The next morning, Sid woke up with his body still aching from the previous day. He could feel the tightness in his lower back and upper back, but he forced himself out of bed, knowing the day wouldn't wait for him to feel better. He made his way to the kitchen, hoping for a quiet morning, but what he found made him pause at the door.
Rey and Miu were standing by the kitchen counter, completely focused on kneading dough. Or at least, they were trying to. The large mixing bowl in front of them was filled with a watery mess instead of dough. Sid sighed deeply, seeing the disastrous state of their attempt.
He walked over to them and asked, "Yeh kya kar rahe ho dono?"
Rey and Miu turned to look at him with identical pouts on their faces. Rey spoke up first, "Dad, humein puri aur matar ki sabji khani thi, par yeh aata gundhna itna mushkil kyun hai?"
Miu added, "Haan, aur jab aap banate ho toh lagta hai itna easy hai, lekin yeh toh... yeh toh pura liquid ban gaya."
Sid couldn’t help but chuckle softly at their innocent complaints. He shook his head and said, "Jab banata hoon toh dhyan se dekhte kyun nahi ho? Main kya itna paani daalta hoon?"
The kids pouted even more, their frustration evident. They had wanted to surprise their dad with breakfast, but it wasn’t going as planned. Sid, despite the pain still gnawing at his back, couldn’t bear to see them upset. He stepped closer, taking the mixing bowl from them.
"Chalo, main sambhalta hoon," he said, rolling up his sleeves. He began kneading the dough himself, adding small amounts of warm water to make it soft and pliable. Every movement sent a sharp pain through his back, but he ignored it, focusing instead on making the perfect dough for his kids.
The kids watched him intently, feeling a bit guilty for making him work despite knowing how much pain he was in. Miu bit her lip and said softly, "Dad, aapko ye sab karne ki zarurat nahi thi. Hum try kar rahe the…"
Sid gave her a small smile, though his back throbbed with every knead. "Tum dono ke liye puri aur matar ki sabji banani hai na? Toh thoda pain toh sehna hoga."
It took him a little longer than usual, but eventually, the dough was ready, and Sid began rolling out the puris while the kids watched. Soon, the smell of freshly fried puris filled the kitchen, and the kids' faces lit up with joy.
When Sid finally set the plate of puris and matar sabji on the table, Rey and Miu couldn’t contain their excitement. They dug in happily, their earlier frustration forgotten.
In the evening, after a long day that had taken its toll on his already strained body, Sid lay on his bed after completing dinner. He was pressing his lower back, trying to ease the pain that had settled deep into his muscles. Rey and Miu lay beside him, their arms wrapped around him protectively, sensing that he wasn’t feeling well.
Sid let out a tired sigh, feeling the exhaustion of the day weighing heavily on him. "Tum dono ko mujhe zyada kaam nahi karne dena chahiye," he said, his voice filled with a mixture of pain and frustration. "Itna dard rehta hai meri kamar aur pith mein, phir bhi tum dono na hi subah jaldi uthte ho aur na hi shaam ko madad karte ho. Saara din sab kuch khud karna parta hai... uske baad puri raat mein dard main rehta hu."
Rey and Miu listened quietly, their expressions filled with guilt. They knew their dad worked hard every day to take care of them, and hearing him speak like this made them realize just how much pain he was in.
Sid continued, his voice softer now, "Kash koi thoda pith aur kamar hi daba deta... koi kuch nahi karke deta hai, sab kuch khud hi sambhalna padta hai mujhe."
Miu immediately sat up and began gently pressing his back. "Dad, hum karte hain... aap bas relax karo," she said, her voice shaky.
Rey joined in, pressing Sid’s lower back with a careful touch. "Haan, Dad. Hum hai na... aapko akele sab kuch karna nahi padhega."
Sid felt a wave of emotion wash over him. The pain in his body was still there, but the love and concern from his children made it feel a little more bearable. He closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath as they continued to massage his aching back.
After a while, Sid’s body began to relax, the pain slowly easing under their gentle care. He reached out and placed a hand on each of their heads, his heart swelling with love for them.
"Bas, ab thoda rest kar lo tum dono bhi," he said softly, pulling them closer to him. "Agar tum dono saath ho, toh sab kuch thoda easier lagta hai."
Rey and Miu snuggled close to him, their small hands still resting on his back, as if to remind him that they were there for him. The room was quiet, filled only with the sound of their breathing and the occasional soft sigh from Sid as the pain finally began to subside.
As they drifted off to sleep, Sid felt a deep sense of peace. He knew that no matter how hard things got, he would always have his kids by his side. And that was all the strength he needed to keep going, day after day, no matter how much his body ached or how tired he felt.
In the stillness of the night, with his children beside him, Sid allowed himself to rest, knowing that tomorrow was another day he would face with the same determination and love that had carried him through every challenge so far.
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