PICTURE PERFECT (FAR FROM PERFECTION)

9.

I can see how well the father-son bonding is.

“Dadda, you promised to say me a story”, he whined sitting on the bed beside Darshan.

Darshan sided and made space for his son to enter.

“But, I am sleepy”, Darshan yawned and closed his eyes.

“But you promised”, he still continued.

“But I am sleepy, please? I will tell you a story tomorrow”, he pouts at his son who crosses his arms over his chest.

He doesn't speak further and faces away from his father.

Darshan sighs and pokes his son's ribs.

It might have tickled him because he moved a little.

Then, a mischievous grin fills his face before he began tickling his son again and this time more fiercely.

The room was filled with Ashray's and Darshan's laughter.

I didn't know that Darshan could behave like this too. I had never imagined even.

Nikhil enters the hospital room with a blank face and the rooms fall silent.

“Nikhil bhaiya!”, Ashray jumps off the bed and onto Nikhil.

“Ohho.. I see we have two kids in the hospital now”, Nikhil grins wide looking at the kid.

He looks around and shakes his head.

“My bad. We have three kids in here”, he says and laughs.

My mouth drops ajar and I get up from my seat to smack his arm.

“Who told I am a kid?”, I whine and hit him more.

“Who told that you are a kid? You yourself said so”, he laughs and I attack him with more hits.

“Bhaiya, dadda is not telling me a story”, he frowns and I look at Darshan. All emotions drained out from his eyes and I almost think, it was just a dream when I saw him laugh. But the fact is, it was not.

“Dadda?”, Ashray's small timid voice speaks and his eyes dart to his son.

He places on a smile that seems like it was reaching his eyes. It seemed like that.

Seemed.

“Beta, raat bhut ho gyi hai, aap so jao. Kal story suna dunga”, he smiles at his son and Ashray doesn't complain.

But the question is where would he sleep?

The question is answered when the small boy walks up to his father and sleeps where he was laying with his dad.

“You can go now. I will stay here the night”, Nikhil says and nods at me.

Darshan's groan makes us turn our heads to him.

“I am doing just fine. You guys don't need to be here all the time”, he huffs out.

“Well, who knows if a guy comes across and offers you around some... Ten tablets and you take them without thinking. Can't take the risk”, Nikhil casually shrugs and I hear Darshan dragging in a sharp breath.

I look at Ashray who is busy drowning himself into the world of cartoons telecasted on the small television at the end of the hospital room.

I walked out of the hospital and to my car.

Today had been tedious.

Just as I think of calling Natasha and say her that I am fine, her name flashes on my phone and I can't help but panic.