ʟᴏᴠᴇ- ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʀᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ | ✓

~ t h i r t y e i g h t ~

"लफ्ज करेगे इशारा जाने का,
तुम आंखे पढ़कर रूक जाना!"

"Mimi pink hairband?" Anahita happily sprinted to the dressing table and fetched her pink hairband before running back to her mother who was sitting on the bed waiting for her to get dressed for school. Nandini was combing Anahita's hair in a braid when she remembered about the boy from yesterday party who was not looking fine.

"Shona, does your this Aan Bhaiya studies in your school?"

"Ni Mimi." Nandini frowned hearing her and looked at her daughter who was playing with the hairband in her hand.

"Then how do you know him Anahita?" Anahita frowned when Nandini made her sit in her lap after tying rubber band in her hairs.

"Mimi Aan Bhaiya grows pants in our school."

(Pants - plants)

"Plants?" Nandini's forehead ceased in confusion hearing this.

"Mimi he is very good boy. He helped me one time when I fell playing. But he is budhu, wo khud bhi girte rehte hai and and unhe uii hoti rehti h."

(He himself is Silly, he keeps falling and gets wounded)

Nandini knew that this is not what it's all about. Firstly he works in the school at this age which must be five or six at the most. And then those deep bruises and his fearful face, this is not at all normal. Nandini puts up a smile on her face when she felt her daughter caressing her cheeks.

"Mimi you tense?" Nandini shook her head in no and kissed her forehead before hugging her and her gaze fell on the portrait hanging on the wall opposite to the bed.

(Mimi are you tensed)

It was a portrait of Her, Anahita and Manik from the night of Diwali when they were exiting the main door of the house. Anahita was holding both of their hands on her each side and they both were looking at her with a smile while Anahita was looking at the front. She was surprised herself when Fab Four gifted Anahita this portrait yesterday and seeing it Anahita's happiness was on another level as she insisted on hanging it in the room. Nandini sighed deeply looking at it.

Manik Malhotra was too much in their lives, in her daughter's life. And as happy as she was seeing her daughter happy, she knew this happiness is not permanent. One or another day this all is going to end. This has to. Because at the end it is going to hurt and sooner, the better. Muttering an apology to her daughter in her mind she kissed the top of Anahita's hand who giggled at her mother making her smile back too.

And although she was sure that she really need to do this, a part in her was aching for something. There are days when the melancholy settles on you like a sudden change in weather. The kind of sadness that is intangible. Like the presence of an ache where you can't pinpoint exactly where it hurts, you just know it does. And Nandini Murthy was exactly feeling like that.

"Nandu!" Nandini looked at Ishita shaking her thoughts off, who was standing beside her.

"Ji Ishi Maa?" She stood up and made Anahita wore her shoes.

"You okay bache?" Nandini stood up and gave a smile to her before nodding her head.

"Ok, so I was saying that I'm going to hospital, I'll drop Anahita, hmm?" Nandini looked at Anahita and thought something for a moment before agreeing with Ishita and soon after Nandini waved a bye to her daughter who went off with Ishita. She came back to her room to pack her bag lost in her thoughts. She was putting her books when again her gaze fell on the portrait and she moved towards it before standing in front of the frame. Gently she removed the frame and kept it in the cabinet of the table and sighed.