FF-Obsession,chapter29 and next thread-pg150,7oct. - Page 75

"My baby is hungry??"He asked taking her in his lap.

Little girl gave her gummy smile to him in response and he kissed her chubby cheeks one by one..

"You should do that more often!!!" Geet's voice made father-daughter duo look towards the door. Putul cooed in excitement finding geet in the room as she opened her little arms telling geet her wish to come in her lap.

"Come here,my sweety.."Geet exclaimed as she took putul in her arms.."I have got yummy yummy banana for my doll.."She said and started feeding her "mashed banana" with spoon. A contend smile crept on maan's lips watching his daughter relishing the taste of banana with so much excitement.He took the napkin and wiped her smudged cheeks. He was about to leave the room when geet called him.."wait maan..I was saying something to you.."

"What???" He asked settling himself once again on the bed.

"Why do you keep yourself away from "putul"???Geet asked cradling little girl in her arms.

"and what behavior of mine planted this "idea" in your brain??" He questioned picking his laptop once again.

"Common geet,give little rest to "Shrink" living inside your brain.." He smirked.

Maan knew that comment on her profession would annoy her for sure.It brought desired effect as he saw the frown on her face.

"Why don't you play with her often??"She asked in an annoying tone.

"and when I am not here??"She asked looking straight in his eyes.

"That is her sleeping time..I can't disturb her sleep just to play with her..."Maan answered averting his gaze as he was unable to look into her questioning eyes.

Before geet could argue further,Putul grasped her necklace in her tiny palm.Little girl was devoid of attention for pretty long time.

'What happened baby??" Geet asked kissing her cheeks.

"mmmuuummm" Putul answered in her own babyish language.It was her first word besides her normal cooing and babyish squeaks.

"What???Say again baby.." Geet said in an excited and shivering voice.

"mmmummm mumm.."Baby said again making geet embrace the little one close to her heart as tears brimmed in her hazels.

"Maan..You heard that??She did not say Dadda first..She said me mumm..." Her voice died in her throat as she heard some "breaking" sound.Geet was so lost in her moment with putul that she did not realize when her hand collided with a photo frame on the side table while she turned towards maan to share her happiness.

Maan looked at broken frame on the floor.A diagonal crack in glass was passing through pari's smiling face in photo frame.

He picked it from the floor as his fingers caressed the crack unknowingly. Geet was able to see the pain that reflected in his orbs

"I am so sorry, maan"Geet said in trembling voice as tears threatened to spill from her hazels.

"Its Ok,geet..I will fix it.."Maan said turning to leave the room. Geet kept looking at his retreating back.

"I am sorry maan for breaking that frame..and I am very sorry for letting myself feel the happiness of motherhood."She whispered to herself..

"mummmummm.." putul's cute voice took all her control as she hugged maan's daughter close to her heart.

"No baby..I am not your mumma..."She said kissing her face frantically.."and i can never be your mumma because your dadda will never accept that.."Her voice ended in hiccups as she broke down completely.

Putul's little fingers touched geet's cheek.Her big brown eyes were looking carefully at geet's face.May be she was wondering about wetness on geet's cheeks or May be it was a daughter's attempt to wipe her mother's tears.

He loosened his tie as he entered in his home after long day at work.He took big strides towards putul's room to see her daughter sleeping peacefully.He would sit there every evening and see her whole night till his eyelids would meet each other.He wanted to love her.He wanted to play with her but some "fears" are very big to conquer.One such fear was restricting a father's love for his daughter.

His steps halted in his track,as he heard Putul's giggling.She was not asleep yet.He was little shocked and little mad at putul's nanny.Clock hands were showing 10.She should be asleep till that hour in night.He was planning to reprimand her nanny for such carelessness when he reached near the door.His steps froze at the door as he saw putul sitting and playing in geet's lap.Geet was showing the little girl a photo album.

"She is your mummy,baby" Geet said pointing towards a picture in the album. Maan did not need to see the picture to guess who's picture geet was showing to his daughter.

Putul was looking carefully at pari's pic.Her little furrowed eyebrows were showing her attempt to understand what geet was telling her.It was making her look more cute."Where is mummy putul??"geet asked.Her voice distracted the little girl from album as she looked upwards towards geet's face.

"Where is mummy baby???"geet repeated.

"mummummm..mummma.."Putul replied as she hid her little face in geet's chest.

Geet's heart could not muster the courage to deny putul's claim over her as fresh tears escaped her eyes.

Moisture was covering two chocolate brown eyes too,who were witnessing the entire interaction. Maan felt his heart bursting with a sharp pain and a calm relief at the same time strangely.That was the moment when he got answers of all the questions regarding geet which were troubling him since pari's demise.He had come to know that moment that he was the lucky man whom God had chosen to bestow such "selfless" love twice in his life.His entire existence urged to run and embrace both of them in his strong arms but he could not do that.With much effort,he stepped backward and took off towards his room.With defeating steps he reached near the large portrait of pari hung at the front wall of his room.His trembling fingers traced her features as he told himself as well as pari,"I can't let myself love geet!!!!"