Bride

-Chapter 12-

Vivek shook his head. Like his beautiful wife his son had to get the last word.

"Buddy stop" Vikky yelled. Vivek hit the breaks immediately. The jeep came to a shrieking halt. He looked back at his son startled, "Kya hau?" 

"Ice-cream"

Vivek looked at the ice-cream vendor on the streets and glared back at his son, "Really Vikky, how old are you? Three?"

"Please na buddy, bohot maan hai. Kitne din ho gaye hai ice-cream khaye hue. Chaleye na khatey hai. please..... please....  please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please.... please...."

Vivek closed his eyes frustrated. When his 27 year old son behaved like a toddler he felt lost, but there was a part of him that celebrated it. No matter how old his child got he would always remain his child.

"Buddy, please....."

"Okay, fine" Vivek gave in, "only one, okay? You have a concert in two days. You cannot risk your voice."

Vikky gave an angelic smile. Vivek got down to order the ice cream. He was paying for the cones when the twins woke up. They saw the ice-cream and wanted one for themselves. Vivek shot Vikky a disgusted look but got ice-creams for everyone. But one ice-cream was not enough to satisfy the brood. They each ordered a different flavor and then fought to taste each others ice-creams. In the end Vivek was forced to buy each of them three different cones. His first born was proving to be the bane of existence. 

"Mughe yeh wale bilkul nehi pasnd buddy" He trusted the cone back into his hands, "Mughe woh pistachio flavor taste karne hai"

"Mughe bhi" Vish chimed in.

"mughe bhi" Vibha joined in.

"Bilkul nehi" Vivek put his foot down. if his wife found out about the late night ice-cream expedition she would skin him alive. And if the kids fell ill he would not be able to deal with it.

"You had enough ice-cream to last you guys a month. No more."

"Buddy, please yaar, kanjoos na bano aap....."

Vivek whacked him hard. The twins rushed to the car immediately. If their dad did not hesitate to whack their big-b, they would end up getting worse. They were smart enough to know when to cut their losses.

"Ja aur gade me baith" Vivek scolded.

"Mara aapne mughe? ruko apne mumma ko call karta hoon....."

"Haan beta call kar aur use bata ke hum yaha khade hoke, itne raat gaye kya maahn kam kar rahe hai. Mughe to ghar se nekaldege woh, tere bhi kuch kam aarti nehi utarege.'

vikky wanted to stop his feet. His parents knew how to keep him in line.

"Now stop acting like a toddler and sit inside before you catch a cold. I have had enough of your tanturms."

Vivkky marched away and joined the twins in the jeep. They gave him teasing looks.

"What?" He yelled.

"Taste karoge, big-b?" Vish offered him his ice-cream. "Mango flavor hai. It's really good."

Vikky shook his head, but Vish brought the cone closer to his lips, "chakh ke dekho, bura nehi hai"

Vikky gave in and took a lick. It was really good. Vish smiled, "Ache hai na? kahlo aap" he gave him the cone. Vikky looked surprised.

"Par tughe kahan tha na?"

"Haan to kya hua? Ice-cream aapko zyada pasand hai. Aap khalo. Waise bhi aapko maar bhi pade. Ise compensation samajh lo"

Vikky pulled him into a hug. The boy fought with him, but end of the day he always had his back.