Bungling Boy & Perplexed Parent
(Valentine Day special)
"Is it in your basement or a friend's?" R&B paced the front patio lazily hands tucked in his sweat pockets
Ved and Sahana were building a fort of some sort with foam bricks. Sid was asleep with a flu
The dogs were trapped inside the two feet tall foam walls
Gregor moistended his lips "Umm... umm... i think its at my house... sir" he said
"U think or you know?" R&B questioned
"Umm... I think... and I know" the boy bungled
"How can it be both?" R&B asked his arms crossed across his chest, two feet from Greg
II was braiding Nivi's hair in the formal dining room, Nivi rotated like the hands on a clock
"ORU EDATHLA NILLEN DI" (stand in one place) II screeched
"Amma can u be done soon?" Nivi asked angrily
"If u move around and mess up ur braid u know Daddee is not going let u go" II scoffed
"I want to go. I am tired of asking him for everything" Nivi mumbled
"Well... to bad... u have to... atleast for the next 6 or 8 years until u complete college" II said smugly
"Every time he comes home Dad puts him through the wringer" Nivi huffed
"He loves you" II said firmly
"He sure hasa strange way of showing it"
"Amma I cant go to Valentine's with a pinnal(bRAID)
"Well we exhausted the weekly number of open hair days" Ii reminded
"On "I" have such strange rules at Modern" Nivi whined
"Guess what? I NEVER got to let my hair down in 2005 or 2010... or 2015" II said gleefully
"Why is thatha so strict anyway" Nivi was angry at Mr Iyer now
"I dont know... I havent thought about it" II lied
"So uve basically NEVER let ur hair down?" Ii asked
"Never" II lied smugly
ADI PAAVI
DID U TELL HER HOW HER ACCOMPLICE LOVES YOUR HAIR DOWN EVERY NIGHT?
DID U TELL HER HOW MUCH HE ENJOYS THE SILKY CONCOCTION POURING OUT ALL OVER YOUR BED?
SHUT UP
OFCOURSE!!
SHE IS TOO LITTLE KONJAM SUMMA IRUKEYA NEE? (Will u shut up?)
ALSO IF I TELL HER ALL THAT THEN... SHE IS GOING TO WANT TO DO IT MORE
YA YA... OFCOURSE OFCOURSE
R&B rescued a whiny James from the "fort" and set him free
Sahana shouted at him
"We dont practice animal torture around here" he waved a finger at his daughter
"Only human" he muttered under his breath giving Greg a slicing look
The boy seemed to follow R&B faithfully with his gaze
As the dog scampered under one of the cars, in a move to win R&B over Greg went to grab him tripping over the leash and falling a bit before holding on to the SUV's side mirror
R&B didnt really wantt o deal with "Valentine party" at Chopras.
Oh heck! He didnt think she was old enough for any party
He in his mind believed Nivi was old enough to exchange those silly Barbie cards with a candy stuck on the back
But no... the boy with greenish black eyes and a curly mass of hair, lanky and wiry just as he was at 15 was pestering him for the last half hour
His wife was no where to be seen
He almost didnt care Greg had missed a step, then he proceeded to do the right thing and walked over to the teen "Are u OK?"
"Oh yes... Mr Bhalla... I am" Greg nodded eagerly, hoping they were best friends for ever
"U shud never chase these dogs. They are wily and timid at the same time. They live in fear of Sahana" he said unemotionally
Greg laughed hard... and stopped mid way when he noticed R&B wasnt smiling
"She is not listening!!" Ved screamed laying over a wiggly screaming Sahana
R&B let the other dog out, picked up his son first set him on his feet and picked up Sahana
"DADD GOGGY DADDD GOGGY" (bad doggie) Sahana waved her finger at Chuck who escaped to freedom
"So can I come back at 5 and pick her up?" Greg asked going back to his question
"She knows the way to ur house" R&B said cynically
Greg's face fell
"Get Amma for me" he asked Ved
"Daddee... I want to go to wide my bike" (the boys' speech improving a bit, but not all the way)
"Can u get Amma for me please?" he asked exasperated
II appeared with a comb stuck in her hair, her saree pallu tucked at her waist. Nivi followed her like a shadow
"Ennada?" II asked wearily
"Umm" R&B didnt want to talk with his own angel watching
The dogs came running for II... she bend down and fluffed their fur
Sahana pointed to the dogs and told II dadd goggie...
"what happened?" Ii asked
"Umm... can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked
"Seri... sollen?" (tell me... I am here now no?) II asked scanning R&B's face... she looked at his hands to spot blood
PHEW!! THERE IS NONE
PAAVI
U DIDNT HURT THAT KID NO?"
I JUST DEFENDED U
DONT MAKE ME TAKE IT ALL BACK
"dadddeee can I go?" Nivi asked her eyes sparkling
"Umm... hang on a minute?" his smile was strained
"We can wait upstairs" Greg offered generously
"NO" R&B said a bit loudly then checking himself "Umm... how about u wait in the lounge?" his smile not reaching his eyes
II used the opportunity to undo Sahana's ties and combed the unruly head of hair and tied the two bunches on the side, as R&B held her
Sahana dodging at first, slipping out of R&B's arms and finally II trapping her on the swing
Sticking the comb back in her own hair
"Dad... please... its already 5" Nivi warned
"Huh" he grunted
"So? what did u decide?" II asked impatiently
"The kid doesnt even know if his family is hosting it or the neighbor's" he muttered grumpily
"So?" Vinod call pannen?" (call the dad no?) II looked baffled
"Umm... he is going to think I want to send her then" R&B said a lil embarrassed
"RAKSHASANEY" II cursed him heartily "Hes here to ask for permission. Nivi hasnt broken any rules since January. Her meia time has been cut in half" II whispered standing an inch from him
"All for what?" he asked in her ear, his "peppery salt- 90-10" stubble grazing her cheek
"STOP speculating"
"I wont... he is going to kiss her" R&B said angrily
"Pinne... kooda poyit va" (GO with her then)
He grumbled and growled in her ear... unable to answer
"Ida paar da... u have no excuse. We have to many kids to have a decent Valentine.
If we go anyplace nice with this army of rats we will get kicked out even before appetizers arrive. Let the kid enjoy no?" II argued
"Do u even know what enjoyment means?" He asked pissed
"I know what RK Puram enjoyment means" she hissed back "Going to a cute boy's terrace listening to a mix of Hindi and English pop,
while a bunch of grandparents watched hawkishly, shivering, in February cold, eating moongfali" Ii said cynically
"Enough II" he warned
"Then? U know a different Valentine?" she asked innocently
"You know I DO" he said unflinchingly
They stared at each other
"I have no reason to can her tonight" II said shrugging coldly
"And I HATE that umm..." R&B said
"Ive heard that before" II pointed
"How about we go out to eat and take Nivi with us?" he requested
"Enna velayadreya?" SHE IS FIFTEEN. Plus... Paavam Sid, his fever hasnt gone, I am not going any place without the kids" she said sadly
"Lets just order pizza and watch a movie?" he said lamely
"Yeah sure...shes never eaten pizza" II scoffed
"I am going with her" he said grimly
