Apna Bana Le - MsKrishita

7. Choking disaster

Rishav's mornings often started with a sense of urgency, a race against time before the day had even properly begun, thanks to his late riser self. Today, however, felt particularly chaotic. As he sat at the wooden dining table, hastily gobbling down a few bites of the pancake, he glanced at the clock and felt a knot of worry form in his stomach.

"Nayan, we ae wunning wabe woday," Rishav called out, his words slightly muffled by the food in his mouth. Prerna watched him with a mixture of amusement and concern, her heart warming at his unabashed enthusiasm for food. Their daughter, Nayan, could be heard shuffling in the nearby room, the rustling of books and clothes indicating she was getting ready.

Prerna, noticing the tension in the air and walked over, concern etched on her face.
"Rishav Ji, I can help get Nayan ready. You don't have to do it all by yourself, you know?"

Rishav shook his head, his mouth full of food, waving away her offer.
"No, no, I've got whis. Nayan will only wisten to mwe. Beshidesh, you do sho much already. Let me handle this. I can do wan thing for her, can't I, Ji?"

Prerna sighed, understanding the stubborn determination in Rishav's eyes.

Midway through his breakfast, Rishav's eyes widened, and a loud choking sound erupted from his throat. Prerna's heart leaped into her throat as she sprang into action, the concern etched on her face as she rushed to his side.

"Rishav Ji, are you okay?!"
Prerna's voice trembled with worry as she looked at him with concern, her hands hovering over him as she tried to remember her first aid training.

Eyes watering and coughing, Rishav managed to gesture towards his throat, his attempts to speak garbled and muffled by the obstruction in his airway. Prerna's heart raced as she frantically patted his back, the urgency of the moment heightening her senses.

Finally, with a mighty heave and a few more frantic pats on the back, Rishav expelled the food, his breathing ragged and labored. Prerna's eyes reflected relief and fear, her hands shaking as she reached out to him, her touch gentle and soothing.

In a rare moment of vulnerability, the intensity of the situation washed over them both, the unspoken bond between them growing stronger in the face of peril. Their eyes met, a shared understanding passing between them as they breathed in the lingering tension in the air.

Prerna felt a rush of protectiveness swell inside her, her heart aching with the depth of emotion she felt for Rishav.

But even as her feelings threatened to spill over, Prerna pushed them down, the walls of denial rising up to shield her from the intensity of her emotions. She couldn't afford to fall in love with Rishav, not when he remained so oblivious to her feelings, not when she was the one who had asked Rishav to not fall for her.

Through it all, Rishav remained unaware of the emotional storm raging inside Prerna. Oblivious to the depth of her love for him, he flashed her a smile of gratitude.

And with a hoarse chuckle, he tried to lighten the mood, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief.
"Well, that was a close one. Note to self: chew your food more carefully next time. Wouldn't want to scare off my lovely wife, right Ji?"

Prerna couldn't help but smile through her lingering worry, the tension in her shoulders easing at Rishav's attempt at humor.
"You certainly had me on the edge of my seat there, Sharma Ji. I thought I was going to have to perform the Heimlich maneuver in front of Nayan!"

And as they laughed together, Prerna couldn't help but feel a pang of longing in her heart, a longing for a love that could never be. But she pushed it aside, burying it deep within her as she resolved to guard her heart against the dangers of falling for someone she had herself pushed away so far.

As the moment passed, they returned to their meal, the traces of their intimate encounter lingering in the air like a sweet memory.

And in that unspoken understanding, Prerna knew she would always be there to catch Rishav when he stumbled, even if he never quite realized the depth of her feelings for him. For now, she would cherish their moments of laughter and shared camaraderie, finding solace in the bond that tied them together, one choked-up joke at a time.

♪♪♪

Prerna watched as Rishav wolfed down the last of his pancake, concern evident in the way he hurriedly swallowed.

"Take a breath, Rishav Ji. You're going to choke again,"
Prerna chided gently, reaching out to pat his back.

Rishav took a deep breathe, nodding gratefully before pushing his chair back and standing up.

"Okay, let's go, Pari Ji. We need to hurry,"
he called out, his voice a mix of urgency and reassurance.

Nayan appeared at the doorway, her eyes still hungover from being waken up so early widened as she took in the scene before her.

"Papa, why so hurry?"
She asked, half-amused and half-concerned.

Rishav smiled, his heart warming at the sight of his daughter's.
"We're a little late this morning, Ji. Let's get you ready for school quickly, okay?"

Nayan nodded, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Can't I have five more minutes, Papa?"

Rishav chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"You always want five more minutes, Nayan Ji. But today, we really can't. Let's go, time to get you dressed."

Together, father and daughter hurriedly moved around the room, picking out clothes and packing bags. Prerna watched from the doorway, a soft smile on her face at the sight of her family working together.

As Nayan finally got ready and Rishav managed to gather all her school essentials, he felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him. He turned to Prerna, gratitude shining in his eyes.

"Thanks for offering to help, Prerna Ji. But I think we did just fine, didn't we, Pari Ji?"
He said, looking at his daughter with pride.

Nayan beamed up at her father, a feeling of warmth and love filling the room.
"Yeah, we make a great team, Papa."

And in that moment, amidst the rush of the morning and the chaos of getting ready, the bond between father and daughter grew even stronger, a reminder of the love that held their family together.

The morning may have been rushed, but it was filled with moments of connection and togetherness that made it all worth it.

As they finally stepped out the door, ready to face the day ahead, Rishav felt a sense of peace settle over him. No matter how frantic the mornings may be, as long as they faced them together, as a family, they could conquer anything that came their way.

And as they walked hand in hand towards the waiting car, the sun rising high in the sky, Rishav knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would always have each other to rely on.

Together, they could face it all.