...ready tho kar dijiye" 😂 she chuckled.
While ammi and Maa laughed and adored their children
They departed towards their room...
"Vaise bhen ji....haseena ka 8th month chalu hai ...tho
Haseena ko godbhari ki tayari bhi tho karni hogi....kab aur kaise karege voh rasam..." Ammi said
"Yeh bat tho apne sahi kahi....godbharai ki tayari tho hume shuru karni hogi....vaise...humare dimag mae ek idea ara hai...." Maa smiled and whispered in Ammis ears...
"Yeh tho bahut acha plan hai bhen ji....haseena ko bahut acha surprise bhi milega...aur bahut jyada khush ho jayegi...." Ammi smiled..
"Tho chaliye....hum karishma aur Pushpa ji ko call kar k plan batate hai... taki voh log billu cheeta Santosh ko aage ki tayari k bare mae bata sake..." Maa said..
"Ji..."
~~~~~
At the restaurant
"Dyan se chaliye haseena....floor slippery hai....hath dijiye hume" he said holding her hand walking.
Haseena smiled. She took his hand and kissed it gently.
He smiled at her antics.
He pulled chair for her making her sit comfortably and then sat in front of her.
"Bataiye kya khane ka man hai humari priye ka..." He said handing over the menu...
"Shezwan chowmein " she smiled...
"Aur..."😬😅
"Aur" 😒
"aur coke" 😬😅🥺🥺🥺
"Bilkul nahi"
"Bilkul han...pls...."she said puppy eyed. He gave up on her antics.
~~~~
While they were waiting for their order , She just held his hand and started crassing it gently.
"Kya bat hai priye...."
"Kuch nai...bas aise hi....aaj apka hath chodne ka man nai kara " she said cutely.
"Oh my god.....kya mae jo dekh rahi hu voh sach hai.....The great wall of Anubhav Singh...voh bbi ek ladki k sath date pae " a girl said coming towards them.
Anubhav was familiar to this voice and he recognised it within seconds..
"Natasha...." He said surprised.
"Ji han....." She said smiling and hugged him making haseena startled.
Anubhav hugged her back too smiling.
Haseena was a little surprised to watch the scenario and understand what was happening...
Anubhav had never made mention of this girl ever...who was claiming to be his such a good friend and surprisingly anubhav was also very comfortable with her..
"Wah beta...sahi hai....jo anubhav Singh....shadi kya...ladkiyon
K nam se dur bhagta tha...voh aaj date pe apni girlfriend k sath....sahi hai..." Natasha said teasing.
"Girlfriend nai wife" haseena said emphasising " wife" acutely which was not unoticed by anubhav, he laughed seeing she was jealous.
"Tune shandi bhi kar li...aur ek min....aur baby bbi hone wala hai ...." She said looking at Haseenas bump...
"Wah beta...itna sab ho gaya...batay bbi nai..." Natasha said huffing.
"Abb tho beta double party lege...ek shadi ki aur dusra baby ki" Natasha teased
"Han degege...vaise haseena...yeh Natasha hai....humari clg ki dost ..."
"Ekloti dost" she corrected him
"Han ekloti bas..." He said
"Aur Natasha yeh humari wife ..haseena " he said smiling.
"So nice to meet you haseena...aur apka nam apki personality sr bilkul match karta hai...haseena...you are so pretty" she said hugging her
Haseena smiled in response.
"Vaise kuch tho bat hai apme...jo apne iss great wall of Anubhav Singh ko tod k....inke dil pe pyar jagaya" she chuckled.
"
"Clg me sab ladkiyan iske piche bagti thi...marti thi...par the great wall of Anubhav Singh...sab se dur bagte thae..." 😂 Haseena smiled while anubhav blushed.
"App dono bate kijiye...hum bas 2 min me fresh hokar ate hai "
"Vaise kitne sal hue apke shadi ko...." Natasha asked.
"Abhi agle mahine 2 sal hojayege" she smiled.
"Bas dusra sal ....aur app logo ne Baby plan kar lia..." Natasha said casually
"Vaise app kya karti hai...."
"Mae ek architect hu....! Phele ek MNC me job karti thi...lekin joh chod k apna khud ka ek start up shuru kar dia....kyu job me kafi stress hora tha...jiske vajah se kafi heath issues n all..."
"Oh...vaise app married hai ya single" haseena asked
Listening to her question Natasha's face fell down...
"Actually 2 sal phele mere husband ki death ho gai accident me ..." She said
"I am so sorry about it "
"It's okay...." She smiled weakly.
They had a little chit chat and then finished their dinner...
~~~~~
They were driving towards home when anubhav noticed
Haseena was silent all the way
He held her hand with his free hand..
"Kya hua sona...Natasha ko lekar app kuch soch rahi hai kya "
She looked at him and sighed....again looked away...
"Apne kabhi batay nai Natasha k bare me " she said.
"Bahut salo k bad aaj mile hum usse...kabi Aisa kuch topic nikla hi nai...tho batya nai "
"Hmmmmm"
"Itna kyu soch rahi hai sona...."
"Kuch nai
.hum bas soch rahe thae
..kitna mushkil hoga na uske lie....uske pati ki accident me death k bad...kitna strong rehna pada hoga usse...akele...abb sari jindagi" she sighed.
"Waqt sab sika deta hai haseena "
He said looking at her and She smiled weakly and nodded .
~~
She was flipping her sides at night subconsciously thinking about Natasha and Anubhavs bond....
She had never seen anubhav so comfortable with girls...!...
And effortless he was with Natasha...it was not jealousy or insecurity...but a kind of creepy feeling that was unable to rest her thoughts...
Adding to her trouble baby was kicking her continuosly making her difficult to sleep...
"Kya hogaya baby...apko bhi ammi ki tarah nind nai ari " she said crassing her tummy.
While baby kicked again haseena smiled.
"Kya hua haseena " anubhav woke up lack of warmth in his arms..
"App soi nai "
"Kuch nai anu...nind nai ari hai...aur upar se baby bahut jyada movement kara hai aaj...tho aur bhi taklif hori hai " she said.
He gently placed her on bed and started crassing her tummy and tapping her head...
"Kitna bigadege app hume...."
"Shshhh..." He Pressed her lips with her...
"So jaiye abb....aur Natasha k bare me sochna bhi band kijiye..." He smiled kissing her forehead.
She looked at him ....she failed to understand how he read her mind everytime....

She smiled ...soon the baby movements also reduced...seemed like baby too was craving his baba's attention...
Soon slumber took over !
Anubhav too departed to sleep not before giving a "good night kiss" to baby and Mamma!....

To be continued.