"Tum ho kahan?" Naina asked her husband on the call in a worried voice as it was past eight.
"Aa raha hoon thodi der me, tum Enaika ko ready kar ke terrace pe aa jao." Sameer guided her, currently seated on the opulent velvety chair while staring at his feet.
"Aur thodi der? Sara kaam kya aaj hi niptaoge?" Naina's tone was stern, expressing her disappointment over his constant delay in meeting her after a long day.
"Jaan, samjha karo, aa raha hun main...thoda sa kaam baki hai sirf." Sameer tried to placate his upset girl in a meek tone, however, he could feel her pain and longing to meet him and hug him as he was feeling the same way, but they would have to wait for some time.
"Sameer chand nikalne me thoda hi waqt hai, tumhari biwi shaam se tumhara intezaar kar rahi hai lekin tum itne busy ho ki tumhe mujhe call karne ka bhi time nahi mila? Itna kaam ko importance? Ek din agar apne boss se keh dete ki main aaj ka kaam kal karuga toh woh kya tumhey job se nikal dete?" Naina's frustration had been building up for hours, and now it had reached its peak. She scolded her husband in a disgruntled tone, her chest tightening with heaviness. As an understanding wife, she had been trying to keep her anger and frustration in check, but now it was all going over her head. She couldn't understand why her husband was giving more attention to his work than to her. She had been eagerly waiting for this day, to get ready together and spend time with her husband, but his absence had ruined all her plans. She couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment, which made her feel like a cranky baby. She wanted her husband to show his yearning to see her adorned as a bride and spend time with her, but it seemed like work was taking priority over their relationship, and that thought made her even more upset.
Sameer exhaled in glum, keeping his mouth sealed as replying to her would intensify his guilt and at this moment all he wanted to do was to get the gift he had been waiting for and run back to his wife.
"I will meet you after half an hour, till then, khayal rakhna apna aur choti ka." He said ruefully, immediately disconnecting the call and letting out a frustrated sigh.
Naina stared at her cell phone with nothing but uncontrollable rage, irrational thoughts slowly consuming her sensibility. She threw the electronic gadget on the bed and hissed in utter annoyance, her brown eyes welling up with brine dewdrops.
"What happened, Mumma?" Enaika's innocent voice filled with concern caught Naina off guard as she swerved her head, alarmed, quickly controlling her overflowing emotions with an artificial sweet smile on her face.
"Nothing Shona," Naina replied to her in a soft voice, blinking her moist eyes to look normal and happy.
"No, I saw you throwing your phone on the bed." Enaika's sudden revelation caught her mother off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless. Despite her young age, Enaika's sharp observation skills impressed Naina, who was both surprised and proud of her daughter.
Naina made a conscious effort to remain calm, avoiding any overreaction as she slowly sat down on the bed, gesturing for Enaika to come to her -- Enaika eagerly scurried over and climbed onto her mother's lap, a cute grin forming on her lips. With her inquisitive eyes fixed on her mother's face, Enaika tried to read her mother's expression, attempting to conclude what she had just revealed through her silence.
"I am missing your Dadda," Naina said with an adorable expression, her slender fingers playing with her daughter's small cute hands.
"Aww." Enaika's reaction was literally endearing as she took her mother in a consoling embrace, pressing her head against her warm cheek. She attempted to soothe her mother's pain, saying in a babyish elated tone - "Dadda nahi hai toh kya hua, Enaika haina mumma ko happy happy karne ke liye."
