My Improbable Theories On Her.

11. Of Retarded Keyboards.

29th September, 2016.

"Now, add a pinch of jeera in it.", Maa said as she handed me the container which contained the cumin seeds.

I gingerly picked up a pinch of it and added in the tadka.
Some of the ghee from the tadka splattered on my hand.

"Aah, aah, aah, aah!", I yelled as the burning sensation went through the length of my nervous system.
Okay shit, it pains so much.
I immediately jumped back from the stove and fidgeted greatly as the area on my hand where the ghee landed, turned slightly pinkish.
I winced again and again.

Maa took control of the tadka and clicked her tongue irritatingly as she added the mixture to the daal.

"Oh meri naazuk kali! Zyada overacting mat kar!", she snorted.

"Mumma, it's burning up! Can you not-", I said with utter shock.

"One slap on your cheek will burn even more. So, my delicate darling of a son, decide if you want both the pains or just the slight injury on your hand.", she said sweetly.

This made my jaw dropped.
But I obliged and neared the stove on the kitchen platform with a pout.

Maa studied my narrowed eyebrows and my pout as she failingly held onto a suppressed laugh.
She later lost it and laughed; giving a kiss on my cheek before she handed me a laddle.

"Stir it, now.", she instructed.
I moved the laddle gently in the spicy daal.

"Be careful. Or else the daal will magically float in air and land itself on your face. Kyunki mera naazuk panchhi kabhi kuchh aada-tedhha karta hee nahi!", she roared with laughter again.

I rolled my eyes at her and she pulled my cheeks.
Her laughing face turned into that of a frown as she said, "Ye gym jaake tera muh utra-utra sa bann gaya hai. Become a bit healthy, no?!"

I gave her a contemplative look and answered, "Eh. I guess it's because of the flu I had a few days ago.", I said referring to the time that I had realised that I hated Game Developing and only loved the idea of playing them.
The stress and anxiety had taken such a toll over me that I got a 'flu'.
I had to skip school for a few days.
But eventually, everything became normal.

"Beta, you recovered from it a couple of days ago. Chalo koi baat nahi. If you want to stay like a skinny, malnutritioned boy, it's your wish.", she shrugged.

"Maa! I am not a skinny-"

"Oh God! How can I forget it?!", she whined while standing in front of the fridge compartment.

"Kya? Kya?", I blabbered.

"I forgot to buy coriander when I went to the market yesterday!", she clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"It's okay. There are many street vendors in our society. I will go get some.", I said and advanced towards their room to take some money.

When I came out, Maa was looking skeptically at me.
I raised one of my eyebrows in question.

"You haven't been playing games for quite some days now. I have never seen you like this; not playing and doing other things which you have never done...", she trailed and bit her lips.

"So, are you complaining or complementing.", I sassed.

"Neither. Just confirming that are you okay? Is everything fine, Ajey beta?"
Her feature turned soft.

I went near her and said, "Nahi Maa sab sahi hai, tension mat lo, I am just taking a short break. I wanted to keep it aside for a while and do new things. Helping you and Papa, jogging, reading...kuchh naya karna hai. I want to get away from my PC for a while now."