Two of a Kind

3

One Month Later...

It's 8 in the morning in the Patel house. Jaimi is asleep while Sachi and Meena are making breakfast while Kamiya is sitting at the breakfast table peeling the boiled potatoes. Ved is in the living room playing with Dhriti while on a video call with his parents.

Krishna: Aaj kaam pe nahi jaana?

Ved: No! Aaj meri aur Sachi ki chutti. Jaimi uthegi tab jaaegi.

Jai: Bacchi se kitna kaam karaega?

Ved: Kaam nahi karenge na toh paiso ki kimmat kese sikhenge?

Aashutosh walks around the apartment but doesn't see Jaimi anywhere. He sits across from Ved.

Aashutosh: Tumhari beti kaha hain? 16 saal ki ho gae par abhi tak khaana banana tak nahi aata.

Ved: Aaj sunday hain sone de usse! Kal raat ko store close karke aae thi derr raat ko.

Aashutosh: Woh sab ladkiyon ka kaam nahi hain. Derr raat tak bahar ghumti rehti hain. Tumhe pata bhi hain ki woh kaha jaati hain, kisse milti, kya karti hain?

Ved: Meri beti kya karti hain kya nahi karti woh mera aur Sachi ka mamla hain!

Aashutosh: Jai bhai dekhiye toh kaise baat kar raha hain? Apni beti ko kitni aazaadi de rakhi hain ki jab mann ho tab ghar se nikal gae and jab mann ho tab aati hain. Baat karne ki toh koi tameez hi nahi. Meri beti ko dekhiye! Sunday hain phir bhi subah 7 baje uthke, ready hoke kitchen mein help kar rahi hain. Kamiya, Jaimi ko uthao aur lekar aao!

Ved is about to interrupt but Dhriti asks him something. He doesn't want to ignore Dhriti, but also doesn't want Kamiya to wake Jaimi up. Before he can say something, Kamiya drags Jaimi who is half asleep into the living room. Jaimi hits the wall to her right as Kamiya tries to keep her standing straight.

Ved: Kamiya uska haath chodo!

Kamiya: Par bhai?

Ved: Meine kaha haath chodo! Dhriti, bacche, aap room mein jao toh.

Dhriti nods before skipping to her room. Sachi and Meena come to the living room hearing the commotion.

Ved: Jay, jaake soja beta!

Jaimi is about to leave when Meena grabs her hand and keeps her in place. Jaimi is leaning against the wall asleep.

Aashutosh: Iske kapde toh dekho!

Meena: Pure din sleeveless tops and ye chote chote shorts mein ghumti hain. Koi aake dekhe toh kya kahega?

Ved: Kisi ko kuch nahi padi aur woh jisme comfortable hogi wahi pehnegi.

Krishna: Ved shaant hoja!

Meena takes a glass of water and throws it at Jaimi's face causing her to almost fall over due to sudden shock.

Ved: Kaki!

Ved yells with anger. Jaimi rubs the water off her face and looks around confused.

Meena: Sachi apni beti ko control karna seekho. Business iska kaam nahi hain. Iski jagah kitchen mein hain.

Aashutosh: Yeh kya sikhaegi? Iski job ki wajah se toh 18 saal pehle ghar mein jhagde hue the!

They taunt Sachi for a few minutes with Ved warning them to be quiet. Jaimi is fully awake and looks at her mother who is visibly upset and trying to hold back her tears.