Maan gave an irritating look to his sister and wife who were deeply immersed in "sarees and suits" laying on the bed as he moved towards the couch with his laptop."
Come aarav we would work on couch,there is no space for us on bed now.."He told aarav picking one slice of apple from the plate kept on the bed.
"Yes maamu.."Aaarv immediately obliged as he collected his crayons along with drawing book and followed his mammu.
"Tell me no di..which one i should wear for lunch???" Geet asked Kiran trying a blue colored dupatta.
"Not blue geet..Red would look good on you..how about this saree??.."Kiran said picking one saree from the mess that geet had made on the bed.Almost all of her dresses were on bed at that moment.
"I simply don't have any idea about all these things di..Thats why i asked you for help..If you are saying red would look good then it would look good for sure."Geet consented taking the saree from kiran as she moved towards the dressing table.
"How does it look maan???"She asked turning towards her husband.
"hmm good.."He replied shifting his gaze from laptop to his wife for a moment.
"and aarav, Is mami looking good in red???"Geet asked to aarav now.
"hmm good.."Little boy answered quite seriously mimicking his uncle.
"You did not ask to aaravi geet...ask her too.."Maan exclaimed in a sarcastic tone without moving his gaze from the screen.
"I was about to do that,maan.."Geet answered understanding her husband's sarcasm as she walked closer to the bed towards aarvi.."How does it look baby???"She asked aaravi thus diverting baby's attention who was busy playing with small decorative bells attached to one of geet's dupatta.
Her act surprised as well as amused Maan as he looked at aaravi's face with much curiosity,waiting for her answer.
"Red is looking good on maami..right baby???"Geet asked once again.
This time aaravi gave her precious response in form of a "squeak" along it with her gummy smile.
"Thank you aaravi.."Geet exclaimed kissing her cheeks."Look patidev,she gave her approval.." Geet spoke further turning towards Maan once again..
"Girls..!!!"Maan said in low voice as he gave an irritating sigh.
Aarav who was watching his maamu keenly did the same making maan chuckle at his little nephew's attitude.
"One problem is solved di..now what about this???"Geet asked in a worried tone pointing towards the small zit on her cheek.
"Don't worry I would cover it with make up.."Kiran suggested.
"No di..I can't bear those POP layers on my face.."Geet said little horrified by kiran's suggestion.
"POP???"Kiran asked in confusion.Even geet's statement made maan halt his fingers on the keypad with his ears fixed now on their conversation.
"Plaster of Paris di..That white powder used for making ceiling designs.."Geet explained,however her explanation made Kiran break in to laughter. Maan gave an amusing smile at geet's explanation.
"You call "Make up" POP???Kiran said controlling her fits of laughter..
"Yes..di..I can't bear this POP on my face..You know on wedding night,that beautician applied so many creams and powders on my face, I was afraid that if i touched my face my fingerprints would imprint on my cheeks..."
"Don't worry geet..I would do slight make up..It won't look like "POP"..I wish madhulika would be here,she would have helped us in make up for sure.."
"She is not here???"Geet asked in confusion..
"Yes..She left on the next day of your wedding only.."Kiran told.
"oh..when I was at mumma's house for pagphere.."
"Yes..that day.."Kiran confirmed.
"She left very early..Maan was missing her very much last night.."Geet said in an attempt to tease maan. She was quite successful in her attempt as next she heard maan's irritated voice.."When was I missing her,geet???"
"Haww..liar..Were not you saying that nobody closes my eyes from behind now and asks "guess who"???"Geet said suppressing her laugh as she winked."I am telling you di,he miss her alot.."
"I don't miss her di.."Maan tried to explain himself to his sister.
"Mamu,i would play that game with you...You please don't get sad.."Aarav said in his innocent voice to console his uncle.
"I don't miss her beta and I am not sad.."Maan said in complete irritation now.."Would you stop your lies,hemamalini???"He spoke further looking towards geet now..
"Don't call me hamamalini laddu..!!"
It was geet's turn to get irritate now..
"and you don't call me laddu as well as stop making stories about me all by yourself,hemamalini!!!.." Maan replied.
A serene smile crept across Kiran's lips watching her "Matured before his age brother" getting involved in this childish fight.Her mother has chosen perfect life partner for him.
"Would you two stop now!!..Aarav is here..what would he think???" Kiran said after sometime thus stopping both of them from their "name calling" world war..
"I am sorry di!!"
"I am sorry di.."
Both maan and geet said in unison with apologetic faces.
"Hmm its ok..!! By the way geet..In your "saree selection",i forgot to tell you that I am also planning to leave tomorrow..Aarav's school leaves are about to over,we should go now..."
"No di..!!!"
"No di..!!"
Both maan and geet yelled at same time once again.
"You can't leave now di..How would you manage kids and Maya aunty's sciatica problem all alone..I won't let you go now.."Maan said adamantly.
"But laddu.aarav's school..."
"Common di..He is in lower KG only..and moreover his "winter breaks" would start with in few days..so there would not be much loss of his studies..."Geet spoke this time..
"But geet..."
"No buts and ifs di..You are not going and thats final..Now common help me with POP,,I mean make up.."Geet exclaimed.
"Fine.."Kiran exclaimed stooping her shoulders in defeat but with a smile on her lips."Common geet, You would get ready in my room..I am sure you don't have much "POP" items with you.." Kiran spoke further.
"Look mumma what i have draw!!!..."Aarav tried to grab his mothers's attention who was busy selecting matching bangles for geet.
"Not now beta.show me later.."Kiran said busy in her task.
"Mami.. would you see my drawing??..."Aarav now moved towards geet..
"No champ..I am getting late now..I would see your drawing at night.."Geet answered in hurry steering Kiran out of the room with her.
"Mamu..my drawing.."Aarav tried to show his painting to maan but before he could see it,loud ringing of his cellphone distracted Maan.
"Just a minute champ.."Maan said before taking his call.
Aarav kept looking at his mamu with expectant eyes as he waited for call to end.After eight whole minutes,little boy's wait got over finding his mamu ending the call.
"Now tell me..what were you saying champ???"Maan said as soon he finished the call.
"My drawing mamu.."Aarav said with excitement giving his drawing book to his uncle.
Maan gave a smile as he took the drawing book from him for a closer look.He was about to open the drawing book when his eyes caught the dreadful sight on the bed.Aaravi was playing with sharp knife in her hands.She might have taken it from the "plate of apple slices" kept very near to her on the bed.
Maan threw aarav's drawing book in dread as he ran towards the bed before little girl could hurt herself.
"Aaravi leave it,beta..This is not for playing.."Maan said in trembling voice ,taking the knife from her hands slowly and gently.A relief washed his soul as he took aarvi in his arms and hugged her closer.If he had not noticed her at right time,she would have hurt herself for sure..He kept kissing her face,unknowingly ignoring the presence of other kid in the room.
With a broken heart and pouted lips aarav picked up his drawing book and left the room to hide in his crying territory"under the dining table".He was a "man" after all and "Men don't shed tears in open" ,as his mamu had told him.
*************************************************
Maya's fingers halted on the "Mala" in her hands as she heard someone crying.She looked around herself to find someone crying but could not see anyone.She got up from the couch in search of "crying person"."Sniffs" got louder as she moved towards the dining table.With in next few minutes,she was able to find the source of "crying sounds"..
"Aarav.."Maya exclaimed in worry finding his grandson in such condition under the table
"Come out beta..!!"She said while cursing her daughter in law in her mind simultaneously . Aarav crawled and came out from the table in his grand ma's arms.."No one loves me dadi.."He said now crying louder,hugging maya tightly.
"Your dadi loves you beta..Why are you saying so???"Maya said wiping the tears from his chubby cheeks.
Aarav narrated the entire incident to Maya with his mother and mami ignoring him,his mamu throwing the drawing book and run towards aaravi,amidst hiccups and sobs.However his innocent brain was unable to understand the reason behind his uncle's sudden running.
"It ok beta..Your dadi will see your painting..Tell me what have you draw???"Maya said kissing her grandson's forehead.
Aarav gave a teary smile as he showed his drawing to his dadi.
"its very beautiful beta.."Maya praised the drawing making the little boy happy.
"Dadi mamu does not love me anymore...He loves "aarvi" now.."Aarav complained to his grandma.
"Its because "aarvi" is your "mami's " favorite...Thats why he loves her more now..Not even your mamu, your mother also loves aaravi more,but i love my aarav most.!!!..."Maya said nonchalantly without realizing what deep impact her nonsense and bitter words were having on little kid's brain...
*****************************************************
"Wait geet..."Maan said stopping geet from getting down the car..They had reached at Aaditya's{adi} flat for lunch.
"Why???"She asked in confusion.
"Just wait for few minutes please.."Maan requested as he got down the car picking his cell phone from dash board.
Adi was Maan's best friend since school days.They connected well because both had gone through the pain of loosing their fathers however adi was compelled to bear this loss much earlier than Maan.He was only ten then.Fate did not ended its cruelty for him with this only.It snatched his mother also,two years back.Since then Adi was living alone in this flat.There was one major difference in Maan and his best friend.Where as life's hardships made maan "silent and reserved", Aadi faced them with "smile"..In geet's words,he scared them with his smile...
Maan dialed aadi's number now standing near his door.Even he was able to hear his phone ringing inside.
"Hi..Maan..when are you guys arriving???"He heard aadi's voice from another side..
"We are here only adi..I am calling from your door steps.."
"Then why are you not coming inside..wait..let me open the door.."
"Wait wait..adi..First tell me you flat is clean enough to welcome us..???"maan inquired knowing very well about the little unhygienic living style of "single men"..
"Yes boss..Everything is at its place.."
"What about stinking socks???"Maan asked.
"They are in washing machine.."
"Shaving razors??"
"In the bathroom.."
"po*n dvds and magazines??"
"Dvds in the store and magazines in the kitchen so no one could find them.."
"You forgot to ask about dirty underwear..."Geet said poking maan's shoulder from behind.
"oh yes..dirty underwears,adi??.."Maan said in flow without realizing geet's presence behind him.Before he could hear adi's answer geet's laughter grabbed his attention as he closed his eyes,smacking his fore head simultaneously.
He turned around after disconnecting the call with his mind wondering,How many times more his wife would embarrass him???
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Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
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