Waqifiyat

Kashmakash

"Mr and Mrs Shekhawat..what is the issue exactly?", Chikki's class teacher is asking them.

Both of them are called to her preschool as she is getting very gloomy. She even started having detachment symptoms.

"She used to be such a sweet kid. Although mischievous but never so rude ever. Now she almost never interacts with anyone. Stopped playing during her breaks. Almost all her friends are lost now. I understand the difficult situation you all had gone through but this is impacting her adversely. You have to be careful", her teacher told them strictly.

Naina and Rajveer is sitting and listening this, feeling ashamed.

"She didn't said a single word in her oral assessment. Do you know that?", her teacher asked.

"She didn't tell me that her exams are there", Naina said.

"She doesn't participated in the drawing competition last week as well", her teacher told them.

Rajveer who is still a bit lost till this time looked sharply at her teacher. Chikki loves to draw. They had to paint the house twice after her birth as complete walls used to be the canvas for her.

"Mr. Shekhawat, I understand your loss but you have to be careful regarding your daughter. She is suffering too and you need to be there for her", he teacher this time directly spoke to him.

He nodded and they left to pick up Chikki.

He took her in his arms and sit along with her in back of car. He stopped driving since that accident.

Naina took the wheels.

"So...mera baby kya khayega aaj lunch me", he asked clocking her seat belt even at back seat.

"I don't know", Chikki replied moodily looking outside the window.

"Hmm....what should we have then", he tried to enact.

"I know.....I want to have burgers....Burger King chale", Naina asked like old times.

"Idea to acha hai....nai Chikki", he asked looking sideways at Chikki who smiled against glass.

"Ok....but mai icecream bhi khayungi", Chikki said folding her arms.

"Yep...me too. Vo bhi corner house se..", Naina said.

"DBC", Chikki shouted in excitement.

"DBC", Rajveer agreed.

Chikki is having her old smile after a long time.

They left to Burger King and enjoyed food. Naina and Chikki fought for fries as usual while Rajveer also tried to be present in the scene.

As Chikki was slurping her icecream, Naina stole a spoon of her's.

"Dada dekho na", Chikki shouted.

Naina teased her, circling the box out of her reach. As she puts the box again in front of Chikki, accidentally her hand touched to Rajveer's.

He pulled his hand back in annoyance.

Naina looked at him muttering sorry. He didn't replied anything but left from there in pretence of buying a takeout.

Air becomes suddenly thick and Naina felt difficult to breathe. She lost all appetite for icecream.

Chikki finished the icecream soon and they left.

Inside the car, Rajveer looked at Chikki smiling and asked, "tumne Naina ko bataya kyu nahin ki tumhare exams the?".

"Kyuki teacher asked us to tell our parents. Dada aap ghar pe the hi nahin to kab batati", Chikki replied with her smile getting lost.