Words Unsaid

Chapter 6

"Bas Nani....I'm full..." Mahi squealed as Garima placed another paratha on her plate. Buaji cried, "Hay re Nandikis****, you just had one paratha....have more bacchii! You are thin as a stick!"

"Nahi...I want to be thin like mamma...." Mahi said cutely and Shashi laughed and patted her head, "Your mamma eats like an elephant!"

"And still she is thin! How?" Mahi asked with her finger on chin as she appeared like thinking.

Khushi laughed and tore a piece of paratha. Dipping it in curry, she forwarded it to Mahi who ate it. Manav smiled at the mother-daughter and continued his breakfast.

"Mamma, today its bhaiyya's football match. You're coming right?" Mahi asked.

"Of course!" Khushi said.

"Waise Manav, jiji called yesterday. Riya is coming home!" Khushi said.

"Riya? WOW, that's awesome! It's been three months we had met!" Manav cried. "Ha, she will reach by 5.30!" Mahi said, "Maasi promised me that we all would go for shopping tomorrow!"

Manav smiled and said, "I was missing her like hell! My partner in crime – Riya!" he said in the mention of his 13 year old cousin, Riya.

"Manav, Mahi, have breakfast!" Anjali called.

"Arrey nahi bua..." Mahi squealed, "Nani fed us so much that my tummy is full!" she patted her stomach.

Manav said, "Mahi go and wear your uniform. We have to leave for school!" Mahi nodded and ran to her room.

Manav joined the breakfast table where everyone was seated. He looked at Arnav who was silently having his toast. Payal was about to serve Manav a paratha when he said, "Nahi maasi, I'm full. I'll have juice!"

Payal smiled and gave him a glass of orange juice.

It was then Akash spoke up, "Manav, Riya is coming home. You know that right?"

"Yep! I'll come here after the football match!" Manav said.

"Arrey ha, it's your match today? I completely forgot about it! We'll are coming!" Anjali said happily, "We want to see you win!"

Manav smiled and looked at Arnav.

Clearing his throat, he asked, "Dad, you're coming right?"

Arnav looked up from the toast and nodded.

Manav smiled and had the juice.

"So what's the plan? How many days vacation is it for Riya?" Manav asked.

"Two weeks. They have some fest there in Calcutta and many students of her school are taking part. So it's holidays for non-participants!" Payal said.

"WOW, that's great" Manav cried.

"I hope the girl doesn't bring any trouble along with her!" Akash said sighing, "She is such a disobedient girl!"

"Ha Akash," Payal said, "I hope she is well!"

Manav sighed. Riya had always been a rebel! But she wasn't disobedient. It's just that she had her own rules for life and elders just couldn't accept that. Sending her to boarding school at Calcutta had just that intention – to set her right!

KKGSR Dabba Service office, New Delhi

Khushi was instructing her employees about the orders they had got when Payal came into her office. Sending her employees, Khushi turned to her. "Kya huva jiji?"