Bombay Romance ♡ COMPLETED

[ 41 ] The Sweet Night ■

Almost half a dozen kids are scattered about on the straw mat with Rukmini when Murali returns home, narrating something animatedly to her. Rukmini halts listening to them and smiles at her husband. He's never returned home this early.

'Rukku Aunty, listen!' one of the kids shakes her. 'And then our teacher tol-'

'Chalo, everyone leave,' Murali announces. 'It's eight o'clock. Go home and sleep.'

But the kids are still present when he returns to the living room after fifteen minutes, freshly showered. He frowns.

'Oiee, didn't I ask you all to leave?'

'We come everyday at this time, Uncle.' one of them says.

'Stay how much ever long you want until I come. Go now.'

'Uncle, you come later.'

Murali scowls. One week since marriage and I've not even kissed my wife once. Now, these kids have come out of nowhere. Pesky brats!

'I have to talk to your Rukku Aunty ... about something very important.'

The kids look at each other for a moment.

'Okay, you can also come sit with us.' they permit him generously.

Rukmini resists a smile.

'No, we have to talk and then we have ... some work.' Murali adds carefully.

'What work?'

'What work, huh?' he pulls out his baton from the cabinet and raises it at them. 'Come here, I'll tell you ... come here!'

The kids dart up and run out of the house, all laughter gags and screams, before Rukmini can stop them. They are police kids; they know by experience how it burns when hit with that thing on their bottoms.

'Nosy kids,' Murali mutters, tosses the baton away and looks at his wife.

Rukmini turns away, sour-faced. She has grown very fond of those kids in the past week.

'You're angry for sending those kids away?' he asks, surprised.

Just then, the kids reappear at the door.

Murali turns around. 'Kya?'

'Uncle, when will Rukku Aunty get a baby?'

Rukmini's pretty face goes a deep red. Murali is at a loss for words.

'After marriage, baby will come no?' another one backs up.

'Aiee, baby will come after one year,' The third one informs his gang knowledgeably. 'Not now.'

'We are five. We want one more person for equal teams in hide-and-seek.'

'Will a baby come after one year?' The first kid wants confirmation.

'I'll tell you when it comes,' Murali nods quickly, ushering them out. 'Niklo ab.'

He shuts the door and turns to Rukmini again, who looks grim.

'My wife knows how to get angry also!' he exclaims, holding her chin.

She pushes his hand away and walks to the bunch of novels lined across a small wooden slab jutting out of the wall.

'You want to read a book? Which one?' Murali slides next to her, bends his hand around and pinches her waist.

Rukmini jumps with a gasp, dropping the book she's picked up.