Thodi si zameen
Lasya somehow crept closer to II II cuddled her as she was cuddled on the other side
The tall one and the tiny one yawned together at the same moment, one tiny mouth opened wide
II stared into it mesmerized, when she was done, she got the chills like she always did the air conditioning too cold for her? II dragged a blanket and covered them all placing the tot's head on her arm... hummed her favorite Krishna lullabies
"First she mistakes my boob for food supply then she begins to sleep" she muttered
"She ate before I brought her and the nanny fed her something a half hour ago" he said softly
Her phone rang, he reached and handed itt o her, Aaj kya khila rahe ho puttar jee?" Ranjan had asked
"Its Dad da... let me go fix lunch, nee toongikko kanna" she whispered (u sleep my love) she cooed
Lasya moaned as II moved... he did too
"Rendum romba polladu" (both of u are supremely naughty) she whispered
"Don't go" he said
A river of thrill flooded her insides at those simple words... choking her as it rose up to her throat
She would never tell him what two words mean to her. If he knows then he will discover she is weak and vulnerable...She cant otherwise maintain the brave front at all times
It was imperative..
"I am going to go make lunch... matar paneer, bhindi, pineapple raita and custard for dessert... jaane do" she begged "I will come up soon after kanna" she promised
"Nuke the bhindi" he ordered
"Its for me... u can replace with whatever Mahavir makes for you" she suggested smiling
"30 mins?"
"+ 1 hr.30 minutes (giggling)I am going to cook as fast as I can and will run up poruma?"
"Ughh--hmm" displeased grunt
"I am not like Akka she can cook for 500 hundred in 50 minutes... I can cook for 5 in an hour...
not very efficient... the more I try to be like her the less I am able to" she ranted...
"Akka can do everything I can... I cant do one thing she does... like her" she said softly
He felt like enveloping her in his protective hold
"Ma bhi fast thi?" she asked
"Very..." he said quietly
"She wudnt have been happy with me then" II concluded
"that's the farthest from the truth" he thought
"Did she like talkative people?" she asked with her natural eagerness
"Umm...no actually " he pondered deliberately
"To phir to mujhe bilkul pasand nahi karti" she panicked deeply hurt
She lay still... as if Ma didnt like people that moved around much
"Actually she talked more than u do" he whispered in her ear as she rained blows, waking the baby
"U LYING SCUM BAG" she cursed...
He laughed uncontrollably for the next atleast 3 minutes... laying back with an audible groan... holding her
"what time did u go to bed?"
"3?" he said
"Serves u right... jeete bhi nahi aur neend bhi gayi" she rubbed it in
He smiled... they lay snoozing
"Poren da na?" (I am going now) she said
scooting out of bed while they slept took every effort
Kissing them both many many times on their cheeks
The meal was ready at 2 ish, they both came down refreshed and chirpy...
Hindi FM played on the central sound system
"Did u ask her nanny if she brought her feed?"
"Ummm mmm" he shook his head
"Yaardoyayum pesaade seriya, any new person... don't talk at all... wonder how you survived in school and college" she muttered, shutting the bowls of food
He half smiled
"how will u survive if people only responded to words and not sign language?" she asked curious
He wandered and nuzzled
"She is in the back yard talking on the phone I want u to go ask her"
"I am holding her, u ask"
"Ayyyo... WHY ARE U SO SHY?" she demanded
"Tomorrow will u atleast talk to OUR kids' help?" she asked appalled
"I'll try" he said looking at her deeply
Time froze as they both imagined their version of what "OUR kids" will be☺️
thodeesee zameen, thodaa aasamaan
tinakon kaa bas yek aashiyaan
He imagined, 2, 3, 4 girls chattering constantly, climbing all over restless, energetic, giggly... big eyes... long dark hair, the Iyer nose.. long necks
not sitting still for a moment, wearing tiny davanis and payal and long hair braided with Iyer parandi,
raat kat jaayegee to kaise din bitaayenge
baajare ke kheton mein kauae udayenge
baajare ke sikkon jaise, bete ho jawaan
sitting in a row at Malai Mandir
tapping beats on their knees, singing mellifluously in their honeyed voices... the Radhika Ramana song... they would run to him when theyr spotted him in the audience
maangaa hain jo tum se wo jyaadaa to naheen hai
dene ko to jaan de de, waadaa to naheen hai
koee tere waadon pe jeetaa hain kahaa
"Iru oru second" she would hold one or two back to rearrange their davanis or re-tie their kanjeevaram lehangas... all between the ages of 6-10
She would teach them Tamil... he would be "appa" and she would be "Amma"... no "Moms & Dads" no "Mumma business"
Tiny sandals would line up by the front door at Malcha Marg right by where IIs would be
... they would all smell like Mysore Sandal soap, and jasmine
mere ghar ke aangan me, chhotaa saa zoolaa ho
saundhee saundhee mittee hogee, lepaa huaa choolhaa ho
thodee thodee aag hogee, thodaa saa dhuwaan
She imagined, one boy like him, QUIET... trailing her in the kitchen... not speaking until spoken to... twirling his hair, constantly reading, never coming down from the 2nd floor
TALLL, SKINNY, extremely fair like his Dad... big saucer like eyes... too much hair... carelessly dressed...
raat kat jaayegee to kaise din bitaayenge
baajare ke kheton mein kauae udayenge
baajare ke sikkon jaise, bete ho jawaan
"WHY did u wear the same orange tee da... dino I do 4 loads of laundry" she would yell at the lil 6 year old
"Amma can I have a sandwich?" he would beg ignoring her scolding
"Oda daan kedaikkum, inga I am making pulao raita and paneer" (will smack u soundly I am making food)
"Amma can I have a root beer?"
"No... modalla go bring ur Appa... rendu peruma sendu u will make me losr my voice" (together u will)
"Amma please what can I have?" he would linger
She would hug him tight
"amma can I order this 12 volume book set?"
"NO KANNA, GO OUT AND PLAY DA... PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU" she would cry
"Amma please"
"Not until I butcher Appa... go send him down" she would scold😳
She looked up at him and found him staring...☺️
"Umm... when ever we have them... "I mean him" "4 ya 5 saal?" she said
He stared spell bound, and watched slow color rise up her cheeks as as she self consciously ended her dream journey
Ranjan walked in
"Kis baat par daant pila rahi ho beta ji?"
"Umm.. he wont even ask Sofia if she brought a feed for the baby" II complained
"yeh APNE khaane ka pooch leta hai who badi baat hai" (he asks for food when he is hungry that's a big deal)
II rolled her eyes
R&B chuckled, Lasya rubbed her nose on the bristles and sneezed..
"Shave panniko da" she begged
"She must be getting a cold" he said smugly
She flung a mitten at him
Ranjan helped himself to a beer
"Aapko den Sam Adams?" he asked his son
R&B nodded slowly
"Dad he made some kerala chicken curry for u, aapko roti doon ya he can make naan for u" she asked
"Roti badhiya puttarji" he smiled
She got dough out
"Whats there to eat?" he asked
"NOTHING now... go ask about the tyke's bottle, I will saut some paneer and have it ready" she ordered
"Can I have shrimp cakes?" he asked
She smacked his forearm
Lasya giggled, she did it multiple times...
"Peanut?" he cooed
She looked at him... and burst out laughing
"Cheap, sneaky, low, dishonest, underhanded, manipulative skunk" she whispered near his l--- he ofcourse grabbed it
"U have to wait atleast a couple hours" she declared
"Lets take our lunch upstairs"
"Manny's home" she said alarmed "I mean sab saath khaayenge, teen din rukey ho, nahi DO DIN rukey ho to ab 2 ghante ruk sakte ho" she muttered
He was at his annoying, nuisance-filled best
Sofia finished her call and returned
II had to ask her about the feed, she made a bottle
"Idvuvaanu panreya ille u have second thoughts?" she mocked
(Will u atleast feed her?)
He chuckled
Sofia gawked unabashedly at the young couple...Manny & Vik walked in Manny didn't look happy
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