24H | SEVENTEEN

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"Mani! Aye Mani!" Rumi turned around while balancing the grocery bags in her hands. "Ahes kuthe tu ha? (Where have you been?)" Joshi kaka asked walking towards her. Forcing a smile on her face she greeted him, "Are Joshi kaka, kashe ahet? (Oh Joshi uncle, how are you?)" She asked.

"Mi bara ahe pan tu ahes kuthe? Soham bolla ki tu aalis pan aaj kuthe dislis. (I am good but where have you been? Soham told me that you've returned but I saw you today.)" Rumi smiled moving weight from one leg to another. "Ho te aalya pasun jara kaamat busy zali. (Yes, I've been busy with work since I've returned.)"

"Baki kasa? Thik na? (Everything else? Okay right?)" He asked glancing upwards towards her apartment window. The forced smiled disappeared from her face. The reason why she loathed other human beings were their unnecessary nosiness. "Ho. Kaku kashya ahet? Khup divas zale tyancha aavaj nahi aikla? (Yes, how's aunty? I haven't heard her voice since long?)" She asked deliberately knowing well that his wife had left him just few days ago. His smile too disappeared.

"Mani!" Rumi heard her mother calling from above. "Ho aale! (Yes, coming!)" She replied before smiling at Joshi kaka. "Chale kaka nantar bollu. (Let's talk later, uncle.)" She said holding up the bags and leaving. "Ugache chambar chaukashya." She commented climbing up the stairs. "Aai darwaja ughad. (Open the door)" She called as soon as reaching the door. Her mother arrived quickly opening the door for her. "Kay ga, kay vicharat hote te? (What was he talking about?)" Her mother questioned asking about the Joshi uncle downstairs. 

"Kay nai nehmiche, chambar chaukashi. (Nothing, same as usual. Gossiping.)" Rumi replied placing the grocery bags on dining table. Her mother snorted shaking her head. "So, I asked him about Kaku and he shut his mouth quicker than light." Rumi said making her mother hit her but she still laughed. "Nalayak por." Her mother laughed. "So what? That guy is too nosy for his own good." Rumi said taking out grocery from the bags. "Let him be, he's been like that since start. Always poking nose in others home." He mother replied.  "That's why his wife ran off with other." Rumi comment earning another hit from her mother. "Kay? Khara te boltey! (What? It's the truth!)"

"Tari nahi bolaycha asa apan. (Still, we shouldn't talk about it.)" Her mother said when their bell rang continuously and booming sound hit their ears.

"Sakhu! Darwaja ughad!" Her mother's face fell as she rushed to open the door while Rumi squeezed her eyes shut trying to keep herself calm. "Kiti vel lagto. (How long does it takes.)" He scolded in slurred words as he walked in stumbling. Rumi picked up unpacked grocery bags and walked inside knowing well he would have something to say about it. "What is all this?" She heard him ask. Before there was sound something crashing. "What are you doing?!" Her mother screamed, Rumi quickly rushed outside to see her father pushing the grocery off the dining table down. "Why are throwing them? If you want to sit, go sit on sofa!" Her argued picking up the thrown grocery. "Why is it placed here in the first place?!" Her father screamed back. "Jevha baghu tevha nusta pasara kela asato. (Whenever I see there is always some mess.)" He added stumbling down on the chair.

Rumi kept quiet and cleared the table. "Aye glass aan chal majha. (Bring me my glass.)" He said looking at her. Rumi stared at him for few seconds before choosing to quietly walk inside. "Glass aan!" He screamed. "Don't scream." Her mother scolded. "Don't smoke in here." She said snatching the cigarette pack off his hand. Her glared at her in anger. "Give it back." He warned.

"No, I won't." Her mother refused. "I've told you numerous times, I'll have you do anything but smoking in this house."

"What?" He snorted. "I've been living to y'all accords all this time! Working hard all my life putting food on your plates and now that I've retired and want to live according to my wishes yet here you are dictating my life again!"