" Uski kisi aur se shadi ho gayi naa toh Dekh lena ek din pachtaega. " His mother words rung in his ears as he stared at the vermillion in her partition and the mangalsutra in her neck.
" mera yakeen kar bache woh tere liye sahi nahi hai..... Waqt le aur soch samjh ke jawab dena. Jaldbazi ke faisle aksar baad mein pachtane par majbur kar dete hai. " Her Rita maa words rung in her ears as she glanced at her wrist which now had red marks more and bangles less.
Rita Maa's voice brought them out of their trance.
" Siddharth bacha...Ruk main aabhi ayi. " Saying she broke the hug and went from there leaving them alone for a awkward moment.
Shehnaz looked around reminiscing her childhood at the same time avoiding an eye contact with him. While Siddharth kept staring at her with a blank face. He couldn't define the emotion running in him.
" Is it regret. " He asked himself.
" Gudiya. " He heard his mother voice and saw how she ran to her answering
" Jii maa. "
He sat down palming his face.
" Main biwi hu tumhari.. Naukrani nahi samjhe.... Joh tumhari maa ke piche ji.... ji karke ghumu. Jab dekho...Nisha beta .. Nisha beta...chipakti rehti hai. "
Nisha's words hit his brain and echo around him.
___
" Jii maa kuch kaam tha. " Shehnaz asked smiling standing in front of maa who was in the kitchen busy in something.
" Haan. Tujhe yaad hai.... Tu iska kya karti thi.. Jaldi se kar de. " She replied.
Shehnaz frowned and looked at the stove. " Gajar ka halwa. " She mumbled.
" Haan... Are aaj... "
" Unka birthday hai. " Shehnaz completed the sentence.
" Tujhe yaad hai. " Maa asked puting the halwa in a box.
" Haan. Har saal ka pehla halwa unke birthday par yahi toh banta tha. " She replied nodding reminiscing those days.
" Aur tu halwe ka hi cake bana deti thi... " Maa said chuckling. " Aab tu ye kar tab tak main uska favorite khana bhi bana deti hu. " She said excited.
" Chole puri. " She mumbled.
" Tujhe kaise pata. Khana yaha maine kabhi nahi banaya. " Maa frowned.
" Buss aise hi guess kia. " She lied.
" Acha. " She shrugged and got busy in her work.
" Issliye mera khane main unhe maa ke hath ka swaad aaya. " She told herself as she gave a shape to the halwa in a plate and decorated it with dryfruits.
" Maa pehle cake cut kar lete hai. " She said showing her the cake.
" Kitna sundar lag raha hai. Meri bachi ne joh banaya hai. " Maa cooed .
" Maine kaha... Banaya toh aapne hai. Aap bhi na maa. " Shehnaz said shaking her head in disbelief.
" Aare candles.... Maa mein lagaakar layi aap chaleye. " Shehnaz said and found the candle and placed one on it.
As she bend to lit it the lights went off. She looked around and shook her head. " Yaha aaj bhi light galat waqt par jati hai. " She mumbled lighting the candle and picked up the cake and moved out.
" Aare maa light ko kya hua. " Sidharth asked as darkness engulfed the hall.
" Bache ye tera Malabar hill nahi hai. Yaha light cut hota rahta hai. Normal hai. " Maa chuckled at his son.
" Kya maa .. " He started whining but rest of his word died in his mouth as his eyes fell on her beautiful figure who was walking out with the cake in her hands as her face glowed in the dark room through the candle light.
" Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Siddharth.. Happy birthday to you. " She sung in her melodious voice while he stared at her open mouth lost in her soothing melody.
He was shook out of his gawking action when he felt himself engulfed in warm arms. " Happy birthday bache. "
" Thank you maa. " He said as some tears spilled out of his eyes. He had received hundreds of wishes, cakes,bouquets from morning. Clients, employees everyone wished him but the day felt the same as the rest 364 days in the year.
These two wishes just made him feel special.. It made the day special.
Now he felt like the birthday boy.
" Thankyou....Gudiya. " He said looking at shehnaz who instantly looked at him sharing an eye lock with him.
" Chal tere wala cake hai aaj. " Maa said wiping his face and making him grin. He looked at the direction where Shehnaz was placing the cake and decorating the knife with a mischievous smile.
He walked up to her as she handled him the knife. " Happy birthday Sidharth. " She said in an excited kiddish tone and winked at his mother to which she shook her head making him frown.
" Thankyou. " He said . As soon as he sunk the knife in the cake it he felt a jolt followed by a loud laughter.
He looked back and his breath hitched. He saw the most beautiful sight in front of his eyes. Shehnaz was laughing holding her stomach and clapping like a kid.
" Ho gya tera gudiya. " Maa said to her making her pout.
" Maa apko pata hai naa main ye bachpan se karna chahti thi par aapka beta kabhi aaya hi nahi. " She whined.
" Uffo.. Pagli. " Maa said hitting her head. " Sidharth bacha chod isse ye aisi hi hai..
Jalli. Tu cake kaat. " She continued turning to him only to witness him lost.
" Sidharth . " She shook him.
" Haan maa. " He asked startled.
" Lijiye knife. " Shehnaz said still smiling mischievously . Instead of taking the knife he grabbed her hand in his making her shock. He cut the cake in the same position smirking at her.
He exchanged the cake with his mother and later moved to her. " Aab marti current. " He winked and stuffed the entire piece into her small mouth and laughed at her.
This time she could not take her eyes off him.
" Tum dono hi pagal ho. " Maa said loudly before she left.
" Is liye ek dusre ke liye perfect lage the. " They heard her murmur.
___________
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you.... Happy birthday to dear sidharth... Happy birthday to you.
May God bless you... May God bless you.. Happy birthday... Happy birthday to you.
This part is just for our birthday boy.....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIDHARTH SHUKLA.
_____
Hii readers..
The thirtieth chapter is here. Hope you Love it❤ . 🥺
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