Catastrophic Bliss (On Hold)

Chapter 9

"Alia! Come on, help me out!" Kate yelled. Alia slowly opened her bedroom door and peered out. Her mother was rushing about the apartment like a mad woman.

"Whats happening?" Alia asked sleepily.

"Whats happening? Whats happening?" Kate's voice rose in pitch. "Do you not remember what time of year it is?"

"Um...October?" Alia answered with a shrug.

"Diwali!" Kate exclaimed, straightening a cushion.

"But that's not till the end of this week?" Alia said. "And we don't even celebrate it."

"Do you not remember the news I told you a few months ago?" Kate asked.

"What news?" Alia asked, confused. Kate gave a sigh of exasperation and rolled her eyes.

"Does Gita ring a bell?" Kate said, brushing down the arm on the armchair. "How about Devansh? Rishi? Padma?"

"Oh...Oh!" It suddenly clicked. "Your cousin is coming!"

"And now she remembers!" Kate said, running a hand through her hair.

"Mum, the place looks fine," Alia said, sending a casual glance around the room.

"It has to be perfect," Kate said. "What if they don't like it?"

"It looks fine, mum." Alia assured her. "And so what if they don't like it? They're family, they probably don't care." She suddenly realised the lack of another person in the room. "Where's Mark?"

"He's gone to pick them up from the airport." Kate said.

"Can he fit them all in?"

"He's hired a minivan."

"So he can drive a minivan?"

"No, no!" Kate let out a little laugh. "He hired one to pick them up but he thought someone should go and greet them and since I was busy making this place look presentable, Mark offered to go." Kate looked about the room again. She turned on Alia like a switch had been flicked. "I hope your room is not in a state." She said. Alia took a step backwards, towards her room. "I want it cleaned and polished."

"They'll be here soon."

"Then I'll pretend you're getting ready."

"They're not even going to go in my room." Alia said. "They better not."

"Because it's a mess?"

"No, because I need some privacy and I don't want a bunch of strangers looking or being in it."

"They aren't strangers, they're family."

"Family I don't know. Alia reminded her. Look, I'll keep my door shut and they won't ever have to know what sort of mess it's in." Kate frowned. "Not that it's in a mess." Alia added hurriedly.

"Fine." Kate turned back to the kitchen. "Go make yourself presentable."

"What's wrong with this?" Kate turned her head and glanced at Alia's clothing choice.

"A hoodie and leggings? I don't think so."

"But they're probably not going to be bothered by how I dress!" Alia complained. "They'll be too tired!"

"They will notice, I am sure! Now, go change!" Kate ordered. With a sigh, Alia complied and disappeared back in her room.

She was dragged out ten minutes later by her mother who was nervously scanning every inch of the apartment she could see from the living room area. "Mark told me they're almost here." Kate said nervously.