"Mumma where's dadda?", I heard Mahira ask.
After some commotion, Bela answers, "Baby dadda won't sleep with us. He's angry at your mumma."

I could imagine a deep little frown on my daughter's face, "Shay showy mumma!"

"I did baby. But dadda is this big angry!", I peeked through the window to see Bela spreading her arms.

The two were in my room in the condo, while I was to sleep in other spare room.
We arrived hours back, and I gave them my room.

Just the next room was mine, and I was going to fetch my laptop from my room when I heard this adorable chit chat between my daughter and her mother.

I was currently standing near the slightly ajar window, giving me their clear view.

Mahira was lying on Bela's chest, occasionally feeding on her breast and then turning to think something.

Unlike the playful conversations I had with Mahira, Bela's interaction was more intense.
May be because she was always with Mahira, she always wore a strict facade.
According to her, only one parent can spoil the child. Other one should spoil but more than that check if the child is diverting of the way.
While I never raised my voice at Mahira, she did.
But I could always see the effects.

While Mahira was always whiny and persuasive around me, she obediently nodded to her mother's demands.
With just a look by Bela, Mahira would stop doing all the mischief and surrender her bad girl attitude and become a doting child.

However, you could always see the two sharing small moments of love when alone.
Bela was strict as a parent, but Mahira always succumbed to her when in need.

While with me, she's dadda's girl. With her mother, she becomes a good girl.

"Mumma kissh im!", And she showed the practical by kissing Bela's nose.

It's because she persuades me always like that, she's telling her mother to do the same.
Brat!

"Dadda won't listen to mumma.", I could hear the sadness in her voice.

"I shay dadda...dat mumma is sowwy, so kish her."
Oh god! This girl.
And here I thought my daughter has a problem with me kissing Bela.

Bela chuckled and kissed her head.

"I'll be glad Mahira.", And then Bela began teaching her counting. 

I sighed.
Actually I came to check on Bela because I left quite rudely.
I hate to make her feel guilty. But then even I have a heart.

****
Two days later...

Knock. Knock.

"Come in.", I said absent mindedly still busy in work.

The door opened and someone stepped in, "Mahir please eat something. It's past 12."

I glanced briefly at her, "Keep it there and leave."

A few moments of silence, and then she spoke up, "Mahir Mahira is already asleep. I'll wait till you finish your work."

This time I looked up, pushing my laptop away, "What's your problem Bela!?"

"Let's sit togeth...."

"No! You made the food. And that's a enough extent till which you acted like my wife. No need for anything more.", I dismissed her and with a disheartened expression she left.

I rubbed my forehead in frustration.

I got up and went towards the coffee table where the food was kept.

This was too much.
It's food for two.

I served myself and started eating, but as soon as I was about to take a bite, a thought struck in my mind.

She hasn't eaten too.
That's why it's food for two.

Damnit! I am such a jerk.

I got up immediately and came out of the study room.

There was no trace of her in the kitchen and so I went to bedroom.

When I got in, Mahira was sleeping peacefully on bed but Bela was not here.

I went towards the bathroom and heard the voice of tap from in.
May be she's cleaning.

Let her come out.

I went to be bed and sat down there looking at my baby.
I'll admit ny life has become quite more easy since the two came here.
I don't have to worry about them anymore. They are always before me.

I smiled looking at my room. It looks so homely since they started living here.
And my condo!? It beams when Mahira giggles.

Mahira is naughty would be an understatement.

Aiden brought a doll for her.
She examined it for straight two hours, and then came back with a grin.
When we checked, the doll's hand was broken and eye was popped out.
That's a type of toy Mahira keeps.

I was amused, while Bela was lecturing her.
And may be she noticed my amusement from the corner of her eyes because she scowled at me.
She was expecting me to save her but I didn't because Bela was right. And I never interfere when she scolds Mahira. That way Mahira will take her mother seriously.

"No chocolates or ice cream for two days!", Now that was a punishment for Mahira gasped in horror.
"But Mumma.."
"Nothing else Mahira! You behave with your toys too.", Bela glared.

"Okay Mumma!", Bela left to do her work leaving me and Mahira alone.

When I looked at her, she was already glaring at me.
"You bad dadda! You don hatto lauff wen Mumma schol me!"
{You are bad dadda! You don't have to laugh when Mumma scolds me!}
"I wasn't laughing!", I defended.
"You wele!"
"Okay I am sorry!"
"No gemme a ich ceam!", I narrowed my eyes at her.
"You remember Mumma punished you. Go say sorry to her. And when she says I'll take you for icecream."

Now it took a two hours of whining and sulking for her to convince her mother for taking back her punishment.

Bela had to give in.

I smiled at the memory, and kissed her forehead.

Dad says she's like me. Bela was quite well behaved kid, and always listened to her parents.

The sounds of running water brought me out of thought.

What is she still doing in there!?

I walked to the washroom, and knocked, "Bela!? You alright!?"

Okay I sounded concerned and I of course was. But she already took like ten minutes in the washroom.

"Bela!?", The tap closed and the knob clicked.

She came out a bit flustered, wiping her face with a towel.
"What happened!?"
She looked at me and then contemplated for a while, "Nothing..."
Now I surely know it's something!

"Bela don't nothing me!? What wrong!? Are you not well...!?", I kept a hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

However my eyes then fell to her playful smirk, "I see someone is quite concerned..."

I took back my hand, "I am not."

"Mahir!", She hugged my torso, "You know you are..."

I didn't want to give in but her being this near isn't helping.

"Get away Bela...Let me go...", I said trying to remove her hand only for her hold to tighten on me.

"Why did you come her by the way!? To kiss us good night!?"

"No! I was just here to ask if you had your foo....", I shut my mouth immediately.

"No Mahir...I didn't have my food. Because I was waiting for us to eat together. And I swear I won't eat unless you make me."

I held her hand and pushed her away. Gently.

"Bela we are way past that. Eat if you want. I don't care.", And then I left. Rather ran away to escape her magic.

She has always had this effect on me.

I settled in the study and picked up my left morsel, only for my thoughts to drift to her again.

-She hasn't eaten and you are doing shamelessly.

I gritted my teeth in frustration and then picked up the tray to walk over to her room.

Once at the door, I saw her already sitting on the couch setting water.
"Come fast Mahir! I was waiting for you. I feel like eating whole kitchen."

I settled beside her keeping the tray between us.
"Eat now."

She nodded and started serving for herself and some more for me.

"So tell me Mahir. How was your day!?", I ignored her question and continued eating

I heard her sighing and then closing the distance between us, "Mahir...Try to understand me. I do trust you. More than myself. Had I not done, I wouldn't have came to you after I came to know I am pregnant with Mahira. Our love has never faded. It's just the thought of wedding that sends shiver in me. I was broken when we got divorced Mahir. That was something deadly...And I am afraid to feel it all over again."

"You should have known that I don't repeat my mistakes.", I said after a pause.

"I know you don't. But when you suddenly asked me that day, I never got the time to think and answer you. And...."

"And it came out as No."

"Mahir you can't stick to that word. You know I love you..."

"But you don't want to marry me. Because it's 'me'. Had it been someone else, you would have said yes because then there would have been no fear of getting divorced again."
She shook her head, and her eyes teared up.

"Mahir you're angry. And you'll say something you'll regret later. I better leave.", She picked up her plate and left.

And that was when I started regretting.

Why am I so fucked up!?

****

Two days later. .

Bela didn't approach me after that.

That night she slept in the room, I sleep and so I slept with Mahira.
When I went to check on her after our argument, I saw her eyes puffed and tear stains on her cheeks.

I couldn't sleep that night.

Her being afraid isn't wrong!? Is it!?

That was probably the worst time she had in her life.

I look across me to find her working on her book, and Mahira sitting on her lap.

"Mumma what's this!?", She pointed at the zebra in her book.

"That's a Zebra. Say it like Zee-b-raa!"

Mahira repeated after her, "Zeebaaa!"

"Good!", And she went to her work.

Aiden called me saying the order is here.

I smiled and walked to the door to open it, when Aiden came in with a little box in his hands.

He kept the box with a red ribbon on the couch and greeted Bela.

Mahira was too busy in her book to notice anyone.

"So!?", I said a bit loudly to grab her attention, "What's in the box Aiden!?"

She looked up, and her eyebrows scrunched when she looked at the box.

"Someone wanted a gift sir...", Aiden answered playfully poking a finger in Mahira's cheek.

"Giff!?", She questioned Aiden.

"Yes baby doll!"

She came down from Bela's lap, who was already smiling.
Of course she knows about it.

"Dadda watsit!?"

I shrugged, "Check yourself!"

She climbed on the couch next to the box.
"Ich ceam!?"

We shook our head in no.

"Choco!?", She asked her Mumma who also gave a negative response.

She frowned, "I don like it!", And began slipping down the couch, when the thing inside the box made a little sound.

She gasped in shock seeing her gift speaking.
"Mumma dat speaks!"

"Yes it does!"

And a then a cute little bark.

She gasped again.

Processing things in her mind, she jumped on the box, trying to open it.
Excitement rushed in her body.

And when Aiden liftted the box, completely, she yelled, "Doggiiieeee!"

The cute little snow dog peeked from its cushion with its dark black eyes.

Startled by Mahira's shriek, it moved it's tail sidewise, and became alarmed.

But when Aiden rubbed it's head it calmed down again.

All the while Mahira examined what Aiden did, and when Aiden backed away, she repeated the same.

Very gently rubbing her small hand on its white snowy fur, she grinned wide when it leaned into her touch.

She poked it's body examining it from every angle.

"Sir I don't think she'll remember you or ma'am after this.", He said playfully and it felt like it was true.

I went near Mahira, "Mahira!"

She ignored and continued to play with its little paws.

"Mahira!"

"Shh dadda! You'll scare im!", She whispered and then turned back to her dogie!

Aiden chuckled.

"Dadda doesn't get a thankyou kiss!?", I pouted and pretended a sad voice, so she looked up finally.

She climbed on my lap then, and before I know it I was
showered with kisses all over my face, "you're bess dadda!"

I looked at Bela who was smiling widely.
Thankfully.

At last, she gave a kiss on my nose.
"Watis name dadda!?"

"Think of something. Ask your Mumma...", I whispered in her ear.

She got down and went to her mother, "Mumma name for doggie!?"

Bela picked her, "Think Think..."

After a lot of argument and thinking, she finalized, "TOJO!"

Everyone nodded at the name and so we had a new member named Tojo...

Tojo got familiar with his surroundings, and then followed Mahira everywhere.
As expected, the two got along quite well.

I swear Mahira was at her happiest.
And that gave me hell lot of contentment.

****

The next day...

"Sir there is one gala invitation from Ms. Maloney and she wants you to be her date.", I looked up to refuse Aiden but my eyes fell on Bela who was looking at me curiously.

God knows what got in my mind.
I wanted her to be jealous and get possessive about me.

"Tell her I'll pick her up from her place."

Aiden nodded and then left the room.

I looked at Bela to find a hurtful expression on her face.
I started regretting and was about to call Aiden to cancel the date, when she walked to me.

"You think it's funny Mahir!?"

"Bel....", I could complete because she stormed off and went out of the room.

God!

Just then my phone rung, and I picked it up immediately.
"Hello!"
"Mr. Sehgal! Thankyou for accepting my proposal. I'll be waiting for you..."
"Ms. Maloney...I am really sor...", I couldn't complete.
"Tell me your favourite colour!? I am wearing that dress.", I sighed and disconnected the call.

Work sucks!
Now I had to go with her.

****

Next day, I was getting ready for the gala.

It was some jewellers meet and so I thought I'll buy something for Bela. She'll accept it because the money will go in charity.
And tonight, I'll apologize for my behavior the past few days and try to understand our equation for better.

When I went downstairs, I saw Bela glancing at me.

Okay...I was all black.
And that is because she likes it alot.
As I told earlier, she said I look kissable in black.

She diverted her gaze and that hurt surrounded her face again.

"I'll be back in two hours.", I said standing beside her.
I was actually waiting for a compliment.

"Spend the night there. Don't bother about us.", She said and got back to work.

I kissed Mahira and Tojo wiggled it's tail at me.
I rubbed his head and left.

Tired and excited, I came back in two hours as promised.
I had a pearl bracelet with me, with a 'i love you', engraved on it.

I walked in but the scene before me, simply shook my world.

Bela was lying on the couch, with her hands dangling down the couch.

Mahira was crying beside her, "Mumma wakeup!"
"Mumma!"

Even Tojo was barking like anything.

"Mahira!", She turned to me.
And then ran to me, "Dadda I was hungy. Mumma isn't wakin up!!"

I looked at Bela again.

And my thought shifted to a scene some months ago. Something identical.

The night I found about her Sickle cell Anaemia.