"Papa! Come na! Chachu and Aryan are also coming" the little boy forcefully pulled his hand
"Karthi! Wait baba! Give me 10 minutes!" He said trying to convince his son
"No! You are telling this same thing from 20 minutes!" Karthik said
"Ohk! Wait! I will be there in 10 minutes! Promise" he said while Karthik huffed in annoyance
"I am not going to talk to you! Katti!" Karthik said and left the room
"Karthi! Listen to me!" he shouted but his son walked away
"Can't you keep aside your work for some-time and play with him?" his wife asked entering the room
"Our son is just like you! Stubborn much" he said concentrating back on his laptop to close it down
"Oh! You made him such like that! Stubborn" she said sticking out her tongue to him
"And please explain me how?" he asked getting up from the bed and walked towards her
"Better you go behind! He will not talk to you then" she said pushing him!
"Not before this-" he said and kissed her baby bump and at her cheeks
He left the room in search for his son! Finally he saw him sitting on the bench of their garden sadly dribbling his foot-ball! He stealthily came behind him and sat near him! Sensing his father's presence he turned to another side! Swayam nudged him through from his elbow but his son didn't react!
"Sorry" Swayam murmured holding his ears and sitting in-front of him
"No! I am not talking to you! You don't have any time for me!" he complained
"I have all the time for my champ! But today I got some urgent work! Please forgive me" he said while Karthik looked at him from corner of his eyes
"On one condition" he said making Swayam excite
"You have to give me your Sundays and Saturdays!" he demanded
"Ouch! That's very hurting demand my son!" he said winking at him
"Then you don't talk to me" he said and started to walk away
"Karthi! Ready?" Swayam asked him showing the ball
"Papa! That's cheating I had the ball" he said running towards Swayam who started to play
"Take the ball if you can" Swayam said
"Just wait and watch papa! I am goanna win today" he said running behind the ball! The silent garden was filled with lots of sweet noises of a father-son duo!
He woke up startled with the voice! They were going to land which made him aware of the reality! He closed his eyes in regret! He cursed himself to think about him again! He cursed the moment when he separated them! The day he started to hate his father! He cursed him! He had seen his mother's tears! He had seen her suffering! He had lost a shadow of protectiveness of a father! From a mere age of ten! His mother had always worn a mangalsutra around her neck to show that he has a father! A father who doesn't care about them! Who fled with another woman! The father who took his sister and went to another country to stay with his another so-called wife! He cursed his every sleep which reminds him of his father! A lone tear escaped his eyes! Again, an announcement and he made his way towards the wash-room to freshen-up himself!
*****
She sat on her window gazing at the black sky which had its own beauty! The stars twinkling like diamonds and the moon which spread his brightness even to the darkened place! She sat there thinking! She didn't know where her life was heading her! She was confused about the devil and her mother's sudden leave! Although it was 15years ago! But the five years she had enjoyed with her mother and her brother was something unexplainable!
"Krithika" Swayam said slowly entering the room
"Haan papa" she replied
"You didn't sleep yet?" he asked with concern
"Was just going too" she said and sat on the bed
"What were you thinking?" he asked narrowing his eyes at her
"Nothing! Thinking about tomorrow!"
"Don't worry! I know you will be selected" he said putting his hand on her head
"Hmm...I hope so" she said and lay down on the bed while Swayam stroked her head to get her some sleep
"Good night" he said softly and sensing no reply from her he kissed his fore-head and left the room! He walked towards his living room which was pitching dark and only on one side the moon-light was giving its glow! He shifted towards the area! Where he saw his drawer! He sat down on the chair and opened it! And the most beautiful sight! The frame of four of them! Which he still had away from Ruhi's eyes! He caressed the photo with longings in his eyes and kept near his heart and he also doesn't know when sleep took him!
~Next Day~
It was seven in the morning! And the house was silent! Ruhi had gone for her morning walk and Swayam was sleeping there while Krthika made her way to kitchen for some coffee! She returned with her hot coffee when she noticed him sleeping on the chair! She slowly walked towards him to wake him up and tell him to shift him in the next room but her eyes caught the frame which was near his heart! Her curiosity arouse...with shivering hands she reached till the frame and slowly picked it from his grip! And what she saw made her smile and a lone tear escaped from her eyes and left on the frame...
"Maa! Come na we will make a drawing" four-year old girl was continuously tugging her mother's duppata for some attention
"Just wait! I am coming go and gather your dad" her mother said winking at her and she giggled
"Papa! Come with me! I want help in drawing!" she said standing in-front of her father who was busy in talking with one of his colleague who had come to his house
"Just a minute Krithika! Coming!" he said and continued their talk while she huffed in annoyance
"Hey monkey! Kya hua?"
"Bhai! Don't call me monkey! I am not one" she said
"Who said so you are not a monkey?" Karthik said sticking his tongue out
"You!" she shouted and took the paint box and threw it on making hi white shirt as colorful she could
"Krithika you spoiled my new shirt! Just wait and watch!" he ran towards his room to get some paints and he stick her tongue out! But soon hearing the fight Swayam took his daughter away to his room
"Ma! Krithika kahan hain?" He asked his mother not finding her in the hall
"She must be in her room Karthi!" she shouted back from the kitchen
"Thanks maa!" he replied and ran towards the room
"Krithika!" he called out softly
"Kya hain bhai?" she said trying not to laugh seeing his state
"Karthi! Leave it! She is a small girl and you are a big one right?!" Swayam said sensing he was going to do the same she did to him while little ago
"No dad! I am not goanna leave her today! She spoiled my new shirt!" he said running towards her while she ran from his way
"I will buy a new one for you" Swayam said to calm down them! But unfortunately the paints colored him leaving his daughter behind! Both the brother-sister laughed at him!
"Acha bachu! Abhi papa peh gira toh dono ek team meie!" he said gathering the paints and pouring at them
"Papa! What did you do?!" Krithika said removing the paints from his hands
"The same thing which you did to me!" Karthik said
"What the hell is going on here?" Sharon shouted seeing the colorful ground of her bed-room while the three bite their lips scared of her anger
"We were playing post-holi" Swayam said smiling
"Oh really?! It's been three months for holi!" she said crossing her arms over her chest
"Haan toh kya hua! It is fun! You want to try?" Swayam said winking at their children
"Dare you come near me Mr! I will kill you!" she pointed at him
"I am not coming!" he said and the two of them pour the paints on her with their hand causing her to shiver with the sudden attack
"Acha! Toh dono papa ke side meine ho!" she said
"Nahi toh! Meine toh meri maa ke saath hun" Karthik said leaning over her
"Aur meine papa ke saath!" Krithika said running to him
"Now you watch what I am going to do!" she said and walked towards washroom leaving the three confused
"Here you go Swayam!" she shouted and he turned back and here he was shivering sensing the cold water on him-self! While the other three giggled
"You are so goanna pay for this!" Swayam said running behind her and she running here and there to save her life while the two angels laughed seeing their parents pakda-pakdi
"What is happening here?" Rey said entering the room with Taani
"Aaplog bohout jaldi khel rahe ho holi!" Taani said
"Can we join to?" Rey asked
"Of course!" before that Rey pulled out his phone and clicked the picture
She smiled remembering the memory! How they had fun the day! a broad smile with tears flowing down! Hearing the door get clicked open she stood up and put the photo in drawer and rubbed her tears from back of her hands and woke-up Swayam!
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