The Binding String

N I N T Y - O N E

If one person is away from the house, ite enough to make it look dull and boring. She heard it from her mother in law but experienced it today. The full walks until started looking up lively and from the time Raman arrived. The contagious smile of her husband and daughter was heartwarming for everyone present in the living area.

"Papa what else you done there? You went to Disneyland?" An enthusiastic roohi was clung around her father who was roaming around the house carrying her in her arms.

"No darling, I went for work na."

"You didn't went anywhere to have fun?" She cupped his face gently when he nodded his head in denial with a fake sad pout.

"Poor papa. Don't worry, we will do lots of fun now. You know mumma took me to market and we saw lots of colorful lights there." Roohi started to narrate about her recent visit to local market to shop festivities for upcoming Diwali festival. Raman saw various packets lying around along the lights and diyas packets. He can sense his wife enthusiasm for the festival with the shopping packets, his one gaze remain stuck in the kitchen where she was working along the helps probably finishing off the last minute dinner prepration.

"Okay now you tell me how's your art classes going? Are you enjoying it?"

"Little bit, that boy Priyanshu...arghh....he is annoying Papa." Roohi spoke with a scrunched nose making Raman chuckle.

"Don't worry I will talk to him tomorrow. No one can dare to hurt my princess." They saw Ishita walking towards the dining table holding bowls in her hand. The aromatic smell of freshly cooked Palak Paneer filled their nostrils as the father daughter duo mouth started to water. Roohi remained seated on her father lap as Ishita started to serve the food, her face was still glowing but the shyness and embaressment was not allowing her to face her husband.

"Mumma it's yum yum." Roohi moaned with delight making her parents chuckle. She wanted to eat food from her father hands today.

"Hmm actually Roo. It is amazing. God! I craved for homemade food." The two made sounds while eating and Ishita couldn't help from laughing on their antiques. Raman eyes were stuck in his wife who was trying her best not to look at him. She was sitting opposite to him, her eyes were glued on her fish rather than looking at anywhere, he bit his lower lip and stretched his foot forward, his toe reached near her legs and started to caress her skin.

"Ishita. What happened?" Raman continued to caress her skin and forwarded her a glass of water seeing her coughing.

"Mumma! Are you alright?" Roohi ran towards her mother, worry laced on her face. "I am jaan." Ishita made her sit on the table top and put morsal in her mouth. She pointed fork towards Raman with a silent threat through her eyes.

You dare to mess with me.

Then try to. He winked at her and her nose turned red with annoyance.

"Papa! When will you give me my gifts?"

"Papa bolo na.."

It was another time when Roohi nagged her father for gifts which he was not giving her, all thanks to his wife who stopped him from presenting the gifts until she finish her meals.

"Roo I have told you before, no gifts until you finish your food." Ishita spoke in no nonsense tone leaving roohi with a sad pout.

"But Mumma! I waited for it for so long." Roohi reasoned eyeing at her father bags.

"I am not stopping you. Just finish this remaining food and you're free to play." Ishita put morsal in her mouth which she chewed half heartedly.

"Nobody loves me here." Roohi murmured making her parents roll their eyes.