Part 3
"Hi Dad..." Atharva threw the basketball to his friend and ran over to the parked car. Jai opened the hatch and picked up a grocery bag and held it out to Atharva.
"Hi Athi. Everything ok."
Atharva smiled, "Yup! But Karunabua phoned at least ten times to remind you about the date tonight!"
"Dammmit! I forgot...I was hoping to catch up with you guys tonight. Dinner? What about dinner for you guys?" Jai asked as he slammed the hutch down and started walking towards the house.
"Chill dad...the girls have got it all organized. Krishy, Jiya and Tani are locked up in the kitchen."
"Tanav...cooking. I thought you said girls."
Atharva rolled his eyes, "Comeon dad...Tani likes doing girly stuff."
Jai sighed, "Where is Anandi and Amar?" asked as they entered the house.
"Not back from school yet? Amar had track meet and Anadi is doing some art stuff for one of the teacher."
"hi dad." Krishna, Jiya and Tanav all shouted out as Jai entered. Jai dumped the shopping bags in a corner where there was free space, he stared at the counter space covered with bowls, pots, bags, jars and utensils. He arched his brow at the mess, "What's cooking?"
Krishna wiped her hand on a towel and came and gave Jai a hug. "How was your day daddy?"
"Great...until this crazy woman slammed her shopping trolley in mine and then sent juice cans crashing on the floor." Jai replied as he started taking out groceries for putting away in the pantry.
"Really dad! Cool...it must have been fun. I always want to do that...you know just for fun...those stacked up cereal boxes or cookies." Tanav's eyes danced wickedly as he imagined screaming shop staff and disguted shoppers.
Krishna wriggled her finger at Tanav, "You better not do that...cause I will make sure you pay for the damage out of your pocket money. It's not funny at all. I hope put that stupid woman in place."
"Yes...but you know she has a nice daughter. She apologized for her mother and made that excuse that woman like to use to much."
"Dad...really she didn't!" Jiya exclaimed,making a disgusting face. Having only just experienced her first menses, Jiya at fourteen was still trying to come to term with it, even though some of her friends had been an early starter.
Tanav looked at Krishna and then Jiya, "What? What excuse? Hey someone tell me."
Krishna and Jiya doubled up laughing while Jai wanted nothing more than to escape from the kitchen. He coughed, "Tanav...
Jai rubbed the back of his head, "Err...Tani...what did you make?" Trying to change subject.
Tanav made a face, "You are not answering my question Dad!"
"It is nothing...its grown up...you won't understand." Jai mumbled.
Tanav standing on his tall lanky frame,almost up to Jai's shoulder gave a serious gaze at his father, "Dad...you do know that at school now days they teach us a lot more than birds and bees explanation about sex. There is nothing to be embarassed about dad...I am almost fourteen years old. And there are three females in this house living with us." Folding his arm and staring at Jai like grown up, "Dad...I have come to the conclusion that girls are complex creatures...and if ever I have a girlfriend I want to make sure I am well prepared to read her moods and make sure I do not upset her over silly misunderstandings."
Jai arched his brow and smiled slowly, "Tanav...it takes a whole lifetime to understand woman and trust me, what works with one does not work with another. They are a creature of unpredictable behaviour. And I am talking from experience."
"Dad..." before Tanav could the kitchen suddenly seemed overcrowded as Anandi and Amar trooped in. Anandi t-shirt was splattered with paint. Her curly mop held back by a cotton scarf tied on her head. "Hi dad...Tani..." sniffing the air, "What's for dinner...I am hungry. They gave us pizza but it was yuck...cold and tasted like cardboard." Jai looked over her head at Amar, still in his gym clothes, his t-shirt all wet from sweating. "How was your running Amar? Beat any record?"
Amar rubbed his arm across his forehead, "Yup...beat my best time by 2 sec...I am going to run 200m in the year end school championship."
Jai hi fived him, "Well done...let me know ahead...I want to come see you run."
"You bet dad...I want all of you to come...and cheer for me."
Tanav put his arm around Amar, "You bet champ...we will be there...no one can stop us." Amar was thirteen, a year younger than Tanav but was only five foot. Even Anandi two years younger at ten was taller than him.
Krishna poked her head into kitchen, "Dad...its masi..."
Jai sighed and picked up the kitchen phone.
"Hi Karuna..."
"Yes...I will be there. The kids have plenty to eat. The girls made something...don't know what but they were busy in kitchen when I walked in."
"Ok...I will see you soon. By the way...what is this woman's name?"
"Bani...ok...bye."