RAABTA : A collection of short stories

OL 1

"Ba.. ba..." Rabiah blabbered something infront of Bashar who squealed in joy "Ammi...Rabi ne mera naam liya"

He dragged everybody to the hall and started coaxing little Rabia "Rabi....say my name.....abhi bola tha na"

Rabia smiled at Bashar and again blabbered "Ba...ba"

"Dekha" Bashar grinned as if boasting of being the first person whose name Rabia took.

"Bashar usne bas Ba bola...." Zareena frowned

"Haan toh Ba se Bashar hi hota hai na" Zareena shook her head at her son's innocence but didn't say anything seeing his happy face.

"Acha ab yeh lo ... finish karo..khud hi banwaye the na..." Zareena brought a spoon to Bashar's mouth but Bashar made a face "Mai Rabi thode hun..main  khud khaunga"

"Ok my big boy...ye lo" Zareena handed him the bowl.

"Rabi ko bhi khila doon..thoda sa" Bashar asked

"Thoda thoda dena" Zareena showed with her fingers to which Bashar bobbed his head

"Rabi aaaaa" Basher opened his mouth so that Rabia would also do the same.

Taking some halwa in his hand, he slipped it into her mouth which left drool on Bashar's fingers but he didn't mind and wiped it in his t-shirt and gave her more.

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"Rabi...chup chup " Little Bashar was making baby Rabiah cheer up as she was non stop crying because of the teething problem

"Bashar..tumse chup nahin hogi beta...do mujhe...Abbu ne nayi cycle layi hai nai jao chalao ja kar" Zareena tried to make her little boy understand .

But his mother's statement made Bashar's eyes twinkle "Haan Ammi woh cycle nikalein"

After the cycle was brought in the lounge, Bashar rode it and asked Zareena to make Rabiah sit on the back seat.

Seemed like Rabia was also excited to take a ride and tightly caught Bashar's tshirt from behind but still Zareena held her for safety.

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After years...

It was Rabiah's 9th birthday and the house was on fire. Rabiah was a very naughty child. She used to have too many wishes for her birthday...and Bashar would see to it that her each and every wish got fulfilled.

At the dining table Rabiah came down in the dress her Ammi brought for her. It was her birthday so she didn't have to wear her uniform today.
"How do I look" she jumped off two stairs and stood infront of the family members.
"My baby looks so beautiful. ...nazar na lage meri bachi ko" Zareena came and pulled her cheek

"Mashallah. ...someone is looking pretty" Shaziya cooed to which Rabiah gave her dimpled smile.
She ran towards Bashar seeing him coming down from his room.
"Aah...my Rabi is looking like a princess" he pecked her cheek and both of them got seated for the breakfast. All of Rabiah's favourite dishes were gracing the table and she didn't know where to start from. But then there came a spoon full of pasta her way..and she opened her mouth "Hmmm". Bashar smiled seeing her childish nature and then served himself with the same spoon.
And this was one of the most adorable things about him, he was a cleanliness freak and would cringe at the thought of having someone's jootha...but when it came to Rabia..he didn't mind...NOT AT ALL.

"Rabi drink some water" Bashar said seeing her getting up from the table.

"No .... the taste will disappear" Rabia and her theories.
Bashar  shook his head and picked up the glass" Here drink some."