Nikhil and Neha. Inseparable since 8th grade. When they find out they are actually very distant cousins, they become even better friends. Anya. The link between Nikhil and Neha when Neha moves away and Nikhil refuses to talk to her. Also their cousi...
"Nikhil, hold him still. And don't drop him! I'm just going to get the towel. Anya, help him hold Krish."
"Neha, I don't need help holding a baby. It's fine. I can do it. It's just holding a baby. I've done that before."
"Yeah right. And look at what you are doing to Krish. Neha, you better hurry up."
"I can't find his towel! Or any towel for that matter! Anya, please come and help me out!"
"Honey, you don't use turkey towels in here, so you won't find any. Grandma put some cloth towel outside for Krish. Go get that."
"Nikhil, what did we say about my nicknames?" I say, coming back into the bathroom, a soft cloth in hand for Krish.
"I call you sweet, cheesy stuff whenever I want to annoy you, and this was the perfect moment." I take Krish from a grinning Nikhil.
"I'm gonna go now. I'm not sure I wanna be around a mad Neha. Nikhil, you better be able to save yourself." She made a throat-slit gesture with her hand.
"What are you gonna say now?" He takes a fully wrapped Krish from my hands and lays him on the bed.
"Nothing. I know its useless trying to get you to change, so I'm not gonna say anything. You can be as stubborn as you want." I hand Nikhil Krish's clothes.
"Then do I get to call you mushy mushy stuff now?" He grins at me while clothing Krish.
"Haha. You wish! I can only tolerate so much, you see." I peck his cheek and pick up Krish, handing his bottle to Nikhil.
"Where are you going? What am I supposed to do with Krish's bottle? Drink from it?"
"Calm down darling," I drag out the last bit. "Go clean his bottle and get him another bottle of milk while I get him some fresh air." I walk down, into the backyard, bouncing a goofy Krish in my arms.
Five minutes in, I hear Anya shouting in the outhouse. Peering through the giant windows of the workshop, I ask her if she's okay.
"Swapnil just missed his flight. He's coming tomorrow. His boss gave him some work so he had to stay back, then his flight got delayed, and now he's missed his flight."
"Neha! Where is the milk formula? And the bottle sterilizing thing? I can't find them anywhere. Come here quickly."
"Boys." Anya chuckles. "Here, I'll hold him. I'll also get some bonding time with him. Go knock some sense into your boyfriend." The words 'your boyfriend' is still difficult to process, because, literally, Nikhil is my first boyfriend ever, and at 23 at that. I just grin and walk out of the outhouse.
"Nikhil, what's wrong? They are right here. How can you be so oblivious?"
"I ain't oblivious darling, I just want to spend some time with you. I already did whatever you asked me to. I'm just waiting for the bottle to dry. You should really go and get ready. I pulled out a dress for you. Please wear it today. You may not like the combination, but I hope you'll wear it for me."
"Kay fine. Tell Anya I've gone to get ready, will ya?"
"Sure. I love you." I peck him on the cheek and go up. Walking into the room, I see that Nikhil pulled out one of my favorite outfits - a flannel and jeans (in the pic below w/o the bag). Gods! I do love him.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Pulling my hair up into a messy bun, I get out of the room and walk to the workshop outside, and as expected, I see Anya trying to convince Nikhil that the way she is holding Krish is the right way to hold a baby. She is partly right, though she isn't supporting the lower back. I walk in and just smirk at both of them, each one forgetting to hold one part and arguing that they are right.
"Ahem. May I, m'lady and m'lord?"
"Nehaaaaa! Tell her I'm doing it right!"
"NOO! Neha, tell him that I'm doing it right!"
"Both of you are right and both of you are wrong. Support both the neck and the lower back." I sit on the table, take Krish from them and start feeding him out of the bottle Nikhil prepared.
"Nikhil, tell her now." Anya hisses.
"Tell me what?"
"Well, I was thinking, maybe we could go out on a date today, I mean, now."
"Um...why this thought all of a sudden?"
"Well, you said yesterday evening that you never had your first date nor your first kiss, but I am now your first kiss, so why not just become your first date as well, that too right away?"
"Um, okay. Just give me some time. I'll go prepare."
"Neha, don't worry. Just come. You are beautiful just way you are. You don't need to do anything to yourself to make me attracted to you. Your energy is huge magnet in itself. Please. Don't spoil your face with unnecessary chemicals."
He sounds so serious I can't help but raise my head to see if he's joking or not.
"Fine, Anya, will you be able to take care of Krish?"
"Don't bother yourself about him Neha. Enjoy yourself. You need a break for yourself. Nikhil, make sure she relaxes." She sits next to me and I hand Krish over to her.
"Yes Ma'am. I'll make sure she'll have the best first date ever." He smirks.
"I want all the de-," she looks at Nikhil and chnges her mind to, "- you know what, I don't want any details. Nikhil, you better not make her uncomfortable." She warns.
"Anya, relax. I'm not going to hurt her in any way. I love her just as much as you do and I will never let anything happen to her, even when she doesn't love me back." He slips his hand around me.
"Well, you won't have to worry about that part for the next 80 years at least," I say, pecking his cheek. He grins down at me.
"We're going. Don't stay here for long. Wood dust and cold surroundings are not good for babies. Take him in soon." I hug Anya.
Me and Nikhil walk out the workshop and walk out the back gate.
"Where are you taking me? Are you sure this is safe?" I've never explored this part of the neighborhood. To be honest, it looks very creepy to me, thick undergrowth, but a beautiful canopy.
We walk for about a mile or so, until something sweet-sounding reaches my ears, almost like a small stream.
"Nikhil, are you okay? You haven't said a word to me since we started." He just smiles sweetly and motions me to stay silent. This boosts my naturally hyper-active curiosity part of my brain, but I remain silent.
Half a mile later, Nikhil pulls me closer, behind a bush and whispers to me to stay hidden. He gently peers up over the bush and ducks back down. He motions me to get up.
"You still remember how to climb trees right?" I nod my head. "Well, good then. You see that tree over there? I want you to climb it up as fast as you can. You don't want to miss this. Don't focus on anything else right now. Just go up the tree and wait for me. I'll be right behind you, okay?" I nod silently, and he pushes me out of the hiding.
I dash towards the tree, not caring to notice anything around me. In a minute, I'm up on the lowest branches of the tree, waiting for Nikhil to come up. He climbs onto the branches over me and motions me to come higher up. I follow him silently.
We reach a small platform kind of thing made out of wooden boards, with some walls made of the same material. I look out through the open front. There are only four words that come to my mind. The. View. Is. Amazing.
