"Muskurana bhi tujhi se sikha hain, dil lagane ka tu hi tareeka hai." Sameer scowled at his wife who was singing a song at 5:35 AM, disturbing his beauty sleep.
"Naina yaar, yeh koi time hai gaana gane ka?" He asked her irately.
"Kya karu, aadhe ghante se neend khuli hui hai par aa hi nahi rahi hai," Naina said with a cute pout.
"Neend ko kya zip lagi huwi thi jo khul gayi." Sameer couldn't resist the masculine urge to be sarcastic at his wife's silly reply.
"Khabardar jo aise sarcastic replies diye aadhi raat ko toh." She threatened him in a stern voice while adjusting the pillow under her head.
"Toh tum yeh self antakshari band karo." He said stridently and put the cushion over his face to sleep again.
"Kaisa pati hai mera, mujhe sulane ki jagah khud so gaya." He heard Naina saying exasperatedly but he chose to ignore her for the time being.
"Useless," Naina said in a firm voice, eager to earn his reaction.
"Heartless." She added, looking at her husband carelessly lying beside her.
Naina gritted her teeth at Sameer's chivalry to ignore her and said annoyingly - "Colorless."
Sameer frowned under the pillow and quickly turned to look at his wife in confusion - "What colorless?"
"Woh rhyme nahi ho raha tha kuch isliye yeh add kar diya," Naina said innocently while pouting like a baby
"Tum ladkiyan khud ko sahi prove karney ke liye kuch bhi bolti hona?" Sameer asked his woman with a disgruntled expression and released a frustrated sigh through his mouth.
"Tum pehle mujhe sulao, bakwas mat karo." She demanded in an authoritative tone as if he disturbed her sleep by playing loud music.
"Arey yaar tum kya choti bacchi ho jo main sulau?" He looked at her with a scowl etching on his face.
"Matlab sirf chote bacho ko sulaya jana chahiye hai, bado ko nahi? Kyun? Unhe neend pyaari nahi hoti?" Naina said with an offended expression while flaring up her nose.
"Tum batao kya karu main tumhe sulane ke liye?" Sameer asked her with calmness in his controlled voice.
"Agar mujhe pata hota toh main khud hi woh kar leti na," Naina replied to him with sarcasm evident in her infuriated voice.
"Tumhe pata hota kya hai phir? Mera dimag chaant na?" Sameer said vexatiously.
"Main kya doggy hoon jo tumhara dimag lick karugi, aur ek minute dimag toh chupa hua hota hai use koi kaise lick kar sakta hai? Kuch bhi comeback mat do." Naina raised a logical question with a haughty expression, making her husband feel tremendously miffed.
"Naina humein ek ghante baad uthna hai, kyu tum mera aur apna, dono ka time waste kar rahi ho, ya toh uth kar ready ho jao ya phir so jao." Sameer softened his tone while dropping his lower lip, and Naina said gently - "Uth hi jati hun, mujhe bilkul neend nahi aa rahi hai."
"Mujhe huggie kar ke so jao." He suggested, feeling rueful at watching her dolefully staring at the fan.
"Jaane do, I will take a bath, tum so jao." Patting his head lovingly. Naina pushed aside the quilt and fetched a banana clip from the table, rolling her hair into a messy bun.
• Fifteen minutes passed by with peace in the room when Sameer heard songs playing on his wife's phone while she was taking a shower. He growled at her with utmost indignation and sat straight on the bed, his hair looking like a bird nest, eyes filled with rage, and lips pressed tighter to refrain himself from shouting at her.
