"Who was driving?" R&B asked almost in a whisper
"Shravu" II whispered stifling a teary gasp
Quick pools formed in her eyes
Sahana realized the room had gone quiet she woke and stared at her Daddee and Amma, and uttered some gibberish
R&B patted her back down
"Who called you?" he asked curiously
"athim" II swallowed
He didnt have to ask "Was Bala upset"
He could tell
"where are the boys now?" he asked
"Nandu Shanti Niketan, Shravu Munirka, Athim sema kovathla irukar" (he is hugely upset) II switched to Tamil
"Do u want to go?" he asked kindly
"where?" II asked panicking
"Umm.. to Vandita's?" he offered
II lowered her head, tear drops flying... "Appa doesnt know, if I go so early he will know. Paatti (Bala's Mom) will promptly tell Appa"
II talked about navigating delicate Iyer politics
"Do u want to talk with Tan?" R&B exhaled
"No" II refused vehemently
"So u just want to cry?" he asked, clenching his jaw
II looked up at him upset
"I am sorry I ruined ur day" she said biting her lower lip
"Enough II" he warned, in a gruff tone "I am going to call Bala or Tan and have a word"
"No no no... dont do that" II begged
The twins came back in
"Amma can we have one more pos-pickle?" they asked innocently
Their faces caked with sugary dirt, their jammies even dirtier
"No kanna, Amma is making aloo curry and roti" she smiled cheering them up
"Daddee Sid pushed me and my pos-pickle fwell" Ved complained
He kneeled down and began to legislate
Sahana woke and stared at the boys, and then spoke for a monute or two
"she doesnt look like she is tired" R&B suggested
"Dad kitta kudu avala... I have to cook and start laundry
Ranjan came in, shutting the backyard door
"Abhi bhi bahut garmi haigi" he muttered
R&B walke dover to Ranjan and handed the baby
He accepted without a peep
"Dadu paas soyegi?" he asked, still limping
"Dad kya hua pair mein?" she asked
"Mainnu samjh nahi aayi puttar... kee hoya" he shook his head
"Mujhe denge Sahana?" she asked, politely
"Vaa dee" she ordered, the girl didnt want to, being closer to the old man will take her closer to her two idols Sid and Ved
SOME DAY she will be like THEM
SIGH!!!
SOME DAY
"Nahayi nahi gudiya?" he asked abt Sahana
"Pochu da" (thats it) II cursed "Water and daughter"
"Dad uska kaan chipka hai" she reminded
"Doctor nu call karaan?" he asked
II squirmed "Ennada solrey?" (what do u want to do?) she approached R&B for advice
"Ya?" he stood up lifting the monsters, one weepy, the other with a long face, Sid kicked as he cried, Ved punched as he sulked
"ENOUGH" he ordered, seating them on the breakfast counter, his phone rang, starting to talk in French
"Try solvents" "Or a Doc" he nodded
Ranjan dialed Sahana wanted his phone
II made a bottle and handed Ranjan
The boys started fighting on the marble counter, copper saucepans and pots hung on top around a wire ring,
clattering them as they kicked each other furiously
II smacked Ved and dragged him down...
"Mavvyyy" she yelled
Mahavir showed up reluctantly
"Isko please le jao aap
"Dad, aap isko le lenge?" she asked dragging Sid
Sahana squealed in joy as Sid approached wiping his snot, and pulling his jammies up
Ranjan sat down and began feeding Sahana
II felt terrible, she took Sid away. "Get showered, and behave urself and I will take u to Rohini Thatha's house" she offered a carrot
"JUST ME?" Sid asked smugly
"BOTH" II scolded "Sid listen to me. ONLY if u get ready and be in ur best behavior, do ur Math Works for 30 minutes"
"TEES MINAT gudiya?" Ranjan interjected
"Dad.." II warned
Ranjan leaned back cowering
She let Mavvy go and took the boys upstairs
R&B finished up his call and offered to take a napping Sahana from his Dad as Ranjan sat on the Louis chairs in the lounge watching Mavvy and Nivi
Ranjan smiled patiently, and smiled "Sotey hue ek dum doll" he smiled. Koi shaitani nahi, kuch nahi, shor nahi" he kissed the fat face
And sighed and leaned back
"Jayin puttar, koi hore kaam karin" he ordered
R&B nodded with a half smile... Ranjan and his kids were inseparable
He lingered watching them snooze, they had the same nose and eyebrows and chin with a cleft, slim long fingers, the same toe pattern
Visible links to the Bhalla gene
Sahana''s Bhalla cleft pronounced even under folds of fat
She clutched Ranjan tee with a fat fist
"Sam Adams laayen?" Mavvy asked
"Nahi, oopar hai" he smiled and walked up the grand stair case
II brought two more of his extensions, now dressed clean... one in navy check shorts and a white Lacoste tee and the other in a
orange and red check shorts and a orange tee
They looked handsome and insanely cute
II parted their luscious hair on the side and combed it
She took them down and placed a speck of vibhuti on between their eyebrows too
She appeared in a soaked tee and track pants with a comb stuck in her hair and towel on her shoulder
Sometimes he truly thought his mind was playing tricks
Showing him impossible visions... visions of lil kids, and visions of a gorgeous wife
It wasnt a vision afterall
His was sulking assuming he had called Bala
She chased the boys around the day bed applying lotion
The day bed where he had tackled and kissed her one rainy and cold Dec? Jan? afternoon, when she stopped by to pick Shravu up
The boys were in the theatre watching a movie while him and II explored heaven's lobby
The boys were older now and had run ins with the cops
And so were they...
Two creatures dodged her around the exact same day bed
She nabbed Sid first and rubbed all over his face, trapping him between her thighs
she let go of the other one too
"Amma can we have cookie?" they asked
Their weeken post shower snack
She nodded leaning
"Dont bother Dadu raja, he is taking a nap" she ordered as the boys shot through the cavernous 1st floor corridors towards the back stair case leading to the kitchen
She texted a help, locating her phone
"How do u know hes asleep?" R&B asked
"Its his fave thing to do on Saturdays" II said smiling fondly
If he felt a lump form in his throat he dismissed it as imaginary
"So u called Athim?" she accused
"No I didnt" he said coldly
"I have to go dont know where to, first" she spoke aloud
"I could go with u" he said
"Nooo they dont know YOU know abt it. Athim asked me not to tell u" she shrieked
"They expected u to go visit Shravu in jail by urself?" he whiplashed
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