Forever Yours

Chapter Twenty Four

"Shehnaaz.." Rita Maa called out, entering the hall carrying a bowl of warm oil and hair brushes. "Kaahan hai gudiya?"  

"Woh abhi kitchen mein gayi hai Maa." Siddharth informed his mother, looking up from his laptop. Rita Maa nodded and kept the bowl of oil on the coffee table.  

"Shehnaaz.. coffee banaayi na toh maar padegi!" Rita Maa warned her, rushing into the kitchen. "Kal bhi late soyi thi tu. Hot chocolate banaya tha, flask mein rakha hai woh piyo."  

"Mumma mujhe kaam karna hai, hot chocolate se neend aati hai!" Shehnaaz protested, discarding the coffee that she had taken out of the upper shelf.  

"Woh hi karna hai. You have to take a nap." Rita Maa said sternly.  

"But mumma.." Shehnaaz was about to speak up in protest when her mother cut her off with a glare.  

"Kal late aayi thi na shoot se? Aaj bhi subaah jaldi nikal gayi dress trial ke liye, restless ho jaayegi bacche, fir bimaar padegi toh mat aana mere paas." Rita Maa said firmly, yet failing to hide her concern for her daughter. 

Shehnaaz pouted, "Aapke paas nahi aaungi toh kahan jaaungi?" She asked innocently.  

Rita Maa smiled at her fondly. "Jaa bahar baith, mein hot chocolate lekar aayi, phir head massage karungi tera. Go on, quickly." She ushered Shehnaaz out of the kitchen and poured the now lukewarm drink into a mug to be heated in the microwave. 

A few minutes later, Shehnaaz was handed a mug of steaming hot chocolate by her mother while she made herself comfortable on the ground. Rita Maa took a little oil and rubbed it in her hair.  

"Accha kar rahe ho Maa. Yeh bilkul dhyaan nahi rakhte hai apna. Jhaadu jaise ho gaye hai iske baal!" Siddharth said, while watching something on the laptop screen. Rita Maa responded affirmatively.  

"Tera hi number hai iske baad. Shut that laptop in five minutes or I'll have to pull your ears myself and make you do it."  She said sternly.  

Shehnaaz giggled and Siddharth looked offended at his mother's words. "Mein kaam kar raha-- Accha kar raha hu band. Aise gussa mat karo." He pouted, trying to look innocent.  

"Five minutes."  

"I'm doing it in two, look!" Siddharth moved the laptop, showing his mother the Shut-down window. 

Mumma Shukla nodded in approval, while continuing to massage Shehnaaz's hair.  

"Braids kar doon gudiya?" She asked Shehnaaz who nodded eagerly. She kissed her forehead gently.  

"Saara attention, saara pyaar uss hi pe luta diya karo bas!" Siddharth cribbed.  

Rita Maa chuckled. "Mere bacche ko attention chahiye?" She cooed softly.  

Siddharth made a face. "Admit it, aapne meri aur iski meeting hamaare liye nahi apne liye fix ki thi. Taaki aapko aapki beti mil jaaye." He said in a tone of complaining. 

"Toh mene kab disagree kiya?" Maa asked confused, making Siddharth scowl. "Chal ab sadna band kar."  

"Aapka beta mein hoon, aur aap saara time Shehnaaz ko pamper karte rehte ho.." Siddharth grumbled.  

"Tu nahi karta?" Rita Maa raised her eyebrows at her son.  

"Meri toh baby hai woh.." 

"Toh meri bhi toh bacchi hai!" Rita Maa responded. 

Shehnaaz laughed, hearing the two of them banter around like kids  

"Hasna band karo tum, tumhaare aane ke baad se meri importance meri apni life mein kam ho gayi hai, family ko kya blame karunga mein." Siddharth pouted, and Shehnaaz cooed at him softly.