Just your usual day at home...

“She will raise hell...” Harjeet said with a chuckle as he saw the breakfast for the day and sat down at the dining table with his wife Meeta.

Sure enough, when their daughter Anushka joined them at the table, she took one look at the plates and frowned. “Ma, parathas?? I told you not to make any more of them... where is my usual breakfast?”

“Eat your parathas for now. I will bring a fresh box of your cornflakes today evening.” Meeta calmly replied.

“But Ma... these are laden with butter... I can’t eat them!”

“It won’t make any difference if you eat butter for one day. Don’t make a fuss and eat now.” Harjeet said calmly yet firmly and saw Anushka trying to hold a retort which no doubt would be sharp enough. After a few seconds she glanced at his plate and then picked up one paratha.

“One is not enough. God knows when you would be having lunch. Eat more.”

“Papa, one is enough...” Anushka said in a clipped tone that showed suppressed frustration.

Harjeet simply shrugged and continued eating. They ate in silence for a while. He glanced at Anushka and noticed that she was wearing her usual formal wear for office.

“Why don’t you wear chudidaar for office sometimes? Don’t you get tired of wearing formals every day?”

“Nobody wears chudidaar in my office Papa. I am a software programmer and need to dress formally every day.”

“It won’t hurt to dress like a girl sometimes.”

Anushka stared at him and shook her head, trying to laugh off her shock. “Dress like a girl? Who talks like that now-a-days, Papa? This is not your 17^th century where...”

Harjeet raised a hand to stop her from talking more. “Please reserve your independence and liberation speech for your boyfriend/husband.” And that is another issue to talk about, he thought. 

“I am your father and if I wish to see you in our traditional wear, what is wrong about that? I have always raised you just like I would raise a son. So what is the big deal about the century if I tell you to wear chudidaar for a change? I just thought you would look good in traditional wear too.”

Anushka looked at him for few seconds and just when he thought she would put up a fight, she gave an exasperated sigh and concentrated on her paratha.

Meeta was silently watching the spectacle and wisely refrained from saying anything. She was used to the daily arguments between dad and daughter and never contributed anything from her side to add fuel to the fire. She waited patiently, fully knowing that the fight would be short-lived.

Anushka hastily ate her single paratha and got up. Within minutes she readied herself and after slinging her bag across her shoulders she hugged Meeta and shot a cold look towards Harjeet who tried to hide his smile.

“Bye people. See you in the evening.” So saying she rushed out of the house.

Harjeet looked at Meeta and smiled sheepishly when she stared daggers at him.

“Do you have to argue every day?” She folded her hands and looked at him with a tired expression.

He thought over her question for a few seconds and spoke sadly “It is not that I want to fight with her. But she takes offense at almost everything I say. Tell me, did I say anything wrong today?”

“Oh please... do not drag me into your baseless arguments. The problem with you both is the lack of communication or rather, lack of a proper way to communicate. Whatever you say feels like an order. Whatever she does feels like a rebellion. I don’t know what to do with both of you.”

“Stubborn little brat... I wonder who does she take after?” He muttered and when he saw Meeta looking at him with raised eyebrows, he tried to hide his smile and the surge of pride he felt. He could never show it but Anushka was the sunshine of his life.

“She wasn’t so difficult when she was a child. So sweet, so good natured... and she loved me so much! I often had to beg her to leave me alone for some time to get my work done.” He said wistfully, his eyes sad with longing. “And today? The girl hardly has time for her Papa. Work, gym, hanging out with friends and that dreadful mobile of hers...”

“And whatever little time we get together, you both spend it arguing and fighting...” Meeta reminded him.

“Can’t help it... I am a dad and will behave like one.” Harjeet muttered with a mutinous look in his face. Meeta simply shook her head. Some things will never change... she thought sadly as she cleared the table and went to work inside the kitchen.

After some time, Harjeet came into the kitchen and told her. “Which brand of cornflakes does she eat? I am going to the super-market and will get it for her.”

Meeta looked at him with ill-concealed amusement and said “It is called K cornflakes.”

He looked at her with a totally baffled expression and she laughed. “Believe me, that is the name. Special K cornflakes.”

“K??? I don’t understand... They use K in numbers, they use it at the end of a sentence and now apparently it is the name of a brand!... May be I am growing old...” Harjeet said and Meeta felt a surge of love for her husband. She walked towards him and ruffled his head. “No, you are not growing old. Growing handsomer for sure... but never old.”

He smiled and pinched her cheeks affectionately. “Thanks for the compliment Madam. Anything else you want apart from K cornflakes?” She laughed and said “That’s all, Sir.” With a smile and a wave he left the house.

He is so sweet, Meeta thought with affection. But what happens to the dad Harjeet when his daughter is around? She would never find a logical explanation for it in this life.

An hour later, they both were sitting on their sofa and sipping tea.

“There is some sale going on.” Harjeet said as he read the newspaper. “Show this to Anu. May be she can buy those trousers which she is so obviously fond of...They don’t stand a chance against our traditional wear.”

Hid behind the paper, he didn’t see the smile on Meeta’s face. Just then her mobile beeped. There were messages from Anushka.

Hey Ma... reached office K... Meeta again laughed silently at the ‘K’ and continued reading.

By the way Ma... did you notice? Papa ate 4 parathas today... He is not supposed to eat that much of butter! It is not good for his heart. Please do not make parathas from tomorrow ok...

I checked his cabinet today. His BP medicine needs to be re-stocked. I will get it today while coming from office.

And ha... please check whether my pink salwar suit is ironed... if not, can you give it for laundry today? We are having traditional day at office tomorrow...

Meeta replied back to her. Traditional day tomorrow? Isn’t it a wonderful coincidence that just today your dad was talking about chudidaars and traditional wear and you get a traditional day at office tomorrow?

Anushka’s reply came almost immediately. Ma... please... can u check the salwar?

Ya ok I will... Don’t worry...

Meeta’s phone rang then. It was a call from her sister. She answered and her sister asked her “Hey Meet... What’s up..?”

Her heart swelling with love and affection for the two most precious people in her life, Meeta replied with a smile, “Oh nothing... just your usual day at home, you know...”