Maan cracked his neck while muffling a yawn simultaneously.Chirping of the birds outside informed him the arrival of new day as he checked the time on his watch.It was showing 6 of the morning.He touched aarav's forehead.Temperature was normal and boy was having a peaceful sleep however blisters were now prominent on his face as well as arms too.He secured the blanket around Aarav when his gaze fell on his wife. Geet was sleeping in a "sitting" position.She was perched on the floor with her head resting near aarav's leg on the bed.Despite maan's infinite persisting and her sleepy state,She was adamant on her decision of staying in aarav's room.
"She won't leave the room without you laddu.."Kiran,who was sitting on the other end of the bed,spoke after some time.
"I know di.."Maan answered with a tired smile.
"Go and take her with you..Its morning now..Aarav seems fine to me..I would call you if needed."Kiran almost ordered him.
Before maan could deny his sister's order,He saw Maya aunty entering the room.
"Bahu..How is aarav now???"She asked Kiran, coming towards aarav's bed.
"He is much better now maaji.."Kiran replied getting up immediately.
"Your wife is too sleepy maan.."Maya exclaimed looking at sleeping geet.."It would be better if she sleeps in her room..There is nothing good in crowding this room unnecessarily..."She spoke further with irritation.
Maan caressed aarav's head before getting up from the bed as he moved towards his sleeping wife.He thought it would take time to wake up geet but to his surprise,she opened her eyes immediately as soon he touched her shoulders.
"How is aarav???"She asked atonce in a worried voice as she got up from the floor suddenly.
"He is fine geet"Maan replied trying to calm her.
"Yes geet he is doing good now...Better you and maan go to your room and have some rest.."Kiran suggested.
Geet looked at aarav and then maan who nodded his head slightly in yes.
"Ok di.."Geet spoke as she left the room with maan..
**************************************
Maya was caressing aarav's forehead slowly and lovingly when aarvi's wails disturbed her.Little girl was up and waiting for her mother in the crib.
"Bahu...!!!"Maya called Kiran ,who was in kitchen, in an irritated voice..."Bahu come here soon..Your daughter would disturb aarav's sleep"..She almost yelled this time.
Kiran who was preparing soup for Aarav sprinted towards the room as soon she heard her mother in law's voice.
"What happened maaji??"Kiran asked coming towards aaravi's crib.
Maya was standing near the crib with her nose closed with her saree's pallu...
"She has pooped in her diaper.."Maya replied giving a disgusting expression.
Kiran's voice grabbed her daughter's attention who was crying while spreading her arms towards Maya thus asking her grandmother to take her in her lap.
Kiran bent down to pick aarvi when maya protested,"What are you doing bahu???You need to cook soup for aarav first..its time for his morning medicine.."
"but maaji aaravi.."
"You can't waste your time to clean this mess now..She can manage with dirty diaper for a while.."Maya did not speak but ordered Kiran thus making her leave the room as well as her crying daughter behind immediately.
Pitch of Aaravi's cries increased as the girl saw her mother leaving.She managed to sit by herself as her little hands caught the sides of crib.Her wails were now loud enough to reach Geet's ears and disturb her sleep.
Geet opened her eyes with much effort to find herself alone in the bed.Maan was in bathroom. A restlessness enveloped her heart hearing aarvi's wailing as she left the comfort of her bed and ran downstairs.
Kiran yelped in pain as the hot liquid touched her hand.She was pouring soup in the bowl hurriedly which made her burn her hand.Her both kids needed her at that moment that was why she did not care to give some first aid to her burned hand as she almost ran towards her room with a bowl of soup in her hands.
"Where is aarvi maaji??"Kiran asked anxiously putting the soup bowl near the bed.Aarav was not up yet because of sedative medicines.
"Geet took aarvi to her room.."Maya replied nonchalantly as she got busy in waking up her grandson.
***********************************
Warm shower was effective enough to beat the tiredness for Maan. He felt quite refreshed and active as he rubbed his body with towel after bathing.He was drying his hair with towel when he heard frantic knocks at the bathroom door.
"Maan..open the door"..Geet yelled while banging the bathroom door with her leg.
Maan opened the door slightly so he could peep outside.Sight which welcomed him was shocking.Geet was standing there holding Aarvi in her left hand whereas a dirty diaper in the right one.
"Why are you peeping like a shy girl??let us come inside.."Geet barked with irritation.
"Wait..wait.. geet.!!!.let me wear my clothes first.."Maan requested as he closed the door immediately before his wife could barge in.
He manged to wear his clothes quickly amidst geet's yelling and frantic knocking.
"Coming.."he yelled as he opened the door.
Geet barged inside like a tornado as soon the door opened.Maan watched her in amazement as she made aarvi sit on toilet seat.
"What are you doing geet???"He asked bewildered.
"I think She is not done yet.."Geet spoke gesturing towards the dirty diaper in her right hand.Her left hand was still busy in balancing aarvi on toilet seat.
Maan smacked his fore head as he spoke,"She is eight months old geet.."
"So???"Geet asked in confusion.
"She is too young to poop on a toilet seat.."He answered coming towards his wife."Throw this in the dustbin.."He spoke further pointing towards the dirty diaper as he picked aarvi from her arms.
"Maan...Geet..!!!!"
Both heard Kiran's voice which made them leave the bathroom. Kiran was standing near the bed with changing pad,fresh nappies and box of wipes in her hands.
"I would manage di..You go and take care of aarav.."Maan spoke in an assuring voice taking all the things from his sister.
Kiran was reluctant in leaving her baby but Maya's strict voice form downstairs made her do so quickly.
"I would clean her maan.."Geet said as soon kiran left.
"No geet..You can't.."Maan protested.
"But why not???"Geet questioned.
"Because you have not done it before..and you don't know how to do it.."Maan answered.
"No maan..I have done it before too.."
"Oh really??and you did it properly???" He asked raising his left eyebrow.
"Well..not properly.."Geet answered pouting her lower lip.."But I want to learn it.."She spoke further.
"Then watch carefully how i would clean aarvi..."He exclaimed laying down aarvi on cleaning pad holding her feet together upwards.
Geet watched very keenly as maan cleaned aarvi and made her wear fresh diaper..
"Maan..Which lotion kiran di use for aarvi???"Geet asked quite seriously after some time.
"I don't know geet but why are you asking this???"
"You saw her bummies maan..They are so soft and smooth..I would use same lotion for my face to make my cheeks soft and smooth like aarvi's bummies.."Geet answered quite thoughtfully.Maan was an expert now in controlling his laugh at such situations.
"So along with rajma,Kid's bummies are your other fascination.."He exclaimed with a slight smirk.
"How can you say so???"Geet asked.
"I still remember that cartoon's picture on your white top geet...!!!"
"Don't call him cartoon maan..His name is "Shinchan"...and I love him.."
"But last night you were saying you love laddu..."
"I love both of them but I love my laddu little more than Shinchan.."Geet spoke putting her arms around maan's neck.
"and I love my hemamalini alot..."Maan exclaimed kissing his wife's cheek dearly.."I was checking smoothness of your cheek.."He spoke further with a wink.
"Check this one too..."Geet said showing him her other cheek for a kiss.
"You were supposed to push me away and behave shyly like telly serial heroines geet..."Maan said with a teasing smile.
"But why maan??I like it when you kiss me..!!"Geet answered innocently with furrowed eyebrows.
"You know you are one of your kind..."Maan said as he cupped his wife's face and kissed her.
Aarvi squeaked and clapped watching her mamu mami romancing infront of her.
"Aarvi is enjoying her maami's open romance..."Maan said taking the little girl in his arms.
"She has complete right to enjoy.."Geet answered pulling aarvi's chubby cheeks slightly.."And from tomorrow,maami would change her diaper.."She announced further looking in maan's eyes.
"Fine you can chage.."Maan exclaimed shrugging his shoulders.."By the way geet you were telling that you have cleaned a baby before too..."
"Yes i have but he was not a baby technically..He was six year old boy from my neighbourhood..He used to come to my home for playing video games..One day mumma and daddy were out and he was with me..He went to toilet and did not come out after fifteen whole minutes.I went to check him and he told me that he did not know how to clean himself..."
"Then what did you do??You called his mother??"Maan asked.
"I tried to call her but she was not home either..Hence I took the boy to garden.."
"Garden???"Maan exclaimed in confusion and astonishment.
"Yes..I took him to our garden for washing..I asked him to stand and bend down at one corner of the garden and then I sprayed water on his bummies with the help of watering pipe.."
"You are impossible geet..."Maan exclaimed laughing hysterically.
"Don't laugh maan..I did what my brain told me...and I am not "impossible"..That boy was "impossible"..You know after washing he came near me and asked me to check whether the whole area is cleaned properly or not???"
"Oh my god..Geet..Don't tell me you checked him with magnifying glass.."Maan said amidst hard laughter..
"No..I did not check him but I did something else..."
"What???"
"I took my "permanent marker" and wrote "Danger zone" on his bummies..."
"Stop it geet..I can't laugh more...please..!!!"Maan exclaimed sitting down on the bed as he clutched his stomach with one hand.Aarvi was also laughing continuously patting maan's cheek with her small hands,sitting in his lap however nobody knew whether she understood something or not.
Geet immediately picked her cell phone to capture the beautiful moment.She smiled slightly as she watched the picture having smiling faces of Maan and Aarvi in her cell phone.
"Maan Can't aarvi stay in our room till Aarav gets fine???"She asked after some time.
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
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