Chapter 3

Atifa's pov :

I was sitting in the living room, colouring in my sketchbook when abbu came.

"So what is my princess doing?" He asked me while peeking at my sketch book.

"I'm colouring abbu, dekhiye, ye kitna pyaara hai. I made it." I told him happily while showing him the drawing of a house. (See, how beautiful it is.)

"Oh wow! Ma Shaa Allah. This is beautiful. Aur kya bana skti hai meri beti?" He asked me curiously with a smile playing on his lips. (What else can my daughter draw?)

"What is happening here? Kya khichdi pak rahi hai yaha?" Ammi joined, sitting beside me. (What are you both planning?)

"Ammi I was just showing abbu what I made. Isn't it cute?" I asked her while showing her the drawing.

"Yes it is, Ma Shaa Allah. And what was your abbu asking you?" She asked me curiously with a raised brow.

"I was just asking her what else can she draw." Abbu replied, sitting down beside ammi while putting his arm around her shoulder. "You know, it would be great to have myself sketched by my princess. I mean, tumne to kia nahi hai, so I was just about to ask my daughter to do the honors." Abbu informed ammi mischievously, all the while looking at her with a different kind of sparkle in his eyes. Like there was some secret between them which he was trying to remind her or maybe tease her. At that time I didn't understand why he said what he said, and till now I don't know what he was talking about. But I guess, some things are better left unspoken. They are better left as secrets. And also because I wouldn't want to interfere in my parents' personal matter. (since you haven't sketched me)

"Accha ji? Then maybe Atifa can sketch you up for yourself. What do you say Atifa?" Ammi asked me while turning to look at me. She had a mischievous smile on her face herself. (Oh yeah?)

"Jee ammi! I would love to draw abbu. I even have a pose for him. But he will have to sit like a statue for that." I told her excitedly, but in the end my excitement died down because I didn't know if abbu would agree to sit in the same position for that long. (Sure)

"Awwh don't worry sweetheart, I'm sure your abbu wouldn't mind sitting in any pose that you say. Sahi kaha na maine janab?" Ammi asked abbu sweetly. (Am I not right mister?)

"No I wouldn't mind at all princess. So tell me which pose is it?" Abbu replied after a while, turning his gaze away from ammi. It was like they were communicating with their eyes while I sat there waiting for his answer, clueless as to what was even happening here.

He stretched and stood up to show me a standing position. "Like this?"

"No, you are going to go and sit there." I told him pointing towards a chair, trying to mimic a professional stern voice.

"Oh okay. Now?" He asked after following my command.

"Now keep your hands on your lap and let me see." I told him in a deep thinking voice with furrowed eyebrows.

"There is a vase behind you, we need to take it away. Ammi please remove it naa." I told her in my childish and bossy voice.

"Okay as you say Atifa." Ammi replied and all this while she was watching us amused, a beautiful smile etched on her face.

As ammi went to remove the vase I heard abbu's low voice. "She is bossy just like you." Ammi chuckled at that. "No seriously, I feel bad for her future husband. How scared would he be of her? I don't even know what will happen to him. I mean poor guy, I can understand his pain you know. We will have similar situations..." He added making a weird face. Ammi was laughing by the end of his sentence.

A chuckle escaped my lips in between my sobs thinking about it.

In the meantime, I opened a new page and saw abbu making that weird face again. I heard him but I didn't understand what he meant at that time. "Abbu don't make that face! Your sketch won't turn out good!" I scolded him sternly, like a boss.

Ammi came back and stood beside me with a grin on her face. My finger was on my chin in a thinking position. "Abbu, keep your elbow on the arm of the chair and look towards the window." I instructed him.

He kept his elbow and looked at me like a child asking for approval. I shook my head at him in disapproval. "No no, not like this." He just looked at ammi helplessly, like a lost puppy.

Ammi laughed, "Ammi can you please help him take his correct position?" I requested, looking at her with big hopeful eyes.

Ammi nodded her head before going towards him and started moving his hands and putting them in the position accordingly. "Didn't you see how bossy she has become? All because of you! Just because you act bossy around me, even she is bossing me now." Abbu complained to ammi while glaring at her.

Ammi chuckled, "She is my daughter after all. What did you expect? And you only wanted her to make a sketch of yourself. Not my fault here. And all the best Mr. Hubby." Ammi corrected his face position with her fingers, smiled with amusement dancing in her eyes and came back to sit next to me.

"Abbu your eyes! Don't look like that. It's your sketch that I'm making." I exclaimed in frustration. When he finally softened his gaze and turned his face as I had asked him to do so, I started making his sketch.

And after one hour, I was finally done with it. Of course, with interruptions in the middle for him to not move and his groans of being tired sitting in the same way. I smiled in victory and clapped my hands. "I'm done! I made it finally!" I showed it to ammi excitedly, abbu stood up, stretched his arms and sighed in relief before coming and sitting beside ammi with his sore body, still heaving a sigh of relief. It was clearly visible on his face how much he was thankful that this was finally over.

"See I made your sketch! Isn't it just like you?" I asked him happily. I was so proud of myself for completing that task. For doing what my parents wanted me to do.

Abbu took the sketch from me and started examining it. Ammi bursted into peals of laughter watching the sketch and abbu's mortified face.

"I look like this?" He asked me incredulously with a horrified expression on his face.

"Yeah you look like this. You looked more good in person but in drawing you look this way." I had replied happily. I didn't realise at that time that abbu was mortified and tongue tied by my answer and didn't know what to say. And ammi, she just kept laughing at us. Her sweet melodies laughter echoing in the room bringing it to life.

Now that I think about it, I feel sorry for abbu. He had to sit that way for hours only for me to draw that childish drawing.

I laughed remembering that day and wiped my tears away. Standing up, I moved towards my cupboard. Opening it, I took out a box from behind my clothes. I store all of my special memories there and it is very precious to me.

I took it with me to my bed and sat there, contemplating whether I should open it or not. In the end, I decided to open it and suddenly, nostalgia hit me like a strong wave crashing against a rock. Tears stung my eyes again but this time, I held them back and took a deep breath. Composing myself, I took out the file which contained my old drawings. Turning the pages, I finally found the drawing which I was looking for. I ran my fingers on it and smiled. The drawing actually looked cute for a six years old girl. I mean, they don't know how to draw much but this was quite impressive if I do say so myself.

And suddenly, my mobile rang, breaking me out of my trance. Who could it be?

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GLOSSARY :

- Ammi - Mom

- Abbu - Dad

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