Shorts: An IPKKND Collection

Blossom

The chime of payal outside his door distracted Arnav from his laptop.

"Blossom? Come inside."

She came, frowning in concentration as she tottered on unsteady feet, and held his leg tightly for balance when she reached him. He pulled her onto his lap.

"What are you doing here?"

Her brown eyes sparkled as she blinked at him.

"Dada da da," she chanted, raising a hand to yank at his nose.

"Daddy," he gently corrected.

"Da da daaaa," was her response.

Chuckling, Arnav threw his daughter into the air and caught her. Her giggles echoed in the room, and she squealed with delight as he made her into an aeroplane and swung her around.

"Arnav-ji, she just ate."

They both turned to the door at Khushi's soft admonishment. She leaned against the doorframe, a smile on her lips and a plate in her hands. It was obvious that she'd been there for a while.

"Geeta, you were supposed to stay in your bhaiya's room."

Their daughter giggled and hid her face in Arnav's shoulder. While she couldn't talk in full sentences yet, she certainly understood the tone of Khushi's gentle chiding.

"Awww, she just wanted to see her Daddy, that's all," he tickled her, "She's already eaten? What's the plate for then?"

"Her father's lunch."

"Oh," Arnav turned to his wife, "No one called me downstairs."

"I thought you needed peace and quiet. Although, your daughter seems to have other ideas."

Arnav settled on the sofa with Geeta on his lap and Khushi next to him.

"Maa mamama," Geeta reached for her mother.

They corrected her at the same time.

"Amma."

"Mamma."

Khushi pouted as she settled the giggling bundle on her lap.

"Arnav-ji! One of my children should call me Amma. Aarav already calls us Mom and Dad."

"And so will she," predicted Arnav, "She'll call us whatever her brother calls us."

He reached for the plate and uncovered it to reveal his lunch – dhal, roti, a selection of vegetables, and kheer for dessert. Tasting the dhal for chillies, Arnav dipped his finger and fed some to Geeta. She licked it off his finger and smacked her lips.

"Mum mum mum," his daughter chanted, reaching towards his plate for more.

"Are you sure you fed her?" Arnav grinned at Khushi as he obliged.

"Sure, sure, make fun of me," his wife huffed, "She's normally very well behaved, but the novelty of having you home these last two days has turned her into a princess."

"She is a princess. My princess."

"Laad Governess."

Arnav's short burst of laughter triggered Geeta's giggles and the room rang with their merriment for a few minutes.

"Mom! Dad! I lost ... oh she's here. Never mind."

Aarav came running into the room, freezing when he saw Geeta on Khushi's lap.

"Hey big guy," Arnav smiled, "How'd she sneak away this time?"

"She brought over one of her DVDs," Aarav shuffled his feet, "She ran off while I was setting it up. Sorry."