He came home late that night. With the state elections coming up, the workload was more. His wife opened the door very cautiously, so as to not wake up the elderly and kids in the house. She, though dead tired herself, willingly warmed up the food, with nearly same noise-less precision. They both barely talked much - not because they did not love each other or did not have anything to share - but because they both were too exhausted to talk, even in hushed voices. He gobbled the food - his body not in a condition to savour the taste, warmth or the efforts put into the preparation. She understood; insisted on couple of more servings - she knew he might not have had the time to grab supper, not even tea due to his busy schedule these days.
As his daily ritual - he kissed the lil boy on the forehead, who was sleeping with his grandparents. Then went off to his room. Looked at his lil angel who was sleeping in her safe space in the middle of the bed; he and his wife would sleep on the either side. Looked at her with a feeling of gratitude - as if she was ‘the’ answer to all his prayers. Kissed her goodnight. Her wife gestured a ‘shush’ - she did not want her to wake up. He checked her forehead for fever - she had a mild one cz of cold that morning when he had left for office. Relived by her normal temperature, he looked at his wife, like a team mate would to another, for reassurance and confirmation; She smiled, thanked the lord with joined hands and gestured an ok.
Finally he gained some strength as dinner-effect. He and His wife talked for a few mins in hushed voices - the talk blending unintended uninformed into much-awaited sleep, much-needed sound sleep and not-needed snores.
Not even 2 hours had passed when he felt soft tap on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see that his 3 year old daughter was awake, pointing towards her nose and blabbering something which he understood, meant she had blocked nose. He was familiar with the not-so-drilly drill.
He stood up without any hesitation, irritation or tiredness - picked her in arms - went to the small terrace by the room.
Like a baby monkey clinging to its parent - she held him tightly - her hands locked around his neck, her legs to his upper waist. His hands had her back - literally and otheriwse. He strolled slowly - breeze helped - she was able to breathe back normally in couple of minutes and in another few - she was asleep again. He walked for a little longer - her sleep ripening a little more.
He came back to the room, gently lay her on bed again, put few drops of eucalyptus oil onto her pillow. His wife was wide awake too - she was use to woke-sleeping to cater to needs of her two children. However, the lil one always preferred to wake up Paa - she was more fond of sleeping back in his arms.
Its not as easy and quick for adults to fall asleep as kids. Sometimes it was quicker to sleep back after such drills, other times the mornings stopped by sooner. It took some good 30-40 minutes for them to get back to sleep this time.
Another 3 hours and he again felt a tap. This time it was not as soft. It was his wife waking him up. She had glass of water and cup of tea, they smiled at each other. From nowhere, the two lil ones came jumping onto him - it was their only time together these busy days - the tea time. He was glad to see both of them - more so because they were healthy(specially his daughter) and happy. He asked his wife to join their little tea party.
The perfect perfect frame!!
Little that the lil one knew - she would be reminded of this - after 27 years - she sitting miles away from three of them in another continent.
Tears flowing down her cheek - missing them, missing those days; tears of helplessness and guilt of not being with them, for them - specially now when her dad is older and sometimes has trouble breathing in the middle of the night - like she use to have as a kid. Life came back a full circle for her and how!!
PostFace - She is grateful that her brother and his lovely teammate - alongwith their two lil ones, however, are now handling her duties and responsibilities too. Life indeed has come a full circle with this new team ❤️
#Paa #Blessed
