SamaiNa and Savitri were having gossip during teatime, putting the baked cookies in the hot piping fluid to enjoy their softness. It was a Sunday and the couple decided to dedicate their holiday to the loving woman and be with her the entire day to not make her feel alone. Usually, on weekdays they both go to their respective offices to earn money and return home a little late due to extra work and then get busy with each other, so on Sundays they mutually agreed to spend precious time with Savitri and make her laugh and happy as much as they could.
"Aai, aapka beta mujhe kal keh raha tha ki woh bachpan me bahut hi sidha tha." Naina started to speak again when the previous topic ended.
"Yeh aur sidha?" Savitri couldn't help but mock while disbelievingly staring at her son.
"Haa toh, aapne hi kaha tha na mujhse main baki bacho se kaafi alag tha," Sameer said innocently.
"Haa toh alag tha yeh kaha tha, sidha tha yeh nahi." Savitri snapped back, causing her daughter-in-law to break into a wide smile.
"Thodi bahut masti toh har bacha karta hai." He whined, pouting in despondency.
"Tujhe pata bhi hai ki tu kitni masti karta tha? Woh thodi bahut ki list me aata hi nahi, yaha waha sab jagah crawl karne ko chahiye tha, aur ghar me kuch bhi neeche padha hua milta tha toh woh sidha tere ya toh haath me aayega ya muh me." Savitri complained while sipping on tea prepared by her son, and Sameer mentally palmed his mortified face.
"Ek baar toh isne shivi ke project me lagane wale moti kha liye the. Deva, itni mushkil se nikala, kya batau." She added further, shaking her head in utter disappointment at her son's eagerness to taste every kind of non-living thing he used to find around their mini house.
"Kya museebat hai," Sameer muttered furiously under his breath.
"Bache aise hi thodi bade hote hai, bahut mushkil hai," Naina said understandingly as she knew the small version of her wasn't innocent and naive at all. She too used to annoy her entire family with her endless mischievousness.
"Bilkul, shivi humari bahut sidhi aur samjhdaar thi, par uska yeh bhai pura opposite nikla. Itna rota tha itna rota tha ki ados pados ke log apne kaanon me ruhi dal kar ghumte the." Savitri spoke with a lighthearted smile, finishing the remaining tea by taking a large sip. She put the empty cup on the table and veered her gaze at her son, making cute faces in annoyance.
"Not good Mr.Raut." Naina jeered at her husband while curving her lips.
"Shut up." Sameer mouthed in aggression.
They heard someone's shoes or to be precise a kid's footwear noise resonating outside their house, and everyone's gaze twirled to the doorstep to see Shivangi holding her daughter's finger as Shivika was walking happily, taking quick yet feeble steps as she was a new learner. Their faces shone in transparent delight when they found their favorite human giggling at them while bouncing on the floor, and SamaiNa quickly got up to welcome the bundle of joy.
"Awww meri shivu baby," Naina said in a soft voice, kneeling to hug her gently.
"Maaa...maa...maami." When Shivika called her MAA while practicing speaking Maami without floundering, Naina's heart fluttered furiously against her chest, leaving prompt teardrops in her eyes.
This was such a beautiful feeling.
"Wahi main sochu yeh puchuk puchuk ki aawaz kaha se aa rahi hai," Sameer said amusingly to his smiling sister, and Shivika flashed a toothy smile, her teeny-weeny hands tapping on Naina's shoulder.
