A Little Wish

Khushi’s eyes went agog for a moment as she took in the mess lying before her. Little knick knacks scattered all over the floor, waiting for someone to trip and fall over them at any moment. Her typically even temper rose slightly as she let out a huff of frustration. How many times would she have to repeat herself before the message finally got through? She didn’t want to be the one insisting at all times. And she would not let all-too-kind Hari Prakash ji cover it up. She looked around the room once more. “Bass!” Khushi sighed aloud. Something definitely had to be done, and this time she would not be the one to clean the clutter either. She stepped out the room in search of that certain someone responsible for the state of disarray when she was drawn to the sound of boisterous cheering coming from the mezzanine. Khushi followed the noise and headed in that direction.

“Score!!” Arnav cheered as he gave his little munchkin a high five.

“Yessss!!” Little Mannat jumped onto her Papa and returned his high five, followed by a triumphant hug and kiss.

Arnav’s smile widened as he caught her close. He cherished the fact his daughter took joy in the same things as him, yet still managed to put her own sweet touch to them. Sports victories were always celebrated not just with high fives but with warm hugs and affectionate kisses. She would play office, but with her Barbie dolls. And his little monkey even had her own little garden, except hers was planted with colorful marigolds, petunias and tulips. It resided right along his so she could water her flowers whenever he watered his plants. She wanted to do everything he did, yet added her mother’s flair to it.  The perfect combination of himself and his Khushi. At the mention of his wife, she instantly appeared before him, bounding down the steps with purpose.

“Mannat Singh Raizada!” Khushi bellowed.

“Uh-oh. Papa hide me!”

Arnav watched in confusion as his three and a half year old daughter curled up into a ball against his chest and hid her face behind her hands. He then turned his attention to his wife. “Khushi, kya hua?” (“Khushi, what happened?”)

“Ask your daughter” Khushi replied in a curt tone.

Arnav put a protective hand over his Mannat. What had she done?? He felt her little form burrowing into him, trying to seek refuge. “Munchkin? Tell Papa…” he encouraged softly. She managed to lift a worried gaze towards him but answered with silence.

“Mannat, you know you’re supposed to put away all your toys before you watch television, right?” Khushi asked in a motherly tone with her hands on her hips.

Little Mannat nodded guiltily. Arnav rose to his daughter’s defense. “Khushi, chhoro na (just let it go). I brought her here to watch cricket with me…”

Khushi gave her husband a stern glare, effectively silencing him. Hell hath no fury like the look of a mother. “Mannat, to your room. Right now.” Khushi’s heart broke the tiniest bit as she watched her little angel hang her head low as she made her way to her room. Khushi fisted her hands at her sides to resist the strong urge to hug her close. She waited until their daughter was out of view. “Arnavji, you shouldn’t encourage her! I have been trying to get her into the habit of cleaning up after herself.”

“Khushi, she’s only three.”

“She is almost four and will be going to school soon. I don’t want to wait for the teacher to send her home with a note saying she doesn’t know basic tidiness rules!”

“Khushi, she’s just a kid. Don’t be so hard on her.” Arnav continued to explain as he stood. He kept his tone soft to let his wife know he wasn’t arguing with her.

Khushi shook her head. “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger.” With that retort, she turned to walk away but quickly found herself spun into her husband’s arms.

Arnav let his eyes penetrate deeply into his wife’s. Past the guarded walls she was trying to erect. Little did she know how her hazel depths betrayed her and always told him everything. He leaned in, ever so slightly into her space. “Maybe she gets that from you…” he drawled huskily before placing a lingering kiss on the apple of her cheek.

Khushi’s face warmed involuntarily and she suppressed her gasp of surprise. This was nor the time or place! Her husband, however, took every opportunity available to keep an underlying flame simmering between them. Before she felt the full impact of their heat, she pushed away, avoiding his smoldering gaze and curbed her urge to smile. 

Khushi went back to her Little Mannat’s room, just in time to see her stow away her last toy. She knelt down to her daughter’s level and grabbed her hand. “Mumma nay tumhe danta…burrah laga?” (“Mumma scolded you…it made you feel bad?”) she asked gently. Her daughter only nodded slowly, avoiding her gaze to instead fixate on playing with her fingers. Khushi gently tipped her chin up to meet her gaze. Once she held Mannat’s attention, Khushi held one of her own ears. “Mumma ko maaf kardo?” (“Forgive Mumma?”)

Mannat gasped and quickly removed her Mumma’s hand away from her ear. “Mumma no! You don’t do that! I do that!” Mannat quickly grabbed both of her own ears and pouted. “I’m sorry.”

Khushi grabbed her little monkey and hugged her close. She let out a breath of relief when she felt two chubby arms wind tightly around her neck. She lightly rubbed her back with soothing circles then pulled away to place a kiss on her daughter’s sweet little forehead. She smiled when Mannat kissed her forehead right back and grinned wide, showing all her baby teeth. “Hmm…I think this calls for a little tea party.”

“Tea party!! Yayy!! I’ll get Mr. Stuffie! He loves tea parties.”

Khushi began to arrange the toy tea set on her daughter’s play table as she ran to grab her teddy. Everywhere Little Mannat went, there was Mr. Stuffie, her best pal. No trip to the park, meal, nap, or tea party, was ever complete without him. Khushi smiled.

Arnav leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms and ankles to watch his Raizada Ranis for a moment. All was good now in the royal castle. That is…between mother and daughter. “Now, to appease my wife…” he thought to himself as he walked away.

When Khushi entered her bedroom later that night, she had to take a moment to stop in her tracks and make sure she was in the right room. There were fairy lights strung about, twinkling invitingly at her. Soft music played in the background, beckoning her into the room. She smiled. Her husband had discovered the secret way to diffuse her ire. Fairy lights and a slow dance. She finally stepped in as her eyes landed on her husband standing nearby.

Arnav had been waiting for his Khushi. He removed his hands from his pockets and immediately went to hold her. He was relieved to see she came willingly. “Khushi about earlier…”

“Arnavji, you didn’t know, it’s ok.” Khushi replied as she slid her hands onto his strong, muscled shoulders.

Their bodies had begun to sway together, on their own volition. Arnav brushed back a few tendrils of his Khushi’s silky locks. “I don’t want you to think that you’re always the bad cop. She’s our daughter. I’m on the same page as you.”

Khushi wrapped an arm around her husband’s broad back and cupped his rugged face, stroking her thumb across his cheek. Her fingertip tingled as it traversed over the short prickles of his five o’clock shadow. “I know Arnavji.” She gazed into the warm, chocolate eyes of the man who always managed to sweep her away from the present and make her feel as if she were living a fairytale.

Arnav leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on his wife’s irresistibly pink mouth. He hugged her closer as she rested her head under his chin and their bodies continued to rock together. His gaze darted up when the door opened ajar. “We have a little visitor” he whispered into his Khushi’s ear.

“Mumma? Papa?”

Khushi turned her head to find their precious daughter standing at the door. She looked especially adorable in her onesie jammies, hair mussed, eyes filled with unrequited sleep. And of course, teddy in tote.

Arnav gave her an inviting nod. “Come here, munchkin.” He watched as their Little Mannat eagerly ran towards them. Her dark brown hair flew wildly as her little feet quickly carried her over to where they stood. She looked up at him expectantly, with her big, round, honey eyes and his heart constricted. She was as beautiful as her mother. He refused to think of the day his little girl would be all grown up. He’d be ready with rifle in hand to keep away anyone that even dared to lay their eyes on her. He caressed a hand to sweep back her unruly hair then tweaked her nose with a soft pinch. “Hop on.”

Khushi smiled as she watched their daughter grab hold of her Papa’s thigh as she stepped onto his one foot with both of her little feet. She continued to wrap her tiny arms around his leg, as if it were a tree trunk, encircling him, and Mr. Stuffie, in a tight hold.

Arnav waited until he felt their daughter rest her head trustingly against his thigh before bringing his Khushi in close again. He wound an arm around her waist and felt her hand wrap around his back in return.

Khushi placed her free hand atop her little angel’s crown. Her fingers brushed through her baby soft hair before her Arnavji’s hand joined hers. As each of them held one another, the three of them slow danced together to the soft croon of music drifting through the room. All too soon the song came to an end. Little Mannat looked up at them inquisitively.

“Can I have a bedtime story?”

As if he had the capacity to say no to that face! Arnav scooped up his little munchkin and placed a smooch on her cheek before holding her close against his chest.

Khushi smiled at father and daughter as she stroked Mannat’s back lovingly. “Which one do you want to hear baby?”

Mannat placed a hand on each of her parent’s cheeks. She lifted her gaze to first look adoringly at her Papa.  “Tell me the one about the Raj Kumar…” she then turned affectionate eyes towards her Mumma “…and his Raj Kumari.”

Khushi kissed her daughter’s tiny palm then locked eyes with her Arnavji. They smiled silently as they read one another’s gaze. If their Little Mannat only knew.