Soaps & Pacts
Naina made it home early, so did the twins. The twinsgiggling about how the whole thing looked like the “nightly soaps on Indian TV”
Anubha was taking baby steps in being progressive and casualand open and free with they way she handled her girls
She wasn’t ready to have it all be ridiculed by two teens
She told them off privately in their rooms
“Papa aur maine tuumhe ghar par shorts pehan ne di, cut offblouses pehankar college jaate ho dono, I would appreciate it if you didn’t mockeverything”
“I am jyusttttt joking Maaaa” Karuna groveled
“Nahi, haath hatao” Anu shrugged off the hug
“Ma… I am sorry”
“Papa always tells me to shut u up at home after collegeand make u pierce your nose in typical UP style drape salwar kameez etc. Mainladti rehti hoon unse. Viveka KA DOST hai… mazaak to mat banao?”
“Ma we are sorry” Diya mumbled
“Aur YEH kapde pehankar bahar bilqul mat aana…. I don’t careif you think it looks like a soap” anubha left the door open
The girls exchanged awkward glances and decided to shut up
Akash checked on her in the kitchen
“Kya hua? Twins par chilla kyon rahi ho”
“Weve just given them too much freedom. Naina is so sweetjaldi aayi aaj, mera saara kaam karwaya.”
Akash was proud
“what happened?”
“They mocked me saying it looked like “ladke waale aa rahehain”
Akash’s expression crumpled
“Baat karoon?”
“Nahi, main kar chuki”
Diya busied herself in kissing up
“Ma I don’t have classes after Noon on Friday or Saturdayor Sunday”
“TO?” Anu was still ticked
“Ma… I am thinking I could do something productive”
“WHO to hai…. Veev di can change light bulbs, fix a brokenpipe… get under the sink, repair cracks in concrete”
“Maa… this is not about Di”
“I know…”
“Ma… a friend is applying to Hugo Boss at Emporio Mall
Anu froze in her tracks, rinsing matar
“Umm”
“LET ME APPLY… please don’t tell Papa now”
“Usko nayi Prius chahiye tumhe Mall mein job… what is goingon”
“Ma”
“Hmm”
“PLEEZ I promise I will even wear suits to college whendadi is in town”
“Suit na tum DADI ke liye mat pehno, wear it for respect ofour culture”
“Maaaaaaaaaaa pleeez “ Diya pleaded
“Papa se baat karo directly” she said letting a plate shepulled off a wok drop in frustration as the steam rushed out from the simmeringkoftas
“You are making all this food and you are saying its notlike a soap” Diya was pissed enough to clap her mother back
Abhishek arrived at 8 ish
There was nothing to hate about Abhishek Karmakar. He wassmart, intelligent, well groomed and polite
Akash was practically swooning.
Anubha forced Viveka to hang with him in the living room
Viveka even showered and changed, before he arrived
Karuna was moody and tho she had changed, she refused tobring the appys to the living room
Diya was upset but was putting on a good pretense
Anu found a quiet moment and told Akash
“We should have followed through on the no child pact” shesighed
He laughed out loud
“We were crazy enough to try for a third 10 years afterVeev and Naina”
“Dekh lo” she shook her head
“Main baat karta hoon dono se” he kissed her head and tookthe glasses to the living room
Viveka and him were deep in conversation
He smiled and set the glasses down…
“She is smart and mature… and doesn’t give me grief” henodded
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