THE BROKEN ROAD! (Arshi)

CHAPTER 10

"Arnav, if you are done swiping, rearrange the shelf's," says Uncle Rajyashree.

"Yes."

Apart from running errands, I also help out inside: cleaning, ironing, taking customers' measurements, and so forth.

It's Sunday morning. I'm at work, on my birthday.

Half-way done,  cleaning the basic cube, my mind drifts to last year's birthday celebration.

Ma, following her routine, gently flung my bedroom open, at the break of dawn. I stood guard, controlling my breathing, in the dark, at an arm away from the door frame, waiting for my prey. Ma fitted in a pale pink chikankari kurtis tiptoed inside clutching a round-shaped chocolate cake and a torch. There were no candles on the cake, because she was always afraid I might burn down the house; they only made their presence in front of a crowd. As she moved further inside, I pumped my mouth with air and pressed my lips tightly together, getting ready to do my newest trick; the elephant trumpet.

Phfnnnn.

She spun while throwing her hands up. The cake came rolling down, landing on her head, leaving me in laughter.

"Aadaab Arz hai(hello.)Ma," I said, shutting the door and switching on the lights.

"Chote!" She suddenly moved, coursing the cake to slide down her long black hair, which was braided in fishtail-style. I broke into another laugh. The noise woke Di up, and she joined in with giggles. She stripped off the red duvet and limped towards us.

When Di's giggles decreased, she laid her head on Ma's chest. "Ma, your hair looks extraordinary in two colours. "

"Shut up." Ma playfully pushed Di on her forward. "What are you doing in Chote's room, anyway?"

"Oh, Ma," said Di bending down to pick up pieces of cake off the floor. "Chote, I think the cake has covered Ma's memory." She stuffed a piece of cake in her mouth. "Let me remind you of an unwritten, old tradition which Chote and I made; we will always be the first to wish one another our birthdays. To accomplish that, we need to sleep in each others' rooms, on the birthday eve."

Ma sighed: "Chote, this is not fair. You ruined my surprise once again. I had planned this surprise perfectly; I got rid of my bangles and ankles, then how did your sharp mind guessed it was me."

"Simple. Highlight the words, sharp mind," I said, lifting the collars of my pijama's top "Ma, there is vital information your mind ignored."

"Eh..."

"Ma, what chote means is, Like every year, you wish us at the hour we were born. On Chote's birthday, you wish him at four O'clock in the morning. As usual, you might have stepped into this room at exactly three-fifty." She transfixed her gaze at the clock. "Hurry," she cried in alarm, " it is four O'clock now; the auspicious time is passing." Ma smiled brightly while her eyes brimmed with tears. Her cold hands cuddled my cheeks:

"Happy Birthday, Chote. My biggest desires for you are: that you grow in Wisdom, and may this life always favour you, my love. Stay this naughty. Nooo, change a bit, or else you'll give your father and me a heart attack one day. "

"How sweet, Ma! Chote, before you change, can you play the same prank on everyone in the house, especially Dadi. I'd like to see something."

"ANJALI! Don't encourage him, and for goodness sake, stop eating that dirty cake."

"What do you want me to do... Chote, I think Ma is fond of her new look. How about we make it permanent?"

"You naughty children!" We capered around the room with Ma behind us with a slipper in hand.