MishBir Off-Tracks: Short Stories

The Bliss of Motherhood - #5.2

The Bliss of Motherhood - #5.2

Month: 7
11 A.M. 

"Masi, Mishti ki goad bharai ekdum perfect honi chahiye." Abir handed her a list of food items to prepare, "Isliye pleaseee, Nidhi mami pe extra dhyan dena, koi gadbad na ho."

"Abir main yahan sab dekh lungi, tum chunari mat bhoolna." Parul instructed him. "Aaj mandir mein chadhayi jayegi aur kal Mishti pe." 

Abir nodded his head and hopped out of the kitchen to find Mishti standing near the table with a suspicious look on her face.

"Iss hafte meri diet mein noodles nahi hai, toh tum kitchen mein kya kar rahe ho?"

Abir kept his hands on his waist. "Main kya sirf noodles banata hoon?"

"Nahi nahi, tum bohot achhi kheer banate ho... meri pehli rasoi yaad hai?" she gave him a stink eye, "Meri badi maa ko apne side kar liya tha!"

"Oh please!" Abir raised his collar, "Main unka heera hoon. Woh mere side pe thi, hai, rahegi aur main unhi ke paas ja raha hoon." He blurted in the flow.

"What? Tum badi maa se milne jaa rahe ho?"

Abir fumbled. "Woh... badi maa.. ne.. kheer! Kheer banayi hai, tumhare liye, wohi lene jaa raha hoon."

Mishti furrowed her brows, "Driver ko bhej do. Actually, Badi maa ko keh deti hoon apne driver ke haathon bhijwa de." She fished out a phone from the pocket of her maternity gown.

"No no no!" Abir snatched it away. "First, food ke maamle mein I only trust Badi maa, Varsha aunty and Parul masi. Drivers ka kya bharosa. Second, tum ne phone ko pocket mein kyun rakha tha?" He crossed his arms over his torso and stared down at her, "I told you the radiations are not good, right?" he confronted her like a strict father.

Mishti heaved a loud breath, muttered under her breath some harmless abuses at Abir and turned to leave before her moody, overprotective husband sat her down with another set of nonsensical instructions.

2 hours later:

The eighth episode of Tom and jerry was over, and so was her jar of shrikhand. Mishti had finished three of the little jars her Parul Masi had so lovingly prepared in the morning. It was lunch time and Abir was nowhere to be found. Mishti caressed her belly and pouted at the blank screen of the television.

Mishti noticed Parul Masi walking down the steps instructing some servants.

"Masi," Mishti called out with her hopes pined on this motherly figure, "thodi aur shrikhand hai?"

Parul blinked at her, then tilted her head to notice the third jar of shrikhand she handed Mishti an hour ago to be empty. She shook her head in disbelief.

"Masi please," Mishti blinked her eyes with a puppy look, "aapke grand-child ka mann nahi bhara hai. Thodi aur do na!"

Parul smiled and walked up to Mishti.
"Badmash! Baby ka mann nahi bhara, ya tumhara?"

Mishti grinned.

"Main dekhti hoon, lekin yeh aaj ka aakhri hoga na?"

Mishti bobbed her head positively. Parul kissed her hair and strode back to the kitchen, only to find out that Nidhi Mami had finished savouring the last jar she had tucked safely in a corner for Mishti's abrupt mood for Shrikhand. She went back to inform Mishti of the same and in turn suggested her to ask Abir to purchase a few on his way home, for she may take quite some time to prepare more.