"Trisha, why are you frowning like an adult?" Suddenly an aged voice broke Beeti's trance. She looked up when her nickname was called.
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Grandmother scooped her baby granddaughter from the ground and asked.
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"I'm thinking Dimaa," said in a pout.
Shrimati Anjali can feel her heart melting, just looking at the cute doll pouting. Her fifth granddaughter, though only one-and-a-half year old, can already speak intelligible phrases.
She has seen her second daughter Mrs. Das sinking in guilt, and blaming herself for not being able totake care of her own daughter. Nobody could make her feel better no matter what they say.
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Just as Anjali was growing anxious for her second daughter, she saw her fifth granddaughter, comforting her mother in her milky baby voice,
" Maa, you are doing great. You are working tirelessly to earn money, so as to bring hot food and warm clothes for be and big brother. "
" Yes, Maa. I can take care of little sis and myself, I'm a big boy now " said the six year old boy, only knowing he has to support his sister and take care of her. So that their mother can work with ease and earn money for them.
As Anjali ji saw this seen, she seems to understand that her fifth granddaughter is more mature than others. It was both amusing and bitter. Amusing because, to see a one-and-a-half year old to give life mantras to others like an adult is too adorable, but the thought of gaining such maturity after life and death experience, feels bitter to the mouth.
"Dimaa... Dimaa..."
Anjali ji came out of her thoughts, and printed a fierce kiss on both of beeti's little hand, that were waving in front of her face.
"What were you thinking? You didn't even reply to me." she asked in a slightly aggrieved tone.
"Nothing, little one." DiDiMaa pinched her nose. She was amused by her drama. She felt revealed that, beeti still has her drama queen side, though only in front of her close family members.
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" Come on, I'll wash you up. You Big brother will be back with your Mother soon." Said Anjali ji, while walking towards the water vast infront of the door.
"Will you come as well?" the little cutie was looking at her grandmother with hopefull, brown eyes, melting her .
"Of course my dear. Your dadu won't be back for some days and your father is not there. So I will have to trouble you and freeload at your house, will you please take me in." At the end of her sentence, Anjali ji looked serious, as though she was seriously asking the question to a one-and-a-half, but she was barely able to control her laugh from inside.
"Don't worry Dimaa, I will take care of you from now on. And when I earn this much money...." she said while spreading her tiny little arms to show how big, " I will take care of you... and Maa... and... Da... and dadu.... and... Baba... All" beeti said with a serious face, as if to play along with her grandmother, but only future will prove...
The grandmother and granddaughter duo played around for some time and then Anjali ji locked the main door and went to her second daughter's home with her granddaughter in her arms.
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*** Trisha=Beeti's nickname
Dimaa =Didimaa= grandmother ( mother's mother)
Dadu =grandfather (mother's father)
Shrimati= honorific for Mrs.
Maa = mother
Ji= to show respect
Da= Dada= big brother
Baba= Ba= father ***