His eyes keenly watched his mother collecting aarvi's stuff and putting in a bag as he gulped down the "soup"Maya was feeding him.
"I am done dadi"..Aarav spoke denying to have more soup.
"Have some more beta..It would make you strong and healthy"..Maya tried to pacify him.
"No..Pleasshhh.."Boy replied as his nails tempted to scratch one blister at his arm.He was about to do that when his mother's strict voice stopped him,"Don't scratch them beta,remember what doctor uncle had said to you..."
"Ask your mother aarav,Does She remember what doctor had said to her???"Maya spoke in a sarcastic voice while putting the soup bowl on the table.
"What maa ji???"Kiran asked while busy checking all the things in the bag.
"He had asked to apply some ointment on his blisters.."
"I remember that maaji..Let me finish packing aarvi's stuff first.."
"She is not going to some other place..Even if you missed something,Geet can easily grab it just by coming downstairs.."
"Where is aarvi going???"Aarav asked with much curiosity interrupting the conversation between two ladies.
Before Kiran could give him a proper answer and make him understand about aarvi's susceptibility to "infection",Maya spoke,"She would stay in maan's room from now.."
In hurry of packing things for aarvi,Kiran did not notice the tear brimming in her son's eyes as he hid himself in his daddi's lap.His little heart was unable to understand why his mother did not let him stay in mamu's room last night and why she was allowing aarvi now..??May be he was thinking right..Everyone loves aarvi more than him...
"I hate aarvi dadi,,"Aarav said coming out from his grandmother's embrace as he saw his mother leaving the room.
"hmmm.."Maya replied in nonchalance with her entire attention on finding the "ointment" for her grandson's blisters on the table.If she had looked once carefully towards aarav,she could have gauge the seriousness in his words...
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Maan loosened his tie as he entered quitely in his sister's room.Silence prevailed in whole house made him check the time on his watch.It showed 11 of the night.He was quite late today.Releasing a sigh,he settled near aarav's bed as he took his little hand in his.
"How is he di???"He asked to his sister.
"He had temperature in the evening but its nomal now.."Kiran answered caressing her son's head."You had your dinner maan???"She asked further.
"Yes di...I had it in office canteen.."
"Then go to your room and rest..I know you did not close your eyes even once last night.."
"But di.."
"No ifs and buts maan..You are not going to stay in this room tonight..Go and rest in your room.."Kiran said bringing some strictness in her voice.
"Fine di..but tell me if aarav or you need something..."
"I would laddu ..now go...!!!I I don't want to see you getting "sick" now..."Kiran said as she got up from aarav's bed to steer her stubborn brother outside the room.
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Sight that welcomed maan to his bedroom was little surprising and little amusing.He had expected his wife to be awake and his niece to be asleep peacefully but here situation was completely reversed.Geet was sleeping on the bed surrounded by a bunch of soft toys.Aaravi was sitting near herhead whereas geet's one arm was around aarvi's waist thus impeding her movements to some extent.What amused maan most was watching his niece patting geet's head with her small hands.She was trying to make her maami sleep with occasional singing of her special lullaby in the form of "aae ooo yeee aee"
"How is my shweety???"maan asked coming towards the bed.His voice grabbed aarvi's attention as she welcomed her mamu spreading her little arms.
Maan bent down to take his little princess in his arms however his action startled as well as woke up his sleepy wife atonce.
"Hi laddu..."Geet said stretching her arms as she came in to sitting position.
"Hi hemamalini..."He greeted her."So aaravi is not letting you have your "good night sleep"..He exclaimed further kissing his little doll's cheek,however his kiss was little less welcomed by Aaravi as his stubble irritated her soft skin.
"Well...She is in "playing mood" at this hour of night..I tried to make her sleep but she is not at all sleepy,i guess.."Geet answered muffling a yawn.
"Hmm..Her mamu knows very well how to make his doll meet her "Ninny aunty",Right aaravi???"He asked aaravi in a "babyish" voice to which she giggled sweetly."Where are her "Soothers",geet???"
"I don't know maan,Let me check her bag"Geet answered as she got up from the bed.."Why do you need them maan???"She asked further checking the bag.
"Though its a bad habit but Aarvi sleeps with a "Soother" in her mouth only.."
"Hmm..here they are.."Geet spoke bringing out the two pink colored soothers from the bag.
Maan took the soothers from her after making aaravi lay on bed comfortably. Geet was little confused as he saw maan going towards the door,
"Where are you going ???"She asked.
" In the kitchen..To sterilize them in boiling water.."He answered with a smile pointing towards the soothers in his hands.
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With in next one hour,Aaravi was sleeping peacefully on her mamu's stomach with her head resting comfortably on his chest.Maan's one arm was wrapped around her tiny body where as other hand was patting her head softly.
Geet smiled as she saw aaravi sucking her soother even in deep sleep.She was on her side of the bed tonight.Despite being damn sleepy one hour ago, she was unable to sleep at that moment,because she was not in "his arms"tonight.Her heart was feeling strange restlessness watching aarvi's head on her husband's chest.His chest was her "custom made" pillow since the night she had started sleeping on it.
"Was she jealous of aaravi???"She wondered.As the thought crossed her mind,She felt little anger for herself for thinking this way.Would She have felt same if her own daughter was sleeping on maan's chest.She thought and felt ashamed on herself.
She was tossing and turning since last one hour and finally she got up from the bed, a little troubled with her weird thoughts.
Maan was confused as he saw his wife leaving the bed suddenly.
"Where are you going geet???"He asked.
"I forgot to brush my teeth tonight..You know,I always brush my teeth before going to bed.."She answered opening the bathroom door.
Geet thumped herself on the toilet seat while chewing her tooth brush simultaneously.She was still struggling with her feelings and thoughts.She was not feeling bad but she was little pained as this "mundane incident" had made her realize for the first time that she was not her husband's first priority.
When maan had laid aarvi on his chest to make her sleep,her heart had secretly expected him to show little concern or to ask her once whether she would be able to sleep without being in his arms tonight.She knew It was a "silly" wish but her heart did wish so.Sleep would have come to her eyes easily even without being in his embrace,if he had asked this "silly question" once..But sadly he did not ask. She was ready for it since the night he had told her clearly about his priorities,then why it was paining her today.She never wanted and she would never want to reduce her husband's love and concern for his sister's family.All she yearned was equal concern and love for her from him.
Geet came out from the bathroom and saw her husband alone on the bed.He had made aaravi sleep in her crib.
"Your pillow is ready for you ma'am.."Maan spoke spreading his arms in a dramatic way.
Geet responded her husband's cute gesture with a sweet smile standing near the bathroom door as she controlled her tear glands.Instead of going to her husband's open arms,geet's feet moved towards aaravi's crib.Very carefully she took little girl in her arms.
Confusion appeared on maan's face when geet made aarvi sleep near him once again.In his own accord,his left hand went under little girl's head as aarvi snuggled closer to her mamu.Maan gave a sweet and understanding smile as he found his wife's head on his right shoulder from the other side.
"I want to sleep with "both" of you tonight"..Geet spoke next moment putting her hand around maan's waist and closing her eyelids peacefully.
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It did not take much time for "sleep" to enter geet's eyes in the warmth of her husband's embrace.In next two hours,her mouth was open and blanket was thrown off on the floor making maan open his droopy eyes.He knew geet was going to throw the blanket three or four times more till morning thats why he decided to make aaravi sleep in her crib only.He secured the pink blankie around his niece after laying her in the crib.He came back to his bed as he adjusted himself beside his sleeping wife in the blanket.He pushed her chin slightly with his hands to close her mouth but very soon it was open again.He was about to switch off the bed lamp when his gaze fell on other soother on the side table.A naughty smile appeared on his lips as he took the soother and pushed it in open mouth of geet.He had expected geet to wake up but to his utter suprise,geet started sucking it like a baby in her sleep.He controlled his laugh with much effort while clicking geet's pic with his cell phone.Geet's naughtiness was really contagious and it was affecting him most,he thought as he snatched the soother from her lips and brought her more close to him.He kept looking at the geet's pic in his cell phone wondering about his own naughty behavior.When was the last time he had behaved this way??He asked to himself."May be before his father's death" He answered to himself.All this happiness and naughtiness was laying dormant somewhere in him till his wife stepped in his life.She is the only one to rejuvenate his life,He thought as he kissed geet's forehead lovingly and whispered in her ear,"I love you alot hema malini..."
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pms LATER!!!
ps-"ninny" is a punjabi babyish word for "sleep"...
pps- updates would be once in a week onwards..😊
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