Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 37 - August

Alex

The three of us and Poonam auntie were working at the workshop. Poonam auntie had come to New York because she missed Tarun cha cha and she'd gotten tired of him being away so often.

Everyone was working quietly; Poonam auntie had cooked and brought us dinner. I think the delicious homemade food had us in a food coma.

Auntie started humming a tune, I looked up at her. She was maybe in her fifties, but auntie still looked beautiful and she didn't fit the stereotype of the nagging older Indian auntie.

I smiled, my guess she was in a good mood since she was in the same town as cha cha. They never were able to have children of their own so Arjun and I were her surrogate sons. Arjun and I also thought of cha cha and auntie as our second set of parents. If anything, sometimes it felt like it was easier to speak to them than my own parents.

Because they didn't have their own children and cha cha had done well for himself, they supported several orphanages and causes related to children. Poonam auntie had made it a point to make sure the kids of all of her staff went to school and received an education. Auntie always carried a positive attitude; she said had she had her own children she probably wouldn't be this involved in children's causes. And that her being barren was a blessing.

Auntie caught me looking at her and smiled back. "You okay? Or do you need some chai?"

"No auntie, I'm good."

"Because I have some chai in a thermos if you need some," auntie said as she pulled a thermos out of her food bag.

"Poonam, you need to stop spoiling Amar like this. If you keep feeding him and granting his every wish he will never get married. It's his future wife's job to do this, not yours!" Tarun cha cha grumpily interrupted us.

"Are you jealous Tarun? If so, don't worry I brought enough chai for everyone. Anjali beti, do you need some?" Auntie asked as she ran her hand down Anjali's back.

"No auntie, thank you though. If I drink chai at this hour I will never go to sleep."

"Fine, if all of you are going to be shy, I will have some," auntie said laughing as she poured herself a cup.

"I never said no to chai," Tarun cha cha whined.

Even after all of these years they still seemed to be so in love with each other. They teased each other but in reality they were in love. Neither of them liked spending time apart from each other. Half the time Tarun cha cha was grumpy I would attribute it to auntie not being in New York.

Auntie smiled at cha cha and poured him a large mug filled with steaming chai.

"Tarun did you give the kids their tickets?"

"Poonam they're in the top drawer can you give the tickets to them."

"Anjali beti make sure you bring Raj I still haven't met him. And Amar beta make sure Anna comes too. Since it's a classical music concert language shouldn't be a problem."

"Yes do bring Raj, even I haven't met him yet," Tarun cha cha added, "and I've asked Arjun to bring Kavita, hope that's not a problem for either of you?"

Anjali and I both looked at Tarun cha cha, "No why would it be a problem?"

"Anjali do you think Katherine and Andrew would like to come? I think they'd love it especially since it's mainly classical music so they can appreciate it without speaking Hindi. Plus, Tarun Jewelers is the main sponsor so they'll have amazing seats."