DESTINY'S FAVOURITE CHILDREN

42. Virushka?

Flashback:

It was early morning, Meera saw Mahi entering the home on his bike, without helmet more precisely. A frown appeared on her face, that was the third time in the week that he had been out. She didn't know why these boys liked to go out in the nights only, that too this carelessly. The first instance she had ignored, the second time she had left him with a warning, it was the third and she didn't know how to deal with this stubborn head.

Mahi bit his tongue as soon as he saw Meera staring at him. He knew it was the day. He had purposely chosen this. Off late, he had felt that Meera was pushing herself back from exerting her rights on them. He knew his father didn't like her punishing them but he didn't see the point why. That somehow always made him restless. He didn't want Meera holding back. So he was just trying to push her buttons onto losing it. This was a perfect day, since his father was out. He was counting on it.

Mahi went and hugged her midriff, giving her a charming smile. "Good morning mumma. Jaldi uth gye aaj aap"

"Kahaan se aa raha hai tu? " Meera asked.

"Gussa ho? " Mahi asked, still not parting the hug.

Meera rolled her eyes. The boy had some audacity.

"Stand straight first" Meera said, pulling him in front of her, "Hafte mein teesri baar hai ye Mahi. Why do you not understand a simple straight thing that it is risky. Ghar mein kisi ko zara sa bukhar ho jaye tu ghar sar pe utha leta hai, when will you start caring about yourself haan? "

Mahi could see a sheen of tears in her eyes and at the moment he felt guilty. He reached out to wipe her tears, "I'm alright mumma"

Meera glared at him. "Where is your helmet? "

Mahi gulped. He had forgotten to take his helmet with him when he left. Had this gone farther than he had anticipated?

"Wo mai, aaj mai, actually I forgot to-" Mahi managed to say before he saw Meera's slap flying towards him. His eyes closed automatically but when he felt no hit, he opened his eyes again and saw Meera had held back, again.

"Ruk kyun gyi aap? You don't feel you have any right over me, haina? Aap mujhe apna beta maanti hi nahi hain, haina? Warna abhi tak you wouldn't have hesitated to put me in my place. Mai helmet pehnu na pehnu kya farak padta hai, raat ko bike pe ja raha hu kisko farak pad raha hai? " Mahi's rant was stopped by a tight slap on his cheek. He looked at Meera from the corner of his eye as his head tilted to the side from the impact.

"Kya kya soche ja rha hai tu? Ek aur lagau? That's what you want? " Meera chided and Mahi shook his head in no slowly. He put a palm over his slapped cheek, the lady mogambo could hit!

"Don't tell me you went without the helmet because you wanted this slap" Meera spoke. Mahi was crazy, she couldn't deny the possibility after all that he spoke.

Mahi shook his head ferociously. "Sachchi mein galti se bhul gya tha. Aur aaj hi bhoola hoon, warna hamesha hota hai helmet. God promise" . Now he knew what Meera would have done with him if that was the case.

"Ye bhulke jaane ki chiz hai Mahi? Going out on bike in midnight was not enough ki ab tu bina helmet bhi jaane laga? " Meera scolded. Mahi could only look down and mutter faint sorries. It was actually not planning for this. He just wanted to rile her up a bit, this was never in the plans.

Mahi tried up the most innocent face he could make and hugged Meera, "Sorry mumma. Sachchi galti se bhul gya tha, fir se nahi karunga, I swear"