Bhairav's POV:

Bhaiya and I were seated on the verandah stairs. He sat a step below me, leaning back and peacefully enjoying his chai. We both had been in the city for the past two days and had returned only in the afternoon. I thought, like any other husband who would miss his wife dearly, that we could take Sanjana and Aradhya out today.

But the women were against it. They claimed that they couldn't leave Maa alone to take care of the kids. Well, that was the damn reason we had maids in the first place.

"Chai thandi ho jayegi," Bhaiya told me while sipping his glass.

(The chai will get cold.)

I frowned at him, "Aapne Sanjana se kuch kaha kyun nahi? Agar aap use mana lete toh Aradhya bhi maan jaati..."

(Why didn't you say anything to Sanjana? If you had managed to convince her, then even Aradhya would have agreed...)

My brother eyed me quietly, "Sheher se aaj hi laut aaye ho... Aakhir baar-baar bahar jaane ki itni kya utavli hai tumhe? Maine socha shayad Sanjana zidd karegi bahar jaane keliye. Agar woh yaha shaanti se baithe hai toh tumhe hamari shaanti barbaad karne ki kya zaroorat hai?"

(We came home from the city just today... Why are you so eager to constantly stay outside? I thought that we'd go if Sanjana causes a fuss. But if they're sitting here peacefully, why do you want to ruin our peace?)

He turned his attention back to the children playing blind man's buff. They were laughing and shouting because Saarang was wearing the blind fold and he was quite fast at catching the others.

"Arey, yeh kya... Aapne abhi tak chai nahi peeyi?" Aradhya came outside to the verandah, a hand on her hip as she gave me a disappointed look. I glanced over my shoulder. How could someone look so beautiful even when they were mad?

(Arey, what's this... You still haven't finished your chai?)

"Idhar dijiye, thanda ho gaya hoga," she sighed and tried to take the glass from me, but I held it away, "Nahi... Main pee lunga." Aradhya shook her head and took Bhaiya's glass instead. She tried to convince me to hand over my glass again, but I didn't budge.

(Give it here, it must have gone cold already.)

(No... I'll still drink it.)

The kids burst out laughing, and we heard Rekha groaning, "Chodo mujhe!"

(Let me go!)

Saarang laughed again, "Theesri baar bhi tumhe pakad liya!"

(I've caught you for the third time!)

Rekha pushed him away and rushed towards us before grabbing her mother's hand, "Maa, aap bhi kheliye hamare saath!"

(Maa, you should come play with us too!)

"Beta, main kaise... Bahut kaam hai..." She tried denying sweetly, but our daughter was adamant.

(Sweetie, how can I... I have a lot of work...)

Even Sanjana came outside at that time with a bright smile on her face, "Kaam sab main dekh lungi, tum jao."

(I'll take care of the work, go on.)

Aradhya immediately grabbed Sanjana's hand, "Mai akele bacho ke saath kaise... Tum bhi aa jao."

(I can't play with the kids alone... You should come too.)

"Haan, haan, Maa aap bhi aa jao!" Avi came running and grabbed his mother's hand. She grew startled as well. Even Saarang and the twins tried their hardest to convince the women.

(Yes, yes, Maa, you too come play with us!)

Bhaiya almost scoffed, "Jao... Jaakar khel lo. Kya ho jayega?"

(Go on... Go play. What's the worst that could happen?)

Sanjana shot him a glare.

"Sirf kuch der keliye Didi, aao na!" Saarang managed to pull her further down the stairs.

(Didi, it's just for a short while, come on!)

Finally, she complied, and she took the empty glass from Aradhya before pushing it into Bhaiya's hands, "Pakadiye ise." She commanded before dragging my wife down the steps with her. They walked between us, and I noticed how Bhaiya almost tried to touch Sanjana's ankle. She was blushing as she glared at him, while Bhaiya had a ghost of a smirk on his lips.

(Hold this.)

The kids were overjoyed to have their mothers play with them. Rekha wore the blindfold this time, and we watched her run around, desperately trying to catch only her mother. Aradhya was laughing at this.

Honestly, it made my heart so full to see them like this. It was everything that I ever wished for.

My little girl followed her mother's laugh and ran exactly towards her. Aradhya couldn't escape quick enough, and Rekha ended up catching her.

"Maa ko pakad liya! Pakad liya!" She rejoiced happily.

(I caught Maa! I caught her!)

"Ab aapki Maa ko aankh baandhni hogi!" Sanjana grinned, enabling the kids even more. She tied the blindfold around Aradhya's eyes, made sure that she couldn't see anything, and spun her around five times before pushing her forward.

(Now your mother will have to wear the blindfold!)

I glanced at our front door to make sure Maa wasn't around. "Kya hua?" Bhaiya asked as I kept the chai glass down. "Kuch nahi," I mumbled and stood up. Bhaiya looked confused initially, but then he realised what I was about to do. "Jao, jao... Khelne ki umar jo hai tumhari." He scoffed.

(What happened?)

(Nothing.)

(Go on, go on... After all, you’re still at the age when you ought to be playing with kids.)

"Aapke jaisa budha thodi hu," I grinned. He didn't say anything, just stared at me with that disgusted expression. I slowly walked towards where they were playing and signalled with my hand to not say anything.

(As if I'm an old geezer like you.)

"Arey kaha ho tum sab...! Janu, Rekha... Kaha ho beta tum?" My wife was so confused as she walked almost in circles. My niece giggled, "Chachi, aap bas seedhe chaliye! Aapko mil jayega!"

(Arey, where are you guys...! Janu, Rekha... Beta, where are you?)

(Chachi! Just keep walking straight. You'll find us!)

I smiled at her wit. Even Sanjana was laughing at this. Aradhya walked straight ahead and bumped right into me.

"Maine pakad liya-!" She looked so excited as she clutched my shirt, her soft hand against my face. But as soon as she realised who I was, her smile faded, and she jerked back, completely flustered.

(I finally caught you-!)

"Chachu ko pakad liya! Chachu ko pakad liya!" Avi clapped and cheered as my wife pulled down her blindfold. She looked so embarrassed as she looked around. Even Sanjana cheered like her son, and Aradhya pleaded with her eyes to be quiet.

(Chachu got caught! Chachu got caught!)

"Mubarak ho," I smiled.

(Congratulations.)

"Aap y-yaha kyu aa gaye?" My wife mumbled, squeezing the blind fold.

(Wh-what are you doing here?)

"Mai toh sirf chal raha tha... Par tumne toh mujhe pakad liya. Ab kya kare?"

(I was only passing by... But you caught me. What do we do now?)

Saarang grabbed my hand before taking the blindfold from Aradhya. "Ab Bhaiya aapko bhi khelni padegi! Ab aapki baari hai pakadne keliye."

(Now, Bhaiya, it's your turn to catch us!)

I readily agreed and glanced at the twins. They nodded with mischievous eyes as if they understood their assignment. I bent down as Saarang tied the blindfold around my eyes tightly and spun me around.

"Chachu bai mudiye!" Janaki shouted.

(Chachu go left!)

"Chachu haa wahi par!" Raghu joined her.

(Yes, chachu, right there!)

Even Saarang realised what they were doing and began shouting instructions, "Bhaiya ab dai mudiye!"

(Bhaiya, now go right!)

I followed their words exactly, and I could hear my wife's troubled squeals as she asked them to stop targeting her.

But just like I wanted, I finally caught her. I wrapped my arms around her waist tightly, not letting her move as she fought to free herself. "Chodiye! Kya kar rahe hai!" Her startled, embarrassed voice was like music to my ears.

(Let me go! What are you doing?!)

"Kaha bhaag rahi ho, meri jaan... Tumhe lekar he jaunga," I nearly rasped in her ear.

(Who do you think you're running from, my love... I'm never letting you go.)

The kids began clapping and howling; even our little doll hugged her mother's legs, "Baba ne aapko pakad liya! Pakad liya!" I laughed at this.

(Baba caught Maa!)

Aru finally pulled my blindfold down. Her gorgeous eyes were narrowed at me in rage and embarrassment. The pink in her cheeks looked so adorable that I wanted to kiss her right there. We didn't break eye contact, and I didn't stop hugging her. It felt like we were stuck in that moment.

"Kya ho raha hai yaha?"

(What's going on here?)

My grip loosened as soon as I heard Maa's voice. Aradhya pushed me away and fixed her veil. Now, even I was embarrassed as I stood entirely frozen.

"Tum yaha aise kyu baithe ho?!" Maa snapped at Bhaiya, who continued sipping chai calmly, "Kyu, kya hua?"

(Why are you sitting here like this?!)

(Why, what's wrong?!)

"Baal saphed ho raha hai, aur ab tak apne Bhai ko sambhal nahi sakte?" She retorted, making Bhaiya choke on his drink. The children clearly giggled at this; even Sanjana pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her laugh. Bhaiya glared only at her.

(Your hair has turned white, and you still don't know to handle your brother?!)

"Andar jao tum dono," Maa turned to the women, who immediately dropped everything to listen to her. "Sharam naam ki cheez nahi hai is ghar mei. Agar koi dekh leta toh kya kahenge?" She was yelling at me now.

(Go inside, both of you.)

(There's no such thing as shame in this household. What would people say if someone had seen you?)

"Kya kahenge Dadi?" My daughter asked, genuinely confused. I pressed a hand over her mouth and pulled her towards me. 

(What would they say, Dadi?)

Maa went back inside, and Aradhya followed her without sparing me a glance. Sanjana took our chai glasses and did the same. Bhaiya stood up too, and I went towards the verandah. "Khel hi toh rahe the..." I mumbled, watching the door.

(We were only playing...)

Bhaiya stared at me for a while, and before I could process it, he slapped the back of my head. I jerked towards a pillar and stared at him wide-eyed.

"Ab aur jaake khel, jaa." He fixed his dhoti and went inside.

(Now go on and play more, go.)

Rekha giggled, "Baba ko daant mili."

(Baba got scolded.)

"Ab toh aap hamare saath nahi khel paoge, Chachu," Raghu chuckled.

(Now, you won't be able to play with us anymore, Chachu.)

I rolled my eyes. Even the kids were mocking me now. I'd have to complete the game of Blind Man's Buff with Aradhya some other time.