6 years later. . .
'Mumma! Mumma!'
Two puppies were running down the corridor towards the master bedroom at one end, followed by a 5 year old in blue jeans and pink tee. Her black sneakers made the weirdest noise.
'Aree...kya hua...?' An elderly lady stopped her in her tracks. 'Dadi...mumma kaha hai...?' She was panting.
'Meine toh Radha ko subah se nahi dekha...' She thought aloud. 'Accha...?' The girl thought a little...'
'Choco, Brownie...chalo mumma ko dhundte hai...'
Soon, after searching, she found her mother, whose hands and face were dirty with soil. She was busy planting seeds in the backyard.
'Mumma!' she called breathlessly.
'Krishika!' She turned back to see her sit down on the floor 'You ran here?' Her eyes widened.
Yes, you all guessed it right, Krishika Chauhan Mehra, was none other than Krish and Radhika's daughter. She was a reflection of her father's complexion and her mother's chubby face. She was a little crazy liker her mother but intelligent and smart like both of them. Her ways of talking were exactly her mother's reflection, while the way she ran, walked or even ate, reminded everyone of her father. She was perfect combo of the two. She had her mother's eyes and his father's thick black hair.
'Toh aur kya karti mein...aapko batana tha na...' She was breathless. 'Kya' She asked.
'Papa aa rahe hai...' She got up getting excited. 'He is going to come in an hour or so...'
'Accha...toh...how should we welcome his this time...?' Radhika asked with her eyes twinkling with mischief.
'Ummm...' Krishika walked a little and stopped glancing at Choco. 'Idea!' She ran and whispered to something to her mother followed by a high five.
Krish was greeted in the living room by his parents. The house seemed unusually quite, which was something rare, specially with the mother-daughter duo around. Choco, walked down the stairs to greet him with a jump, as he patted looking up. 'They are surely upto something' Krish smiled
'Krish, jaake fresh ho jao, phir lunch mein baat kar lenge hum sab'
'Okay mumma...' His eyes searched the corridors as he walked towars the master bedroom. He turned the doorknob as silently as he could, there was no sound inside. He peeped into the toom, it looked empty.
'Attack!' He heard a familiar voice, and Slosh! Slosh! Slosh! Three water balloons filled with red water wet his grey suit followed by Krishika's giggle.
'Mein jaanta tha...jaanta tha mein! Isliye andar nahi aa raha tha!' He shook his head. 'Ohh really Krishna?' She threw another from her bucket this time, which hit his head, making Krishika giggle more.
'Okay, that's it'!
He ran after his daughter who dropped her bucket to user her mother as a shield
'Nahiii!' Radhika let out a cry, holding Krishika, as Krish picked up Krishika's fallen basket and attacked them with the balloons in it. Radhika shielded herself and Krishika with the bucket in hand, giggled as Krish laughed.
'Kaha bhaag gayi Krishika, maidaan chod ke woh bhi...apne maa ke piche chupi ho?'
'Ji nahi, bilkul nahi!' was followed by Krishika, taking a vase, as her parents shouted, 'Nahi nahi not that!' in unison.
She was smart enough not to throw the vase, but the water and flowers at Krish. Radhika laughed as water dripped from him, and he smelled of flowers and there were petals all over his hair and suit.
'Bilkul apni maa pe gaya hai', was followed by a look at Radhika as they both remembered her doing the same to him, 5 years back.
'Krishika!' Radhika looked at away as Krish smiled. 'Chalo, let's give you a bath, varna you'll catch a cold!' She turned back while leaving. 'Krishna, you too bathe before you catch a cold, meine kapde nikaal ke rakhe hai.'
'Waise balloons kaha se aaye?' He asked with a serious face.
'Woh...kal brownie ka birthday tha na...three month ka! usmein se bachake...' 'I don't wanna know, tum dono ka pagalpan!' He stopped her
'Radha! Radha!' He was calling, his hair wet, and he was in his track pants and tee shirt looking for something.
'Kya hua?' Her hair was wet, and let lose on one side.
'Kaha hai?'
'Kya?' She frowned. Since a few years, he always used to lose things that were right under his nose.
'Mera hair dryer'. He shrugged.
'Hands up!' Krishika entered, her hair wet holding the dryer like a revolver. 'There i t is!' Radhika exclaimed with laughter.
'Radhika, dry my hair!' Krish took the dryer from Krishika's hand, mking the kid frown.
'Ji nahi, mein pehle!' She hugged her mother. 'Meine pehle bola!' Krish counterattacked
Krishika was frowning. 'Aap jaa apne maa ke paas, yeh meri maa hai!'
'Pehle meri biwi hai!' He smiled teasing his daughter, who was possessive of her mother. 'Oho, dono ka...' Radha interrupted.
'Toh mein kya karu...mere paas toh koi nahi hai' She asked her frown deepening.
Krishika's innocent words made both her parents laugh. Krish sat down in front of his daughter, 'Aapke paas aapki dadi hai, mera nahi hai na?'
'Haan, dadi sukhaani mere baal' Krishika ran out as Radha stared at her, and then went back to Krish, who sat down and she sat on the couch, drying his hair.
'How was the trip?' She asked, as he faced her and she dried his har. 'It was successful' He smiled
She got up and hugged him.
'Mumaaaa!' Her voice made Radha jump back quickly enough. 'Bhook lagi hai mujhe!' was followed by a pout.
'Yaha aa jao!' Krish patter his lap as Krishika came running. 'Kya kiya tumne itne din? School gaye?'
'Roz, Aur homework bhi kiya, I promised na!' She beamed. 'Good girl' He kissed Krishika's forehead.
'Krishika...Krish...khana taiyaar hai!' Radhika called out as Krishika shouted back 'Coming Mumma!' and ran.
'Uff! Ek time tha, aur ab hai...kitna chillate hai dono...kahin mere kaan na fat jaaye!' He was telling himself out loud.
'Kya kaha?' Her voice startled hik as he looked back at her standing at the door'
'Kya?' He looked away.
'Suna meine! How dare you?' She narrowed her eyes.
'How dare you!' He taunted as cushion from the couch hit his face.
'Radha!' He warned as another cushion followed. Before they knew it, they were on the bed having a pillow fight. Krishika walked back to the room, and jumped with joy.
'Yay! pillow fight!' she joined with a cushion between her parents'
Amidst the pushing and pulling and laughter, the vase on the side table fell with a noise freezing the trio as dadi came running to the scene. Seeing her, Krishika dropped the pillow and ran to hug her saying,
'Dadi, mein yaha nahi thi, yeh dono phir se fighting!' 'Jhut!!' was a reply in unison from Krish and Radhika, as Krishika said, 'Aaj dadi khilaegi mujhe...chalo na!' dragging her away as she smiled at an embarrassed Krish while Radhika was picking up pieces of the broken vase.
That night, after dinner, Krishika came running.
'Mumma...mujhe paas wale playground pe jaake icecream khana hai..chalo na!' She said hugged her mother.
'Radhika, tum teeno jao playground, mein hoon yaha...'
'Kitne din ho gaye, we three didn't enjoy a night...' Krish smiled, as they reached the ground
The three of them, laughed, giggled and talked. Soon enough, Krishika fell asleep on Radhika's lap. Krish glanced at his very own daughter and smiled.
Radhika was busy looking at the stars, and here Krish adored her face, which shone bright under the moonlight.
After a few minutes, he looked away.
'Kya hua Krishna?' She asked comforting Krishika on her lap.
'Kuch nahi...bas soch raha hoon ki kitna lucky hoon mein...I have got a such an understanding and a caring partener, and such a beautiful daughter!'
'Hmm...mein bhi khud ko lucky maanti hoon, ki mujhe tere jaisa partner mila...understanding and caring!'
They both shared a brief eye lock.
'Our life really changed once Krishika came...now we can't even imagine one second without her...hai na?' Krish asked looking at the stars.
'Yeah...without her, our life is incomplete...sach mein...'
They gazed at the stars, marveling at the fate that bestowed upon them such a wonderful and affectionate daughter, along with the blessings of a loving family.
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