Love you more

44: I hate rich spoiled brats.

"Paati, I have removed weeds from the garden" I said.

"I hope you didn't forget to pluck tender coconut."

"I didn't forget, but you never mentioned it."

"Are you pretending that I didn't tell you so you could cut slack?" paati asked, giving me a sly smile.

"No, you are just growing forgetful."

"Are you calling me old?"

I liked paati, I never knew her name. Everyone of my age called her paati and others referred to her as 'periya veetu' amma (Periya veedu translates to the big house).

Paati was one of few people who understood that I didn't like or need others' pity. Pathetic as it may seem for beggars to have self-esteem, she understood that it was all that was left. Instead of giving us free money, she gave us work and paid more. Some days she would give us food pretending it to be leftovers.

"How many coconut's do you want?"

"My granddaughter Ananya is coming from Canada. I want you to come every day and cut two or three tender coconuts for her."

I have never met her granddaughter. I hated rich children by principle. They are usually spoiled brats.

"I also want you to clean the room upstairs after that, don't pretend I didn't tell you later."

I came the next day to cut tender coconut. A large black car was parked in front of paati's house. Only rich people owned cars, even paati didn't own one. She owns half the village.

Like every man I too liked cars, but I couldn't afford the time or resources to pursue my wishes. Just one look at that car was enough to know that you have to be filthy rich to buy it.

I walked around the house heading to the backdoor, I retrieved the machete and started slicing tender coconut. I heard people talking inside.

"Mom, I look hideous in this cloth," a voice complained. I assumed it was the infamous Ananya.

"You look lovely, Anu," I heard Paati say.

"I can't believe we missed my bag in Chennai, I definitely remember handing it to the driver."

"It's just for a few days, Anu, you should make do with Shivani's old clothes," her mom answered patronizingly.

"I don't like to wear other people's clothes," Ananya grumbled.

I rolled my eyes, all my life I have been wearing nothing but cast-offs. I have never owned anything new in my life as far as I could remember. Here this brat was complaining and blaming the driver.

"I think it's Sai's doing. Wait till I get back at him," she continued savagely.

"Paati," I called.

"Senthil, yes give it to me," paati took the cut tender coconut and walked in.

"Can I get a straw?" Ananya asked.

Get off your high shoes I wanted to complain, what a spoilt brat!

"Wait, I will transfer it to a cup," said paati.

Then she walked into the kitchen. My body froze, my breath stopped. My world tipped. It was my angel. For the past four years I have been looking for her in vain. Here she was, finally.

I always remembered her as the most beautiful girl, but my memory didn't do justice to her. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Paati transferred the tender coconut water to a cup and handed it to her. She sipped from the cup as her gaze found mine. She smiled at me politely.

Heat spread throughout my body. She was tall and had muscles in all the right places. There was a small peek of a woman she would later grow into. I fell in love with her again.

"I look hideous, don't I?" she asked.

"No!" I said in a rush

Her look meant she didn't believe me. That was when I noticed what she was wearing. It was several times larger for her frame, the top almost reached her toes and she had rolled the pants several times.

If you have to put finer points on it, her dress did look hideous but she didn't. She was absolutely gorgeous.