Ashika had finally tackled her uncle and was on top of him now, gentle enough to make him comfortable and strong enough to prevent him from escaping her.
'Ashu, I'm sorry. Let me go, please,' Niru Bappa whined.
Ashika just ignored and crossed her arms in disagreement.
Her parents stood by the doorway laughing.
'Anna, save me from your daughter, ' Niru Bappa turned to his older brother for help. But, he didn't. He then turned to his sister-in-law, who simply shrugged, smiling.
'Bhabhi, may I ask something? What did you eat when you had her? She's too strong,' Nirav asked his sister-in-law, still struggling to get away from Ashika, who was still on top of him, glaring at him.
Nirav saw that this wouldn't lead anywhere. So, he tried changing the subject. But, Ashika, being smart, saw right through him.
She finally decided to let him go and get away from him.
Nirav stood up slowly, afraid Ashika might tackle him again.
'I like this doubt bappa', Ashika said, nodding appreciatively with her arms crossed. Hearing this, everyone burst out laughing.
Nirav opened his arms, welcoming Ashika.
'Only my favorite niece could beat me, '
Ashika ran into his open arms.
'What did you get for me? ,' she asked excitedly.
Nirav strode across the room where his bags had been hidden earlier and took out a chana packet and tossed it to Ashika.
Ashika stared at it disbelievingly. Her jaw dropped as though he had handed her a stone wrapped in paper. Yet, her lips betrayed her with a bright smile.
'Is this what you give your favorite niece when you see her after what two months?', Ashika mocked, but her smile gave her away.
'What can I get for you? I don't even know what you like.',
Nirav ducked just in time; Ashika had tossed a cushion straight at him.
The household rang out with laughter.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Ashika's father turned to check who it was.
It was the next-door neighbors.
'Bhaiya, is everything ok? We could hear screams and things being tossed around,' one of them said.
Ashika's father chuckled and said, 'Oh, it's nothing, it's just Ashika and Nirav. Nirav arrived this morning and scared her, so that was them. Sorry for the disturbance.'
'Oh, I see. I used to notice why the household was quiet. We are used to the chaos now, you know. That now offers us comfort,' another man said, chuckling.
On cue, a cushion flew past like a missile behind Ashika's father.
Nirav had eaten Ashika's favorite ice cream without asking her. And chaos ensued. Ashika's father looked between them nervously, and all of them burst out laughing.
'She truly spreads happiness wherever she goes, ' said the neighbors and took their leave.
Ashika's father sighed deeply before walking back in, only to find his daughter and brother engaged in a furious battle to eat the ice cream first.
He looked shocked and walked to his wife, who stood there torn between shock and amazement.
'Who was it? , ' she asked as soon as her husband made his way to her.
'Neighbors, they were concerned by the sudden noise. When they realized it was Nirav and Ashu, they left chuckling, as if this were something normal and it was their source of comfort,' he said, sighing, rubbing the back of his neck.
'You two need to behave yourself, ' Ashika's mother said, glaring at them with her hands on her hips.
'Let them be, it's nothing new. They are meeting after such a long time,' her husband said, trying to calm her down.
No matter how much they tried, they couldn't manage to keep Ashika and Nirav away from each other.
'If someone saw them like this, people would assume Nirav was Ashika's older brother, ' Ashika's father said, tired from running between the two to stop them from throwing stuff around.
On cue, a cushion came flying and landed on his lap. Both Ashika and Nirav bounded towards him to grab the pillow.
That evening, along with the normal chatter, love and warmth were radiating from that household.
The day had begun with shrieks and flying cushions, but it ended with laughter echoing in every corner of the house.