The Binding String

N I N T Y - S I X

"Shona!!"

"Papa." Roohi jumped on her feet and lunged upon her father, elated to see him after a whole one day. Raman too cradled his doll in his arms and peppersd her face with kisses.

"Why were you roaming like this?"

"I was confused papa." Roohi passed animated looks to her father making him chuckle. He made her stand on her feet and selected denim dungari with a full sleeve tee shirt and a sweater.

"You're not supposed to roam in towel after taking bath." He scolded her lightly and started applying her baby moisturizer on her hands and legs before making her wear inner and woollen tee shirt paired with dungari.
"Mumma will scold you if she came to know about this." He applied cream on her face and then made her wear socks.

"Papa ye socks toh cute hai." Roohi exclaimed on her woollen socks which had different colors on it. "Probably you mother selected it." Raman mumbled while remembering if he forgot something or not. "But Mumma kahan pe hai?"

"She must be with Mihika chitti shona."

"But I want to meet her."

"Okay. Let me dress you first." He pacified his daughter and completed her look with the jacket. He took her in his arms and made her stood on the ottomon to make her take a look of her appearance. "It's perfect Papa." Roohi jumped in her father arms and giggled peaking his cheek.

"Ye toh soft soft hai papa." She pulled Raman cheeks.

"Uhm uhm....what's going around?" Their eyes twinkle finding Ishita at doorstep, Roohi started to jump excited to find her mother at last whereas Ishita too bore her sweetheart in a tight hug and peppered kisses on her face making her giggle.

"Oh God! Someone is looking so pretty."

"Papa dressed me." Roohi proudly looked at her father making Ishita shake her head. "I missed you Shona."

"I missed you too Mumma." Roohi returned kisses to her mother making her heart swelled with love. The family of three remained tangled with each other savouring each other presence. Ishita softly untangled Roohi hairs and tied her hairs with colorful clips.

"My little baby." Ishita cuddled up longer with Roohi, inhaling her baby fragrance. "Okay now tell me you had milk?"

"Yes Mumma."

"And breakfast?" She sat on the bed taking her in her arms.

"No. I was waiting for you." Roohi started to play with her sweater collar making her chuckle.

"And who bathed you?" Now as Roohi started to call herself a big girl, she urged to take bath all by herself but both her parents know she can't do that.

"Dadi asked me but I took bath all by myself." Roohi raised her imaginary collar making her parents sigh. Raman pretends to inhale her hand and scrunches his nose, "See that's why she is smelling bad."

"Papa!!" Roohi whined on her father for making her fun and cuddled against her mother. "But Maine ek cheeze toh kari hi nahi."

"Kya?" Ishita raised eyebrow curiously looking at Roohi.