Sach hote Khwaab

Mayhem

It was a fine morning. I and Vashma lay on the bed, facing each other, our heads propped up with our hands, chatting.
'Ab aage bhi toh bata!! Pehle rasoi mein kya kya banaaya tune??' , she asked impatiently.
'Maine chole-kulche banaaye, aur kalakand banaya!' I filled her in with the details eagerly. 'Aur... pudding bhi banayi maine!', I added with a pleased smile.
'Dhatt!', she said clapping her hand to her forehead. ' Fir toh saari mehnat gayi paani mein!'
With a tiny frown, I said, 'Aise kyun bol rahi hai. Bohot achhi bani thi sacchi!'
'Amrit! Pichhli baari tune pudding banaayi thi toh jala di thi. Sirf tere laad mein Uday aur Chachaji ne khaayi thi chaav se! Tune bekaar hi jokhim liya! Pehli rasoi thi, gadbad ho jaati toh?!', she rebuked me.
'Mainu pata hai khaayi toh tune aur Mummyji ne bhi thi', I replied whimsically. 'Aur darr toh mainu laga tha par mainu bada mann tha pudding banaake ka! Mummyji ne bataya tha Randheer nu kitni pasand thi! Ek baar koshish toh karni hi thi na!', I clarified. ' Aur tujhe na Randheer na chehra dekhna chaiye tha! Kinne hairan ho gaye the vo! Aur unhe kinni pasand bhi aayi pudding', I said with a wide-eyed smile. 'Agar koshish hi nahi karti toh vo waali khushi kaise aati unke chehre pe?'

With a shine in her eyes, Vashma said, 'Tujhe pata hai tu Randheer ke baare mein kaise baat karti hai?'
'Kaise...?', I asked, slightly holding my breath.
Softly she said, 'Jaise aasman mein taare unhone hi jade ho!'
A soft blush crept up on my face. 'Tu dekhti bhi unhe waise hi hai!', she added. I stole a glance at my ring and asked with a twinkle in my eyes, 'Uh..aur... vo mainu kaise dekhte hain ?'
'Oye hoye hoye hoye!', she exclaimed with a teasing smile.
'Bata na Vashma!', I pestered her a bit, with a curious yet embarrassed smile.
Holding my chin, she said, 'Jaise kayi sardiyon ke baad dhoop khili ho'
I looked down, turning crimson.
'Acha ab ye toh bata ki tujhe nek mein kya mila??', she asked eagerly.
'Ye dekh!', I said, flaunting my new watch before her.
'Ghadi!', she exclaimed. 'Waah Amrit!'
I beamed. Just then she grabbed my hand and pointing towards my ring exclaimed, 'Oye ye Randheer ne kab di?! Tu na aajkal kuch nahi batati mujhe!!', she complained noisily.
'Ek hi din toh hua hai Vashma! Zahir si baat hai ki abhi hi di hai!', I stated as a matter-of-fact. 'Tu bhi na!'
'Amrit tu toh ab chhoti chhoti baatein bhi nahi bataati!' Suddenly she grabbed my dupatta, pulling me with a jerk, and tracing my arm with a mischievous smile, she said, 'Mujhe toh aur bohot kuch poochhna tha teri 'shaadi-shuda' zindagi ke baare mein...'
'Vashma bakwas na kari mere naal!', I said glaring at her, completely flustered, freeing myself from her hold. I hit her with a pillow and turned to the other side. 
She crawled to me and put her arms around me. 'Acha baba maaf kar mujhe'

Just then Kabir scampered in with a paper and pencil in his hand. Ah, my little one was a true savior! We sat upright as he climbed up the bed.
'Kya laya hai bacche? Dikha na mujhe!', Vashma asked curiously, holding out her hand.
'Dikhaunga dikhaunga Ammi! Aap thodi der ruko!', he stopped her, holding up his hand cutely. Turning to me, he said,
'Mummy! Ab main jo jo poochhunga uska aap sacchi sacchi jawab doge! Thik hai?'
I looked at Vashma questioningly. She too shrugged with a doubtful smile.
With a confused smile, I replied, 'Thik hai. Poochh kya poochhna hai!'
'Fufaji ne poore din pyaar se baat ki aapse?
'Haan!', I said with a smile, though I had no idea why was he asking this. He ticked off something on his paper.
'Unhone aapko tang kiya?'
'Nahi'
He ticked off something yet again.
'Aapko almaari mein jagah mili?', he questioned.
'Haan'. Another tick. I and Vashma looked at each other with clueless smiles.
'Aapka kamra sundar hai?'
'Haan par bata toh kya hua?', I asked twitchily.
'Oho do mint ruko!', he said with puckered eyebrows. 'Fufaji ne aapko samay se khaana khilaaya?'
'Haan', I nodded still confused.
'Samay se sone diya?'
Vashma almost let out a laugh. I glowered at her, turning scarlet. She held up her finger to her lips, still suppressing her laugh. Meanwhile, I nodded timidly looking at Kabir. Not caring a bit about our reactions, he just ticked off one more thing from his list.