"Anaya, darwaza kholo!"
Anaya was completely lost in her sleep, dreaming of a world where everything was as lazy as she was. The perfect world. Her peaceful slumber was suddenly shattered by an insistent knock on the door.
"Darwaza do minute mein nahi khola toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga!"
Anaya groaned, still in her pajamas, her hair looking like a bird's nest after a windstorm. "Kaun hai yaar?" she muttered half asleep, squinting at the clock. It was already 11 a.m. Her heart sank. She knew it was too late—Azaan will kill her with his taunts.
With a dramatic sigh, Anaya dragged herself out of bed and stumbled towards the door. When she opened it, there stood her mother, looking like a storm had just passed through her. Hair wild, eyes wide, and frustration written all over her face.
"Kitna baaj rahe ho! Dekha! Sab tumhe kaafi der se bulara rahe hain" her mother screamed. "Tumahra dadajaan bohot gusse mein hein "
Anaya, still half asleep, rolled her eyes and side-hugged her mother, giving her a tired smile. "Ammi, chill. Woh hamesha gusse mein rehte hain."
Her mother pushed her hand away, clearly done with her. "Office nahi jaana kya? Sasural jaake kya karogi sirf so na aur sona nahi . Tumhari fuppo mujhe taana mar-mar ke rula degi, samjhi?" Her mother's voice was filled with exasperation.
Anaya, with the seriousness of a seasoned drama queen, dramatically sighed and replied, "Ammi, fuppo ki itni himmat? Woh meri ammi ko taana degi? Don't worry, jab mein unki bahu banungi, tab unko rulake rahungi!" She placed her hand over her heart and added, "Aapka badla lungi, ammi, aapka badla aapki beti legi "
Before she could continue her dramatic monologue, her mother took action—she hit Anaya's arm with her sandal.
Anaya winced, rubbing her arm and whining "Kya ammi? Mein aapka badla lene ke liye planning kar rahi thi, aur aap mujhe maar rahi ho?"
Her mother shook her head and said, "Mera badla lene ki koi zarurat nahi hai, maha rani! Tum pehle jaake tayar ho, nahi toh tumhare dadajaan tumhe ruladeenge" With that, she turned to leave.
Anaya, still processing the sandal incident, called out "Ammi, Azhaar ko kuch bola hai dadajaan ne? Aur kisi aur ne kuch kaha?"
Her mother turned back, her tone suddenly softer, "Nahi, kuch nahi bola."
Anaya gasped dramatically "Sach mein?!"
Her mother smirked. "Datenge kaise woh? Azhaar aur Aqsa abhi uthi hai, tumhari tarah." She raised an eyebrow and said "Niche aake tum teeno ki daat lagegi, toh jaldi jao aur tayar ho jao"
Anaya, now fully awake, let out a long, dramatic sigh. "I guess I'm not getting any peace today..."
After 30 minutes, Anaya was finally ready. She had mentally prepared herself for a major scolding from both her dadajaan and Azaan. She went downstairs, expecting chaos but to her surprise, everything was unusually peaceful.
Curious, she walked into the kitchen where her mother and two housemaids were preparing lunch. Anaya plopped down on the kitchen aisle and said lazily "Morning, khalas."
Her mother looked at her, eyes narrowing. "Abhi morning nahi hai, noon hai! Aur salam dena seekho " she snapped, clearly frustrated.
Anaya, still half-asleep, rolled her eyes. "Ammi, mat daato, abhi dadajaan aur Azaan bhai ka daat khana hai" she said, grabbing an apple from the fruit basket and biting into it.
Her mother's patience was clearly running thin. She slapped Anaya's arm. "Dho ke khaa nahi sakti?" she scolded. Then, without waiting for Anaya to respond, she snatched the apple, washed it and handed it back. "Khao abhi"
