Nysa Wadworth figured she was simply a little crazy.
At least that's what her nasty ex said about her after Nysa decided to dump her with a measly phone call while she was on holiday.
The Wadworth's also seemed to agree. Her older brother, Nikhil...
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Nysa stared into the depths of her coffee cup, hand tapping on the handle of the orange stained ceramic. She usually liked it milky but today is was black. Nysa watched the humid January weather outside. Her other hand was toying at the last few pages of the latest novel she was reading. She hated it and frankly, simply couldn't be bothered to finish it. 'The Garden of Evil,' was probably the shittiest thing that Bram Stoker had ever written which was a hard thing for Nysa to admit, especially since it was her English teacher who recommended Nysa this book. Everything that she'd now tell her will be taken with a grain of salt from now on.
"Meri jaan, how many times must I tell you to stop reading this fictional rubbish and start focusing on things that are real?" Nani tutted sharply as she made her way into the living room. It was rare for her to wake up later than Nysa but the girl was feeling wary this Saturday morning which made it hard for her to sleep. Nysa didn't say anything in response but instead closed the book and grabbed her spell book instead. "Did you eat?"
"No, Nani. Not yet. Do you want me to make you anything?" Nysa said, taking a sip of her strong coffee, narrowing her eyes slightly at its bitterness.
"No, no, chaa and toast is fine for me," she said, pottering about in the kitchen to get the spices.
"I'll help," she said quietly, downing the rest of her coffee. She needed something sweeter to fix whatever was going on in her insides. "Here, don't bend your knees like that, Nani," she said, placing a hand on her back to help her up and grabbing the pot instead. "Just make the toast."
"I can do it myself, beta," said Nani, waving her hand at her granddaughter in annoyance yet still, she obliged and didn't argue with her.
"You've taught me these things for a reason, no?" Nysa said as she set the water and milk to boil and began gathering all the things she needed.
"Well, your mother wouldn't have taught you, would she?"
"Probably not, Nani."
Nysa crushed the peppercorn and cardamon before putting it into the pot along with the fennel, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
"Full cup?" Nysa said as she turned to ask her busied grandmother who was buttering the toast.
"What a stupid question," she answered, not even sparing her a glance. Nysa snorted and filtered out the tea into two teacups, just enough for two, full, piping cups of masala chaa. She placed them on two counters on the table as Nani sat down, the two toasts in front of her.
"That reminds me, beta," Nani said, breaking off a piece of toast and dipping it into her tea. Nysa waited patiently, chewing the toast that she had just eaten as she waited for Nani to continue with whatever she was going to say. "Have you seen Charlie recently?"
"Chief Swan?" Nysa asked, eyebrows furrowed.
"Haanji," she answered, eating another bit of dipped toast.
