The Binding String

T H I R T Y - S I X

"Mujhe nahi khelna unke saath. Mumma unhone meri ball bhi le li aur mujhe khelne bhi nahi de rahe the. Mere paas ball hi nahi aa rahi thi." (I don't want to play with them. Mumma they're playing with my ball and they're not passing it to me so I took my ball back from them.) Roohi complained with creased eyebrows making Ishita and Shobhna ji chuckle at same time. Ishita wiped the sweat beads from her forehead with the end of her chunni while listening her complaints.

"Are but friends me saath toh share karke hi khelte hai na beta."  (But sharing is a nice thing Roohi.) Ishita tried to give her daughter reason.

"But ball toh meri hai na toh mujhe kyon nahi di khelne ko?" (But that was my ball and they weren't giving me chance to play.) Roohi expressed her point and her mother sighted wondering how to make her understand that sharing stuffs is a nice thing but maybe she is too young to understand same.

"Rooh it's not like that. They're your friends haina."

"Then you become my friend." Roohi happily proposed the offer which her mother cannot deny at all. Ishita nodded her head in defeat knowing well she cannot win from father daughter duo especially when it comes on argument. She took her hand and they started to take a walk around park, seeing the kids playing and elder walking around. The mother daughter duo was enjoying the walk when Roohi spotted her father who was coming towards her and she ran towards him freeing her hand from her Mumma's grip.

Roohi sudden act scared Ishita for once but she got relieved spotting Raman who was kneeling down on garden, spreading his arms wide, waiting for Roohi who soon launched herself in her Papa's arms. Ishita smiled weakly seeing Roohi cuddling with her father, she took Raman's bag from his hand and remained stood at side watching or rather than adoring father daughter duo. "Rooh Papa is tired. Chalo neeche aao ab." Ishita forwarded her hands but Roohi denied and forced her father to sit with her for sometime.

"Hmm tell me kya kya kiya aaj Roohi ne din bhar?" (So tell me what you did whole day darling?) Raman Ishita sat on a empty bench taking Roohi along.

"Papa Mumma ne kaha ki main apni ball sabke saath share karoon but woh wahan pe jo girls thi na Priya, Vinni woh mujhe ball pass hi nahi kar rahe the isliye main unke saath nahi khelungi." (Papa Mumma says sharing sharing is a nice thing but the other girls standing there is not giving me my ball to play. I won't play with them.) Roohi complaint her father with scrunched nose making her mother hit her head with her palm.

"Toh koi baat nahi. Koi zaroorat nahi hai meri Roohi ko un baccho ke saath khelne ki. Papa Mumma hai na. Papa Mumma khelenge aapke saath okay. Papa will teach you to play badminton. Okay meri shaitaan bacchi." (Thats fine love. Mumma Papa will play wirh you okay. ) Raman pulled Roohi's nose and the girl giggled aloud. What the hell is Raman doing? Kyon jhoote waade kar rahe hai Roohi se? Ishita whispered with displeasure seeing Raman making false promises to Roohi. She decided to confront him about same but before she could do so she saw Raman walking towards his entrance of building and she started to follow him thinking he might going  back to apartment but she creased her brows finding him talking something with his driver Sateesh.

"Kya hua Raman?" Ishita asked curiously finding a suspicious smile on Raman face.

"Wait." He held Ishita's hand with one hand and covered Roohi's eyes with another, eagerly waiting for Sateesh to bring the thing he asked to. Minutes later as Sateesh unwrapped the gift infront of Ishita she gasped excitedly and looked at Raman with wide eyes winked at her in response. He asked Ishita to hold Roohi's hand and they took her towards the present he bought for his little daughter.