A Journey to Trust and Heal

29- Replica

I didn't know whether to laugh or feel offended that he only likes me for stone castles.

"Jay behave. Atleast greet her first", Nikhil reprimanded him.

Jay pouted on being scolded but as usual he couldn't help being sassy. "Hello Sia. See I greeted her, now can we go and make stone castles?", he said looking at us in impatience.

I laughed out loud seeing him. Even though arrogance was boozing out of him, he looked cute.

"Kiddo first get inside and have some food, I promise we will make stone castles before you leave", I said and ushered them in.

"Hello Nikhil. Oh! you brought your kid too", Mom greeted Nikhil warming but her face turned sour the moment she saw Jay.

I was just going to tell her to behave but then I saw Jay sticking his tongue out to her and my Mom too joined him in making faces at each other.

I turned towards Nikhil and with a sheepish face, I told him, "I am sorry about that".

I couldn't believe my Mom. She was acting like a kid, fighting with Jay for no reason whatever.

"Don't be. We all love their banter. They pretend to not like each other and keep irritating each other but both of them love each other dearly", Nikhil said chuckling.

"Love? Come on, don't lie. I know you are saying this so that I won't feel bad for my mother's behaviour", I told him not believing a single word he said.

"Seriously. Aunty is the one who takes care of him most of the times when we both are busy with work and Jay is the one who helps kill her loneliness", Nikhil informed me.

This was a news to me, I didn't knew anything about it.

"Really?", I asked still not being able to believe it.

"Yup, so don't worry and let them continue while we go and eat something. I am really hungry and ready to eat the whole house if you don't give me food in a second", he said while clutching his stomach.

"Oh okay! We shouldn't waste a minute then. Go and freshen up. I will take out the plates", I said and went to kitchen not before calling both the kids to have lunch.

Yeah I called my Mom a kid. If she is behaving like one then she deserves to be called like one.

We soon left for the park after having lunch to make stone castles as I had promised to Jay. Mom too came with us and the whole way she kept bickering with Jay for one thing or the other.

"I have one question. How did Jay came to know about stone castles?", I asked him the question that was running through my mind from the time he visited for the first time.

"That's a long story", Nikhil said.

I gave him a look and said, "So? We have a long time. I am sure till the time my Mom and Jay finish their bickering, your story would be over".

He chuckled hearing me and seeing my look of annoyance but nodded nonetheless.

"You know Trisha is pregnant, right? I don't know how but she got the idea that her child was getting bored inside so she started reading children books to entertain her child. One day Jay saw her and got interested in those stories. From that day, he goes and sits beside her to hear the stories she reads for her child", he started.

"Only Trisha could come up with something like this", I said laughing.

"I didn't understand, she read children books, right? So how come my story came in between?", I asked confused.

"Hear the full story first", he told me annoyed of my interruption.

"Sorry sorry, please continue", I said motioning him to move on with my hands.

He took a deep breathe and continued, "So where was I? Oh yeah, so Trisha used to read the stories out everyday. But one day she was really tired and was not able to even keep her eyes open for a minute, so she slept, canceling the story session but Jay was adamant to hear the story, even started crying so Samar stepped in between.

As you know Samar is blind so obviously he couldn't read the children books. Hence he started telling Jay the story of his favourite child character. The one who played an essential role in his love story.

The story of - Queen of Stone Castles".

He completed giving a bow in the end like an actor.

I chuckled remembering the times Samar and Trisha babysat me. Obviously he had tons of stories about me.

"Sia, let's go. What are you waiting for? We reached the park. I am going to make a huge stone castle today and we won't give entry to your Mom to come inside but you can come. You are very good", Jay spoke in a rush while dragging me away from Nikhil.

"This stupid kid. You won't let me entry. I don't even want to come inside your stupid castle", Mom retorted, obviously having heard what Jay said.

"My Castle isn't stupid, you are stupid", Jay said stomping his leg and ran away before anybody could scold him.

"Sorry", Nikhil apologized to Mom in his behalf.

"Don't be. Now go behind him, before he manages to get lost", Mom told him and sat down on a nearby bench seeming tired of arguing with Jay.

"Tired?", I asked smiling.

"Don't ask. A 5 year old has great energy to speak about something that doesn't even make sense", she said wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"Looks like he is your replica", I commented teasingly.

"Jay wait, I am coming", I ran away upon receiving her sharp glare.