A LOVE STORY OR NOT PART 2

EPILOGUE

"Pari! Pari! Laaduu, kahan hai?", Shehnaaz called out for her daughter from the kitchen.

Mannat hated having fruits, especially oranges. She, however, loved mangoes, just like her father.

Right now, Mannat was hiding in some corner of the house, so that she can be saved from the pain of eating fruits.

Sidharth pressed his lips as he tried hard not to chuckle. He obviously knew where Pari was. And Shehnaaz knew that Sidharth knew.

She came towards him, he was leaning on the kitchen wall. Shehnaaz squinted her eyes at him and raised an eyebrow.

And then, who could win from a woman, easpically if she is your wife?

"Kya? Mujhe nhi pta Pari kahan hai!", Sidharth said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Achchaaaaa?", Shehnaaz asked again and now her hands were over her hip, challenging Sidharth.

"Galti teri hi hai!", Sidharth said.

"Excuse me? Meri galti hai? Kaise?", Shehnaaz asked, a bit offended.

"Ye ghar mein chupane ki harkatein kis ki hain? Tu hi Bachpan mein chupti thi na kitchen mein, yan cupboards mein. Ab humari beti bhi tere wali harkatein kar rahi hain!", Sidharth said.

Well, that was indeed right. Mannat was, in all senses, as Sidharth called her, a 'Mini Shehnaaz'.

All her antics, her tantrums, her nature was the same as her mother.

Shehnaaz couldn't believe at first, even Sidharth couldn't, when they realised that even their little daughter had taken up on the tradition of having waffles with Nutella on her birthday.

She was already 5 years old and her 6th birthday is tomorrow, which meant Sidharth and Shehnaaz's 9th wedding anniversary was tomorrow as well.

"Achcha sahi hai. Par pati ji, fruits naa khane ki aadat toh apke wali hai na. Isiliye chupi hai teri beti!", Shehnaaz said with a pointed finger.

"Oh achcha ab meri beti ho gyi? Jab school mein reciting competition mein 1st aayi, tab toh 'meri beti', 'mera laadu', laga rakha tha aur ab wo meri beti ho gyi!", Sidharth asked in disbelief.

"Saari gandi aadtein teri hi hain usme!", Shehnaaz said in her defence.

"Achcha toh mtlb chupne wali aadat achchi aadat hai?", Sidharth asked.

Shehnaaz just huffed and went back to the kitchen. She brought four big bowls, full of fruits for the family of four.

Maa came downstairs from her bedroom as well.

"Sidharth!", Maa called out.

"Han Maa?", he answered.

"Tu fir Shehnaaz ko tangg kar ra hai?", she asked.

Shehnaaz giggled softly and pulled out her tongue at him. Sidharth made a face and then looked at Maa with a puppy face.

As soon as Maa saw a tray in Shehnaaz's hands, she hissed.

"Bachcha, mana kiya na tujhe kaam karne se!", Maa scolded.

Sidharth then realised and took away the tray from her hands. Sidharth mumbled a sorry to Shehnaaz and made an apologetic face.

Amidst the fight, Sidharth had totally forgotten about the fact that Shehnaaz was expecting again, after almost 6 years of delivering Mannat.

Shehnaaz bit her tongue and grinned sheepishly towards Maa and then hugged her.