Posted:
Fathers...
Appa actually went to "look" at II all over again, after hearing Ranjan, Amma held his wrist to stop him
He glared at R&B
Amma squirmed and sighed... "Vandita never got post partum, in fact I will always laugh, this must be umm..."
"A rich man's disease" Appa said bluntly "Until our daughter gets it"
Appa was distraught
"She is not demanding, she is so caring... nobody to care for HER?" Appa asked
R&B stayed quiet... he didnt want to respond, he knew Mr Iyer was pissed
Ranjan glared at him, nudging him to say something
"It isnt too bad the Doc says..." R&B began
"She will run and come over to DII if we need anything" Appa choked up "She will bring her mother's favorite dates all the way from Khari Baoli.
She will sit down with Selvi and rearrange all her school papers" Appa was merciless
He began to cry... "My brother... no matter how much hurry she is in she will spend time with him" "HOW can she be lonely?"
"Seri vidungo" (let it go) Amma urged softly
"HE insisted he wanted her to come back to Malcha Marg. And here she is sitting in a room with nobody to care for?"
"That is not true" R&B said
"I didnt fight anything... the marriage idea, umm her... umm.. agreeing to your living mostly in Paris... starting a family so quickly" Appa express angst succinctly
"Porum neruthungo"
"Namba kozhandai dee aval... nobody in our family has had depression, even my mother even after having Anna" (she is our baby) Appa choked up and cleared his throat
"Iyer saab they say its very common these days" Ranjan explained
"That by itself is very disturbing Mr Bhalla it speaks for how disconnected and uncaring families have become" Appa sat down wearily
"She keeps comparing herself to Vandita and Sam"Ranjan said slowly
"Ayyoyo" Amma was shocked "Why shud she? She has always excelled in everything" Amma spoke naively
R&B wondered how mothers were sometimes clueless
"Can we take her?" Appa asked boldly
Ranjan looked at R&B
"Umm... not at this time?" he said and after a longish pause "Please?"
Appa looked directly at him... "Do u have plans to be here the next 6 months until she gets better?"
"Umm... (pause) I am going to try" R&B lied
"See... he will go whenever he thinks fit, she has to be in this quiet big house" Appa paced the room helplessly
"What is your opinion?" Amma asked Ranjan
"Main aapko guarantee deta hoon, u will see a marked improvement in her in the next two weeks" Ranjan spoke like a true businessman
"Avan vaaylendu vaarthaye varale" (the son in law is acting mute) Appa accused
"My reassuarnce doesnt seem to be flying" R&B said cynically
"It might if for ONCE u did what u said" Appa gave it back to him
II returned with the baby... handing the baby to Amma
"She is sooo cute... and for that reason alone we must" Amma paused
Appa grunted
"Baith ja gudiya" Ranjan urged
"I am going up" II began
"No no... why shud u be by yourself?" Appa told her sternly
II looked at him confused... she preferred solitude, just like her in laws she assumed her parents would also only want the baby
"I fed her, u can hold her... she usually cries around 8 PM ish... he holds her then..." II explained calmly pointing to R&B
Amma looked distraught...
"First nee vaa inge" (u come near me) Amma urged softly
"U always wanted a grand daughter no... so u have one" II graciously reminded Amma, of why Amma should pick Nivi over herself
"I want DAUGHTER first" Amma said firmly, unable to hold back tears
II sat down akwardly... Nivi cooed...
"Khaane ka dekh lo beta" Ranjan urged R&B so he can get out of sight from Appa... lest Appa shoots him
II attempted to get up
"I will go check, u relax" R&B said
Nivi cooed as her eyes searched... unfocussed but pursuing nevertheless
Appa noticed that... and sighed, leaning back on the Louis chair, his daughters were the same too.
Amma would narrate a new story to visitors every day, about how Vandu and II were "Appa obsessed"
In that... Appa and his arch enemy were similar, their daughters were captivated, posessed and hooked to their fathers...
comment:
p_commentcount