Its Monday, and a hell day for me (maybe it’s a hell day for everyone), as I have to go to school after having a joyful-leisurely day at home. We arrived at school 10 minutes prior the right time and mama as usually gave the toffees to all three of us. The moment mama handed our toffees to us, khushi devoured her chocolate as if she didn’t taste one for ages. As she fell down yesterday, I thought of giving my toffee to her, to see her smile. Khushi loves chocolates and ice-creams so much, and she would do anything for that. Apart from the day of joining and some other occasions, khushi never cried for school (as she gets a toffee every day). Waving goodbye at mama, we walked through the gate, with my hand wrapped in my brother’s and khushi’s hand in me. My brother left me with khushi as he reached his class. It’s always my responsibility to drop khushi by her class, as my brother’s class is located in other building. Just before her class, I bent low to reach her height to show the toffee I planned to give. As soon as I showed the toffee to her, she stretched her hand to reach it. But, I gripped it tight, for which she made a sad face.
“Ok, I will give you my toffee, but you have to give me a kiss for that, will you?” I said, still in her reach. Before I completed my sentence, my cheek sensed her soft kiss. Smiling at the innocent face she made for a toffee, I kissed her back and handed my toffee. This is the first time I sacrificed something, and ironically I felt happy. Before she started walking towards her seat, I held her hand and asked for another kiss, but, she just stick her tongue out at me and ran away, towards her seat, waving at her friends. Every time I ask for something which belongs to her, she had a habit of sticking her tongue out, which looks cute on her face.
I haven’t always, essentially, been waiting for a tomorrow since so long I guess. There might be some situations I waited excitedly or fearfully for a tomorrow, but today was different. As it is November 21st the following day, I was so happy and so excited for this one particular tomorrow than any other day, not even my birthday. My little sister will blow a 5 shaped candle tomorrow, with all my cousins, relatives, grand ma’s and grand pa’s, so many aunties and uncles, neighbors, children. Our home was occupied with my cousins and relatives, as mama’s wedding is just two days ahead from khushi’s birthday. While everyone occupied themselves with some work, me with my cousins and my brother occupied ourselves around khushi over the double cot in the master bedroom, as my little sister started performing her kai kazama actions with all of us, at around 9:00 pm.
While we were in the middle of our laughter and my sister’s kai actions, “everyoneee, come for dinnerrrr” drummed all our ears when my irritating aunt shouted with her regular irk tone. Everyone parked their butts side by side on the floor, as our dining table can occupy only four. None got irritated at the crackling steel plates and jeering old people from the background, as everyone was busy with their food and their dinner mates. I can eat by myself, but mom never allowed me for that, coz I can eat only a little that way. Mummy transferred her job to grand ma to feed me and khushi, as she was busy in serving dishes to my relatives. Grandma never beats us nor scolds us, so everyone likes her so much, just because of her loving nature towards everyone. After a while, everyone finished their mean and booked their places to sleep just before the clock ticked to 10:00 pm.
“KNOCK-KNOCK” I heard from behind the main door. So, I ran into the bedroom just before the door got unlocked, fearing that dad would scold me for staying awake so long. Dad stepped in after the woody rattle of a knock on the door, and straight away walked into the master bedroom, where khushi was sleeping tight in her blankets and sweater, as it was winter. Dad had a habit of washing his face and hands before touching anything at home, while we three were quite different from him. He walked out of the washroom and wiped off the droplets over his face with his turkey towels, while I was watching at him with my eyes half open, to act as if I am sleeping tight. He left the room only after giving a good night kiss over khushi’s cheek and mine as well. The kisses would have been for three of us, but, my brother preferred to sleep chitchatting with my cousins. Generally, me, my brother and khushi would sleep in our children bedroom, but it was houseful with guests. Dad left for the drawing room by stopping the door at nearly 100 away from closing, to allow a little light to give us the strength in dark, as khushi always feared to stay or sleep in the dark.
When I was struggling to sleep, I saw my cousins with all unblown balloons and ribbons through the gap of the door. I was exited on looking at them. Dad might have instructed to all my cousins and my brother to decorate the room only after khushi and I sleep, because he knows how much we love to play with balloons. I only play with balloons with khushi around, as I am not a little kid anymore. I felt goose-bumps all over my instincts on looking at all the colors in one place, which ignored dad’s presence. As soon as my eyes got stuck over the decoration party, I jumped out of bed and I almost ran towards my cousins. For the first time, dad didn’t scold me for me playing at this point of time. I ran from one to the other asking for any assistance. They might have thought that they can’t handle my excitement of helping and playing, so, they sourced me with all the balloons that are to be blown. I started fanning air into one balloon after the other, while my aunt tightened the neck of every balloon with a thread. I played and played, till everyone went to sleep. I looked at the room for one last time, it looked colorful. My heart is filled with pride, my heart felt heavy, as if I have blown all the air into my heart and not the balloon.
I tiptoed my body all over the bed, struggling to sleep, with the excitement. I was dreaming in the dark with my eyes open, about the following day. For a little while I kept staring at my little khushi in the dim light from the bed lamp. We fight and play all day, and I end up loving her while she sleeps. She has a habit of sleeping with a grip full of hair in her small hands. As I always slept beside her, she always grips my hair in the middle of the night, after I close my eyes. Mom always wakes us up in the descending order, first is always my brother, followed by me and then khushi. When I try to wake up, khushi would pull my head towards the bed, as she grips my hair tight enough. Her hand stayed in the same position as always, trying to reach my hair, but, I was not in her reach. I don’t know why I pushed my head towards her, maybe, I like her pulling my hair I guess. After a little while, she gripped my hair, and I was still looking at her. She looked so cute and innocent (I can’t make out how she transforms from a cute little khushi to a fighting devil, who would always book me for her mistakes between every dawn and the nightfall, till she closes her eyes). I pinched her chubby cheek softly, with all my fingers, and then I kissed my fingers (just like a flying kiss). Mom always does this to me, which I love the most.
“wake up beta, its already 8:00” said mom, shaking my whole body with her hand.
I woke up suddenly, fearing that she might send me to school today. “mom! Do I have to go to school today, I don’t want to go mom, please”
“you are not going to school, but u have to wake up and get ready to have some breakfast”
The sentence relieved me from my terrible fear of going to school. I fell back on the bed saying “khushi is still sleeping mom, wake her up first. Today is her birthday right! I slept late last night.” (I can also book khushi sometimes)
“Both of you wake up”, said mom. As my sister is a hell of a sleeping witch, mummy would always lift khushi in her arms and put her down over her legs. It’s always a fun watching khushi walking with her eyes half shut, beside mom (as a guard) to protect her from the floor below, as khushi would definitely trip if she tries to walk by herself. Every day, dad would help khushi in brushing her teeth. He would place a stool nearby the washbasin to help her reaching the sink. Dad knows well that khushi would just enjoy the taste of the paste without even attempting to put a hand over the gripping part of the toothbrush. So, daddy moves her brush to and fro all over her teeth, for which sometimes khushi would tighten her teeth to stop the to and fro motion of the brush. Dad gets irritated and handles her back to my mom, as he can’t even scold her even a little.
Somehow khushi managed to reach the door of bedroom, with her eyes half shut and her hand wrapped in mummy’s hand. By hook or crook, her little eyes snapped a picture of the decorated living room for her to recognize that there were balloons everywhere, waking her from the sleep completely. Within a second, khushi stripped mom’s hold with the help of her other hand and jumped over the sofa to reach the balloons. She tried and tried and finally got exhausted while dad is enjoying the show after folding the newspaper back to its exact folds. Within no time, she ran towards dad and pulled him towards the sofa with all her force. She made an innocent face to ask dad to lift her high (as if she was really innocent), so that she can reach the balloons that are away from her reach. Everyone stopped their work for a moment to look at her struggle, as everyone sacrificed their sleep last night to decorate the living room for her birthday. The whole people in the living room were put to an abrupt pause (like shown in films while hero meets a heroine) while khushi was pulling the balloon from the wall. We stickered the threads of every balloon towards the wall with the help of a plaster, so that khushi can’t spoil the decoration. Finally, she made it, with the help of dad though (everything seemed to happen in a slow motion in front my eyes, just to capture every moment of my exited khushi on her birthday). Dad dragged her down to his reach, and he said “happy birthday my dear beautiful daughter” with an ounce of kiss over her chubby cheeks.
With a balloon in khushi’s hand and khushi in dad’s hands, dad walked into the bedroom. When he was about to enter through the door, mom tried to snatch khushi from dad, as she didn’t wish her even (mom wants dad to wish her first, before everyone else in the whole world). Khushi pushed mom’s hand away, and she does this every time for everyone, but only when she locates herself in dad’s arms. While everyone is waiting to wish my little sister, she came out running towards mom, to show her dad’s gift, which is a medium sized teddy. Mom held her high in arms and wished her plating a kiss on the same cheek. Every relative and every cousin, including my brother took her forcefully from the other, with a rain full of kisses all over her cheeks. As I am not height enough to reach everyone, I am the last one left to wish her. By the time I got chance to wish her, I was in no mood to become the last one. I walked into the bedroom, ignoring everyone silently as if nothing was happening around.
While I was sitting alone disappointed, khushi came to me along with her teddy. “annayya, look what dad bought for me, shall we play with this for some time, please!” said my little sister, with cuteness spreading all over her words as well as her happy face.
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