The Binding String

T W E N T Y - F O U R

"I don't want to eat paratha's Mumma." Ishita stopped herself from serving the paratha's in plate and sat next her, "do you want to eat something else?"

"Haan woh round round fooli hui si. Dadi banati thi. Bohot tasty." Roohi spoke with animated face, her face shone with excitement like she is explaining something too nice to her Mumma. "Mumma mujhe yeh nahi khaana please." She made puppy face at end and pointed towards crispy paratha's kept in the hotcase. Ishita nodded her head and signalled Neelu to stop making paratha's.

"But it may take little time Roohi. Will it be okay with you?" Roohi nodded her head in a big yes , Ishita passed her chips to munch and she started to cook hot poori's for Roohi. She is so much like her Papa, even her likes and dislikes are same as her Papa and the only realisation was enough to make her grin wide.

"Ishita what you started to make in morning?"

"Idlis for breakfast. It's very healthy you know."

"Oh ms Chennai. I can't afford to eat these idli sambhar anymore. I want to eat something good, like poori."

"Raman....it's too oily."

"Agar tu nahi banayegi toh chod main khud hi bana loonga aur tera kitchen bhi ganda kar doonga."

"Dhamki mat do mujhe. Jaakar baitho main banati hoon."

"Bhabhi careful. You might end up burning your hand." A smile wiped from her face seeing Neelu infornt of her, she blinked her eyes several times and registered she was daydreaming again, daydreaming of the happy times when she and Raman was happy. She bit her lower lip and served crispy poori in dish along curd and asked Roohi to eat.

"Aap khilaao na Mumma." Her innocent plead made her teary eyed for another time. She tore one piece from poori and started to feed little girl smiling how her father used to insist her to make him feed whenever he used to return back from long tours but now he do not needed her anymore, the happy relationship once started to fade as the waning flame of candle, enough to make her feel helpless. She needed nothing much but an effort from him, his return and she was sure the flame will rekindle again. She started to cry unaware with the fact that her daughter is sitting next to her and her tears were making her scared.

"Mumma are you fine? Are you in pain Mumma? Bolo na Mumma." A touch of Roohi's tiny hands made her come out from her thoughts thoughts and she wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her dress. She kept the morsel back in dish and cleared her throat, "Neelu Roohi ko khana khila dena. Main baad mein naashta kar loongi." And she ran inside her room continued to sob leaving a confused Roohi behind. When Neelu tried to feed Roohi she refused straightly making her worried. She was sad seeing her Mumma going away from her for another time.

"Roohi baby chalo khaa lo na khana. Dekho aapko toh dahi pasand hai na?" Neelu tried to lure little child showing her bowl of curd but the child remained stubborn as before.

"But Mumma ne nahi khaya na toh phir Roohi kaise khaayegi didi." Roohi's innocent words left Neelu tongue tied, she jumped down from chair and walked towards her room. She silently looked at her cursive handwriting book and Mumma scolding from morning. Is she angry from her because she did mistake while doing that workbook? But how should she tell Mumma that she makes her scared always? How should she inform her that she want to stay with her, sometimes cuddle with her, and play with her the way her friend does but Mumma never listens to her. She wiped her eyes and ran towards her Mumma room and started to push the door but her effort remained unfruitful. She looked at Neelu didi for last time and ran inside her room.