Blade and Blood

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1965:

He was busy getting ready to visit uncle Siddhu because it was a bank holiday, and he had nothing better to do staying home. Sindhuja came in the room and started looking for clothes to wash. He saw her pick up his old pant, and suddenly remembered he had kept a blade in the pocket yesterday because the paper-cutter in the bank had gone missing.

"Sindhu-"

"Aaah!!" It was too late. The blade had made a cut on her palm. He rushed to see the cut. 

He took her palm in his hands. "How can you be so careless Sindhuja! I was telling you- Oh, its bleeding!"

He quickly took out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed on to the cut. "Srinath! Srinath! Bring turmeric quickly!..."

He then went to his cupboard and fetched the first-aid box. "Sit here on the chair!"

The wound was hurting, but she quietly obeyed him.

He sat down on his knees in front of her chair and opened the box.

Just then Kaki came rushing. "Felu what happened? Why were you shouting-"

"Your careless daughter-in-law! She got her palm cut by a blade." 

Sindhuja tried to pacify "It's nothing much, Kaaki..."

"You keep quiet! This is why I've told you a thousand times not to touch my things without asking. Now give me your hand." Saying this he took her hand and cleaned the wound with antiseptic.

"Ouch!..I-"

"Shhhh!" 

Kaki watched the two with a happy shock. She hardly even remembered seeing Felu panic so much before, and here he was sitting down and band-aiding Sindhu's hand, pausing and looking up every time she winced with pain. That was very unlikely of him.

Srinath came in with turmeric.

"Where were you? Off to the farms to pluck turmeric? I'm done band-aiding her hand now. Take it back!"

Kaki finally said, "It's alright Felu, it was just a cut! Why are you fussing over it so much?!"

"It was bleeding Kaki..."

"We get worse cuts working in the kitchen."

Sindhuja who was already feeling awkward about having him sit down on his knees and tend to the cut in front of Kaki, grabbed this opportunity. "Yes, it isn't a lot! I'm fine." And she quickly got up from the chair, brushing her cut to its armrest. "Ouch!"

"Sindhu careful!" He said involutarily.

Kaki who was about to leave the room looked back at them, eyebrows raised. Sindhuja was totally flustered. He had always called her by her full name before. And now of all times, he called her by the affectionate nickname, that too right in front of Kaki. He realised it too and got up, looking the other way awkwardly.

"I-uh... Sindhu- Sindhuja... Don't make the wound wet. The band aid will come off."

And he went to keep the first-aid box back.

Kaki was still standing there. 

"Kaki, did you need anything?" He slowly asked.

"Me? No... I've already seen and heard enough." Saying this, she went out smiling.

Sindhuja tried to find a voice out of all this to thank him, but Kaki called out behind her. " Can you come down for a minute, Sindhu?!"


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