Sugar & Spice
"I have to join di on November 1st, EXACTLY three months after hes born...
R&B ne jugaad kiya I got to stay home until August, ippo tonradu WHY it was a risky pregnancy,
why couldnt it have been a normal one you know, IPPO jaasti leave venum dee enakku (I need time off NOW instead)" Akka whispered between sobs
"He is SO SO SO CUTE I dont blame you" II sniffled
Mahavir heaped more salad into her bowl, stunned she was crying so hard
She didnt look at him, just looked down
Lasya aimed for something or the other on the table
Every piece of china and silverware too expensive
She dipped her finger in whipping cream and put it on Lasya's lips
The girl sucked her lower lip dry and did a big UMMM
"I love it!! U seem to be buying my love with sugar until I seethe tall man I will play along" her gaze told II
"Amma (Bala's mother) wants me to be there before Navaratri, in fact they wanted me to be there for vinayaka chaturthi, I blew a gasket" Akka said
"Paavam ka they want to see the baby"
"They can come here when Bala returns, already he doesnt sleep here because Shravu has to be at the bus stop, adukke onnum sollale naan" (I never uttered a word)
"Hmmm" II nodded
Wiping her tears
"Do u remember Vaishnavi's mother... TOONGINDE irunda enn kalyanathula (she was asleep all the time)
I am supposed to suddenly love this girl and hope she will pick up all the slack?" Akka ranted
"Athim kitta sollu nee, avar allow pannave maatar" (tell Athim he will abs refuse to torture you)
"AVANODA IDEA DAAN IDU DEE" (Akka hissed) ("Its his idea)
AYYO!!" II blurted
"See... I REACTED THE SAME WAY TOO" Akka sobbed
"Akka please azhaade ka" (dont cry)
"I wanted a full time girl to care for the baby, in laws madyanam toongina tann nenave illama toongara"
(my in laws pop a pill for pain and take afternoon naps they have no clue abt the world) Vandu said waspishly
Mahavir gently distracted Lasya, as she squirmed on II's lap, II tried to defend her belly and hold the baby
When Mahavircame to the rescue, she smiled gratified, "Thanks... abhi mujhe pakadna nahi aata" (I dont know how to hold a child while carrying one)
"Hum kis liye hain bhabhiji?" he asked warmly
II ate sparingly
"Can I ask R&B to speak to the DU guy?" II offered
"NO... THAT will be bad, already naan 5 months pay check free ya vangindachu dee"
(I already took pay check for 5 months) I didnt research the stuff they wanted me to, for that professor
I just couldnt" Akka admitted, guilty
II was quiet
"Do u know how long u will take time off?" Akka asked softly, inadvertently competing with her baby sister
"I dont know ka, innikki I told her I want less stressful work, she hated me" II mumbled
"U shud just quit and go to Paris with him" Akka sighed audibly
II was stunned Akka would say that knowing how much she loved her career
She looked at the phone in shock... and placed it back on her ear
"I cant do that ka" she gasped
"Onna vidu vidu nu kenjuvan avan" (he will probably force u to quit) Akka declared, like she knew R&B
She KNEW R&B...
II hung her head embarrassed... selfconscious, and almost ashamed of her good fortune of having that choice
Ranjan and R&B talked about redoing all the ACs on the 2nd floor before the baby arrived and
covering the doors and windows with protective film so the UVrays wouldnt enter the home
She didnt know who paid Mahavir how the hundreds of cans of juice magically appeared in the "drinks" frig the day after R&B arrived
If she paused while taking a call in a room, Mahavir hit the AC switch, if the central air was turned off in the room
This, even BEFORE she was pregnant
She hadnt looked at one power bill
She didnt know how much they paid for water, or how milk was bought
Gallons of icecream sat in the frig untouched
Since she joined the family in March there was some candy or dessert or sweet inviting her ...to devour every evening
They all knew her sweet fetish and fed it ferociously
"Just tell Athim u cant do it... I can talk with him too"
Ayyo kutti... no raja" Akka sobbed "U are too cute..." she sighed
"U know how much I fight, U can ask R&B" she declared
"Paavam di avan" Akka sniffled and chuckled
"Umm.." she began to nod and then said "No he is not" she said huskily
Shravu wanted to talk with her, Akka told him it was time to go to Munirka... and
"Akka avana inge anupareya Sat Sunday?" she asked (will u send him?)
"Sure kanna" Akka smiled
"And Shatabdi?" II asked with longing
"Not yet kanna" Akka squirmed
II groaned
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ranjan, Tan and R&B ate, she lounged on the rug in the formal dining room, playing with Lasya as she creeped
Tan asked for lamb biryani to be sent over
Mahavir had made baingan bharta by then... the men drank and ate and chatted
Ranjan coaxed. ordered begged and pleaded for her to eat one roti with raita she refused at first and reluctantly ate...
"U need the energy" Ranjan said
"I AGREE" tan nodded with a gleam in his eyes
AYYYO!!!!
"Suno his wife was pregnant twice..." Ranjan was unawareof the patio rendezvous
"Arey Dad all I am saying is agar ghar par damaad aa raha ho dinner par then please apne apne haath" Tan said
II turned the color of the raita tomato
"The raita is too spicy" II LIED loudly interupting Tan and fleeing the room
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