Tangled web of possession
In the smoke filled pooja room of MM the baby finally got its name, her horoscope was written, and blessings showered
Ranjan held her when her horoscope was written and shed a river of tears... of joy, at being told Nivi should receive his mother's name as per tradition
He held her up and kissed her cheek gently... smearing his tears on her cheek.
He placed a scroll between her tiny fingers... he had said "meri har dault" at the hospital...who knows, he could have bequeathed it all to her...
Maanvi Bhalla, she slept through the din
He sat by her cross legged on the lil wooden plank and held her the whole time.
Lasya tried to shove the baby and sit in R&B's lap
He had to chuckled and some how make room for her
Lasya tore petals off her red rose and threw it on the baby to mimic the priest's actions
II gently removed it from the baby's face
"She is FINE" "She is asleep, not like she is ever going to know... have u seen her forehead?" Lasya demanded with that one look
Nandu and Shravu shot marigold and roses at Lasya and hid behind people, irritating her to the core
Brinda Vasu sat in a corner playing on Nandu's ipad
" Dekh na in dono ko, Lakshmi aur Venkat lucky hain" Tan sighed
Sam nodded
"Ek kaam kar bache switch kar... in dono ko lekar chalte hain, main Venkat se baat karta hoon
Sam pulled a busy Lakshmi to the side and offered
She turned red on the compliment "U can take her if u want... but raatri... umm.." Lakshmi struggled to say Vasu was afraid at night
"Bhayam?" she said struggling to find the English word
"Shes afraid at night?" Sam offered
"Not good Hindi... umm... and English" she said smiling shamefaced
"Better than my Tamil" Sam smiled gently
"Main hoon yaar Tarzan, I will protect her" Tan offered, patting his muscles
Lakshmi's husband was not such a talker, he didnt goof like Tan she found Tan very likelable
"He talks like this only?" she asked
"Mostly worse" Sam smiled
"Porela dee, Brinda Vasu? Periamma wants u to go to her house" Lakshmi offered her daughters up
The girls nodded smugly "Amma Nandu na ipad la velayadalama?" (can we play in Nandu anna's ipad?)
"Arey bhej to I will buy them new ones" Tan promised
Janaki Athai looked at II's family in amazement... she couldnt get their generosity, she hadnt encountered, any one so wealthy... or any Punjabi in all her life in Tamil Nadu
Imad was there to get signatures
Even Chachu didnt show for the event
That didnt stop Ranjan from throwing longing looks at the pooja room entryway
"Rakshasi vaa di" II cooed to Lasya
"Umm... NO!! How about u hold that little thing sleeping on my man's lap instead?" she shoved II's hand away
"U want to hold Lasya, I can hold her (Nivi) II whispered to dude
"I am good" he whispered
"I can see that" II nodded with unconcealed envy
"Bacha ho gaya yaar ab to pooja mein flirting band karo?" Tan ordered
R&B chuckled
"Ya phir ek kaam karo, dono bache mujhe do, oopar jao aur"
"Tannn" Sam admonished
Appa squirmed uncomfortably
"Idukosram daan tavikaran avan. He wanted her in this house for that only" he whispered in Amma's ear
Amma contained her laughter with difficulty
It was amusing for her to see how Appa bristled
"She could have gotten rest for 3 months in our house." he said dismissively
"She will be fine... u shud come stay here, Naa Annava paathukaren (I will care for ur bro at D II)" Amma offered
"Enna paathu bayapadravana teriyalaye" (He doesnt seem to fear me) Appa said agonized
NOW Amma laughed softly, shaking... every muscle hurt when she was done
"Iyer saab bache ka room dikhayen?" Ranjan offered
Appa got up reluctantly, shooting a visual dagger at his SIL "Dont start making out with her while I am gone"
"Do u need a chair?" R&B asked seeing II grimace as she switched her criss cross leg position
"I am pouring like a open faucet" she whispered in his ear
He turned and met her gaze... "U shud go up and rest" he ordered
Her heart skipped a beat at that explicit care
"Ya when I wake up Nivi will be 18 and gone off to college" she whispered
He threw his head back and laughed at her childish envy to stay awake for her daughter despite her frail state
"OK U threw a human creature on his lap, u sit by him and now u flirt with him... whats it with u lady?" Lasya glared turning R&B's face towards her
She tried to say "Uncle R"
Mahavir was so delighted he handed people empty coffee cups, and let people accidentally trip over things placed in doorways
He didnt want to be in the kitchen... "Bhabhiji hum laayen?" he asked whenever II wanted something
She didnt want anything actually but he volunteered
He was thrilled Savita's car was being put to use again, he took the keys and went to it multiple times
Acting as if he had to get stuff out of it
Periappa lounged in his fave easy chair, in the corner of the pooja room
Only the NOIDA cousin's wife could make it to the ceremony with the kids, her husband Bala's cousin couldnt
Even Bala had to leave for work at Noon, he kept checking his watch, tempting his parents "Naa office porache apdiye ongalayum vitudren" (I can drop u guys off in Munirka)
Bala's Mom was curious about MM she wanted to explore, she kept pointing to stuff on the walls and commenting to her husband
Kamakshi athai snoozed through the din, just like Nivi
Nivi's forehead had teekas of various shapes and sizes, yellow rice grain tangled in her thick curling hair, she got various pieces of jewelry,
Amma gave her a chain, Akka gave her bangles, she sheepishly told everyone its not very "heavy" "Only 15 grams" she said softly
Bala didnt appreciate that
II lowered her gaze unwilling to participate in Akka's self flagellation
Akka was justified to say that as well, Sam had gone all out, there was various delicate kid's jewelry gifts from her and Tan
Amma's mandli and a few of Appa's colleague's wives showed up around 11 ish...
The boys chased the girls, as they ran up and down and up... pushing and toppling a waddling Lasya
II went up, and fed Nivi and took her first nap as Mommy on R&B's bed
Tan, Sam and R&B chatted in the balcony... Bala had eaten and gone off to work, Akka and Amma took a nap in one of the downstairs bedrooms
Ranjan sat in the ground floor patio swing, with his grand daughter in his arms, shooing off Mahavir
"Maine gina beta aapne 16 minat mere se jyaada pakda" he argued
"Aap foon par they naaa? Bachi chhoti hai" Mahavir hit back
"To theek hai na... ab nahi hoon foon par, pakad len de betaji" Ranjan begged
"Hamey Didi ka samaan laane Shanti Niketan jaana hai tab aap pakadiyega" Mahavir was good at this
"Rabbba" Ranjan sighed, giving up
Handing the tiny, now " Daddy's favorite work of art" onesie clad 11 day old Maanvi Bhalla to his help
R&B stood near the rail one foot up, rotating his phone on the top, they had video conferenced with Manya, showing off the baby in all her glory of
naming ceremony attire.
"Dad ko insult karke kya milega Tan?" Sam groaned
"Chhod beta, did u really want that haughty smarmy bitch aka Chachi here today?" Tan whispered
"Like Chachu wud refuse to take over the business if none of us want it? Like if Dad was handing it away, he wud say
"No u insulted my wife so I dont want Excelsior?"
"He will still steal it no?" Sam argued
"Paisa nahi chhodenge yaar" Tan was frustrated, him and R&B were having a Eu soccer argument his wife had turned all emotional on him
"Then? I mean he wants his brother's money but wont show up even for 10 minutes?" "Its not like his
brother's kids want his money... nobody wants Excelsior" Sam choked up
"Bata yaar isko" Tan urged his quiet BIL
"Enough Sam" he said softly
"Kyon?? sach sunkar bura laga?" "Are u going to help Dad with Excelsior?"😈 Sam goaded her brother, spoiling for a fight.
Forcing her brother to take what he was entitled to, but clearly did not WANT
R&B turned towards Sam clenching his jaw
"Tch tch tch tch" Tan groaned, waving a hand of warning
II walked out, well rested.. and smiling
"Ja beta ja... biwi, jagi hai, bacha neeche hai." Tan teased quickly changing the topic
R&B smiled at II.. and extended an arm... "where is she?" II asked
"Aapki aaj chhuthi hai?" II asked Tan
"Isko keh raha hoon chal golf ho jaaye, he wont budge"
"Door se apni beti ko taaq raha hai"
"Huh" II cackled cynically the cackle denoting "ya like I didnt know that"
TELL ME SOMETHING I DONT KNOW
HES PROBABLY GOING TO WIND UP NOW AND NEVER GO BACK TO PARIS
WELL THATS A GOOD THING NO II?
UMM... WHATEVER
HE DID IT FOR HIS DAUGHTER
U ARE JEALOUS OF NIVI?
PFFTTT!!!
NOOO
YES U ARE
U ARE JEALOUS OF NIVI, LASYA, MANYA MARLIESE... EVEN MAHAVIR
SHUT UP
DO U SEE THE PATTERN HERE
UMM.. NOOO
THERE IS NONE
U ARE JEALOUS OF EVERYONE THATS CLOSE TO HIM
RAKSHASAN...
... R&B half smiled
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