A step beyond the line

13. In the straggle of time..

Bubbles are you in there?? " Muradh asked for the umpteenth time glaring at the washroom door.. he was lying on the bed,awkwardly   with his head resting on his arms and legs on top of the other..

When he failed to get a response back, he sighed slumping his shoulders and took a deep breathe, readying himself for a massive shout once more when two pair of eyes meekly peeped through the wide open door to the room..

Turning his attention to the timid visitors he grinned..

"Hello amigos" he called out..

"Naana(elder brother) the eldest of the two, a girl about ten started in a shy tone..

"yess thangachi..(younger sister) he replied matching her tone, gently teasing her, she turned beetroot red and grinned.

"ummi wants you-" the boy interceded  while Imani came out towel drying her hair..

"Shifa, Omer.. hey fellows.." she greeted..

"Big dathi, Big dathi,.." Shifa literally jumped to Imani..
" Ummi told you and naana to come to dinner" little Omer finished with a toothy grin..

"Omer, buddy is this your big dathi?" he pointed Imani, confused ..

"yes, she is our big dathi.." Shifa replied indignantly ..

"So biiiiiiigggggg dathi is it.." sooo biiiiggggg I see.." he smirked at her her scanning her from top to bottom, only to receive a glare in his way..

"yeah she is.. but she gets angry and scolds you when you do addition wrong.." Omer warned him..

"yikes, she does? so I gotta be careful with her big guy? he asked carrying Omer for which the boy nodded, contented at making his point..

" so violent are we bubbles.. please don't scold me, I will do addition, subtraction,multiplication even trigonometry right.." he pleaded dramatically on the way to the dinning hall, making the kids giggle..

Muradh had brought Imani, to Kandy to visit her granny and they were staying at her Grandma's place.. Ilham uncle and his youngest sister Nazreen aunty lives with her in their big traditional home while her other aunts lived near by.. Shifa and Omer were Nazreen aunt's kids while her elder daughter was still at work..

"Putha..did they trouble you? Her granny asked when she saw Omer in his hands and Shifa tagging along laughing..

"No ummi..they are fabulous.. ", he replied cheerfully setting them down and pulling a chair for Imani beside her granny and seating himself opposite to her..

"They were actually a comfort to me while your bigggg grand daughter rarely speaks ummi.."he complained dramatically winking ..

"He is being Dramatic ummi.. he cant stop talking.." Imani countered back..

"Me? I'm the one who is being dramatic? This is called socializing, I better go pull all my teeth before I get you to speak about 10 whole sentences.." he sighed..

"It would be better if you had considered a career in pulling teeth Muradh.." Imani flared at him..

"It would have been even more better if you did your bachelors in silenc-ology instead of psychology bubbles.." he replied and guffawed at his own joke with Ummi and the kids while Nazreen aunty smiled listening to them..

"You're unbelievable Muradh.." Imani glared at him and turned her attention to the food..

"Oooooohhhh idiyappam(string hoppers) my favourite.." Imani cooed "and you've made coconut sambal too ummi.. I Love you.."she spoke excitedly hugging her..