Assured that her baby was sound asleep ,Avni turned in.Switching off the bedlamp on her side of the bed she moved closer to her doting husband who was now sound asleep.Lifting his arm she slid under it curled up next to him and wrapping his arm around her ; that's the way she felt most comforted and protected.A heavy lidded Neil pulled her closer without even parting his lids.Snuggling his face into the side of her neck he placed a kiss there.

"Goodnight wifey" he whispered near her eyes before going back to sleep holding her in his embrace.

Avni kept thinking about the new thesis paper she had to present tomorrow in front of a whole panel of renowned paediatricians.Slowly the lines between her thoughts and dreams blurred leaving her in the solitude of  sleep.

The faint taps on the door woke her up.She could hear a voice behind the knocks,it wasn't clear but she rushed to the door as it took her no time to recognise it.She immediately opened the door of her bedroom to see her tiny little world standing there holding on to her teddy bear in one arm.

She dropped on her knees and pulled her into a hug . Releasing her after her own heartbeats settled down a bit ,she looked at her lovingly holding her small face in her palms.

" Vini ,my bacha, what happened love?"

" Mumma darr lag rha hai.Maine aapke aur Papa ke paas so jaun?"

Neil who had woken up by now and heard the conversations by the two loves of his life spoke in a sleepy voice.

" What happened?  Bura sapna dekha apne? Come here to Papa "

The 6 year old tiny tot ran straight towards her father,dressed in a cutesy pajamas and holding on to her favourite soft toy.Neil pulled her up and kissed her on forehead.She hugged him with all her might as her tiny arms couldn't encircle her hero completely.

Avni closed the door and moved back into the bed.

''Kya hua vini?" She asked caressing vini's long black strands. " Are you scared?"

" Yes mumma.I had a bad dream" she said in her soft voice

" Oh my baby.Koi nai.Mumma hai na.
But Bacha you sleep with your badidadi na.Did you wake her up before coming here?" Avni sounded a bit confused .She was unsure how Bebe let her come alone.

" No mumma.Badidadi is sleeping.The door to our room stays opens ,so I walked out of there without making a noise.Nai toh Badi dadi ki neend toot jaati na "

" Aww my princess....bilkul mujhpe gayi hai " Neil smiled looking at Avni, hugging his cute little daughter again.

" Okay time to sleep both of you " She sternly told the father- daughter duo.

" Lori " vini made her adorable self even cuter by making a puppy dog face.

" Okay Princess . Come hear " Avni couldn't say no to that face ever.....she was her weakness.

" Princess nai . I'm only Papa's princess" vini retorted.

" Aur Mumma ki?? " Avni asked pouting her lips

" Mummy ki angel " she kissed Avni on her cheeks before lying down between her parents.

Avni caressed her hairs as she started humming a Lori that Neela Ma used to sing to her .Vini turned towards her father and closed her eyes after placing her small hands on his chest.
Wasn't long before the father - daughter duo fell asleep .Avni finally let sleep overtake her.

She woke up again sometime later to drink some water only to find the other side of the bed empty.Worried she looked around the room and found it empty.Just then her eyes fell on the slightly open door ,she instantly knew what was going on. Opening the door she hurried downstairs as stealthily as she could.There on the little dinning table in the kitchen she found her two culprits happily enjoying their sweet treat unaware of her presence.

" Ahem ahem" she cleared her throat to get their attention.

Caught red handed the two culprits had nowhere to escape.

" Ice-cream at this hour!!! Vini !! Bad habit ! " She tried to look strict and not fall for her  child's face which had ice-cream smeared all over it.

" Solly Mumma.Papa said it will scare away the bad dreams" she batted her long eyelashes and held her ears as she spoke in her soft voice.

" Its ok sweetie.Dont do it again." She turned towards the main culprit.
" Neil you are spoiling her.Bachi ke saath bache ban jaate ho tum"

" Who else will I spoil if not my princess.You don't like being spoiled " he pinched her nose affectionately cooling her down instantly.

" Okay.Now let's go back to bed both of you .Its late and You mister have an early flight to catch.Its the opening of the new textile company remember? "

" Yes boss "

Neil cleaned up his princess as Avni cleared the table and put the things in their place.

Avni picked up vini as Neil closed the door to the kitchen.

" Love you Mumma " vini kissed her cheeks knowing the only way to pacify her mother.

" Love you wifey " Neil followed suit and kissed her on the other cheek as her eyes widened and their daughter giggled.
 

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