The gentle breeze in the chill evening swayed the cute frock of the little munchkin who was running behind the butterfly in the front yard of her new home. Her little feet padding on the ground stopped abruptly when she heard her mother call her. Her lips twitched in a smile and she ran to hide herself but she was on air when her mother carried her before she could hide. The little girl giggled when she was thrown in the air and caught back by her mother Vasundra.
Vasundra: Myra, my little angel come lets go give sweets to the neighbour and make friends. Our little Myra will have friends to play.
Myra: Amma, I wan (want) mol (more) fiends (friends ).
Vasundra chuckled hearing her baby’s words and they walked to the next gate. As they reached the closed doors Vasundra pressed the door bell and waited for some one to open it.
Myra wiggled from her hold and got down placing her soft palms on the door knocking it. A minute later the door opened and a young boy stood infront of Vasundra. He felt a pull on his pant and looked down to see the little Myra smiling at him with her head tilted cutely.
Myra: Amma, fiend.
Vasundra: Yes, friend.
Before she could speak further the boy called for his mother Archana who came with a smile and wiping her hands with a towel.
Archana: Ulla vaanga. Neenga dhan pudhusa vandhu irukingala pakkathu veetukku ? ( Please come inside. Are you the one who had come to live in the house next to us ?)
Vasundra entered inside with Myra dragging her. Archana smiled at Myra and kissed her cheek.
Vasundra: Yes, I m Vasundra and my husband is Rajan. She is our only daughter Myra.
Archana: I m Archana, My husband is Madan. He is our elder son Keshav and our younger son is Krish. He is having a nap.
Myra climbed on the couch and stood next to Keshav peeping into his book with her little palm pressed over his shoulder. Keshav smiled at her cuteness and flicked her nose.
Myra: Noooo….
She bent to the level of his face to do the same to him but he tilted his head avoiding it to play with her. Myra moved to his lap and pinched his nose making him laugh.
Vasundra passed the sweet to Archana and they saw Myra playing with Keshav who was now holding her safely to his lap.
Keshav: What is your name little one ?
Myra: Myra, you ?
Keshav: Keshav.
Myra: ketchup.
Keshav, Archana and Vasundra smiled hearing her unable pronounce his name.
Vasundra: Call him anna (brother) Myra.
Myra: fend..(friend)
Keshav: You want to be friend ?
Myra nodded her head with a yawn scratching her ear and leaned on his chest rubbing her eyes. Vasundra carried Myra to her lap.
Vasundra: She was running behind a butterfly for a long time and must be feeling tired. I couldn’t put her to sleep since I was held up with arranging the things.
They heard a sleepy voice and saw Archana’s younger son Krish walking out but he stopped when he saw Myra. He ran to her and sat opposite to her. Even Myra’s sleep was long forgotten and she sat before Krish.
Krish: Hi ! who are you ?
Myra smiled and Archana made the introduction to them. Krish held both hands of Myra and was playing with her singing rhymes for her.
Krish: Amma, I like her. Shall I be her friend ? please ? Pretty please ?
Myra clapped her hands and the two ran around playing together. Vasundra and Archana got up with each other so easily and watched Myra and Krish playing together.
Vasundra: Krish is so younger than Keshav.
Archana: Yes. Keshav is 14 years old and Krish is 6 years old. Keshav is very protective of his little brother and care for him a lot. He is introvert but Krish is exactly opposite to him.
Vasundra saw Keshav was busy with his learning and did not disturb him. When it was time she called Myra but she refused to leave and continued to play with the toys along with Krish.
Krish: Amma, shall we keep Myra with us. She is very cute.
Keshav: Krish, come here. You need to complete your home work and you can play with her tomorrow.
Krish: No bro, I want to play with Myra.
Krish held Myra’s hand and dragged her to the bedroom. The two hid behind the door and Myra chuckled when Krish gestured to be quiet. Archana entered the room and carried Myra back to the hall where Vasundra was waiting.
Vasundra: Myra, I will bring you tomorrow to play. Now Krish has to study.
Myra: Amma, pease (please )
She got down from Vasundra and ran to Keshav who caught her before she could trip on her feet.
Keshav: Careful little one. Come here.
Before she could move to him Krish sat next to Keshav pulling Myra to sit beside him.
Keshav: Bro, teach me and Myra. We will study together.
Keshav passed a paper and crayon to Myra to keep her entertained and helped Krish with his home work.
Archana: Vasu, you must be tired so relax for sometime and let Myra be here. I will bring her to you when she ask for you.
Vasundra: I don’t want to trouble you the first day Archana.
Archana: There is no trouble. Keshav will take care of both Krish and Myra. He is very responsible at this age.
Keshav: I will take care aunty.
Myra: Amma bye..ummahh
Vasundra and Archana laughed at the way Myra bade bye to her and Vasundra thanked them for taking care of little Myra.
The table before them was too small for all the three and Myra felt irritated so she jumped down the couch and laid on the floor on her tummy scribbling on the paper. When she was done with her art she rushed to Keshav and showed him with a proud smile.
Keshav: Wow, this is awesome little one.
Myra scrunched her nose and pouted looking at Keshav who had no clue.
Keshav: What happened little one ?
Myra: Myra.
Keshav burst out laughing the way she was annoyed at him for calling little one.
Keshav: Its ok butterfly. you are little and cute.
Myra flashed a smile when he called her butterfly. She placed her palms on his knees to reach his face and kissed his cheek.
Myra: buttafly (butterfly )
Keshav: Yes, butterfly.
Krish was done with his home work superfast and dragged Myra to continue their play with the toys. Keshav shook his head and let them play. A few minutes later he saw Myra’s eyelids dropping and carried her in his arms. Myra instantly leaned on his shoulder feeling all sleepy.
Keshav: Maa, Myra is falling asleep. Please come.
Archana carried Myra from Keshav and reached Vasundra’s home. The women had a little chat before Archana returned home.
Next day Krish and Keshav was ready to school waiting for their father to drop them. On seeing Myra ready for school Krish rushed to her and kissed her cheek.
Krish: Bye Myra, we will play in the evening.
Myra: Bye kish, bye ketchup.
Keshav: Bye butterfly.
Madan and Rajan exchanged their greetings and smiled at the angel getting along with the boys. They bade bye with a smile before they left home.
Vasundra picked up Myra from the school and as soon as they reached home Myra tried to run to Archana’s home but Vasundra stopped her and carried her to their home.
Myra was crying to be let out but Vasundra stopped her.
Vasundra: Myra! Krish and Keshav has not yet returned from school. You need to take a nap and you will be fresh and energetic to play with Krish.
Myra wiped her tears and laid next to her mother snuggling into her. Soon she fell asleep and when she woke up she had a cranky mood and sat grumpily looking at the snacks Vasundra has placed for her. She saw Keshav looking at her from the other side of the compound wall and waved her hands slowly with no expression.
Myra was about to get down from her little chair when Krish came running to her and kissed her cheek.
Myra made a face but soon she smiled when Krish gave her his chocolate.
Krish: Come on Myra lets play. I finished my home work and we can play for a long time. Myra ran holding his hand and they were playing hide and seek with Keshav watching them. Like the previous day Krish and Myra agreed to return to their respective home only when they were tired and hungry.
Krish and Myra were inseparable and waited for their time to play together. Krish came running to Archana’s home calling for Myra. Before Archana could reply he saw Myra coming out of the room holding a butterfly fluffy in her hand. He held her hand and kissed her cheek.
Myra: Amma, Kish kissy
She wiped her cheeks and glared at him but he chuckled at her.
Vasundra: He is your friend so he kissed you but if you don’t like then he won’t kiss you Myra. Isn’t it Krish ?
Krish: No, I will kiss. Yesterday I kissed her before leaving to school and I scored full marks in maths.
He caught Myra’s hand and kissed her cheek again.
Krish: Aunty, please get Myra’s admission in my school. We will go together and I will take care of her. Promise, I will look after her.
Vasundra and Rajan smiled at him and she ruffled his hair.
Vasundra: Sure Krish but not now. Next academic we will get her admission in your school. You and Keshav can take care of her.
Krish: No, I will take care of her. She is my best friend.
Myra: Ketchup fend.
Krish: No, I m your only best friend Myra. He is my brother and will give lot of test. We will play and no test for you. Ok ?
Myra smiled and nodded her head. Krish rushed back to his home to get ready for school and shared the news of Myra’s admission in his school for the next academic.
When the kids were gone to school Archana and Vasundra spent time chatting and looking after Archana’s little garden. They shared the details of Rajan working in a bank and Madan working as a manager in IT company. They became like very close friends and gossiped until it was time for Vasundra to pick up Myra from school.
Myra jumped down from the scooty and ran straight to Archana’s home. She plopped on Archana’s lap and turned her face away when Vasundra came following her to take her back.
Vasundra: Myra, you need to have a nap so come with me and I will bring you later when Krish return from school.
Myra shook her head and Archana hugged her placing a kiss on her forehead.
Archana: Let her be with me and I will put her to sleep or call you. I m bored and have no work until Keshav and Krish return from school.
Vasundra hummed and left to her home. Archana watched Myra pacing around the hall looking at the toys in the show case. She entered Keshav and Krish’s room and saw the balls, bats. She hopped on the bed and started playing with the cricket cards and picking a pen she started scribbling on it. Archana sat next to Myra and watched her play.
Archana: Wish I had a daughter too, just cute and adorable like you. She would have been the apple of our eyes especially to Keshav and Krish. I think you have already taken that place. Both my boys have taken a like to you and they admire you a lot especially Krish. That possessive brat is not ready to let you go once you are here.
Myra looked at Archana not understanding what she was saying and showed the cards she had scribbled.
Archana: These are Keshav’s favourite cards Myra. Lets leave them and look for something else to play.
Myra shook her head and continued scribbling the cards. Few minutes later she fell asleep and Archana let her sleep and placing a pillow next to her she walked out to prepare snacks before Krish and Keshav reached home.
Keshav and Krish returned home and entered their room but stopped at the threshold when they saw the little Myra sleeping with her lips parted. She was still in her school uniform and her little pigtails had a little butterfly clip. She was sleeping on her stomach holding a card in her hand.
Krish stepped inside and laughed closing his mouth with his palm when he saw the cards scattered and scribbled.
Krish: Bro, your cards are gone. Good job my best friend.
Krish showed his tongue and ran out searching for his mother to check if he can wake up Myra. Keshav picked the card with a broken heart. His eyes drifted to the little angel sleeping peacefully after destroying his collections.
He sat next to her and caressed her hair.
Keshav: what have you done butterfly ? Those are my favourite collections.
He picked all the cards and placed them back in the box before he walked out and bumped into his mother.
Archana: Keshav, don’t be upset. I will buy you new cards. Myra was very happy playing with them and I couldn’t snatch from her and if I had done that she would started crying.
Keshav: Its ok maa, she is a kid and doesn’t know what she had done. I don’t need new cards.
Krish: Or my best friend will ruin them too.
Archana: She won’t if we explain to her and Keshav you are a kid too.
Keshav: Maa, I m fourteen and grown up.
Archana smiled and passed the snacks to them. They all craned their head hearing the footsteps. Myra walked out yawing and holding a card in her hand. The trio smiled at her and Archana carried her to wash her face and later she let Myra, Keshav and Krish to share the snacks together.
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A/N:
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