9:30 that night when Nivi wouldnt stop crying, Ranjan came up to find the door to the bedroom locked
After much banging II woke up wore her clothes and found a bewildered Ranjan holding Nivi
"Umm... sorry, raat ko neeche soi yeh?" she asked
"Raat abhi hui puttar" he suppressed a smile
"What time is it?" she asked peering at the walls, Nivi cooed and lay on II's shoulder
Ranjan had changed her and fed her some mashed potatoes
"Aaja beta kha le" he urged
She was wearing R&B's teeshirt over her saree's underskirt
He was relieved there was no more bloodbath
"I thot it was morning" she muttered
"9:15 hue honge" he smiled
"I will put her down for the night and I will come down, he is sleeping too" she informed a non inquisitive Ranjan
He nodded turned on the hallway and grand staircase lights and went down
II fed and changed her daughter and put her down to sleep
Woke R&B
"Get up no" she whispered, leaning over him
"Not really hungry II" he whispered
She rubbed his back softly... "U didnt eat right at Sam's either... ennachu da?" she asked
"The burger was too charred" he said
"I am bringing dal chawal" she said
He was laying face down, on his belly, he turned and looked at her
"Come here" he summoned
She crawled up close
He thumbed her lips and her neck
"Down" he ordered and kissed her long and hard
"What was that for?" she asked
"Lets go to bed II" he offered, kissing her cheek reverentially
"Rakshasaney..." she muttered getting off the bed, after snuggling some
Brought him dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, took her plate to the ground floor swing sat down and called Amma
"Bala mami said u didnt go to Sankara Math" Amma accused
"Ennamma nee... call panni first complain panre?" (why are u scolding me)
"What is this Ishita, you said you will go, u asked me not to go from Rohini, now Mami is ticked off" Amma whined
"By the time we came back it was 6..." II said
"U live a mile from it" Amma said
"I am sorry ma" II was furious at R&B
"Apdi enadee velai?" (what were u so busy for?) "No paatu class either, u already went yesterday" Amma reminded
YA TELL EVERYTHING TO HER
THERE IS NO SECRET
SHE KNOWS YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
SHE KNOWS WHEN UR CLASS IS
SHE KNOWS HOW MANY HOURS NIVI SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT
YOU MIGHT AS WELL TELL HER UR HUSBAND HAD A TWILIGHT TESTOSTERONE SURGE
"Amma when he is in Delhi, we are always late we never get to any place on time" II said weakly
"Podi" Amma was upset
"I will go to her house tomm and say sorry... poruma?" II shouted
Ranjan was cheking her veg garden he walked over, and found her upset
"Abhi phone pe ladai?" he asked
"He is asleep... I am fighting with my Amma" II said waving the phone
"Changa gudiya... baari baari ladna" he blew air kisses
"Amma why I called was to say Akka or Athim neither came to Sam's BBQ" II said
"Hmmm" Amma grunted
"Ippo edaanu sollen?" (say something no?)
Amma grunted
"Enna pidichu vaatre nee" (u torture me no?)
"U say sorry to Bala Mami I will say sorry to Sam, poruma?" Amma lashed out
"Bala Mami and Sam are not the same... u were doing a favor to Bala Mami by offering to go to the temple, (some prior bhajan mandli politics) Sam is my SIL" II was upset
"ennadee panna solrey?" (what do u want?) Amma asked
"I didnt intentionally make Shravu late two weeks ago that morning, Dad got him out of the bind, oru thanks solla kooda varale" (they didnt show up to thank Ranjan either)" II ranted
"U are the one harping on wanting an informal relationship and closeness with Vandu" Amma was deeply hurt that II wud expect formal things from Vandita
"Amma ADU VERA" (thats different) II shouted
"Its all the same... u are demanding Vandu and Bala express gratitude explicitly" Amma was unhappy
there was a pause
"When Thatha (Bala's Dad) helped u find that auditing job when u were doing CA, did Vandu ask?" Amma reminded
"Ammaaa" II pleaded
"Shravu is turning out to be a problem child, u are suddenly being very unforgiving and callous" Amma said bluntly
"Naa callous na, I wudnt have brought Shravu home" II was angry
"Senjittu solli kamkikaade Ishita" (karke jatao mat) Amma said in agony
II's food sat there untouched...