Chapter 22: 20

Chapter Twenty

"And a very hot husband. Does he have any brother?"

✧ P R E E T ✧

Coming to an Amusement park was all we could think of when we got bored at home. But as soon as we reached here, the regret kicked in. It was Sunday, and every ride had almost five people waiting.

"I want to go on this ride." Jiyan pointed towards the dangerous ride and Deven let out a scoff.

"I bet none of you could cross the height required for this one." I slowly turned my head sideways to pass him an offended look. Even this little one kept staring at him with folded hands.

Mujhe kyu toda?

[Why did he drag me in it?]

"Excuse me?" Both of us synced, leading Deven to shrug again.

"I'm five foot three inches, okay. It's the average height of an Indian woman." I said in my defence.

"Still short, shawty. I'm six feet tall." He boosted and I rolled my eyes. His genes were nice in terms of height; mine were not. What is my fault in this now?

"And you, Doraemon's Gian, you're not even allowed in most of the rides here."

"Because I am young. Wait till I grow up, I'm going to be taller than you. And don't call me that, Badman." Jiyan reverted.

"You can only wish." Both of them had been continuously bantering like two annoying kids for the past hour. I can understand about one; he is a child, but what about this thirty-one-year-old acting like a kid?

"P," Jiyan whined. I'm on the verge of yelling at both of them.

"Stop it, Deven." Deven's jaw fell a little as he kept staring at me.

"Tell him to stop first." He argued.

"He's a kid."

"So?"

I let out a deep breath before looking at him, sternly."Sorry." He said, half-heartedly.

"I hope I'm having a daughter in the future. I can't raise a brat."

"Okay, now behave or I'll get your daughter married to him in future." At this point, I had officially gone nuts with these children around me.

"Over my dead body. My daughter would stay at least five miles away from this Doremon's Gian." My mouth was half open in disbelief watching him speak about his daughter, who's not even born yet. If he will have a daughter.

"Your daughter? The one who doesn't exist?" Jiyan questioned emphasizing the word exist.

"What did you see in him to marry him, P?"

"Spell the word Marry first," Deven folded his arms below his chest only to crinkle his eyes in a sarcastic smile.

"M-A-R-R-Y, I'm five, not two. Like you." I took a deep breath and started walking away from them. I'm so done right now.

As my pace increased, a grip on my wrist made me halt my steps and turn back with a glare. "What?"

"Sorry," Both of them held their ear from one hand. I bit my inner cheek, refraining from bursting into a smile.

Cuties.

A group of teenage girls walked past me and I heard one of them say, "Look at how cute that family is. The father and their kid are trying to convince the mom."

Father? Kid? Mother? Impossible.

A red hue formed on my cheeks for some reason after hearing them. The mere thought of a kid with him-

Oh, Culpa Mia 2, you were calling him your brother a few days ago.

You didn't have to remind me of that. It cringes me out as much as it does to you.

I turned my head sideways, letting them know that it was loud enough to be audible to me. I gave them a soft smile.

"You have a very cute family." She told me with a wide smile.

"And a very hot husband. Does he have any brother?" Another girl said keeping her hand on the side of her mouth, as if spilling a secret with a wink.

My husband being hot is no secret. It's more like a national statement now. Or international.

Everyone keeps telling him and me that.

"Unfortunately, no," I replied and she clicked her tongue in temporary sadness. We all chuckled at her remorseful sound as they walked away.

"What were you talking about?" I just shook my head at Deven's question. Later, we went on a few more rides, which either let three of us enter or Kid's one for Jiyan.

He looked very bright; the smile on his face was not ready to go away, making us two feel happier.

"Oye, badman," Jiyan called Deven and he raised his eyebrows at him in response. "Get me this toy, I'll stop calling you that."

Deven mimicked a certain weird expression, "You're a liar."

"No, pakka, I will. I always wanted to win something in this game but I never did." Jiyan pouted. It was the infamous claw game of getting hold of the stuffed toy. The same one in which nobody ever wins.

"Nah. Do it yourself." Khadoos.

"I will get it for you, Jiyan. Why to fear when Preet is here." I handed Deven my bag and confidently walked towards the game, flipping my hair behind for special someone.

As I tried the first time, I almost caught hold of the bear. Almost.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes P... Nooooooo." The flip in the pitch of his voice was evident for everyone to know I couldn't get it out.

"It's okay, we can always give it another try." I patted his back, raising his confidence and paid the money for another try. I glanced at a smiling Deven who stood there holding my handbag along with another paper bag which has some stuff we bought.

I rubbed my palms together to create some seriousness in the air just to get some main character vibes about who was going to fight in the Olympics.

Jai Shree Ram.

As the claw held the teddy ear, I crossed my fingers, and so did Jiyan, copying me. It reached the part where we won it. Jiyan looked at me with quite excitement, and we opened our mouths, about to scream if we won.

But it fell midway. So did our faces.

I turned my head sideways only to get startled by Deven.

"Why to fear when Preet is here." He mimicked my words... and actions, flipping the imaginary hair behind me as I narrowed my eyes.

"Shut up. You win it, na."

"Nah."

"Please, D." Aye haye haye. The way this boy flips.

"D, impressive." His snorty D replied.

"Please, D." Time for me to flip too. I looked at him with my big doe eyes in a pleasing manner.

"Please, D," Jiyan added a cute smile.

One last please with a change in plan.

"Please, D." I gave him a flying kiss which did not just bring astonishment to his expression but also actually stumble on his place. Later like always, he covered it up instantly with a sly smile.

"Anything for my favourite lady." He winked back and I chuckled.

"A win is a win. No matter how cringe it was." Jiyan said, and I eyed him. What does he even know about cringe? Young fellow.

"Oye, dedh foot," Deven warned through their eyes that he wouldn't get the toy, which made Jiyan apologize immediately.

[One and a half feet]

As Deven put his money on stake, I mentally prayed that at least he should win. We need to get the money back.

The claw hung on the red bow of the dog and this time, we didn't react before the action. It always led to disappointment. And true to my words, it instantly fell.

"We can always try again." He paid the amount again. And soon it was five times, but not once could Deven get the toy out of the damn machine.

What was he showing attitude for?

The sixth and the last time, he failed again.

"We could have bought three soft toys by now," I stated.

"Leave it, I don't want the toy anymore. I would rather call you babman." Jiyan said sympathetically after Deven's six failed attempts.

"One last time, seven is my lucky number." After touching the money to his forehead and later chest, he looked up to the sky and mumbled.

"Izzat bacha lo, bagwan."

[Save my respect, God.]

I crossed my fingers of both hands and waited in anticipation. As I watched the Little Pony getting into the claw, I closed my eyes.

Two seconds later, all I heard was a loud yell, actually two. I opened my eyes at that very moment only to find both kids throwing hands in the air. Deven picked up Jiyan in his arms and raised him as if he were the trophy he had won, while Jiyan was giggling like anything.

I immediately took out my phone to record.

The Pony he had won was just lying on the counter and people all around us started clapping as if it was a huge achievement. I had gotten second-hand embarrassment, but the two happy souls couldn't care less. They were busy squealing in victory.

They looked like they barely tolerated each other. Look at them now.

"Yayyy," I raised my fist in the air cheering for the winners when they looked at me.

"See, I won it." Deven boosted. For a second forgetting about the fresh win, I decided to taunt him.

"Yeah, after six fails."

"As a good wife, you should not remind me of my failures but congratulate me."

"Yes. Congratulations, Husband, for winning a soft toy after wasting thrice the amount of a single one." I forwarded my hand for a handshake. As soon as he was about to accept it with a grumpy face, I took it back and ran the hand through my hair like a fifth grader.

I wonder whose soul enters my body sometimes. It makes me do such things.

"Oh my god, Preet, you're so cool. I wonder what to do to be a cool kid like you." The sarcasm was dripping from his voice.

"What did she do to be a cool kid?" Jiyan interrupted innocently, hugging his little pink pony in one hand. "Even I want to be one."

"Learn that from me. I'll teach you." Deven replied, and the whole way, he was sharing how he was so cool at his age.

My awkward ass can't relate.

We were exhausted after an hour would be an understatement. We wanted to reach home quickly but the walk towards the parking was one hell of a ride.

"How much more, P?" Jiyan pulled my last finger, which he was holding, catching my attention.

His other hand was holding Deven's finger, too, as he was walking between us.

"A few minutes more, baby." I pasted the same lie I told him the last two times he asked this.

"I'm very tired. I can't walk anymore." He whined with a pout. The energy, the smile, everything had vanished from his face; he looked all drained.

I glanced at Deven who stared back at me. Jiyan looked at him in the hope of a solution. Deven halted in his place causing us to stop too.

He bent down, turning his back towards Jiyan. "Hop on, Gian."

Jiyan's eyes beamed with happiness, and his face lit up within a second. "Are you sure?" He confirmed.

"Yes, yes, let me give you a last piggyback ride." Within minutes, Jiyan's hands encircled Deven's neck, and Deven picked him up, wrapping his arms around his thigh.

Automatically, a small smile appeared on my lips.

"You're not bad, You're good. I like you." I bet Deven was dying to hear these words from him throughout the day. And finally, at the end of the day, Jiyan did.

Deven's soft smile turned into a huge grin when Jiyan kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry for calling you a bad man. Did you feel bad? "

Look what tiredness makes kids do.

"No, I didn't. And you're also tolerable." He joked, earning a smack on the shoulder from Jiyan.

"I will drop you. Tell me, should I?" He threatened bending a little, trying to scare off the poor fellow.

"No, no," I could see the messy nails of Deven, which Jiyan painted in the morning. Throughout the day, he was roaming around with these hands.

The sight in front of me was overwhelming. Deven handling a kid was totally not on my list.

He'd be a good father one day. It's a little twisted, but yes, good.

A little twisted, but a good father of my kids sounds delicious.

Shit has started getting real now. If I even dare to think about something like this, then I'm so doomed.

I hate how suddenly I'm having all kinds of thoughts for him when I feel nothing at all.

I hate the amount of denial I still hold for saying that I don't like him when the back of my mind is already imagining him as the... father of never mind.

I hate how my feelings changed within weeks.

I hate everything that's happening but I like him.

Hehe.

✧

Strolling towards the bedroom in annoyance, I yelled his name again. It's the fifth time I've called him. He has started to throw many tantrums now.

As soon as I was about to step inside his room, a loud voice startled me. I flinched and brought my hands up in my defence. "Boo."

"What the hell, Deven," I muttered when I noticed him laughing like a hyena.

"You were scared, you flinched so hard. It was so funny." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Whatever."

"See, you went like this." He mirrored my action, trying to act scared but the mischief in his face was quite contrary.

"What. Ever." My eyes flung to the guitar lying on the bed. "Is that a guitar?"

"No, violin." I ignored him and went towards the guitar, it was a little dusty but jet black.

"Do you play guitar?" I questioned, curiously.

"No, baba, I play violin." This time, I showed him stern, cold eyes with a straight face.

"Yes ma'am, I play guitar." He admitted. Good.

"Oh, can you teach me?" I asked excitedly. "From childhood, I always wanted to learn any instrument. But my lazy ass would never actually go for it. I don't know how many dreams of mine are shattered just because I'm lazy."

"I'm quite the opposite. I've tried everything I have dreamt of in life. Many times, I wasn't successful or got the result, but yes, I tried." Hard-working humans are my favourite. Others are logs of wood like me, lying in the corner, practically useless.

Okay, enough of self-shade.

"That's impressive, dude."

"I learnt guitar when I was in eleventh grade. It looked cool at the start, but eventually, I fell in love with it." He explained.

"Oh, play a song for me," I ordered and sat on the bed.

"I've lost the practice. Some other day. I'll play worse than what I usually do." He said and I handed him the guitar.

"No, if I don't get to see your worst then who does? Come on." I encouraged him. "I'll cheer for you, come on."

"Go go, Deven. Go go, Deven." I was moving my hips lightly with the imaginary pom-poms

"Okay, okay. Chords or verse?" He asked. Little does he know, I show shit about this.

"Um, whatever you play the worst." I grinned.

He played the lyrics of Senorita on the guitar. And he was lying when he said this was his worst because he didn't mess up anywhere. If this is worse then I wonder what the best is.

"I love it when you call me Senorita." I  sang along with it.

"Okay, Senorita. That's it." He said and kept the guitar aside.

"You play very well. Don't fool around with your reputation when you play it like a Pro. I'm proud of you, Dev." I patted his back proudly. With the latter two hits, the Pats turned into smacks but he didn't budge from his position.

Where did Dev come from?

"What did you call me?" He asked.

"Dev. Nickname for you, sweetheart." I replied. I wonder why I was in such a jolly mood today even after he scared the shit out of me.

"Oh," was all he let out. He seemed to be a little affected by it because of the way his face went dull and void of any emotion.

"What happened? Do you not like it? I won't call you that again-" He cut me off.

"No, you can. I actually love it."

"You seem to be shaken by it. Is something wrong?" I asked genuinely with concern.

"Nostalgia." He replied and I waited for him to elaborate. "My mother used to call me Dev."

Oh.

I was speechless. I don't know how to react in such situations. What if I say something wrong that hurts him?

"Do you miss them?" I hesitated to ask this; what if I'm crossing a boundary?  He lifted his eyes to look at me in confusion. "Your parents. Abhinav bhai told me."

I didn't want to ask something personal. But at the same time, I wanted to be there for him like he was for me. I wanted him to know that if he wants to rant about things or at least have a conversation about it, then I'm there for him.

"I think it's time for dinner." He walked past me leaving me stranded.

I think I hit the wrong nerve accidentally.

✧

A update after a long time. Do tell me your views on it.

Deven, I feel sad for him. Pretending to be jolly and happy at all times would be hard :(

On a brighter side, preet finally accepting her feelings? What's your say in how she managed to do that within weeks?

I've a paper tomorrow and this is what I'm doing 🥲

Okay bye, with love and letters. 💌