Tropical and Thathas
Ive been bitten by the foochar bug
It was the annual summer pool party at Sam's Nandan was home for summer from Vanderbilt
Lasya was as out of control as she was when (she was )a infant
II had to go check on Appa after his knee surgery and then go to Sam's
Sam's parties were elaborate, with misters and fans and lots of umbrellas and comfy seating and
food themed after a summer fuit and decor themed after a tropical flower
Coconuts, pineapple and mangoes, or other citrusy fruits
II wanted to do something posh and grand but there wasnt much left of her after being chewed on by 4 kids
3 kids and an angel
The boys waited eagerly for Nandu na to invite them for a sleep over
II didnt send them anywhere much
She was too afraid they would break or burn the house down
They could only go if R&B or her stayed overnight
R&B never stayed over, he loved his floor and his balcony
II was like the boys, she could stay over whenever and wherever but the housework never got done, she worried too much for the Dad and the oldest
Well... she didnt like sleeping by herself when R&B was in town
They ended up talking to each other until midnight or later if she went to Rohini on rare occasions
And he came by at 6 the next morning, making II blush
"Goddd!!! I know the way home" II wud squirm
"I know u do" he wud mutter, cuddling her by the front door
"can we stay Amma, Can we stay?" the boys wud chorus
Nivi was too quiet acc to them, and Sahana was too scary
At Rohini THEY cud be the BOSS
He wud pick Sahana up, and hug her tight, swaying like a dance move
"U are here early?" Appa wud grumble
"Mr Iyer" he nodded
"They can stay the whole weekend, I will bring them home" he wud sulk
"Thats fine" R&B wud cut him off bluntly
"The boys like the building there are many kids, there is no body except embassy and consulates" Appa wud mock him
R&B wud be unfazed, standing firmly, not letting his enemy steal his kids
"Just for the weekend da" II wud beg R&B to let the kids stay
"we had a golf date" he wud whisper
"They are 4 they will not understand golf, One of my Finance Ministry friends
Sivaraman conducts a weekend shloka class for the kids, I will take them there" Appa waved his hand dismissively
"They love to be outdoors" R&B argued
"This class is in their community center, there will be 50 children" Appa said with pride
"They are very umm...umm.. naughty" R&B intrejected politely
"I have raised two kids I say" Appa was furious
"twins?" R&B mocked gently
"Please da" II begged
Sahana whined, II grabbed her to go nurse
Nivi helped Amma make coffee for R&B
amma rolled her eyes listening to their fight
The boys chased each other through the house
"they are very well behaved with me" Appa took a pot shot at R&B
"they are probably afraid of u" R&B muttered
Appa opened his mouth to say something vicious
Amma appeared like Florence Nightingale
"ayyyo, avanoda sanda podrela?" (why are u fighting with ur son in law)
"Madhu WHY cant the boys stay?" Appa argued loudly
HE LOVED THEM MORE THAN HE EVER LOVED II
AMMA CUD SEE IT IN HIS EYES
Amma squirmed
"hes not here usually, when he is home from Paris he wants to see them, adula enna tappu? (what is wrong?)
Amma sighed and sat down with her laptop
R&B showed Novi something on his phone
Amma set a plate of snacks down
"School is off Monday kaarthala Malai Mandir poyittu apdiye kondu vidalam" (On monday morning after doing darshan at Mandir we can drop them off) Appa was eager and excited
Amma felt bad, she knew the men hated each other
But she sided with her husband now
She wanted the boys to stay
They were ADORABLE
With too much hair and big eyes like II
and chubby lil arms, very respectful
"Paati may I have more bo-meeta please" they wud extended their mugs together
(bournvita)
They wud have identical milk moustaches even
Mrs Iyer didnt have expensive French macaroons or British cookies or US treats
Just glucose biscuits and True, and Marie
They would fight over them
they wud eat dal rice when she mixed in a big bowl and fed them with beans or carrots curry
II and R&B were raising them amazingly well
They had fist fights and wrestled on the living room floor
They played cops and robbers
They wiped their runny noses on thatha's veshti
But they were two lumps of sugar
Yes... two identical cubes of sugar
"I dont have to go to KV" Amma requested R&B (so I promise to watch ur boys)
R&B sat down sipping his coffee "Will u call us if they are too much trouble?" he smiled gently
AGREEING INSTANTANEOUSLY
Amma smiled in disbelief nodding her head furiously
Appa's haw dropped
"30 minutes aa naa kenjindu iruken, oru mariyadai ille, onn pacha thattama agree pannintana?"
(I am begging the dude for 30 mins he wudnt budge, one word from u and he agrees?)
II returned and handed Sahana to R&B
"Did u bring Amma's brown bag?" she asked him
"I forgot" he nodded
"amma Sid and Ved are staying here, can I too?" Nivi asked
II looked stunned
"U agreed?" she smiled thrilled
He nodded and smiled, his eyes lighting up slowly
"Why wont he agree?" Amma reassured II "He loves them too much Ishita, just look at the
boys how cute they are, how can anybody not want to be with them?" Amma asked in awe
Appa completely ignored R&B, he acted like a kid who got what he wanted, he went off and brought his tool box, and was going to show them how to fix a window latch on the living room
Each one picked up a tool
"thatha me" "thatha me first" they begged
"Did u let them stay?" II asked again
He nodded
"Amma can u please have her too?" II grabbed Sahana from R&B, she chewed on R&B's shirt button, soaking his shirt
"gladly. gladly" Amma smiled
"Vaa da, lets go off some place for a coupel days" she whispered leaning on him
"I have no problem kanna, she wont stay, she is not even a year old, she nurses how will she stay?" Amma asked about the fat blob seated on Daddy's lap
Sid gave her a pair of pliers...She dropped it with a clank unable to grip
"Sidd" R&B warned
"I gave to the baby" he defended
Sahana screamed wanting it again, trying to lunge from the sofa to get to it
"Amma they will tire u out" II spoke with a lil twinge of separation anxiety
Amma smiled knowingly
"U are telling ur own mother?" she teased
"Amma they are like Energizer bunnies" II cooed
"Nivi is here, she will help too" Amma sighed
"Nivi u can come home kanna" II protested
"No Amma" Nivi pleaded softly, going back to her book
"Amma please call" II warned
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The boys trailed her sleepily, dragging blankies with them, one in a dinosaur onesie, the other in a robot onesie nightsuit
Only their heads peeking, the unruly mass of hair all over the face
Sahana cuddled with R&B on the swing
Nivi was still asleep, Ranjan and her went to a "STEM for sistahs" (Sc Tech Engg Math) event at Vasant Vihar
"Amma is going to Rohini to check on thatha, then she will come to Nandu na's OK?" II explained
Pouring frothy bournvita into tall mugs
"Nivi ke liye aaj woh spinach cheese grilled sandwich bana lete hain" she instructed mahavir
"Aur sir ke liye?"
"wohi andey, bacon?" hai kya?" she asked
Mahavir nodded sleepily
"Aur sirjee?"
"Main aur sir upma" she said
R&B brought a weepy Sahana
Gently caressing II's back, Sahana leaped from II's arms and began nuzzling her bosom
"shhh... I know..." she cooed to the hungry baby
"What time? "To Sam's?" he asked
"I am going to go check on Appa, u take ALL FOUR" II laughed evilly
He nodded unfazed
He didnt fear them at all
U dont fear ur heart beats...
"I will get there by 2?" she whispered
As he stole a quick kiss
Ranjan came in, and turned away quickly embarrassed, went on to go kiss the twins on the kitchen table, welll ya... they were both ON IT now
Racing their spoons from one corner to the other, seeing if they cud make them collide midway
Ranjan waved to help, made them stand guard on either side of the table to make sure the boys wud fall backwards and hit their head
He raced a clean spoon of his, all three spoons clattered noisily to the floor
Taking with it stuff already on the kitchen table
Sahana squirmed, and shrieked... she was like Lasya, she wanted all the men to herself
wanting to go to her thatha, he did one morning trick with her, balancing her in
his palm as he let her touch the baubles on the chandelair in the lounge
"Dad" II stepped back, ending the kiss
And handed Sahana to R&B
He took her to Ranjan
"Aaaja gudiya, aa ja mera beta" she cooed
"Thatha she is not BETAAA" the boys tsk-tsk-ed
"Whatdja make?" he asked
"Bomeeta!!! want some?" she asked
Pouring some out in a cup
He took his to the far corner where his twin terrors were drinking theirs, while they fought with their spoons as swords
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
