Shrishti Reborn

Chapter 28. The Shopping Drama

Shrishti bounded over to Bua who was in the kitchen and seemed to have just cooked something.

'I made you your favourite Sheera. Sit and eat.', her Bua told her and she smiled happily. Shrishti joined Ishita at the dining table.

Ishita scoffed. 'Oh yes. Now that Pari Di is here, forget me.' Her tone sounded vicious.

Shrishti was surprised. This never happened before. Ishita had always maintained a sweet and loving personality in front of her. Shrishti only came to know the resentment behind Ishita's smiles after her death. Till then, in front of her, Ishita had always been a sweet girl.

'What do you mean?', Bua came out of the kitchen with two bowls in her hands. One was placed in front of Shrishti and other in front of her cousin. 'I made for you both. See?' Bua glared down at her daughter as if saying stop acting up. Ishita huffed and narrowed her eyes at her mother. The said mother soundlessly mouthed something to her daughter who looked away. Now that Shrishti's eyes were open, she had become more observant and this silent byplay had her amused.

Shrishti did not react to Bua or Ishita's words. She focused on eating. 'Waah! Bua! This is delicious!', she cried out, acting totally oblivious, 'You really know how to cook.'

Bua brightened at her praise. 'Want more? Eat more, na. Eat, eat.' She served another round. Shrishti was not lying. The ladies of her family were all good cooks as all of them came from middle class families where daughters were taught to cook since young age in the older generations. Her Bua also belonged to the same middle class family till Pappa's business boomed. From what Shrishti knew, Bua still cooked as there was no cook at her home.

'Haan, haan! Feed her only.', Ishita grumbled.

Shrishti once again acted oblivious. 'Yes, Bua. Feed me only. Ishita gets to eat your food daily. I get only during vacations.', she happily declared, slipping in a sniping comment.

'Oh my Pari! I wish I could stay and feed you more. But your Phuphaji cannot handle things without me. He needs me there.' Bua sounded sad as she shook her head. Shrishti nodded with a smile, acting polite. But Shrishti was happy that Bua did not stay too long. She loved the lady but she was like a mini Dadi at certain aspects. So Shrishti preferred her in small doses too.

'I have had enough.', Ishita stood up, looking annoyed.

'Arre! Finish the portion I put in your bowl atleast.' Bua was annoyed now.

'Why bother about me? Bother with your favourite daughter, na?' Ishita sassed and stormed away.

'Uff! This girl! Why is she behaving like this?' Bua sounded worried now.

Shrishti sighed. 'It is my fault, Bua. Something annoyed me and I brought her home earlier from mall. She could not get to see much.'

'What is there to see? It is just a mall.' Bua was puzzled.

Shrishti shrugged. 'She is a girl like me, Bua. We girls like seeing latest clothes in the mall and trying them and buying them.'

'No buying. Pari, no buying. Don't you dare buy her new clothes! She has too many as it is! Few more and I would have to buy her a new cupboard for her. She already has one!'

Shrishti smiled. 'Don't worry, Bua. I will not buy her anything.'

'You say that every time. And every time you buy things, your Phuphaji scolds me!' Bua complained.

Shrishti shook her head. 'This time I will not cross the line. I will not buy her anything.' She solemnly promised.

That night the dinner was silent and fraught with tension. It was clear that Bua and Ishita had a fight since the evening sheera incident as Shrishti had dubbed it. Because while in noon, Bua looked worried, now she was practically glaring at her own daughter. While in noon, Ishita looked just annoyed, now she looked totally sullen. Pappa, who sat opposite Shrishti, looked up from his meal, noticed the silence and looked up at Shrishti. He raised his brows twice at her before glancing at the other two ladies sitting around the dining table. He seemed to be asking what was wrong. Shrishti nonchalantly lifted her spoon and waved it to her left where Ishita sat and then waved her right hand at right where Bua sat before using her right index finger and the spoon in her left hand and created a cross with them as casually as possible before spooning her soup and eating. Pappa's eyes widened and he nodded. He wisely focused on the soup and silence reigned as the four of them finished their meal.