You, Me and She
Shreya emerged out of the washroom after taking a shower. She had wrapped herself in a pink cotton towel. She plugged in the hair drier and started drying her wet hair. After drying her hair she started applying body lotion on her skin. Her cellphone started ringing plugged in the charger. She removed the charger and picked up the phone. 'Daya sir calling' was flashing on the screen.
"Hello..
She uttered tilting her head on her right shoulder and managing the phone between her ear and her shoulder because her hands were busy in massaging her beautiful legs.
"What are you doing?" Daya asked.
"Kuch nahi" she replied.
"To phone ko hath me lekar baat Karo na." Daya said.
Shreya chuckled, "ha wo mere hath free nahi the na, but aapko kaise pata chal jata hai."
"Bas chal jata hai. Tumhari sari kharab aadatein achhe se pata hain mujhe. Anyway, main ye keh raha tha ki coffee pine ka man kar raha hai, wo bhi tumhare hath ki." He said in a sweet voice.
Shreya smiled, "ok, to aa jaiye." She paused for a second and said, "waise bhi, aaj main akeli hu ghar pe. Mumma papa bahar gaye huye hain." She said smiling shyly.
"Achha, to phir coffee ke baad dinner bhi kare tumhare ghar pe?" He asked in a whisper.
"Why not?" Shreya said smiling after getting his meaning.
"Ok, I'll be there in 10 minutes" Daya said and cut the call.
Shreya dressed herself in a simple T-shirt and shorts. She grabbed the orchid flavored room freshener and sprayed in the whole room. She threw herself on the bed and grabbed a pillow, "Come soon Daya!" She whispered in eagerness. She got up, "main tab tak coffee bana leti hu. Daya ke pahuchane tak coffee bhi ban jayegi." She thought and moved towards kitchen.
She was about to enter the kitchen but stopped as someone rang the doorbell.
"Itni jaldi aa gaye, hmm" she smiled and moved to open the door.
Shreya opened the door excitedly but her smile faded away slowly as she found a woman from her neighborhood standing there with her 3 years old daughter, in place of daya.
"Are Seema bhabhi aap, kahiye?" Shreya greeted her with a smile.
"Hi Shreya, wo ek help chahiye tumhari" the woman said.
"Ha sure, boliye na!" Shreya said.
"Shreya, tumhe pata hai na Twinkle ki dadi hospital me admit hain. Main wahi ja rahi hu. Kya tum aaj raat ke liye Twinkle ko apne paas rakh sakti ho please. Main subeh wapas aa kar use le jaungi. mere ghar pe koi aur hai nahi ise sambhalne wala."
Shreya looked at the little girl who was flashing a cute smile. Shreya cursed the woman internally but smiled somehow, "Why not bhabhi, aap chinta mat kariye, hospital jaiye, I'll take care of Twinkle tonight."
"So nice of you shreya, thank you so much. Twinkle beta aaj tum shreya auntie ke sath rahogi ok, koi shararat mat Karna. Auntie ko bilkul pareshan mat karna." The woman instructed her daughter and then left her with shreya.
Shreya closed the door disappointedly and moved inside with the little girl.
"Shreya auntie, aapke paas chocolate hai?" She asked jumping on the couch.
"Nahi beta, sorry, abhi mere paas koi chocolate nahi hai!" Shreya said sweetly.
"Achha to phir ice cream to hogi na, aapke paas itta bada wala fridge hai?" She said describing the big size of fridge with her little hands.
"Nahi beta, main ice cream nahi khati. Humare fridge me ice cream nahi hai." Shreya denied clearly.
"Achha aapke mobile me games hain?" She asked in lot of excitement.
"Nahi beta, main mobile me games nahi rakhti." Shreya said a bit irritatingly.
"Offo auntie main to bore ho jaungi aapke sath" the little girl murmured and shreya shot a deadly glance at her.
The doorbell rang again.
"Main kholti hu auntie" Twinkle said running towards the door.
Shreya stopped her by holding her hand. "Nahi beta tum nahi khol paogi, tumhari height kam hai na chupchap jakar waha couch pe baitho, ok"
"Ok" she uttered nodding her head.
Shreya went and opened the door.
Daya just barged inside and caught her in his arms, "hey, I just can't believe it. Hum dono ekdum akele... He stopped abruptly seeing Twinkle. He freed shreya from his embrace.
"Ye bachhi kaun hai?" He asked.
Shreya looked at him and sighed, "ye Twinkle hai" and she told him the whole story.
"Oh!" Daya sighed.
"Aap coffee pikar chale jaiye, you can't stay here tonight. I am sorry!" Shreya said sadly.
"Kyun?" Daya asked.
"Kyunki aaj ye shaitano ki nani raat bhar mere sath hi rehne wali hai." Shreya said angrily.
Daya smiled, "come on shreya choti si bachhi to hai. So jayegi thodi der me" he said winking at her.
"But daya, aapko nahi pata. Kitni badi chugalkhor hai ye. Subeh aapke bare me jakar sabko bata degi. Puri society me baat faila degi ki aap raat bhar mere ghar pe ruke the." Shreya said.
"Hey, don't worry, let me handle her." Daya said and moved towards the girl.
"Hello... Kya naam hai aapka?" He asked sweetly.
"My name is Twinkle Gupta. I am 3 years old. I live in sangam vihar society. I study in...
"Bas bas bas beta..." Daya stopped her covering her mouth.
"Aapka naam kya hai uncle? Aap shreya auntie ke friend ho kya?" She asked.
Daya and shreya exchanged glances. Daya turned to her, "nahi bata, main aapke liye aaya hu. Aapko pata hai ek bada aa monster hai. Wo raat me aakar chote bachho ko pakad kar kha jata hai. To main aapko bachane aaya hu, taki wo aapko na pakad sake?"
"Monster?" The girl exclaimed in disbelief, "but uncle shreya auntie ke paas gun hai. Wo fight bhi kar leti hai. Wo monster ko maar dalegi. Aap apne ghar jao, shreya auntie mujhe bacha legi us monster se!"
Daya looked at shreya and found her giggling. Daya turned to the girl.
"Ha beta, par wo aapki shreya auntie se jyada strong hai. Wo akele nahi lad payegi usse. Main aapki shreya auntie se jyada strong hu na to main bachauga aapko monster se." Daya said showing his muscles.
"Ok, to uncle aap jyada strong ho to main aapke sath soungi." She said.
Daya looked at shreya, "of course beta"
"Main coffee bana kar lati hu." Shreya said and moved inside kitchen.
Daya started playing with Twinkle. They had the coffee. After sometimes it was the time to dinner. Shreya prepared the dinner and fed Twinkle so that she could sleep early.
"Chalo beta ab aap so jao, bahut raat ho gayi hai." Shreya said.
"Mujhe uncle ke sath sona hai." She demanded.
"Ok, come" daya took her in his lap and moved in room. He made her lay on the bed beside himself. He started patting her head softly, "so jao beta jaldi se"
"Nahi uncle, main din me khoob soyi hu aaj. Mujhe neend nahi aa rahi. Aap story sunao na" Twinkle said adding more to daya's irritation.
Daya looked at her and then at shreya who was watching them standing at the doorstep.
"Ok, ek raja tha...
Twinkle cut him immediately, "offo uncle ye story main bahut baar sun chuki hu. Koi nayi story sunao na."
Daya looked at shreya tiredly. She laughed at him and came inside.
"Main sunau, mujhe na bahut sari stories malum hain." She said and laid herself on another side of her.
"Ok" Twinkle said.
The girl was in between of daya and shreya. Shreya started narrating the story. Daya became busy in staring at shreya. Shreya too kept taking glances at him while narrating the story. Daya secretly touched shreya's hand. She jerked him and concentrated in the story.
Daya moved his leg and started touching shreya's leg to tease her. She stopped the story and stared at him.
"Phir kya hua auntie?" The little girl poked shreya.
Shreya threatened daya with her eyes to not to do that in front of Twinkle. Daya made a face and buried his face in the pillow.
"Ye to sone wali nahi, ulta tumhari ye bakwas stories sunkar mujhe neend aa rahi hai." Daya said yawning.
Shreya looked at him, "bas sone wali hai."
Soon the little girl fell asleep.
"Daya, Twinkle so gayi!" Shreya whispered into daya's ears.
Daya looked at her, "so?"
Shreya caught his hand and pulled him out of the bed, "so come with me."
They were about to go when Twinkle gave them a call from behind.
"Aap log kaha ja rahe ho mujhe akela chod kar. Monster aa gaya to? Main bhi aapke sath aaungi."
Shreya glared at the girl. Daya looked at shreya, "tumne to kaha tha ki so gayi hai."
"Ha but mujhe laga ki ye so gayi hai." Shreya said and turned to the girl. "Nahi beta hum kahi nahi ja rahe, yahi hain ok, aap so jao." She said and moved near her.
Same time the doorbell rang. Shreya and daya exchanged glances. "Ab kaun ho sakta hai?" Shreya said, "daya aap yahi rukiye nain dekhti hu."
Shreya went and opened the door. She found Twinkle's mom there.
"Are bhabhi aap? Aap to subeh aane wali thi na?"
"Ha shreya, but Twinkle ke daddy bhi wahi hain na to unhone mujhe ghar aane ko kaha. Twinkle ko bhej do, tumhe jyada pareshan to nahi kiya na?" She asked courteously.
Shreya smiled this time cheerfully, "are nahi, bilkul bhi nahi. Itni pyar bachhi hai. Main use lekar aati hu. Maine use khana khila diya tha. Stories suna rahi thi use."
"Oh..bina stories sune wo soti nahi" Seema said laughing.
Shreya moved to take Twinkle with her. "Chalo beta tumhari mumma aa gayi tumhe lene ke liye. Aur han ye uncle ke bare me kisi ko mat batana ok. Ye na bahut secret hain. Warna ye aapko bachane nahi jayenge aur aapko monster kha jayega" shreya threatened the girl sweetly.
"Ok auntie, main uncle ke bare me kisi ko nahi bataungi." the girl said and turned to daya, "uncle ab main apne ghar ja rahi hu na ab aap bhi apne ghar jao"
Daya looked at shreya and then at Twinkle "han beta, main apne ghar ja raha hu, pehle aap jao. Bye! " daya said kissing on her cheek.
Shreya handed over the girl to her mother and closed the door.
"Tumhe kya lagta hai wo mere bare me kisi ko batayegi ya nahi?" Daya asked.
"Pata nahi, use samjhaya to hai, ab usse jyada kya kar sakti hu. Jo hoga main baad me handle kar lungi." Shreya said.
Daya embraced her from behind. "Hmm...I just hate kids, aur ye maa baap bhi na apne bachho ko akela chod ke kaise chale jate hain kisi aur ke bharose?"
Shreya turned to him, "achha, to phir us hisab se to mumma papa ko bhi mujhe akela chod kar nahi Jana chahiye tha na, 'kisi aur ke bharose'?" She said with a mischievous grin.
"Oh no, main to chote bachho ki baat kar raha tha" daya said moving his fingers in her hair.
"To main bhi to choti chi, pyali chi, cute chi bachhi hu na" shreya said lisping like a little girl.
Daya lifted her up in his arms, "of course, mela baccha, my babu, my shona, my darling, my good girl. I love you!" He said kissing her face, and neck moving towards the bedroom carrying her in his arms. Shreya circled her hands around his neck laughing due to his ticklish kisses.
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