JEEVAN

2-Hopes and Memories

Arnika woke up even before her alarm rang. She quickly got down her bed and went towards the balcony. Her father's car wasn't parked there. She felt a pout taking over her expressions and went back in. She sat down on the bed Indian style and sulked. She looked up and said,

"Mumma! Dekho na papa abhi Tak nahi aaye. Chachu said ki woh aaj aa jayenge. Ab mere school jaane ke baad aayenge kya? Idea! Aaj school na jau kya????? Nahi na bad idea. Aate hi gussa karne lagenge. By God, aapke pati na ekdum angry young man hai!" she complained and giggled. Talking to her mumma always brought a smile on her face.

As she came down all dressed for school, she paused mid-step when she found someone sitting on the head of the dining table. Her eyes widened in excitement.

Arjun sat on the chair sipping his black coffee lost in his file. However his concentration was broken when he heard a loud scream. He looked up shocked.

"Papa!!!" Arnika screeched in excitement and ran down the stairs towards him. Arjun's heart skipped a beat when she ran down so carelessly on the stairs. He saw all the possible scenarios of her tripping over her feet and breaking her neck. But that didn't happen. She reached him sound and safe much to his relief and engulfed him in a bear hug.

As she expected, Arjun did not reciprocate the hug. He never did yet everytime she hugged him, she found some unknown solace in his arms. She couldn't help but be thankful that even though he never hugged her yet he never sent her away. He didn't ever back off from the hug. He let her take comfort for as long as she wanted to.

After a while,Arni pulled back. She wanted to say a lot of things to him but before she could say something, he started

Arjun coldly- "You won't ever again run down the stairs like that, Arnika."

Arni flinched at his tone but then remembered her last night's resolve. "Uff ho papa! Kuch nahi hota. Aap chodo ye sab aur--"

But she was cut off when Arjun whacked her on the head with the file in his hands. She yelped in shock and pouted. She opened her mouth to protest but the glare she got from Arjun made her look down guiltily. Her father had some absurd way of greeting her.

Arjun- "Have your breakfast. We'll be leaving for school in a while."

A small smile graced on her lips at that. Her father always dropped her to school when he was home and she loved every moment of it. It made her feel so special!

Arjun won't ever admit it but he too enjoyed the moment. Her constant ramblings while driving made him feel relaxed. She was so much like Roshni in that aspect. Even she used to talk non-stop about anything and everything and if Arjun dared to look away from her even once, she blew a gasket about it. His lovely attention seeker. His heart ached at the memory that clouded his mind.

"-And then uss shopkeeper ne mujhe aise dekha jaise Maine uski kidney maang li ho,Arjun. Aap hi batao ki agar mujhe meri beti ke liye ki ek customised badass likhi hui T-shirt chahiye toh kya ho gaya? Meri beti! Mai Jo Marzi pehnau-- usse kya?" Roshni went on and on.

Arjun who had been looking at his wife since the past 30 minutes just shook his head. His wife had went on a shopping spree with their 2 year old daughter and she was all talks about it. She gave him in detail description of every shop they visited, every dress they bought and even the dresses they rejected!

He looked at his little girl who was trying to eat her teddy bear's ear. He frowned and took away the toy from her hand. Perhaps that is why his wife was adamant on washing her toys every other week. Arnika pouted when her papa stole her favourite teddy bear. She would have cried if her eyes didn't fall on his car keys. Since her father stole her teddy bear so she would steal his car keys! That would be only fair!