a/n: Wishing someone very special a very happy birthday. :* Hope this birthday brings you loads of joys and blessings. Ilysm :*
hope you enjoy reading this little gift. :)
Lights
A festival based Family fiction.
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Her hands were softly clutching the hem of his yellow kurta as he was engrossed in his work. He smiled and bent to take her in his arms. She chuckled and wrapped her little arms around his neck. A smile was adoring both their faces.
"Nishi lights on karne ke liye ready?" He asked her. She replied in a big nod. He turned on the switch.
Red. Yellow. Blue. Pink and all sorts of colors she had ever learnt back in her school flickered to life. They shimmered around the balcony of their house and fascinated her.
"Mumma, Darshu jaldi aao" She called out.
A young woman with a little chubby baby in her arms came from the bedroom. She was clad in a pink saree with golden thread work. She suddenly blushed as the man with the girl looked at her mesmerized.
The four of them stood under the rising sun and looked at the lights.
"Abhi inhe off kardo Nishi. Raat mein yeh lights aur bhi beautiful lagti hein. Abhi aakar breakfast karo" The woman said, moving her hand in the girl's messed up hair trying to position them.
She jumped off her father's hold and towards her mother.
"Darshu." She pulled his cheeks. "Darshu aao didi ke paas-" She tried to take the baby from her mother's arms.
"Nahi Nishu aap abhi usko nahi utha sakte. Abhi aap chote ho-" Said her Dad, leading all of them towards the table.
"Aap aur Papa Darshu ke saath khelo tak tak mumma breakfast lagati hein, okay?" said the woman as she walked towards the kitchen.
"puchi kuchi darshu-" Nishi and her little baby brother played on the dining table.
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"Kabir-?" The woman called out from the kitchen.
He got up from his chair and carefully placed the baby on the sofa and arranged cushions around him. Nishi still cuddling him.
"Hmm?" Kabir said as he looked inside from the kitchen door.
"Yeh-" She pointed to a box of baby food kept high on a shelf. He smiled. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up, she was surprised.
"Nimisha jaldi uthao-" He said in a low voice as she kept blushing.
Nimisha hurriedly took the box and he left her. Her bangles were making beautiful ringing sound.
He took her hands in his and kissed her palms.
A sudden cry suddenly alerted the couple. Nimisha smiled and rushed outside.
"Kya hua Darshu?" Nimisha took Darsh in her arms and patted his back and kissed his head. A innocent Nishi looking at them.
"Nishi kya hua tha?" She now directed her question to her daughter.
"Kuch nahi mumma-" She nodded her said in complete unawareness, promising herself never to hug the little baby so tight that it makes him cry.
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The breakfast table was a mess, with Darsh dipping his hand in the cerelac bowl and then wiping it on the table cloth. Nishi has smeared the curd all over her face and the floor and Kabir had accidentally dropped a glass full of water over the table. Nimisha was looking at the three of them frustrated.
Nimisha: "Nishi jaldi khao phir aapko Diwali ke liye new dress lene nahi chalna?"
Nishi nodded and started to gulp whatever was there on her plate.
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"Kabir please, aap thodi der Nishi aur Darsh ke paas baithiye na" Nimisha said as he tried to irritate her while she was clearing the table.
He looked at her disappointed and left.
Later that hour,
Darsh had peacefully slept after taking a bath and Nimisha was helping Nishi dress while Kabir was trying to purposefully ignore his wife.
"Mumma pink wala hairband, yeh wala nahi" Nishi pulled out the green hairband and messed her hair again. Nimisha frowned at her.
She walked to the dresser but Kabir was not giving her the space to search for Nishi's hairband. Nimisha looked at him and then said, "Nishi beta aapka pink wala hairband aapke room mein hoga, wahan jaakar zara dhundhkar aao-"
Nishi jumped off the bed and rushed outside.
"Aaj diwali se ek din pehle koi muh phula kar baitha hai-" Nimisha said coolly.
"Nimisha please-" Kabir said in a mimicking tone.
He suddenly felt arms around him. He was pleased.
"bilkul bacche hein aap-" Nimisha said as she placed her head on his shoulder.
He smiled and kissed her forehead, and her nose and her cheeks.
"MUMMA-" shouted Nishi. "Mera pink hairband kho gaya"
Kabir hurriedly took out the hairband from the dresser and rushed towards his irritated daughter. Nimisha smiled.
"Chalo papa mumma jaldi chalo" Said Nishi from the door as all of them prepared to leave.
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"Yeh waala kaisa hai?" Nimisha said opening the door of the try room and looking towards Kabir who was holding Darsh in one of his arms and his other hand was trying to stop Nishi from running away towards the kids toys area. He nodded approvingly.
He walked towards her and adjusted her hair. Nimisha blushed.
"kya kar rahein hein aap yeh-" She shove his aside and looked at the mirror."thik hai yeh waala le lete hein, Nishi chalo ab aapki dress dekhe"
As Nishi was trying a new frock her eyes fell on a small dress."Ye waali Darshu ke liye lengey, ok mumma?"
"Darshu koi girl hai jo wo girls waali dresses pehne?" Kabir said, half laughing.
"Lekin Papa Darshu ghar pe toh mere chote t shirts pehn leta hai-" Nishi giggled and pulled Darsh's cheeks.
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When four of them reached home, Nishi had a big bag in her hand. With lots of diyas and decorative stuff and colours for Rangoli. Nishi and Kabir decorated the house with Nimisha and Darsh watching the two of them keenly.
"Jao ab handwash karo Nishi-" Nimisha said when they completed.
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"Kabir, Nishi aa jaiye khana lag gaya hai, kitna hand wash karengey?" Nimisha shouted but no one replied.
She went to see what they were up to. There were crazy giggling noises from the bathroom.
Both Kabir and Nishi were playing with the soap and water by making bubbles and splashing water. A bubble stuck to Nimisha's face as she entered in. Their clothes were a big mess.
Nishi threw a mug full of water over Nimisha which resulted in Nimisha slipping over Kabir.
Kabir's soapy hand went across Nimisha's bare waist and she shivered. Nishi was laughing uncontrollably.
"Itni hassi aa rahi hai" Said Kabir, tickling Nishi.
Nimisha firmly held Nishi's arm and led them outside, ordering them to change.
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Nimisha placed her head on Kabir's shoulder as they settled to watch a movie after dinner. Darsh was peacefully asleep and Nishi was busy yawning as she played games on her mother's mobile.
"Mummaa-" Nishi said and cuddled near Nimisha with her eyes full of sleep. Nimisha patted her head.
Kabir looked at their sleeping children and placed his forehead against Nimisha's.
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hope you enjoyed reading, pardon the errors.
xx