Sameer -Naina FF : Kati Patang

Prologue

Prologue

"Nisha...'' Naina's voice boomed in the room as she watched her daughter climb the steps to terrace.Nisha! Niche utro..Lag jayegi tumhe.Niche utro..'' Gone was the sweet and innocent voice of hers.The voice was now of ragged tunes which spoke of experience and pain.

"Nahin Mumma...Mujhe dekhna hai wo kite ko.Main jaa rahi hoon...byee... '' Nisha waved as she carelessly stumbled on terrace stairs.

Red fingers adorned her cherubic cheeks.

The burning sensation of her mother's slap was still giving her hiccups and tears..more tears.

"Rona band kar aur homework khatam kar.'' Naina shouted from the kitchen as she saw her 6 years daughter sobbing at the sequestered corner of bedroom.

" Phir se daant diya use..Bahut buri hoon''. Naina muttered as she remembered how hard she slapped her.

"Mumma..Sorry!'' Nisha said holding her ears and Naina couldn't stop herself from hugging her bundle of joy.

" Mein bahut naughty hoon na.Apko pareshan karti hoon.Right? Lekin Mumma pata hai Rishav bol raha tha ki agar kite mein kuch likh ke wish karoge to wish puri ho jayegi.Main isliye terrace pe jaa rahi thi.I am sorry Mumma.'' Nisha mumbled as her mother held her in tight embrace.

"Rishav ki baat kabhi mat sun na.Kuch bhi bolta hai.Waise kya wish mangni thi tume? '' Naina asked looking into the innocent doe shaped eyes of her Nisha.

" Wishes kisiko batate nahin.Apko nahin pata kya? '' Nisha said with a curt smile on her face.

"Acha meri maa..Ab jaa aur home work khatam kar.Lunch mein kya banau? ''Naina asked as she scanned the refrigerator to cook something special.

" Paneer with dher sara butter.'' Nisha was already excited about lunch.Her mother definitely cooks delicious food.

" Mumma.. '' Nisha called her mother as she completed her homework and was surfing the channels.Unlike her age kids ,she watched animal planet and tried to read newspapers.

"Haan beta..bol kya hei?'' Naina asked as she set the gravy to boil on low flame.

"Yeh F..A..T..H..E..R.. kya hai? " Nisha asked as she tried to read the word in one go.

"Father..matlab Papa.Jaise Rishav ke ghar mein uske Papa hein.Mumma ko Mother kehte hain.Samjhi?'' Naina explained .

"Oh! Phir humare ghar mein Papa kyun nahin hai? Aap to Mother ho phir Father koun hai? '' Nisha asked with confusion glaring in her eyes and voice.Suddenly she felt as if she realised that she was missing something..something very important.

"Sabka Father hona jaruri nahin hai.Mumma hai na.Arey ..yeh Paneer kahin jal to nahin gaya.'' She exclaimed and sprinted to kitchen.

Naina watched her daughter flipping pages of newspaper.It was Father's Day and the newspaper was filled with father-child bonding pictures.

She could see how Nisha was marvelling the images running her little fingers over them and mumbling in whispers.

"Kaise bataun tujhe beta ki mein shaadi hi nahin ki.'' Naina's eyes filled with tears as she remembered the fateful day.

(To be continued)