Skipping her childhood...

The door was slightly ajar. Aasmita’s little hands were clutching her cherry baby doll very tightly. She knew what was happening inside, after all she had been witnessing this for as long as she could remember. She peeked in and a sudden blast of hot pungent air hit her freckled cheeks and entered her nostrils, only to make her cough loudly. 

“Oh I am so sorry honey, the food is extra spicy tonight, just the way your papa likes it, while I am preparing a special gourmet meal for papa, why don’t u gulp down the bournvita milk I’ve made u?” shouted Nandini, her mom over the marble slab she was working on. 

Aasmita looked at her mom, her eyes pale and sad, and without saying anything, she just sat near the kitchen slab. 

She wanted to cry like any other snooty princess her age and fuss about the situation, but then, she was extremely mature for her age, five years that is. 

“So aamu (her mom’s nickname for her), are you excited about papa coming back? What gifts do you think will he get you this time?” asked Nandini.
Playing with her doll, she nonchalantly replied, “I do not like gifts, I don’t want anything”. 
Nandini completely non-plussed looked at her little one, clad in a sunny yellow polka dots dress and again went back to her cooking, almost obsessing over the perfection of the taste, aesthetics and presentation of the food she was preparing. 

Aasmita got up, let out a sigh,staring blankly at her doll “nano”, she came out of the room perfumed by garlic and spices and sat on swing that was installed for her some two years back. The place happened to be her favorite playing spot.

Her “nana” (as she called her maternal grandma out of sheer affection) came out of the other room and sat with her. Nana was literally mumbling to herself but clear enough for Aasmita to hear it. 

“Things could be so different if Amit was still around, those days were a blessing to everyone in this house, and how I wish god took me instead of my son in law. Everyone calls Nandini mad and tells me to put her in a mental asylum. Oh lord please give me the strength to bear my daughter, please give me the patience to deal with her, please give me the courage to remind her every second that Amit died of cancer two years back and he is not coming back even when she insists on cooking daily meals for him thinking that he is coming home for dinner” and Aasmita turned back, and looked at the large frame behind the swing, with a picture of her papa decorated with a thick rose garland on it. 

“Nana, don’t worry. Don’t you only tell me that papa knew about his cancer ever since I was about to be born. He was strong just like superman” “I don’t think mama is mad, she just misses papa, don’t call her mad” said the little girl, kind of offended by her granny. 

“Yes aamu, he was indeed the strongest and he knew you would be too when you grow up and that’s why he named you Aasmita meaning tough as a rock and he would always tell me how he was sure that once u grew up, you would take excellent care of your mom” said nana to Aasmita. 

“Your dad is here, come in for dinner” came a shout from inside, while nana and aamu, sitting on the swing, looked at each other and smiled.

“Yes aamu, your mom is not mad, she just misses your papa” mumbled nana again almost giving away to the little kid...