"What the hell Madhu? This kid is a toddler. I bought a pack of diapers and pacifiers".
The child was not amused by the ageist comments and bit his soon-to-be babysitter on his meaty arm. Rishabh screamed in pain as the toddler and I rejoiced alike.
"Finally, someone to tame you by the balls".
"I thought you did a fairly decent job".
"Let us not. I will be back in six hours, stay alive".
"By the time I am done, the kid would call me mama", Rishabh jerked his shirt collar.
"In your dreams", the toddler yelled attacking the pile of lego chips Rishabh had laid out for himself.
"Hey, that was art, not food", Risbhah became furious at the child destroying his masterpiece.
_____________________________________________________
I had declared herself victorious seeing the less than effective babysitting techniques of my husband. However, I had not considered the impromptu business tactics and a biting wit that Rishabh possessed. By the time I came home, Rishabh and Rohit, the toddler, were busy playing mine craft amongst piles of Harvard and Sunnyview preschool homework. The dishes had been washed and the change of clothing neatly put away. I was more than impressed, I was shocked at how little credit I had given Rishabh. I called him a snob but, I maintained a double standard awarding myself the title of the better parent without testing his skill. Looking back at it, my session with Rohit had been a complete failure. I had managed to teach half a dozen swear words and five ways to file a law suit against his parents. Rishabh, on the other hand, had done pretty well for himself.
"RK you win. You can be the stay-at-home dad. Now, can we send Rohit home?"
"We have not build our house yet", the duo whined.
I had to block their view by hugging the TV screen. I pulled RK to the side and whispered, "One more minute of this Johnson baby smell and I will go insane. I beg of you".
"My mother won't be too happy seeing a baby hating bahu".
"She will be if the same bahu comes with a billion dollar price tag. Please?"
"If you grant me the freedom to post your pictures on my twitter".
"Facebook and make them private".
"Instagram and only two per day. That's fair, right?"
"I know instagram is linked. Twitter, once a month".
"One should be of us kissing".
"Do not push it".
"Fine!"
_______________________________
"Rish...abh. He is back. I have to go". I hastily packed up my belongings into a suitcase as RK closely mimicked my actions.
"Is everything alright?"
"My dad, Malik. Malik is in the hospital surrounded by medical catheters and being poked by needles. I need to be there".
"Ofcourse".
No further words were exchanged between the two of us. I suppose he understood my anxiety surrounding medical facilities and my lack of vibrancy was the first apparent sign. There was no running away anymore, I had to face my biggest fears all at once: the hospital, my father and my lacking motherly instinct.
Edited by iiDona - 12 years ago
Anupamaa
