His Lotus

7

Thamarai

"Ai...mama has arrived!" As soon as I heed to Rahini's excited tone, I slip into the kitchen. Every one of my aunts and cousins are in his house to welcome him. I planned to escape too, but mom gave me a stern look which made my decision to waver.

Actually, whenever mama would come by, we all use to sit together in his house and have the food together. It has kind of become a custom for us now.

"My dear Athais...!" I can heed his rough yet smooth manly tone and it stirs something inside my stomach. Closing my eyes, I lean against the wall, urging myself to not feel whatever his presence is provoking in me...

"God I missed you all," he again says, and followed by it, my athais and my mother start to shower him with questions about his health. Subsequently, I listen to all of their footsteps emerging towards the kitchen and I pretended to drink water to not evoke any suspicion.

"Thamarai, place this in the living room," Keerthi athai says so and though I want to refute it, I just silently grip the idlis containing plate and saunter to the living room.

Luckily, Deva mama wasn't in the lounge, and with the giggling sounds of my cousins ringing from the upstairs, I assumed that he is in his room along with them. I wish I could freely talk to him as they do. It was my insecurities that prevented me from conversing with him casually and I loathe how he always teases me in every chance he gains. On the other hand, he never mocks my other cousins but only flirts with them...

That hurt me more. I speculated that he isn't flirting with me because of my skin. I might be paranoid for thinking like that but I couldn't help myself.

What other reason might be there for his distinct attitude towards me!?

Sighing dully, I spot the plate on the floor and run to the kitchen again. Aunties carry the rest of the foods such as sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney, vada, etc... And I fetch the plates for every one of us.

"Come down Deva," Aunt shouts, and soon, anklets jiggling sounds rings as my cousins descends the stair with bright smiles. Trailing behind them, came my mama. He has worn a grey T-shirt with black pants and looks striking as ever. My stomach flips over again and I quickly avert my attention and allocate the idlis on the plate.

My heart keeps on thudding faster with every second as I detect him nearing me. He settles right behind the plate on which I'm about to distribute the idlis while on both sides of him, Maithili akka and Gayu akka perch enthusiastically.

Neglecting to look at his face, I hastily place two idlis on his plate. "Thamarai, what is that behind you?" I look behind me confusedly at his words. But there's nothing. Skeptically, I tilt my head towards him and repress the impulse in me to hide away. "There's nothing mama," I say, perplexed.

"And there's nothing on my plate too.
Athai! Your daughter isn't providing me food," he complains and I rapidly dart my eyes to his empty plate. Where has the idlis gone?

He has started to play with me!

"Thamarai!" My mom's voice comes from somewhere and I place another two idlis on his plate cautiously this time. Then as I move towards Gayu Akka's plate, I witness two idlis there already. Squinting my eyes, I move my glare towards Deva mama who just smirks back at me.

Afterward, as everyone begins to have food, joyful chatters flee around the living room. I remain quiet as I attend to their chats.

A few minutes later, once the breakfast span comes to an end, all of them stepped outside to the backyard of the house to wash their hands. When it was Deva mama's turn, as soon as he washes his hands, all my cousins forward their clothes for him to cleanse his hands off the water. I wasn't shocked. They had done far more irrational things.

"Bring me a towel," he says and all of them rush inside at once. Shaking my head at them, I walk forward to wash my hands when Mama grabs the dangling end of my saree and dries his hand. How dare he! "Mama!" I pull my saree from his hold but he tugs it so hard that I become anxious about my saree getting untied.

"What are you doing mama!" I whisper yell and he leaves my saree with a nonchalant look. Then his gaze flies to my waist which becomes exposed by his action. I swiftly cover the area and give him a deathly glare.

"Ennadi?(What) why are you bulging that huge eyes of yours at me?" The audacity he has! "You know the reason mama," I retort, furious.

"Just for looking at your waist? Huh? I have seen you naked. So this isn't even a big deal..." I gasp audibly at his words. What...when, and how did that ever happen!?

I was about to ask him the same when my cousins' anklet sound re-appears.
Each one of them has a towel in their hands and they are running towards mama while competing with each other. Oh god...

Once they reach near Mama, due to their chaotic order, they fall down, twisted with each other while Mama and I immediately move away to protect us.

"Rahini!" Maithila akka yells and they start to fight between them as they usually do. Deva mama seems to enjoy their conflict while I suspiciously look at him...

Did he really see me naked? But there's no chance for that to occur.

"Er...mama," He quirks his eyebrows but doesn't gaze at me, rather was intently relishing their fights. "When did you see me..." He tilts his head and smiles teasingly.

"Want to know when? Then meet me at the thennanthoppu (coconut garden) at night, sharp 10 'o' clock," he winks at me and leaves whereas I just stand there, utterly dubious.

He must be deceiving me! There's no way he would have seen me naked. He must be lying...or maybe not?

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