a vase of bones

}~a deal for panju mittai~{

"ayya , i- i- i am not sure , i really remember keeping it inside the table, one minute it was there and-,"

"APPIDIYA APROM ENNACHU , DID IT VANISH??"

"illainga ayya,oru nimisham-,"

"ORU PORUPU KUDA ILLA-,"

"ayya na-,"

"ORU VELLA PANNA VAKKU ILLLA-,"

"ayya, ippidi pesaadheenga, trust me please believe me please , i would never-,"

"OHO YOU WANT ME TO BELIEVE YOU IS IT?DO YOU HAVE ANY CLUE HOW IMPORTANT THAT DOCUMENT IS TO ME?"

"theriyum ayya, somehow i will-,"

"ENNAYA EDHITHU PESADHA!!
IF YOU ARENT ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF ONE DOCUMENT, HOW WILL YOU EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR ESTEEMED FAMLY BUISSNESS AFTER ME??"

my elder brother, veerathevan, as they had named him, put his head down in shame
and humiliation.

AHHHHHHH.

could I begin to explain the contentment in my heart right now? no.

the fulfillment on seeing anna's eyes on the verge of tears as he lowered his eyebrows into a quizical frown?
no.

next to me, anbu, pulled the corner of my dress and we slowly giggled at this joyous and pleasurable occasion.

we were having breakfast in the
irandam kattu.

according to a very absurd famous family tradition, the men, children and elders of the household would finish eating and then the women, which I find deeply offending .

today the food tasted much more delicious than any other day though,

especially the pongal,
the mish mash of rice and lentils boiled together , seasoned with ghee, cashew nuts, pepper and cummin seeds, along
with some delicious sambhar,tasted heavenly.

as I pushed the cashew nuts to one corner of the silver plate since I did not like them cooked,
on the other hand the berating did not end.

hearing my father scream,
the other men of the house express hushed comments of disappointment,
and the ladies shooting looks of disgust at anna,
was almost music and art to my senses.

breakfast had never before truly been such an enjoyable affair.

then anna said he will go check again and walked towards the door with his head still down,

and suddenly he kept his hand on the polished stone pilllar and stood like a statue.

then he turned around and, looked straight at me
he raised both of his thick hefty eyebrows and his face was full of a frightening fury.

the déjà vu was hammering a kind of insecurity and fear all over my body
but I put on a brave face.

his eyes looked deep into mine as though a child trying to see the locked pack of sweets through the window display of a shop.

he knew.
he wouldn't be able to prove it
but he knew.

~•~

the previous evening,

"akka akka,
can we please get some panju mittai—,"

"anbu! how many times do I have to tell you?
I am saving my money to buy something—,"