ʟᴏᴠᴇ- ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʀᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ | ✓

~ t h i r t y f i v e ~

"जो जाहिर हो जाए वो दर्द कैसा,
जो समझ न सके वो हमदर्द कैसा!"

"Happy Birthday Mumma ki jaan!!" Anahita opened her eyes with a yawn and instantly jumped on bed with excitement when heard her mother wishing her happy birthday. And looking at her big grin both Nandini and Ishita smiled.

"It is Iti happy wala birth day Mimi?" Nandini nodded her head and pulled Anahita in her lap.

"Yes my bacha, And a very happy birthday to you." Anahita squealed while Nandini caressed her hair removing them from her eyes.

"Thank You Mimi!!!" Anahita gleed and then Ishita came forward and sat in front of them with a smile and forwarded the box wrapped up in gift paper and wishes Anahita.

"Happy Birthday Anahita bache. And this is a small gift from you Shi Maa." Anahita's eyes twinkled seeing the box and she took it when her mother nodded at her.

"Thank you Shi Maa!!!!" She squealed in joy and then looked at her mother asking, "Can I open it now Mimi, pleach!" And when Nandini nodded her head Anahita grinned while tearing the pack of gift with gentleness. Both Ishita and Nandini smiled seeing her being so gentle in even tearing the wrapper. They saw her pouting as she was getting difficulty opening it.

Ishita was about to help her when Nandini signalled her not to making Ishita pout too which made Nandini shook her head in disbelief. Anahita is for sure rubbing on Ishita. She looked back at her daughter who was huffing and time to time tucking her hair behind which were disturbing her, while her all attention was on opening the gift wrap. Nandini too wanted to help her but she didn't and stopped Ishita too. This is the thing she always do. She let Anahita do anything or everything on her own first. Nandini never interfere even when she sees Anahita struggling to do something, like trying to get cookies box from kitchen shelf, or trying to tie her with a hair clutcher. She never meddles and let her do on her own, until Anahita herself ask for help from her mother or Ishita, and that happens when Anahita has doen with all her efforts of doing the work. According to Nandini, with this Anahita will learn to be on her own. She will know what putting efforts means. She will know, that not everything is easy, even small tasks. Above that she will learn to have patience. And sometimes the creative ideas she comes up with to do anything is a plus point. But at last she still knows that her mother is there to help her.

Like today, she came up with her own creative idea. Nandini saw Anahita moving to her small table and picked up the ruler and came back on bed jumping. Both Ishita and Nandini smiled when they saw her tearing the tapes with the help of ruler. The thing that she didn't wanted to spoil even the gift wrapping made Ishita awe on her. And Nandini was proud because even though her daughter was excited to see the gift she didn't lose her patience and put all her efforts. These little things do matter.

Anahita opened her mouth wide seeing the box, which had a princess dress in it. Her eyes shone as she caressed the dress with happiness.

"Wow Shi Maa. So pletty pletty.  It for Iti?"

(Pletty- pretty)

"Yes meri gudiya, this Princess dress is for our princess. You liked it?" Anahita bobbed her head frantically caressing the dress with her small hand and hugged Ishita saying Thank You. Nandini smiled seeing both of them and looked at the dress with a small smile.

"Mimi, I will wear this dess ening me?" Hearing Anahita, Nandini's smile fell and she looked at Ishita who sighed looking at her.

Anahita was four years today, and in these three years they had celebrated her birthday with just them three. Though Ishita always used to insist on celebrating it with more children-around but Nandini always denied, not because she didn't wanted to, but because of the money issue. Moreover, Nandini knew that when Anahita won't even remember anything than what's the use. From the small money she used to have, she would buy gifts for her daughter. But this time, Ishita without telling Nandini had called Anahita's classmates from her grade for a party at home, without telling to Nandini. And when Nandini got to know, she couldn't even deny because her daughter was literally jumping with the fact that even her birthday will be celebrated. And it hit Nandini hard, when she realised that how Anahita never demands, but she is a child after all, a normal child, who has some childish wishes. Nandini had felt her heart constricting realizing that she was not the perfect mother, because she is not even able to be the one with whom her daughter would share her wishes knowing that her mother would complete them.