...... She slept facing the other side of the wall that night..... Not taking jiya in her embrace   .... Tightly as she did every night..... Tucking her to sleep.....

Jiya was fidgeting..... Unable to sleep...... As her mumm... Didn't hug her like she usually did......

She used to sleep with her mumm's arm as a pillow.....

"mumma....." she whispered....

"aap katti ho jiya se..." she said.... Innocently...... Hovering over her back....

"aap jiya se baat nai karoge....." she said once again....

Naina didn't turn to her.....

After a few minutes she turned..... To see jiya... Not at her side..... She got scared and got up in a jerk.... Looking around.....in the room....

"jiya.. Jiyaa" she called.....

Scared... And sweating profusely.... Her hands shivering ........ Her brain unable to function.....

A lump inside the blanket moved in her lap....... And started ticking her .....

. Those tiny hands and touched her n skin.. And her breathing got normal......

She tickled her..... And naina started laughing..... And just as she got up to catch her... She ran. Away from her hold..... All over the bed..... And she ran to catch her.......

Giggling and squelaing on the bed....she finally caught hold of her... And both fell on bed..    Laughing  ... And naina tickling this soft toy in her hand......
"bammash..."

"mamma bashh... " . Jiya laughing...... Her  laughter...... Filling in naina's ears.... Like music......

Finally they stop....

She hold her ears cutely with her teeny meeny hands..... And says "sorry....."

Naina.... Pouts....

"sorry na..." she frowned... And whined..... Usually her mumma  doesn't wait till second sorry before starting to kiss and lick her face.....

"aaap jiya se naraaz ho..." she asked cutely...with those big eyes.... Moist slightly......
Watching her cry melted naina.... Like an. Icecream in hot afternoon...
She started kissing her all over her cheek..... And filling little peice of herself in het embrace tightly feeling her skin..... Her baby smell.....

"aap promise karo.... Mumma ko chod ke aise kabhi nai jaoge .. Wapas..." she wept.....

"promise.... Kabhi nai jaunga....." she said with innocent conviction......

She hugged her tighter  .......
"aah mumma cocroach..." she shouted...

Naina got startled."...kaha... Kaha..."

And jiya started tickling her again.....

"bhaag gaya.... Mere  se darrke....."

"bammash... Mumma ko darati he..." they got busy playing pakda pakdi on her bed...... And tired..... Slept hugging each other........

________

Next morning......
She was making a drawing..... While naina was busy on. Her laptop

"mumma.... Seedhe betho..... Hold the pose...." she said.... Pursing her lips like an artist..... Pencil behind her ear....

Naina laughed....
"okk.. Sorry sorry.... A Dekhe to.... Jiya hussain.... Kya banaya he.....

" nai abhi nai.....let me finish it... "jiya strict..... Not showing her masterpiece...

Naina got up and tiptoed behind her... Slowly as she was busy.... In drawing....

" dekhen to... "

" ye mumma... Ye jiya.... And ye friend.... "said proudly showing her the picture of three people...... With her holding both their hands.....

Naina...got startled.... As she saw her kid  drawing an image stuck in her head..since years....
.... Marvelling at the details of it.... Even as she stares at the imperfect doodles..... She could tell..... That she has drawn a happy family.....

And the place.. She has given to rajveer...... Is a place..... A little one would give to a father in her drawing mostly.....

"mumma.... Friend he na.... Bohot acche... He..... Unhone mujhr horse back. Pe bithaya..... Ye dolls diye..." showing her proudly..... Aur.... Aur..."
She kept on and on..... About her adventure........
While she was lost..   Thinking about how irresponsible he behaved yesterday.....
She was wrong to think that he would handle jiya with maturity and care...... He is as careless as he always was..
He could have called atleast once....

_____
Days passed by...... And naina.... Refrained him from meeting or talking to jiya ..
He was suffocating......with a strong urge to meet his kid.....while jiya would stomp her feet and cry......
Buy naina was firm.....

One day jiya denied..... Having dinner ....
"jiya.... Finish the soup....." she tried to be firm......
"mujhe friend ke paas jana he...." she said.... With her face... Other side     angry at her mother......

"jiya... Aap abhi nai jaa sakte .. Bola na..

And. Rajveer came behind.... She ran to him......excitedly....

Naina got angry seeing her...... Running to him... Defying her......

" jiya.... In your room abhi" she raised her voice.... On her child for the first time......

Jiya had tears.. As her mum never talked to her like this before...... She ran towards the room....

While naina... Sat clutching her head...

"naina... Mai... I am sorry mujhe... jiya ko  ese nahi le jana chahiye tha..... Mera phone bhi Academy me reh gaya... I would have called you...." he started clarifying with guilt on his face...

"major rajveer singh sheekhawat....." her tone scary..... Full of anger ...

"don't you dare come near my daughter again" she went off....
He followed her..
"naina... Listen i can explain.... Mujhe ek mauka to do..... Apni baat kehne ka..."

"wo masoom bacchin he..... Please keep your fake affection to yourself........ Usse dur rahiye aap... Use apna dil behlane ke liye istemaal nahi kar sakte aap" it came out as a sting of deadly venom.......
Her anger was at peak......

"tum sea kese keh sakti ho... Baap hun mai uska....." he had to defend himself.... As the accusation laid on him..... Was soo humiliating        he could never in his darkest momenta think of doing such a thing     ......

She started laughing hysterically........ Clutching the pillar of an empty corridor......
"rajveer singh sheekhawat....... Aap uske baap nahi ho......aap wo insaan ho jisne....... Uske paida hone se pehle hi..... Uske wajood ko andekha kar diya ......
Baap ese to nahi hote .. ....... Just by lending your sperm........doesn't make her your daughter....... "she paused......

He was pale........ As if someone stabbed him in the chest...... Once, twice thrice......... And countless times........... And his heart bled profusely........ But all of what she said wasn't a single percent  incorrect..

She laughed a little more....... Her hysterical laughter .......... Stinging in his ears
"i was sooo stupid......."

"to think........ To..... Think... Ke mere jane ke baad....... Tum uska khayal rakhoge ...... Me  to bhool gayi thi...... Ki tum wo insaan ho........ Jo apne alawa kisi aur ka khayal nahi kar sakta........ U are and were a careless person........ How did it slip my mind.... How could i let my daughter.... My baby...... Near you...... "she laughed....... But this time.......no idea how...... Tears started dripping her eyes....... Like a summer tempest..........

She laughed harder nad more of them ..... Started gushing..... While he remained motionless........ No courage to move or speak.........

But she was feeling a strange relief........ As the gates of the dam closed until now...... Opened.... Suddenly....... And the flood.....like never seen and heard before...... Would wash away......... All land beneath the feet...... Causing anyone who comes in the way to perish..........

.