Seven Colors of Our Love

.26-

Abhishek entered the Malhan house, with a loosened tie around his neck, rolled up sleeves up to his elbows, and a coat placed on his forearm. The house was as silent as a grave. He glanced at his watch, it was almost three o'clock in the afternoon and his stomach was screaming for something to eat. He got free from the meeting late than he has expected. He hurriedly climbed the stairs and walked into the room quietly.

He took off his watch and placed it along with his coat on the bed while his eyes moved towards Afsa and Manisha who were sleeping. He unfastened the tie around his neck and kept it above his coat on the bed, and sneaked into the bathroom.

Manisha was half asleep with her hair spread on the pillow when Abhishek walked into the washroom. She could feel his presence in the room. Her eyelids drooped and she drowsed. She stirred and finally opened her eyes and starred at Afsa, her soft snores were audible. A smile appeared across her face. She pulled the stray hair away from her eyes as she propped herself up on her elbows, kissed Afsa's cheek and muttered "Mera baccha".

She was lost in her thoughts when Abhishek came out of the washroom freshly showered. Their eyes locked for a moment and then she carefully sat down on the bed, grabbed her hair in both hands, and swept it back, tying it in a loose knot. He came forward and laid down on his stomach on the bed, while his legs were hanging at his side of the bed.

"Late hogaya aaj", She said in a hushed tone. She hugged her knees to her chest and rested her cheek on one knee.

"Haa,, important meeting tha", He replied in the same tone with his eyes fixed on his daughter.

He softly kissed Afsa on her forehead and then dropped kisses over her whole face, hands, and feet. She made a soft noise, cuddling closer to her father.

"Abhishek no, you will wake her up. She is tired, bari mushkil say sulaya hai aaj", Manisha whisper yelled with wriggled eyebrows.

"Hmm", Abhishek hummed but kept cuddling Afsa. Afsa opened her eyes and yawned. She blinked up at her daddy with a straight face. Abhishek grinned and kissed Afsa's hands again.

"Why are you so serious, han? I guess you missed your daddy a lot today", Abhishek asked Afsa with a smile, the kind of smile which showed longing.

"Because her daddy disturbed her beauty sleep", Manisha corrected him and rolled her eyes.

"If you are going to make her sleep at that time when I come home, I'll wake her up every day. The choice is yours either make her sleep before or after my arrival, or I won't let her sleep.", Abhishek said looking at Manisha and then shifted his eyes towards Afsa again. He rolled over and placed Afsa on his abdomen.

Abhishek was playing with Afsa, his hunger long forgotten now. The room was filled with both father-daughter voices. Suddenly they heard a knock at the door. Manisha stood up from the bed and opened the door. Mom was standing in front of her with a tray in her hand. Manisha slightly moved aside, mom came inside followed by Manisha.

"Afsa awake?", Mom said looking at Afsa who was sitting on her daddy's abdomen.

"Haa", Abhishek said and sat up straight.

"Why did you trouble yourself, mom. I was about to go and bring food from the kitchen. You should take some rest", Manisha said taking the tray from mom.

"Rest? how can I rest when I know you haven't eaten anything. Prerna said you will eat with Abhishek, that's why I was waiting for him. You wait for him every day that's okay, but today you really made me worried Manisha. A mother can never rest when her child is in misery.", Mom said genuinely. She looked troubled.

Manisha moved forward and hugged mom, she kept her chin on mom's shoulder. Mom's words had almost melted her emotionally. "Sorry for hurting you mom, I would never do this again", she said.