The helicopter went past, its motor purring away, into the distant skies.
A loud wail issued from my arms- “papaaaa!!!!”
Puzzled, my neighbour stopped midway, putting out the clothes on the line,hands frozen.
“Why is she calling papa?”
I sniffed, and mumbled from behind invisible lumps -in-my-throat.
“But why papa?”
The baby in my arms howled louder.
“For heaven’s sake, Rajni,stop saying the p-word.”
I blurted out.
“She thinks it was he who flew away in the copter.”
“Oh, I see”. Rajni immediately comprehended, and resumed her wringing and hanging of clothes, albeit with an air of remorse.”Deepu has got a new set of building blocks, want to take a look at it baby?” She added helpfully. The wailing stopped abruptly, and my daughter regarded Rajni with interest, wet eyes squinting ,in the morning sun,across the balcony.
“I will send her over later, thanksda.” I sighed and turned in.
Ever since Paul left for his Afghanistan Deputation, it has been like this. Every morning , she insists on seeing her elder sister board the school bus, then she will wail at every passing motorised vehicle, presuming her father left in one of those.And I have two years of this ahead of me. I slumped on the sofa, feeling totally dejected.
A loud wail issued from my arms- “papaaaa!!!!”
Puzzled, my neighbour stopped midway, putting out the clothes on the line,hands frozen.
“Why is she calling papa?”
I sniffed, and mumbled from behind invisible lumps -in-my-throat.
“But why papa?”
The baby in my arms howled louder.
“For heaven’s sake, Rajni,stop saying the p-word.”
I blurted out.
“She thinks it was he who flew away in the copter.”
“Oh, I see”. Rajni immediately comprehended, and resumed her wringing and hanging of clothes, albeit with an air of remorse.”Deepu has got a new set of building blocks, want to take a look at it baby?” She added helpfully. The wailing stopped abruptly, and my daughter regarded Rajni with interest, wet eyes squinting ,in the morning sun,across the balcony.
“I will send her over later, thanksda.” I sighed and turned in.