Rimi sat on a low hard chair with the table at her chest height. The waiter had spread a napkin on her lap.
Sanyukta noticed how she didn't dare touch it, as if someone would rebuke her , if it moved a centimetre out of place.
" I think I'll have Salmon in lemon sauce with butter Naan followed by Crisp fried prawns ", declared Rehan closing the menu with a satisfied grin.
" Mummy do they have Pasta??"
Sanyukta looked in the menu herself trying to find something her daughter would enjoy.
"Have you ever tried Prawns , Rimi??"
"I can't have seafood ", said Rimi with a frown criss-crossing her brows.
"Rimi is allergic to seafood..According to the doctor she ---", he didn't let her complete.
"Does it make you ill , Rimi??"
"I had it once at a friend's birthday party. I threw up a lot that day", chipped the little girl.
"I'm sorry about that..", Rehan ran a finger around the inside of his collar.
"Mummy, can I have French fries???"
Sanyukta was about to reply her daughter but Rehan interrupted in between-
"Of course, you can have French Fries if you want, Rimi"
Sanyukta frowned. She knew he was acting on instinct, but that didn't make it any easier to put up with. In his desperation for his daughter to like him, he cannot compromise with her health and diet. All she could do was bite her tongue as it wouldn't be wise to argue in front of Rimi.
"Oh !!! ", said Rehan looking towards Rimi. " What have I got here???", he patted his breast pocket, then pulled out a small square box wrapped in red and silver paper. "It looks like a Gift. I wonder who it's for???? Let me see.....there's a tag..... Oh my!! It says ..... it's for RIMISHA "
Rimi's eyes sparkled, "For me???"
Sanyukta ground her teeth in irritation.
"Go on... Open it ...", urged Rehan.
Rimi did as she was told. Inside the box there was a small gold pendant shaped like a heart.
"Mummy look!!!", said the little girl in excitement.
"It's lovely..", Sanyukta forced herself to agree for her daughter.
"Would you like me to help you put it on??", Rehan asked.
"Yes please...", Rimi nodded.
"Don't forget to say thank you to your ...... to Rehan ", Sanyukta couldn't say 'father' , it seemed to catch in her throat.
"Thank you", said Rimi.
"There's no need of it. I can do anything for my little princess ", he chipped with a smile.
"Mummy...Can I have Doughnuts???"
Sanyukta shook her head, "No darling, you haven't had your lunch yet. You've just been eating fries . It's important for you to have a balanced diet to grow strong and healthy ".
"What's the harm in one Doughnut , she can have her proper meal later on..", Rehan interrupted.
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As soon as they came out of the restaurant, Rimi saw a park on the other side of the road and wanted to go and play inside. It was a big park with a playground on one side and swings on the other.
"I want to go on the swings", Rimi chipped excitedly.
"Ok", said Rehan . Rimi ran ahead towards it and was completely out of earshot. It was Rehan who spoke first.
"So..", he said. "What about Rajeev??"
"Rajeev???", Sanyukta frowned in confusion.
"Sorry, it was Randhir. Wasn't it?? Randhir was the guy you were dating "
Sanyukta was sure, Rehan knew the name was 'Randhir' all along. He was just pretending.
"What about him ??", she asked .
"Are still meeting him???"
"Why shouldn't I ??"
"No reason......, I just thought......... considering that you both weren't into anything serious ....... ...Well, considering how much else is going on ........"
If he said 'considering' one more time, she was going to scream.
"If you must know , I'm not seeing him anymore."
"Oh", he said twiddling his watch.
Tears were threatening to well up. It was so pathetic that she couldn't be an adult about it.
"Have you broken up permanently for good?"
A vision of Vidz flashed across her mind's eye. She nodded
What went wrong??"
"Nothing went wrong. And it's not your concern. Just---"
"What??"
"I've told Rimi that we are busy and hence couldn't meet ."
"Don't worry", Rehan chipped . " I won't mention him when Rimi is around ".
"There's no need to mention him at all anymore.", Sanyukta sniffed.
"Mummy.... Will you push me on the swing ", they heard Rimi call out.
"I'll do it...", said Rehan rushing towards the swings, while Sanyukta pulled out a tissue from her bag.
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