D for Daddy

1. Fairy Tales

A small two storey cottage was basking in the warmth of early morning sun. It was surrounded by tall fence on all sides, painted in red and white.

Kian groaned in defeat when he walked in the room to find his four-year-old son still sleeping without any worry. He looked at the wall clock and pursed his lips. He still had two more hours to leave for school. But given the liberty his son had towards being careless, he needed those two hours to be ready on time and drop the little devil to school.

He gently pulled away the duvet that Maan had around his body and stroked his little dark eyebrow.

"Maan!" he whispered, rubbing the arm of the small boy.

Armaan did not reply. Kian sighed and picked up the boy in his arms.
"Maan, get up. We are getting late to school."

Maan was still lost in the dream of a beautiful fairy.

"Maan!" Kian called him again in a louder voice and rubbed his back. This time though, Maan responded back and hummed in sleep, tightening his hold around his father's neck.

Kian walked to the bathroom with his child still in his arms and opened the tap. He ran his hand under the water and brushed his cold wet fingers on Maan's closed eyes. The boy was suddenly awake and pouted at his father. Kian smiled at him.

"Good Morning!" He whispered.

Maan did not reply and laid his head on his father's shoulder. Kian rubbed his back gently and said, "I made your favourite sandwich."

That did the trick and Maan looked at his father with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Hungry?" Kian asked to which the boy nodded. Kian immediately put the boy down on his feet.

"Then you know what to do?" Kian asked and the boy nodded again. Kian smiled, ruffled his hair and walked out.

Maan was smart enough to empty his stomach, brush his teeth and wash himself properly before he rushed down to have his favourite breakfast.
Kian warmed the sandwich and extended a cup of chocolate milk to Maan and sat down with him with his own plate of sandwich and a cup of strong tea.

Maan hungrily took a bite and chewed on it leisurly. A smile made a way to his face and he emptied his plate without a word.

"Do you want one more?" Kian asked.

Maan shook his head. "No. I am full."

Before Kian could say anything, Maan rushed out of the kitchen to the backgarden. He could not hold himself naymore ans ran behind the squirrels, along with the small kittens that he had recently picked up from roadside. Kian did not mind the kittens as long as they did not come inside the house. He made sure that the kittens were comforatable in his backgarden.

He once looked at the kid playing soft ball with the kittens and got back to his work. Taking some wheat flour in a deep bowl, he added a pinch of salt and some crushed Kasuri methi and kneaded a hard dough. Allowing it to rest for some time, he walked to the bedroom and made the bed. Coming back to the kitchen, he washed his hands and rolled out small pooris out of the dough. The poories turned out to be round, golden and crispy, just the way Maan liked them. Making enough of them, Kian packed a fw in Maan's lunchbox, along with sweet lemon pickle. He looked the boy who was still playing.
Kian had to drag back the retorting boy to get ready for the school. After a fresh warm shower, Maan was ready in his uniform and came down along with father.

Kian locked the house and picked up the little boy to seat in front of his bike. He secured the school bag and ignited the engine.
As soon as the bike zoomed off at a moderate speed, Maan burst out laughing, making Kian smile too. He did not understand how the boy can enjoy the same thing everyday. Maan loved it when the wind played with his silky lush hair and tickled the skin on his face. He would enjoy every ride with his father as he sat in the front. He could not stop laughing until the bike stopeed.