Monster mom 2

2 years ago

jagrutid

@jagrutid

Monster mom 2 of 2

“Monster mom!” She mumbled which might not have made her smile but made him smile for sure. Kissing her amongst her whispy strands of hair he looked at the pair of them. “Go on Leave your mum to me” he said softly watching them trundle off.

A moment later Rishabh hears Sneha call. Looking down he sees his youngest look up at him with her baby eyes 

“Da” she says telling him she wanted to be with him

“Okay Come on then” he replied with Sneha walking behind him.

…

Elsewhere Prerna had been working extremely hard all afternoon to catch up on work. Trying to get things done that Mr Mehra did with his eyes closed but took Prerna a little longer to do or just trying to distract herself from what was really on her mind.

As Sneha sees her mother at the kitchen counter and her da walking in that direction she hides behind him. Of course she was still upset with her mother and maybe Prerna with Sneha. 

“Mrs Bajaj it’s 6pm” was the first thing Rishabh said as he walked in to see Prerna behind her paperwork and her laptop.

“I know I’m nearly done, can you take a look please?” she asked. He couldn’t care less for the the work  he was more worried about her burning out.

 He agreed to take a look as it seemed to mean so much to her.

Kissing her on the forehead he later remembered  a humming Sneha behind his back when she began pulling at his trouser leg asking him to hurry up and get away Monster mum of course! 

“I won’t be long” he smiled promising to be back shortly after freshening up. 

“Thank you” said Prerna sighing after a long day.  Watching Mr Bajaj leave she did wonder if she could hear  Sneha? Or was it a figment of her imagination. It can’t have been she thought as she looked up at the light in Kukis room.  Sneha must have been with a sister. Feeling guilty now for loosing her temper frivolously Prerna knows she has to make amends with her daughter. 

… 

It seemed Sneha wasn’t going to leave Rishabhs side. Soon as they were out of sight from Prerna Sneha came out to from behind Rishabh to walk along side her da.

Up the staircase and into into his room.  She even Stood right outside the shower stopping him from entering. 

How to get this pumpkin to smile?

Pushing open the door of the washroom from above Sneha 

“Go on” Suggests  Rishabh knowing water was Snehas first love! In no time was little  Sneha smiling, splashing under water.

….

After towel drying Snehas hair and helping her into her pjs Rishabh taps Sneha on the nose and smiles. She bought such joy to his life even when she caused trouble!

“Now I’m going to talk to your mom and you two are going to make up. You’ll both say sorry okay. He said softly looking at Sneha who became grumpy at the mention of her mother.

…

Rishabh turning  for a slight moment to his wardrobe for a change of shirt but when he looks back Sneha is gone. 

Apologies weren’t her thing it seemed, just like her da!. 

… 

Rishabh settles into his chair , puts on his reading  glasses and opens up the report Prerna had been working on. A moment of silent  reading and Prerna looking over his shoulder waiting for a verdict from beside his arm chair .  Rishabh makes a stern comment. His eyes and the lines of distress on his face  give away his disappointment 

“Aap ka dhyaan kaha tha jab aap likh rahi thi Mrs Bajaj! ” (Did you pay any attention when writing this ! ) 

Feeling  well and truly scolded, most likely karma for shouting at Sneha earlier she thought.

Prerna had no confident way of justifying the quality of her work.

“Ji..it’s been a busy day and I was a little …preoccupied”  she began to explain unsure she could to confide in him right this moment  she began to speak half a truth.

With Rishabhs focus on the paper and just as well as if he’d looked her way he would have caught the struggle of something more on prernas mind. 

“Mr Mehra is just better at this then me and I miss him”she said amongst the daunting silence.

That was no excuse thought Rishabh but before he could meet with Prernas expresson and challenge her a little voice was heard from behind his chair.

“Me too” 

It was Sneha. Prerna was slightly surprised but not Rishabh. 

“Sneha, come out here” asked Rishabh 

“nope” replied Sneha cutely one of the few words in her little vocabulary she knew how to use well. 

“It’s okay” whispered Prerna suggesting she’d make amends first. Walking around to the back of Rishabhs arm chair Prerna perches on the floor to talk to Sneha who looks at adorable in her blue Pjs with yellow ducklings and her teddy to hand. 

“I’m sorry beta” says Prerna waiting for Snehas cute but unimpressed eyes to lighten up. “I’m sorry” says Sneha as taught by her father whilst Rishabh takes comfort it hearing them make peace still unimpressed with Mrs Bajajs paper however!

..

Whilst the girls made up Rishabh walked into the kitchen to fetch a glass of water.  Seeing  prernas laptop open at the kitchen counter Rishabh thought to press save and switch off the machine when Prernas web page searches caught his eye. Searches on how to deal with unwanted reminders of a former partner through my baby.   Sighing he  looked out at his wife and daughter as he realised what really was the matter here. How he wished she would have confided in him but there were some things she had always  struggled with mainly accepting that everyone’s past had a way of cropping up from time to time. A reality of life.

..

Now that they’d settled their  differences Prerna agreed to put Sneha to bed as she’d asked. Only yet again it wasn’t the easiest task. She tried to ignore the reminders of Anurag and focus on her daugher.

Some time later as Rishabh tucked cookie into bed he walked into Snehas room to see Prerna stood watching over their youngest.

Walking into the room to stand beside her he could almost hear Prernas weighty mind amongst the silence and rustling of Sneha turning adorably In her sleep. 

“It will get easier with time.  I promise” she heard him say. 

He knew? Of course he did. He was a father to kuki long before she was a mom.  His gentle yet certain voice a reminder of his experience. Prerna looked up into Mr Bajajs eyes to find comfort and strength she needed.