Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 67- The Calm Before

CHAPTER 67

THE CALM BEFORE

"Chachu!"

Karan barely had time to brace himself before a small mass hit his legs, hugging him tightly. He smiled, hauling his niece up in his arms. "Hi, Baby", he said, kissing her cheek as he carried her inside.

"Karan?" Barkha said, walking out of the kitchen. "Kahan the tum? Kab se wait kar rahi hoon main tumhaara. Mujhe laga tum Param ke saath hi aaoge."

"Haan, woh... thoda kaam aa gaya tha", he dismissed.

"Haan, haan", Param said, narrowing his eyes. "Pata hai kaisa kaam tha. Monami ke saath tha, na?"

He rolled his eyes, setting Baby down. "Maybe", he admitted. "Par... only because she was upset. Uska kal psychological evaluation hai and she was worried. Main bas uska mood theek karne ki koshish kar raha tha."

"Monami?" Baby piped up. "Yeh kaun hai? Aapki girlfriend hai? Aap unko pasand karte ho?" Her eyes lit up. "Meri Chachi banegi? Mujhe bhi milna hai Chachi se."

Karan shook his head. "Aap toh, Baby, apne Faizi Chachu se bhi aage pahunch gaye ho. Chachi nahi hai, Didi hai", he corrected. "Meri dost hai bas. Aur aap apna dimaag inn baaton mein mat chalao. Thoda sa hi hai. Homework mein chalao." She opened her mouth, huffing when he narrowed his eyes in warning. He looked up at his brother and Bhabhi. "Aur bas. Ab Monami ke baare mein koi baat nahi. Main yahan relax karne aaya hoon."

Barkha shook her head. "Achha, theek hai", she said. "Chalo. Haath dho lo. Khaana lagaa deti hoon. Tumhaara manpasand khaana banaaya hai maine." He smiled. His Bhabhi's food and then sleep. Sounded perfect.

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Koel chuckled, watching him happily eat the cake. He swallowed the last bite, looking at her. "Chahiye?" She asked, chuckling again and extending her own plate.

He shook his head. "Tum khao", he said. He eyed her. "Tum... bore ho gayi, na? Weapons exhibition mein?"

She looked at him. "It was... different than I had expected", she admitted. It was a lot more like a museum, if she was being honest. The 'cool' weapons were lethally dangerous, and his 'explaining' was a classroom lecture. There were some people who apparently were high level and he was well behaved, almost like an agent. All in all, the exhibition was far from romantic. But she didn't hate it. His excitement and happiness was worth it and she did get to learn some things.

He sighed. "Sorry", he said. "Hume tumhe lekar nahi aana chahiye tha. Isse achha tum cadets ke saath hi reh leti. Humne tumhaara Sunday bhi barbaad kar diya."

She smiled. "Tumhaare saath hoon toh Sunday kaise barbaad ho sakta hai?" She clutched his hand. "Waise bhi, abhi toh 2 hi baje hain. Bahut time hai. Kuchh aur karte hain."

He gently lifted her hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Bataiye, mahutarma. Kahan jaana hai aapko?"

She hummed in thought. "Well, ab hum Naasik mein hain hi toh thoda yahan hi ghoom lete hain. 3-4 ghante ghoomte hain aur phir waapas Deolali chale jaayenge." She bit her lip, searching some places. Her eyes lit up. "Yahan waterfall hai, bahut mandir hai, dam hai, caves hain."

He smiled. "Naasik ke toh Ramayana se bahut links hai, na?" He asked. She nodded. "Decide kar lo kahan jaana hai."

"Tumhaari koi preference?"

"Hum almost sab hi jagah gaye hue hain", he admitted. "Toh tumhe jahan bhi jaana hai, hume koi dikkat nahi hai."

"Waterfall?" She asked hopefully. He nodded, smiling. A grin spread over her face.