#5: Sattu

#5: Sattu

Savi and Satya walked to the dining room, where all the Adhikari ladies were present, minus her Aai who was getting ready for work. Madhura looked at them and smiled brightly.

"Good morning, Bala."

"Good morning Maddy." She beamed at her.

"Good morning Aaji, Aaji and Maushi," She greeted the other women and jumped into the chair Satya pulled for her. Satya sat next to her and Madhura started buttering a bread for her.

"The bank manager called, we have to go to the bank." Amba Aaji said to Aaji who nodded.

"Is there anything else you want?" Maushi asked Savi, who shook her head.

"Finish the bread." Maushi instructed her and looked at Satya.

"Sattu, can you leave the car behind today? Taai can go to the bank and we need to go the market too."

"Ok" Her Buddy nodded. Savi looked at him and Maushi in confusion.

"Who is Sattu?" She asked and the women's eyes grew wide in amusement while Satya whined.

"Arrey, your Buddy is Sattu." Madhura answered with glee.

"But he is Buddy?" Savi was confused.

"His name is Satya, right?" Maushi asked and Savi's eyes widened with realization.

"Oh. You are Sattu?" She asked her Buddy.

"No, I am not!" Satya answered firmly.

"Yes, he is!" Amba Aaji said, enjoying Satya's annoyance.

"Aai, you too?"

"The kid asked," She answered defensively, making Madhura and Gauri giggle.

"Ugggh!" Satya groaned.

"Good morning." Sai said as she approached the table.

"Good morning, Sai" Madhura greeted her.

"Good morning, Bala" Sai smiled at the eldest woman as she took the empty seat next to her.

"What is going on? Why is Satya so angry?" She asked, looking at her husband's face, which was a shade of red.

"Aai, did you know that he is Sattu?"

"No, yaar," Satya whined like a child as all the ladies chuckled.

"Yes Bala, I did." Sai answered innocently.

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Sorry Bala. But I don't think Sattu would appreciate me telling you his nickname." Savi answered as she picked a buttered toast. Gauri almost choked on her juice and Madhura burst out laughing. Savi too giggled behind her palm while Satya glared at the women.

"I hate all of you." He said grumpily.

"Me too?" Savi asked, and suddenly, she was almost in tears.

"No, Bala, never, I am so sorry. I was just joking." He said, guilty.

"Me too, Sattu," Savi answered, to everyone's suprise and went back to her buttered toast.

"I know you can never hate me," she continued innocently and Satya's heart melted. He looked at Sai, who smiled.

She was right, he could never hate her. He had grown to care and love the kid, even though she wasn't his daughter, even though she could never be his daughter.