Diva & Daddy
'"Ammamaaa" screamed Nivi from the 1st floor
II was putting the laundry away
Mavvy was guarding the baby sleeping in the laundry basket in the ground floor lounge
II knew R&B was supposed to be with her...
Her screaming was going to wake Sahana she thought
Sahana was fighting her afternoon nap like crazy
She was only 2 years and some but she was sure she was an adult.
many days she would put the dogs down for a nap in HER bed and get off and wander out of the room
II would be curled up on the 1st floor day bed snoozing Sahana would waddle by "Ammma... goggie thathi" (dogs are asleep)
II was at her wits end with the youngest
She left the clothes as is and sprinted down
Vedu stood with his index finger swollen and red, screaming, almost gagging
"What HAPPENED" II gasped
R&B was kneeling down by Vedu hugging him... cooing to him
"Did Siddu do it?" II began to whimper, as tears flowed freely down her cheeks
Vedu let go of R&B and climbed on to II's lap
"What happened kanna" II whispered kissing him
"Mimika Mimika mimika" he gasped whimpering... hiccuping unable to say anything more
"I will go get ice" R&B said quietly returning a few minutes later with a wrap... there was section of the freezer filled with kids emergency stuff
"Amma he kept KICKING the door" Nivi was crying now... out of her room finally
"NEE PANNINEYA?" (Did u do it?) II was stunned
"Amma I didnt mean to" Nivi sobbed
"Nivi... what can I say" II wiped her own tears not touching Nivi
R&B leaned on the giant floor to ceiling windows, hands tucked in his pockets, feet crossed at the ankles
"What did u do?" II asked firmly clearing her throat
"Amma he kept kicking the door
"I heard that one before" II was angry
"Where is Siddu?" she panicked...
R&B turned and looked down at the lawn, Sid played with the puppy
"Hes fine" he said
"Amma I didnt mean to" Nivi begged
She reached to grab Vedu, kids being kids held no grudge, he immediately jumped to Nivi's lap
"Mimika ouee... oweee" he explained
Nivi kissed it softly
"SOLLU EDAANU" (say something his wife was pissed)
He grunted...
"This is not right... kozhandai dee avan" (hes a baby) II scolded
"Hes not a baby, avana vida chinnadu Sahana" (Sahana is the baby) Nivi argued
"Enough Nivi" II warned "Do u want to smash her fingers when she wakes up?" II was livid
Nivi cowered
"Ammma" Nivi began
"Pesaade di... they run circles around you" II was choked up
Nivi started to weep too
Vedu sucked his thumb and leaned on Nivi's shoulder
"Apdi ennadi sollitta school la?" (what did the girls say to u?) II demanded
Nivi bristled
"SO WHAT kekaren naan" (why does it matter) II argued
"Their saying has no relevance... tomorrow if you wear different size bra will go tell them?" II hissed
R&B awkwardly shifted by the window readying to leave
Nivi realized and squirmed
"Stupid girls..." II shook her head "They have nothing better to do at basket ball practice or what?" II ranted
"Amma there were boys there too" Nivi was outraged
"So what di? Ava sollitta you will never be feminine?" (if they say) II challenged
"Naa skirt pottinda kuchi madiri irukku solra" (if I wear skirt they say I look like a stick) Nivi was hurt
"Listen... u need to tell them, you are athletic, fit and slim. You dont have to appeal to them raja" II was frustrated
R&B slowly tried to slither away
"Inda ivana pidi" (hold him no) II urged
He walked over and picked up a sleepy Vedu
"Shhh shhh" he rocked
"Nivi can I have a word please?" he said politely
"Are u going to lecture me now?" Nivi sulked
"U keep pushing it. You are heading to a time out" II warned unapologetically
Nivi looked shocked
"Amma I JUST GOT BACK MY PHONE YESTERDAY" she begged teary eyed
"YOU are causing it all. You mis behave, then no internet or phone" II warned
"II" R&B intervened
"I am going down to make chai.. I have a splitting headache... oru nimisham nimmadi kedayadu, oru naal aathla leave la irukalam na... yudham... eppo paar" II mumbled picking up toys books clothes strewn al over the floor
(Not one min of peace, I want to take one day off and relax u guys start a war)
"Amma dont take my phone ma" Nivi beged
"Not on me now... its all on ur Dad" II lobbed the ball over
He signaled to II "Dont do that II"
"Naane eppo paar polladavala aaren, neeyum... onaku oru chance" (I am always the villian around here, heres ur bit) II explained
"Seriously?" he argued
II was long gone
He put Vedu down on Nivi's bed
"Its a NO NO... You NEVER I repeat NEVER hurt the babies" he said firmly sitting by his lil 5 year old
"He kept kicking the door"
"U said it... "kept"" he said gritting his teeth
"I didnt want to open the door" Nivi said primly
"He wasnt knocking to cheer you up, he wanted the James's giant chew toy" R&B said bitterly
"The dog... the twins... the baby... they all leave everything in MY ROOM" Nivi looked at her nails
"Excuse me?" R&B was not happy
Nivi paused admiring her day old manicure
"Umm... its not everybody's everything Dadddeee... even Amma had her own room even tho she was poor" Nivi shot an arrow
He exhaled painfully
He hated Nivi talking like that
II would think nothing of it, he knew, she didnt care if the kids thot she was "poor"
"They see the Rohini house da... so its fine" she wud say
"I am sorry that type of talk is unacceptable Nivi" he said "While I want to take ur phone away for a week..." he paused
"Come here" he urged
She walked over... "I am sorry for saying that about Amma" she said
He nodded "Good" he agreed
"Umm... all my friends, no body has so many little brothers and sisters" she claimed
"Too bad" he said quietly
"I love them Daddeee... its just that I am having a bad day" she said like a diva
He chuckled derisively... clueless about where to even begin
He racked his brains daily to recollect Sam & Manya's teen tantrums but Nivi was ahead by light years...
Nivi was like HIM
He swallowed
"OK... Nivi... here is the deal... you either stand up for urself at school like you seem to do at home with the babies... or Amma can have a word with ur coach" he said exhaling deeply
"Ummm..." she squirmed now that she was being asked to be an adult she was not so sure
"U said u were a big girl and wanted the privacy" he gently coaxed
"So I dont get any help from Amma and you? Only the BABIES do?" she began to cry
"No... No... I didnt say that" he was devastated, he hated it when his darling daughter cried
"U JUST DID" Nivi stood up and sniffled
The gorgeous face pink as rose...
"Amma will have a word with ur coach" he hugged her
"I dont even care about them much..." Nivi claimed
OH NOW you tell me" R&B cackled, but didnt say anything
"I am taking the phone away for now" he said, tucking the device in his track pocket
II came up with her chai and namkeen and Tamil mag
She curled up on the couch by her youngest baby
She had put Manny in charge of Siddu and brought the baby up, made herself chai
"Enna solra?" (what is she saying?) II was nosy
"Shes a brat II" he confessed
II blushed and giggled
"Thrilled?" he mocked her pulling her towards himself
"When u say brat it reminds me of myself from 17 years ago" she whispered
He gently thumbed her lower lip and picked off a sev crumb and bit into it with his front teeth
"We have to go through this with this one again" he groaned
"Oh shes your fave too" II laughed deliriously enjoying his plight
He hugged her tight, burying his face in her shoulder, staring at the cherub fast asleep on the day bed, the bed where he had ravished his II 17 years ago...
"
