Making Amends Part 2
Vandu sat down on bed and dragged the two lil spindly legs on to her lap... "I will go get more ice cream... azhapdaadu seriya kanna... tanga katti o illeyo" (u must stop crying, u are my golden boy)
The last couple days the lil boy's face was constantly red... he was fair like II he rarely cried Vandu was reminded of II's face when she saw Shravu's in tears
"Amma will u take me to Chithi's house?"
"I will take you" Bala approached again
Shravu clutched her tight... the blood leaving his face... his cheek on hers" Ammma..." he begged
Vandu shook her head
Bala stepped back... defeated
Sat down on the bed
"How about I take u to Munirka market?" she asked
"After the bus leaves Amma... and before it comes at 1:30... they will know I didnt go" Shravu
Shravu was living through the utmost humiliation
Being well and not being in school
"Nobody will know" she reassured him
"Ayyyo" she sobbed over his head... "What if he is permanently scarred?" she asked Bala loudly
"No no kanna... that wont happen..." Bala was unsure
"Ipdi nadungarde kozhandai" (He is so afraid)
"I will get more ice cream" he left despondent
He returned with a new cup and spoon
Handed it to the boy... Shravu looked at him fearfully...
"Eduthukko laddoo" (Vandu urged)
He extended his left hand... and immediately withdrew
NO LEFT hand biz in Iyers... he extended his right
"I will get some more" Bala promised
He didnt respond... Vandu was suffocating holding him on her lap
She set him on the side and turned to clothes, slowly folding them one by one...
"First we will go to the bank, u can see the money fall from the ATM andc collect it and give it to me. We will get Thatha's marundu
Amma will check her BP at Rana Medicos u can hit that red button, seriya... then I want bindi... we will go to the shop that has mirrors every where and u can pretend u are split in half"
His eyes sparkled at the simple joy
"Amma mangoes vaangave illeye jaasti this summer... I will buy mangoes... chith(she stopped)
(I didnt buy much mangoes at all for u this summer)
II had bought 5 or 10 kgs to D II...
"Then we will go to Rama Stores Amma gave mixi for repair... u can go up with Skanda and test it for me, u can run all the grinders and mixi upstairs... apram Amma will buy chocolate Horlicks for u"
He nodded...
"Amma Oreo vaangi tareya?" he asked softly (Will u buy me oreos?)
"Oreo, Brittania cake" vandu choked
"Neeyum naanum oru secret pact pannuvoma?" (lets do a secret pact?)
"Like Detectives?" he asked
"Yes.. if u are a good boy for the next one year u get a surprise... good boy means NEVER ever do anything bad... like take stuff"
"I WONT AMMA" he nodded
"I am not telling u the surprise" Vandu winked
"Amma will you buy for Shruti paapa too (he agreed with the name II picked for her and the gender)
"Sure kanna... onakku Shravu, and Shru... rendu perukkum"
"Can we buy something for her tomorrow?" he asked excited
Vandu was baffled... HOW IS IT POSSIBLE ? for a 10 year old to want to connect to his unborn sibling
What an astounding thing biological connection was
"Paati says we cannot buy anything big for the baby just yet Raja... how about we buy hair clips?"
"I will pick the color Amma" he said
"Like BLUE, GREY AND BROWN?"😆
"NOOO pink... purple and orange... GA-ROSS... GIRLLLS" he made a face😳
"I know... pretty and sparkly" Vandu smiled for the first time
"Boys are cool and handsome Amma" he said😳
"Yes raja" she said
"Amma... will u read me Diary of a Wimpy kid tonight?"
She smiled.. "Seriii edu vena padikaren" (I will)
Bala's phone rang on the dining table by the subzi bags
He went to get it
Vandu held the lil boy's face "Appa wants u to grow up and be a BIGGG boy...
smart and sharp... JUST like he is... COOOL wearing sun glasses...
and knowing how to do a square drive and knowing how to fix a computer... SO SMART he is no?"
Shravu didnt nod at first... then nodded reluctantly... "I want to do animation Amma"
"Dino school pona, apram college polaam, apram u can get a cool job" (stay in school then go to college)
If they keep sending u back from school u will be so behind then how will u study animation in NY sollu?"
He was thoughtful
"Appa never missed ONE DAY of school raja" she pointed
He hung his head in shame
"He LOVES U SO SO SO MUCH... he was afraid if the Princi said u couldnt go back to DPS then,
u wouldnt be able to go to 3D Animation school, THEY WANT BEST ATTENDANCE AND GOOD KIDS raja" she said softly
"I am never going to do that again" he said not even wanting to use the word "steal"
"If Appa realizes that then he will be so happy"
"He just hits me" he said sadly
"NO KANNA... he bought u those nice shoes... the new back pack... 48 PENCILS... the new battery operated sharpener"
He smiled... "Akshay wanted something like I that... Spiderman's eyes light up Amma when I sharpen"
"Did u tell Appa?" she asked gently
His shoulders slumped and he shook his head
"Maybe when u start going to school again u can?" she cut a deal
He stared doubtfully... confused what it meant
Bala returned as Shravu left
"Vandu, inga va da" he begged
"No Bala... u have started showing ur temper to that child also now"
"I DIDNT MEAN TO DA..."
WHAT DID U SAY?" she demanded
"I dont know what she wanted.. I told her inime yedaanu vaangindu varanum na nee varade...(if u want to buy something then dont come over)
"ayyoyoo" Vandu clamped a hand over her mouth
"He is mine sollithu adu" (Shravu is mine... the poor kid said)
"AYYO PAAVAM
"I told her Shravu is not yours... he is mine and Vandu's" He let his tears flow leaning on the wall
Vandu sniffled, cleared her throat... and emotionlessly folded the rest of the laundry..
She made rotis for her in laws... Bala herself
and Shravu they all ate
and she fed Shravu and read him a book and brought him over to the bedroom and lay him down on the divan
She Opened the freezer the ice cream was all gone.. there wasnt much left anyway
she shut the door and went to clean the kitchen...
"Book kuduthuttu varen" (I will return the mags) he muttered, she acted like she didnt care
His parents were in bed... Vandu was cleaning the smelter like kitchen
Bala checked his wallet as he wore a tee she had just folded and put on the bed
.. he had with drawn Rs.1500 he had spent over Rs.400 on milk and veggies and Rs. 800 on petrol.. he only had one
Rs.100 left over with some change of Rs 5 and Rs 10s
There wasnt much in the account either... less than Rs.8800 left in the account, and it was only the 13th... Appa's meds needed to be bought also
Returned the mags
He went down found a Kwality Walls guy and bought just one brick of butter scotch ice cream and came up...
paused before opening the front door
he saw the nutty choc covered cones Cornettos the box was Rs. 360, each piece Rs. 60
went down again... crossed the street
He emptied his wallet, and bought one Cornetto cone for Shravu for tomorrow . "Subah de dena" the Walls guy ordered
"Nahi hai le lo" he said matter of fact... shoved the Rs. 5 coin in his wallet
and weaved through the noisy exhaust fume laden summer night traffic within the colony.. and went up
Edited by Nisha0604 - 8 years ago
