Ride on Time

Chapter 32

Misao decided to read a book since she had a few hours to spare before bedtime.
She couldn't help but think that the book was a little too bland, especially the first few pages. But then she decided to give it a chance since the book was only just beginning.
All of a sudden, her phone started ringing on her table. Misao tossed the book aside and ran to get it. She gasped when seeing that it was Shri.
"Moshi moshi?" Misao said as soon as she picked up.
There was a delay before Shri's voice broke through. "Misao?"
"Yes yes, did you receive my package?" Misao asked.
Another pause. "Yes I did. You got stuff for everyone? Misao, why?"
"Aww come on, though I couldn't make it, at least I sent you guys something, right?"
"Yeah, but that's a little too much, don't you think? You got something for everyone, even our brother!"
"Well, yeah! It isn't nice to give all of you gifts but leave him out, right?"
Another pause, but it seemed a little longer than usual. "Honestly, I don't think he even deserved that woodblock print you gave him."
"Why?" Misao asked, puzzled.
Another pause and a sigh. "Let's just say he isn't all that close with us."
"Oh..." Misao said at last, deciding not to pursue this topic much further. "Anyway, how are your festive preparations going?"
"We went to get some stuff for the prayers tomorrow, mostly flowers and garlands, bananas, stuff like that. Surely you've seen it in movies."
"Yeah, I have," Misao sat on her bed. "Also, it's kinda hard chatting like this, don't you think? Through overseas call?"
A pause. "Yeah like the delay in transmissions. It's kinda annoying. I rather talk in person."
"Aww! Too bad I can't come over for Deepavali... the tickets are expensive, and besides fully booked."
"I guess a lot of people are being shipped from Japan during that time, then. Also, I'm planning to come over for Shogatsu. Is that okay?"
Misao straightened herself. "Okay?! Shri, that would be amazing! Please come! I'm sure my parents would like you too."
A chuckle came after a delay. "Thanks. You already found your way into my parents' heart, now it's time for me to do so with yours."
They talked a little more, eventually growing annoyed by the delay between remarks and handed the call.
"I'll be coming for Shogatsu," Shri said before bidding farewell. "Bye!"
"Bye, Shri!" Misao giggled. "I'll be waiting."
"Get some sleep, it's nearly midnight there," Shri's voice came, slightly distorted. "Goodnight."
Misao chuckled and hung up. She lied down on her bed and stared straight at the fan spinning overhead, giggling at the thought of Shri coming again for a visit during Shogatsu.

***

It was the day before Deepavali and the entire family gathered in the living room, where an altar with their ancestors pictures was set up. A feast of an offering was to be set up, served on a large piece of banana leaf. Incense sticks smoked, and the camphor tablets were put on a brass stand-like burner where it would be lit and used for the prayers.
"Shruti, where's the coconut?" Suganthi called to the kitchen. "Did you even burn it?"
"Yeah, Ma!" Shruti called back, sweating because of the burning coconut shell in front of her. "Still burning."
Shri came in and burst into laughter, seeing his sister's face illuminated by the glow of the fire before her.
"What?" Shruti asked, wiping sweat off her face with the back of her hand.
"Nothing," Shri chuckled.
"Can you bring the tuvakal ah?" Shruti asked. "Coconut almost done."
Shri nodded and went to the living room to get it. Suganthi was busily placing flowers around their ancestors' photos. He ran back to the kitchen and handed the brass bowl to her. Shruti took it, wrapping her fingers around the wrapped handle and carefully placed the pieces of smouldering coconut shell on with a pair of metal tongs. She blew at the smouldering embers and to her surprise, it burst into flames.
"Put that out, it has to be smouldering, not burning..." Shri pointed out.
"What's smoulder?" Shruti asked, amused. "Mulder ah?"
Shri sighed. "You and your X-Files."
Shruti laughed and returned to the living room, holding the smouldering homemade incense in its brass holder. Suganthi nodded as she placed next to the altar and frowned.
The food was prepared, but where's the leaf?
Suganthi sighed. "Where this Sid? He went to take the banana leaf but where he went, don't know. Go and see what he doing."
The siblings groaned but went back to the kitchen together, exiting through the back door.
Their backyard view was breathtaking, overlooking the entire city of Petaling Jaya. The Bukit Gasing Forest Reserve was only a few minutes away and many types of birds and insects chirped in the distance. Fruit trees stood in the otherwise paved backyard, mostly a few banana trees grown close together and mango tree not far off. A clumped of sugarcane grew at the corner too.
"What he doing lah?" Shruti asked as she looked for their brother. "Where he?"
Shri snorted and pointed at their brother, who was busy staring at the mango tree with his hands on his hips instead of getting a piece of banana leaf. He had a knife in his right hand, held upside down beside his hip.
"Anneh, what you doing?" Shruti asked. "Ma asked to take banana leaf lah! Not mango leaf!"
Siddharth frowned at her. "Got mango... must take before squirrel eat."
Shri sighed. "We'll do that later, it's getting late for the prayers! At least give me the knife, I'll do."
Siddharth quickly refused and made his way to the banana tree kingdom on the other side. He cut off a large sheet of banana leaf and brought it in. He was gonna go straight to the living room but Shruti stopped him, washing the leaf before allowing him.
"Let's go," Shri said, watching his brother carefully carry the large leaf.
He put the leaf down on the altar table and started laying the food out on it. His siblings' eyes shined when watching him serve the food. The biryani went first, then Suganthi's spicy chicken gravy, then the fish sambal, the vegetable acar, and a few papadums were served.
A few unusually large muruku that Shruti specially made went in next, followed by the ghee balls and pineapple tarts.
Everything was set up.
Save for their father, at least.
"Where's Pa?" Shri asked.
"Not sure..." Suganthi frowned.
She loudly called for him and he soon appeared, carrying a few clothes.
"You put everything but didn't put this," Shridhar remarked, placing the clothes on the altar table too.
"Oh yeah..." Suganthi nodded. "I forgot to put that..."
Shridhar started the prayers first, being the oldest. He first picked up the bowl of coconut shell by the handle, careful not to drop the smouldering incense, and spun it in front of the altar three times clockwise. Then it was Suganthi's turn, then Shri's and finally Shruti's.
After that, the cycle repeated, this time by using the plate of burning camphor instead. All of them knelt at the end of their turn to honour their ancestors, whom have become gods for the family.
They then sat around for a while and watched television since the offering food cannot be taken immediately.
And this time, Shruti decided to watch the X-Files.
"Come already lah... your Mulder..." Shri snorted.
"This feller got no reaction also," Siddharth remarked, smirking.
Shruti was offended. Not everyone knew that she had a big crush on him. And she obviously didn't care what her brothers said about him.
"Well, I'd rather look at him than your bad selections," Shruti spitefully said. "At least this feller is solving conspiracies. You?"
Siddharth scowled.
"Hey, hey, it's an auspicious day," Suganthi piped up. "Tomorrow's Deepavali. Don't start."
"I think we can eat now," Shridhar cut in.
He went to the altar and pulled it forward slightly before dipping two of his fingers into the cup of water set up. He rounded the fingers clockwise three times in front of the food before transferring most of it to a large bowl. He then mixed everything together, save for the snacks like ghee balls and pineapple tarts, and handed each of them a large ball of rice.
"Make sure you finish it," Shridhar warned when handing a ball to Shruti. "Don't throw."
Shruti sighed. "Yes, Pa."
They started eating the food, enjoying every bite of it.
"Always this food very tasty," Shri remarked as he ate. "Right?"
Everyone agreed. They finished the food and Shridhar put the banana leaf with the remaining food outside to be eaten by stray animals.
The festival was tomorrow but there was still much to be prepared.
Especially Shri's book.

-acar is like pickled vegetables. Made with vinegar and plums, vegetables, and some other stuff.
-sambal is the spicy gravy.
Deepavali chapter lol. Also, the tuvakal is the brass stand-like bowl that I mentioned earlier. It's the holder for the coconut shell incense. I have no clue how to explain this, maybe you can look it up.
But here's a picture of the tuvakal.

This is it. The handle is usually wrapped with wool or tape so that it's easier to hold and insulate heat. The coconut goes onto the bowl.