Sometimes Hate is Enough

Chapter 20

Khushi

I sat down on the broken swing chair on the ground dressed in a celadon anarkali with a Laado container sitting on my lap as Hari Kaka and another Kaka worked on the pillars. They're working so hard. I want to help them, but I don't know how to do whatever they're doing.

I leaned back on the rusty iron swing chair and took out a Laado before pushing the whole thing on my mouth and sighed slowly while chewing into it. Oh, it's really good. But how long will I be able to hide here?

"Didi!" Manoj came shouting from around the house, halted in front of me while huffing loudly, and looked at me with accusing eyes.

"Why are you huffing like that?" I asked with a full mouth as my brows rose in question.

"The guests..." he huffed. "They... have arrived, and Bua Ji asked for me... to find you and bring you to her." He replied and motioned for me to get up. They are already here? Hai, Devi Maiya, why so early?

I pressed my lips thin and turned to Hari Kaka, who was fixing the light fixtures on the pillars with the other Kaka.

"Didi?... Chalo!" Manoj said it impatiently.

"I can't go. Kaka needs me here." I lied before I turned to look at him.

"But Bua Ji will have my head if I don't bring..."

"Arre, nothing will happen." I waved him off with a hand. "Come, sit." And motioned for him to sit down. Which he did after looking over his shoulder like Bua Ji would come running for him. Which was true... When he settled down on the ground opposite me, I held out the Laado container for him to take. After a moment of hesitation, he took one and finally started to get comfortable.

"Why don't you want to go in front of them?" He asked as he leaned his back against the newly painted wall and stretched his legs out while I took another Laado from the container that now sat down on the ground within our arms reach. Because I don't want to face him. Because I'm still at some point scared of him. I am scared of what he can do to make me listen to whatever he wants. And I'm scared... that this time I'll agree to do anything to save and protect the happiness of the ones I love because I have already failed to do so once.

"I told you, Hari Kaka wants me here." I answered as I licked my fingers clean and leaned my head back on the iron before closing my eyes.

Manoj didn't say anything after that, and we sat quietly for sometimes while the chilly wind pushed its way through my open hair.

"Didi... What are we going to say to Bua Ji when she asks about the Laados?" Manoj asked while breaking the ringing silence around us.

"Bua Ji doesn't keep a record of how many Laado she made. But don't worry; I have experience hiding these containers." I said as I waved him off with a hand and grabbed the container before peeking inside to check how many Laados were left. Three!! We ate 21 laados?... What are we? Laado ki dukan?...

"But still, they were for Holi na." He replied, sounding regretful. Holi ke Laado...

"What did you say?" I asked with wide eyes as I slowly turned my head to look at him with my mouth open.

"This was for Holi." He repeated as he continued to look straight ahead, but soon his eyes widened at the sudden realization that I wasn't really expecting an answer. "I thought you knew!" He snapped his head at me and looked at me with a look of complete horror in his face. "Bua Ji will definitely have my head after this." Not just yours, she'll have mine, too.