Unscathed?
Every day was almost the same since she returned, she helped with lunch, helped with clean up, walked home with Aanu, returned at 4:30 carrying fish or eggs or shrimp or chicken as was told
Helped set up tables for dinner, they had fewer lights on to allow dating couples to hold hands, Prakash was not a fan of that idea but Sanchet had started it when they sold liqor
Now Prakash followed it, missing his son and not willing to admit it
The place was always sparkling clean though not tastefully decorated or furnished
It was a permanent fixture on that sea facing road, it had been around over 60 years originally started
by Grandpa Shanbag , Mr Vrajesh Shanbag, it was the place to eat, Trisha's mother
was an excellent cook, bringing in revenue and regulars in a steady stream which helped a lot when they had three kids.
She hadnt been to MU since she returned, she had told Mrudula to find out if she could get her TAing back
There wasnt much hope
But worth checking...
When dinner was over, she sent Prakash home at 10, stayed up and cleaned everything with Rao Anna and the new cook
The new waiters were useless but thats what money was worth these days
They scrubbed everything clean since the inspection department were actually doing more surprise checks and since they served meat and served foriegners they were scrutinized more
Everything dried in the prep room cement counters, they left the windows open
The old frig creaked and rattled as the compressor cycled through. Sumant was on his hands and knees mopping the floor
"You did a great sacrifice" Rao Anna sighed pausing with the scrubbing letting the slim tube of water fill up that large aluminum pot
"It was not a sacrifice" she promised
"A married woman giving it all up to please her stubborn father?" he smiled fondly
"U know what the marriage was. Just something I did to help him"
"Was he a good man?"
she blushed... and tried to turn towards the pot she was scrubbing
"This is all caking up" she mumbled forcing herself to scrape the edge of the greasy pot with her index finger
"That bad huh?"
She mumbled "It was good.." "i was busy studying"
"He was busy not caring for you?"
She looked at him in shock
"I know my child... rich boys... I have met a few in my life, they dont like the girl
their own parents pick for them, this is even worse, he married you for God knows what"
"Hmmm" she nodded
"was he ever home?"
"Yes... many evenings" she said proudly
"oh?" he was surprised
"He fixed things, toaster, changed light bulbs, the awning, shade in
the balcony (she explained further so Anna wud understand gesticulating), he fixed leaky
faucets, pushed a bookshelf to a corner and made room for another book case" she said quietly, her voice tapering off
"Must be a skilled man" Rao Anna said grudgingly
"He has many friends and goes out almost every night" she said light heartedly
"He should have taken you"
"How can he. Its not real no? I am just like... somebody"
She scrubbed and scrubbed and rinsed and turned the pot upside down water sripped from all edges
She shook it
"Prakash was missing you for Utsav"
"i wanted to come but I could not" she said sadly
"Dont be upset, there will be other years"
"We should all go to Udipi" she paused and said aloud
"He doesnt want the restaurant shut down no?"
"I am going to talk to Aanu, he needs to do half day one day and shut it down one day"
"thats it, he will fire you" Rao Anna laughed heartily
"I am not even paid so he cant fire me" she laughed back at him
"Oh no, you cannot ask him to do such a cruel thing" "He will be here until his last day" Rao Anna choked up
She whimpered softly her eyes filling up
"For your sake I hope he lives another 10 or 20 years. He is all you have"
She nodded with gratitude
"You foolish child, you know how our community is, you left a good man, married a stranger for a strange reason
and now are back to live in your parent's house"
She looked at him distressed
"Wish you had atleast consulted me"
She walked around the kitchen area and shut out the lights, checked the front double glass door's inside bolts
she would later walk around and lock up the front accordion steel gates.
There was nothing much to steal, everything was old and or needed repair, but it was Prakash's only source of livelihood
"He would have never approved" she said quietly.
Rao Anna looked on dazed...
"I am back now, we are where we began, or infact before where it all began" she mumbled, and gave him a forced smile
"Unscathed?" he asked
the answer never came... she was out already through the back door, carrying the steel tiffin carrier with leftovers,
Sumant nodded politely and left, she leaned on the back wall and waited for Rao Anna to grab his umbrella as it began to rain
