Nurture And Love (BOOK #3) ✍️

Chapter 30

“Especially when it’s the fault of your mother.” Vihaan teased again, earning a smack into his gut from Sanchi. “Hickory, just concentrate.”

Sanchi nodded. “So wh-ere were we?”

Vihaan shrugged his shoulders. “In the backyard of our farmhouse.”

“I did not me-an this.” Sanchi shook her head. “What are you bo-th doing here in the mid-dle of the night? Is every-thing alright with you or our fam-ily? Do you sense any sort of dan-ger lurking un-der our nose?”

Vihaan opened his mouth to speak, but Prachi was quick enough to prevent him. “Maa, I was not able to sleep so I thou-ght to spend some time watch-ing the sky and writing down new lyrics. I was fee-ling afraid to move out of the house so I fet-ched papa with me. We both prefe-rred not to disturb you.”

“Oh, you sca-red me.” Sanchi touched her cheek. “But what was the noi-se for? I felt as if some-thing hit my win-dow.”

“That was a peb-ble.” Prachi pointed at the catapult in her hand. “I was still not ready to sleep even after plan-ning my lyrics so papa sugg-ested me that I sho-uld learn how to use a cata-pult. You know Rihu has alre-ady learnt it during his child-hood. I was so interested to learn that I missed my aim while prac-ticing it.”

“Your father has alw-ays been this ins-ane, Pihu.” Sanchi raised an eyebrow before turning towards Vihaan. “What do you think of our dau-ghter, Vih? Is she also so cra-zy as you? Is this the right ho-ur of the day to teach such kind of acti-vities to her? Instead of try-ing to lull her to sleep, you are mak-ing her put efforts into some-thing that may adver-sely affect her daily sleep rou-tine.”

“Maa, ple-ase don’t blame him. Papa didn’t ins-ist me-”

“You don’t say, Pi-hu. I know you wouldn’t like to com-plain against your belo-ved father.”

“Why are you being so jealous over our father-daughter relationship, hickory?” Vihaan rolled his eyes amusingly. “Are you scared that our team will be more powerful than yours?”

“I wi-sh Rihu were here! He wo-uld have surely supp-orted me.” Sanchi expressed her grief. “You are sim-ply not going to use Pihu to an-noy me, is that unders-tandable?”

“I wish I could stick to your orders!” He murmured, earning another smack from her. “Sanchi, why are you always like this?”

Prachi found herself in a sudden dilemma of resolving the argument between her parents. Trying to appease both the sides, she jumped between them. “Papa has alw-ays been so full of praise for you, maa. He was remem-bering all the old sweet days he’d spent with you and smi-ling to himself. He narr-ated to me how you both had spent your holi-days playing with catapults here and prepa-ring juices. The only bad thing was th-at you’d lost the game to Shay uncle and papa still reg-rets about it. He worries a lot for you, maa.”

“Is th-at so?” Sanchi narrowed her eyes. “I lost the game, but wh-ose fault was it, Vih? Who was the one pray-ing behind my ba-ck for me to lose my aim? Who was the one who cho-se to face the punish-ment of preparing wood ap-ples after accep-ting his guilt?”

“Hickory, you are deliberately trying to intrude into the forbidden stories of my life. I do not like to hear of things that concerns punishments I was intentionally made to face by someone.”

“It proves every-thing, doesn’t it, Pihu?” Sanchi smirked and turned to walk away. “Pihu, are you go-ing to leave for yo-ur room right now or sim-ply waste your time doing noth-ing with an overly egoi-stic arrogant man?”

Vihaan widened his eyes while Prachi straightened her shoulders. “Tomorrow, papa.” She mouthed softly to him before joining Sanchi. “Maa, I think I’m fee-ling sleepy now. Let’s go.”