The blooming Magnolia

Chapter 1

"Hurry up, Ritz!" she shouted at the top of her voice while banging the bathroom door.

"Get away, Auntie!" came out a voice of a young man from inside.

"Arghh, you better get out in 2 minutes or I will break the fucking door." She shouted back.

"Are you sure? I didn't know you had such naughty desires!" she heard him laugh.

"In your dreams!" she rolled her eyes and turned back.

She had another one to attend in her bedroom. She was sure to find her lying in the weirdest way on the bed. She slowly peeped through the door.

There she was, sleeping on her stomach with her legs weirdly curled over the headboard of the bed, hands spread on either side.

"You have got all the weird qualities from your dad, huh!" she mumbled quietly while walking towards her. She slapped the butt cheeks of her 5-year-old daughter before settling for a warm hug. She kissed her and poked her tummy.

"Hey sweetie, get up. It's already 9, darling." She stirred in her sleep, opening her eyes briefly before settling her head on her mother's lap once more.

"Hunie, baby get up. And you really need to stop drooling on your pillows, you're a grown-up girl now." she scolded her sleeping daughter. She force-pulled her up to make her sit. Ahana opened her eyes and smiled at her mom.

"Good morning. Now go and brush your teeth." she kissed her daughter and pulled her down from the bed. Ahana whined, still sleepy, trying to settle on her mother's shoulders once more. But Anika wasn't going to fall for her daughter's nuisance.

"No, no more sleeping. Mumma has to go to work, darling. You still have to take a bath. You will be a good girl while you stay at Murthy Dadi's house okay?" Ahana nodded and quickly went to brush her teeth.

She loved Murthy dadi. It's been only three days since she had met her, but it seems she already liked the elderly 69-year-old neighbor. Being alone in her home, Murthi dadi also adored Ahana a lot. Anika thanked God that she had Murthy Auntie. She could go to work without any tension of her daughter being left alone in her home.

It wasn't a problem back in Patna as she had her nanny there to look after her daughter. But in Bangalore, it would have been a mess if not for Murthy Auntie. She has to stay here for about a month now. She has a wedding to plan! She hoped her client today would approve them to plan the wedding.

It was also not possible for Ritwik to visit them everyday.This flat at MTP layout belonged to him though he personally stayed in his own home in HSR. Ritwik has been visiting Anika here every morning to have the delicious meals that she prepares.

She quickly did the final touch-ups of her make-up before going out in the hall only to find Ritwik sitting on his rocking chair with a book in his hand.

"Stop it, you need to hurry Mr. Verma, we have a meeting in an hour!!" she said as she snatched the book off his hand and threw it on the table.

Ritwik looked at her with disgust. "What are you doing? I am already done. Can't you see!!" He complained.

"Mr. Writer, have you forgotten that you also are a partner with me in Knotty Tales? You never help me with anything. Get your ass up before I kick it." she warned.

Ritwik smirked at her words and went to the dining table to wait for his breakfast to be served.

Ahana came out neatly dressed in a white floral dress with her favorite Spiderman bag on her shoulders and her bottle hung through her neck. Being a single mother, Anika had taught her daughter to do all of her things on her own. She could even tie her hair into ponytails.

She ran and climbed on Ritwik's lap, kissing him on the cheek.

"Good morning ,Little princess," he said, hugging her.

"I am not a princess, Ritz" she whined.

"Oh sorry. Good morning my Spiderwoman. Is that okay?" he said to which she excitedly nodded her head.

Anika went to the kitchen and brought a plate filled with Roti and Potato curry and placed a cup of coffee near Ritwik while she placed a bowl of cornflakes near her daughter.

"Not again, Mommy!" both of them whined looking at their respective food before them.

"Excuse me, I am not your cook here. This is what I could make in such a short time." she said angrily.

"At least add a bit of chocolate sauce to this Mamma, please!!" The younger one pouted.

"Give me the chicken you made last night!" said the older one.

She widened her eyes with a straight face and said in the lowest tone, "EAT."

Both of them, like robots, took their first bite of the food.

"That's better." She sat crossed legged, on her chair as she munched on her bread toast and coffee.

Anika heard her phone ring in her bedroom and ran to take it. It must be her client. Ritwik ran to the kitchen to get the chocolate sauce tube and opened the fridge to take one entire piece of chicken in his mouth, quickly chewing it before she came. He poured the chocolate sauce on Ahana's bowl as she giggled.

"Shhh...don't make sounds! Your momma will beat me up if she finds out."

Ahana put her little hands on her mouth to stop her giggles. Ritwik quickly stirred the milk in the bowl before Ahana chomped on it happily. Ritwik went back to the kitchen, carefully keeping the sauce tube just as it was kept before. On his way back, he took another piece of chicken from the fridge. But before he could put it in his mouth, he heard,

"What the hell are you two doing?"Anika said.

Both the humans froze in their places, shocked, unable to move until Ahana started giggling loudly which in turn made Ritwik laugh as he turned back and put the chicken piece into his mouth in front of Anika as if he didn't care.

"What? This is My house and this is My chicken. That is My chocolate sauce!" he pointed at the Ahana's bowl.

"You stop bossing around us, Okay!!!" He said.

Ahana repeated the same in her baby voice just like her Ritzz, "Okaaayyyyy".

Anika couldn't hold her laughter this time and shook her head telling,

"What do I do with you two!!"