The Binding String

T H I R T Y - O N E

"Ishita, is there is time for dinner? "

"Yes just five minutes more."

"Okay than actually Malhotra is going to call me, he need some briefing so I'm in my room. Incase I take time more than required, you start feeding Roohi." Ishita nodded her head in affirmation putting all her concentration in frying bhature in heated oil, in hurry so that she can serve dinner to Roohi. Ishita rolled another bhatura with rolling pin and dipped into vessel of hot oil and the oil splashed on the back of her hand making her cry aloud. The heating oil on her fair skin left it red and Ishita wasn't able to stop her cries, Roohi who was playing with her ball ran towards her Mumma with panicked face.

"Mumma....kya hua Mumma." (What happened 3d Mumma?) Little Roohi took her Mumma's free hand in her and held it tightly, she took her Mumma towards nearby sofa and made her sit. Little Roohi's eyes filled with tears seeing her mother crying with pain. "Mumma...." Roohi just managed to whimper holding her Mumma's dress. Otherside Raman came out from room and rushed towards Ishita who was going red by crying.

"Ishita kya hua ekdum se?"
(What happened all of sudden?)

"Papa dekho na Mumma ko pain ho rahi hai." (Papa see Mumma is crying due to pain.) Roohi rushed towards her Papa and explained him whatever she can grasp.

"I'm fine Roohi. Don't worry dear." Ishita whispered blowing air on the burns, Raman ran towards refrigerator and bought ice cubes keeping in bowl and asked Ishita to rub those on the place she got burn. Roohi climbed up on sofa and herself started to rub the ice cubes on her burn marks continued to blow air on those. Meanwhile Raman went inside his room to fetching the burnol, "Don't cry Mumma, it will get fine." Roohi wiped her Mumma's cheeks with her tiny palms and dropped kisses one by one on her both cheeks.

"God has punished Mumma because Mumma raised her hand on Roohi." Ishita replied in hoarse voice letting the tears stream down from her eyes, this time not because of pain but because of touched with her daughter love for her. Otherside as Roohi listened her Mumma's reply her face turned pale and eyes welled up. She was angry with Mumma but she never wished her to cry because of pain, Roohi bit her thin lips looking at Mumma who was still mourning because of pain.

"But this will make you feel better Mumma." Roohi whispered somehow and took another ice cube to apply on burnt area. "Aur Roohi ne bhi toh mistake ki na, aapse jhooth bol kar. Jhooth bolna toh wrong hota hai na Mumma, aapne isliye hi toh mujhe maara tha na." (But even Roohi did mistake by lying to you. I got punishment because I lied to you.) Roohi confessed her mistake not looking into her mother's eyes but gazing at her hand which was red due to burns.

"But Mumma ne bhi toh wrong kiya na Roohi ko maarkar. Mumma ko Roohi se pooch na chahiye tha but Mumma punished you." (Even Mumma did wrong by slapping you. Mumma should have listened Roohi instead of punishing her.) Ishita replied wiping the little tear drop from her eyes, she pulled Roohi towards her and settled her on her lap. Ishita curled her free hand around her little body making little Roohi nestle her head in her Mumma's chest. "I'm sorry Roohi, Mumma shouldn't have to do this bad thing." Ishita apologised with guilty face, the fade hand imprints on her fair cheeks made her more guilty for raising her hand on her little daughter.

"It's okay Mumma but maine mistake ki thi na. Dadi ne kaha tha ki jab babies mistake karte hai tab hi Mumma unko punish karti hai. Jhooth bolna galat hai na. I'm sorry Mumma." (It's okay Mumma. Dadi told me whenever babies do mistake they get punishment by their mothers. I did wrong Mumma.) Roohi whispered holding her both the ears which was enough to break Ishita into tears. She hugged her little girl tightly as possible guilty on her deeds, wondering how can she slap her innocent child on such trivial mistake. Her little girl who is so considerate for her Mumma but she being her mother is opposite of her, never things about her the way she does.