The Binding String

S I X T Y - T W O

Raman and Ishita both hugged Roohi tightly than before, few hours left from clock to struck five, they need to get up early to visit temple as well. Next morning, they woke up without the shrink of alarm and took quick shower before leaving temple. They didn't woke up sleeping Madhavi and left for temple. When they returned back, it was fifteen minutes left clock to struck seven. Ishita eyes met with her mother Madhavi who was done taking shower and reading newspaper sitting next to Roohi. Ishita received a warm smile from her mother which she found strange but she didn't replied. She offered her offerings and applied kumkum to Roohi forehead before retiring to washroom.

"Mumma!!!!" Ishita jumped seeing Roohi wide awake, battling her eyelashes. She bore her in a warm hug and twirled her.

"My chota baby. You slept well?" Ishita cooed Roohi, she enjoys snuggling against her mother after waking up even Ishita enjoys the same. She adjusted Roohi on her lap and hugged her tightly, Roohi wrapped her hands around her mother neck and resembled like a koala bear to her grand mother and father.

"You know Mumma, that needle is bad. I missed hugging you when that needle was there." Roohi innocently pointed towards the back of her palms making Ishita sigh. She peppered kisses on her tiny palms and concealed her in her embrace making the two spectator's go awwed. Raman offered another cup of tea to his mother in law as he prepared a strong black coffee for himself.

"Roo.....no huggies for Papa and Paati?" Roohi made serious facr looking at the two people's passing her puppy looks, she rolled her eyes and tapped her forehead with her forefinger and than hugged her mother back making her grandmother giggle and father pout.

"No one loves Papa here, nahi Roo?"

"I love you Papa but your stubble pricks." Ishita bursted into laughter listening her daughter brutal honest advice. Her husband loves to keep five o clock stubble but both she and Roohi hates it. She failed to convince him to shave it off, atleast her daughter managed to do so.

"Amma these mother and daughter teamed up against me." Madhvi keep laughing over the three, she kept her empty mug on the coffee table and went towards the bed where Ishita and Roohi were seated, she first peaked Roohi forehead and then caressed Ishita head leaving her amused.

"I am going back to home, will return back by eve. Okay Kanna." Roohi nodded her head with smile but Ishita was still shocked receiving such warm geatures from her mother. She bid her bye as Raman escorted her, his driver already arrived taking his parents back and he would drop Madhavi back at Bala place.  Ishita attention diverted at Roohi who rushed towards her favourite swing and sat over it.

"Roo not yet darling. Aao brush karne chalenge." Roohi nodded her head in negative enjoying her swing. Ishita rested her hands on her hips enjoying roohi cute antiques, she has never been stubborn before until they figured out about her medical conditions. She cannot blame Roohi for being cranky and stubborn, it's not easy to live confined in one room for so many days along taking syrups and medicines.

"Roo please na baba. See Mumma have to do brushy brushy as well and I am hungry too." Ishita made a sad face which drew Roohi attention, she jumped on her mother making Ishita giggle, she know Roohi cannot see her mother sad. She took her towards the washroom giggling along her, this entire scenario witnessed by Santhosh and Raman who just arrived back. Raman helped his mother in arranging the things back on the chest of the table when he caught her lost in a web of thoughts.

"Maa! Where have you been lost?"

"Just wondering how drastically you and Ishita have been changed in all these months, patience was never a part of your behaviours but see how incredibly you and Ishita are handling Roohi especially Ishita."