Boss-y Boyfriend

7 - Surprise

"Oh look, goddess Neena is finally awake."

I halted at the voice of my mother who was standing beside the dining table.

"Good morning to you too." I said with a yawn and took a seat.

"Morning?" She snapped. "It's afternoon. Look at the time, it's nearly twelve."

I glanced towards the clock across the wall and rolled my eyes. "It's not even ten yet."

"And ten is morning?" She asked incredulously. "Hmph. I used to wake up at four when I was of your age." She fixed me with a disapproving look. "And everyday I walked 5km to fetch water, sometimes absent myself from school to help my parents."

That was probably the nth time I was hearing this story. But it never gets old. Not for my mother.

"So you want me to walk 5 km to fetch water?"

She gives me a dead-panned glare and scolded profusely. "Look at you, taking everything for granted."

Ignoring her heartwarming morning welcome, I made a move to open the lid of the case but Mom swatted my hand away.

"What?" I asked defensively.

Her eyes looked me up and down, as her face twisted in distaste. "Go, take a bath and then eat."

"Baad mai (Laters). I've brushed my teeth, let me eat, I'm so hungry."

"Neena."

"Mom."

"Neena."

"Dad." My eyes shifted squarely on my father who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

He glanced at his watch. "How are you up so early? It's not even 11 yet."

"It's Saturday." I said as Dad took a seat across from me. Hasn't he already eaten?

"And tomorrow is Sunday. What else is new?" Mother chided.

"Exactly, it's nothing new. Saturday and Sunday are the only days I get off the work, only two days I actually get some real sleep. So, cut me some slack, okay?" Finishing my rant, I get my fingers on a paratha and started stuffing my mouth, all the while ignoring my mother's eyes.

The soft, tasty filling of potatoes flavoured with peppy, savoury spices in the paratha almost melted in my mouth. So good!

I was constantly amazed by my mother's expertism in the art of Indian cuisine. It was a piece of cake for her... or well, so it seemed to me.

"Neena." Dad began, a bit sternly.

Oh, I knew that tone.

"Hm?" I stayed indifferent.

"How was your meeting with Aarav?"

Wonderful! Considering, I didn't even meet him.

Yesterday, when I was at work, Dad had called me to persuade in meeting this Aarav guy. I was really pissed at Dad for disturbing me during working hours just to meet one of these 'potential suitors' and even more so at his lame reasoning, which was-

"He's near your office."

"Dad, I am at work, I can't meet him." I had tried to deflect him.

"You can meet him during the lunch hour." He had suggested making me rack my brain for a quick excuse, which was. "I don't even know what he looks like."

Intelligent? I know, right!

"Don't worry about that, I'll email you his marriage profile."

Marriage Profile? The urge to bang my head against the wall was boisterous.