Khushi..

Khushi..

This word wrecks havoc with the BP and heart rate of residents of a particular street in Delhi 5. A two-plus terror, with maggi-noodle like hair, Khushi's screams have elicited groans of pain and terror from one and all. Rachit and Shivanshi are not immune to her. While Rachit still puts up a brave fight whenever Khushi is in the battle mode, Shivanshi just prays that God would make her invisible.

Khushi feels a strange affiliation to me. Don't know why I'm the CHOSEN ONE. She is perhaps under the impression that our home is a baby salon or something. She arrives everyday around 11 and expects me to wait upon her. Nail paint, combs, clips, toys.... all things are touched and appreciated.. She mumbles and jumbles.. picks out her favorite nail paint and goes on and paints my home blue.. a dash here.. a splash there.. and her job is done.

One summer day she arrived as usual and was delighted to find Rachit and Shivanshi sprawled on the floor, busy coloring. Peace is NOT acceptable to Khushi. She shrieked once, twice. Shivanshi quietly surrendered her drawing book while Rachit hid behind me. Just then my phone rang. I handed Khushi her favorite nail paint to quieten her and went outside to take the call. Two minutes was all she needed. And I returned to find that she has moved on to painting human forms.. live models.. I entered the room to find Shivanshi in a corner, sporting two blue imprints of little hands on either cheek, her eyes huge with unshed tears. Rachit was still unscathed. He couldn't decide whether to laugh at Shivanshi's fate or cry because it would be his turn soon.. Khushi turned around when I started laughing.. I could have hugged her.. She has achieved the unmanageable. She has tamed my two monsters!!