NOTHING.......REALLY???

It was a usual week day. In another few hours, it would have turned into an insignificant yesterday. I was winding up the day with some chores in the kitchen. I wished to finish them before all hungry bears returned home for the dinner. Planning for the next day's busy routine was also being worked out in the mind. Ting Tong...my chain of thoughts disappeared at that sound. Then another Ting Tong followed it. Who was in such a great hurry to visit us at this hour, I wondered. As I reached the door and was about to welcome the guest, there came the third one...Ting Tong! From surprise to suspicion, my mind shunted with the fast pace. 

Moment I opened the door, in came my bundle of joy. She appeared every thing else, but, the bundle of joy! She was drenched in sweat. Sullen, crabby, grumpy... and many such emotions dominated the landscape of her face. Eyes were bellowing red. It was hard to discern the origin of the water droplets rolling down her chubby cheeks...was it sweat or tears? The gushing sound of the heavy breaths from her scornful nostrils broke the silence of the room. She dragged herself in. I could not see any outward, physical injury either. What must have gone wrong, I doubted. It was not her usual time to return home from her play date. Otherwise, if you ask me, its so difficult to fetch her home from her play date every day. Wish for 5 minutes more of the play time and my constant denial for the same was the norm! And, now here she was, before her schedule, all sweaty and sunken. "Whats the matter dear?", I enquired. "NOTHING", came the the answer in most disgruntled pitch.

Murmuring, grumbling sound went in tandem with her pace of walk. Habitually, her way back home was marked with a signature call to me (read: on top of her voice, as hoarse as she could make it, informing every resident of our building about her arrival back!) and a tight wriggling hug! It was followed by the dance of a butterfly,  up to the washroom...a treasure trophy for me, delivered with lots of chuckles and giggles!

Near the far corner of the sofa, her march finally ended. She threw herself in and I followed her blindly out of utter confusion. I sat next to her and had to do a great neck rotation to have an eye contact. She seemed to have taken no cognizance of it. The mystery was getting thicker and darker with every ticking of the clock. Before I could think of something to check out what was happening, there was a cloud burst. She hid her face in my lap, sobbing incessantly with intermittent calls, "Aai, Aai" (Aai means mother in Marathi). As the tsunami was about to die out, I helped her sit back and cleaned her face of salty excretion. In most gentle voice, not sounding anxious, I asked, "Whats wrong dear?"

Now, can you guess what it might have been? NOTHING had finally given a way to volcanic eruption  triggered by the scuffle with friends. Whatever she narrated to me as an alarming situation, to be honest, I could not understand even a half of it. However I sat there as a great listener and her only audience. She finished it with great sigh and a phrase..."That's why, you know...." Exit grudge, enter solace! The face turned cherubic again. Probably she needed just a sounding board at that moment. 

As I got up to fetch her a glass of water, here came a request in most pleading voice..."Aai can I go back to play again? Its not time yet, right? Please, please, please..." With hands folded in "Namaste" and a great sense of urge, here she was seeking the coveted permission. 

I was so amazed at the change of the scene and the pace with which it all unfolded, that without even having a chance to think, I said, "Ok..but do come back in time!" And off went the dancing girl, singing her favorite song! NOTHING really was something this time or should I say  it is the way every time!! What do you say...

--------------By MocktailMommy Anagha