A collection of very short

Unsurprising

"Unsurprising," Olivia concluded. She got up and left the family dinner table.

"Honey why don't you stay with us please," Neela asked with a gentle, yet firm, tone.

Olivia stopped in her tracks and looked back.

"You have said everything already, no?" She asked. "We are going to be just like all the other kids now."

"We were special," Pat echoed in his childly naive voice.

Neela and Aastha looked at one another. This was the first they heard of such talk. They had an inkling of what it would be about.

"See there is a lot to discuss," Neela insisted. "Please join us back at the table Liv. And explain to us what you mean. Are you and your brother in sync on this?"

Olivia walked back to the table, chin held up high She thrived on being the center of the attention. She took her time, installing herself on her height-adjusted children's chair.

"What's going on?" Aastha asked, her previously shed tears drying on her cheek along her spoilt mascara.

"Well how can we be special when you are getting divorced?" Olivia asked.

"What do you mean by special honey?" Aastha asked back. "Please explain to us." Aastha took Neela's hand but was brushed off.

"Well we were the only children with two mothers in the whole school." Neela and Aastha looked at each other and smiled, slightly uncomfortable.

"We asked everyone," Pat confirmed.

"Now we will be just like everyone else, with alternating single parents picking us up at school. It was nice having people ask us questions about our family. They kept asking who was our father." Both Pat and Olivia giggled. "We were famous."

"Is that all you worry about?" Aastha asked surprised.

"What else?" Olivia asked. She placed her elbow on the table, her head on her open palm and stared at her mothers dramatically.

"Nothing else honey," Neela concluded. "You guys go get ready to sleep. We will clean up the dishes tonight."

"Really?" Pat asked. He didn't wait for a confirmation, jumping off his chair and rushing to his room on his two short stubby legs.

"Hold on Liv," Aastha said as Olivia was about to leave as well.

"What did I do wrong now? I'm always the one that has to clean the dishes," she complained.

Both Neela and Olivia were looking at Aastha expectingly.

"Why did you say unsurprising when we told you about the divorce?" Aastha asked, still lingering on her daughter's words.

"Well you have been fighting a lot. Isn't that how it happens? You fight a lot, you divorce and then we get four parents. Rudy told me all about it. His parents are also divorcing and now he gets to live in two houses at the same time. It's awesome. He is having a blast. He told me his dad got a new girlfriend and they have a swimming pool now."

To the surprise of both her mothers, Olivia seemed to genuinely look forward to the divorce.

"Fine, You're free to go," Aastha declared.

Without waiting Olivia rushed off as well. She was happy to be let off the hook for the dishes.

Neela got up and picked up a plate, then another. Aastha remained at her seat, deep in thoughts. Neela paused and looked at her.

"What's up?"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Aastha asked.

"What are you thinking?"

"We can't divorce," she declared.

"Why not this time?" Neela asked irritated, taking a defensive tone. "Liv seems just fine. It barely phased her. We thought the announcement would be devastating for them. It wasn't."

"Exactly, it was much worse," Aastha exclaimed. "They are not ready. They have no idea what's going to happen to them. They think this is some glorious thing. Did you see how Liv's eyes lit up? And all she is worried about is the fact that she won't be famous at school anymore. We need to make sure they are ready before we do this."

"And what do you propose we do?" Neela asked. "We've been postponing this for months. We planned to break up a year ago almost. This can't go on forever. There is no way you can ready a child to the separation of their parents."

"We're fine as we are no?" Aastha asked, her tone suddenly affectionate. "We made arrangements long ago, we're doing fine."

"This is unbelievable," Neela protested, her voice rising as she spoke. She knew exactly where the conversation was heading and she didn't like it one bit. "It's not because you don't need affection that I don't need any either. If we don't divorce I can't move on. I can't sleep in the guest bedroom forever. That might work for you, stone cold as you are, but it doesn't work for me."

Aastha didn't bother replying. She got up and headed to main door. She put her shoes on, grabbed her coat, a pair of gloves and headed out.