Down With Love

Chapter 6

When I say the breakfast was a spread, I mean it was A SPREAD.

The dining table was laden with food. Variety of parathas, achaars, jars of juices and milk and water, mashed potatoes, karela, oats both sweet and masala, soft chapatis, upma, pbjs, a few more veggies I paid no attention to because I saw dosa. The love of my life.

And I am sure everyone saw my mouth hanging open when Sam brought plate of idli and a bowl of sambar. This 'breakfast' could be my next week's frozen ration.

I helped Naina aunty, Sam's mum, serve the food, even though she insisted I sit. Which I could've if Rach had offered to help, but no, she was busy stuffing her face with MY DOSA.

I looked around quickly and slapped her arm.

"Hands off my dosa. Now!"

She giggled and moved away. She was shameless.

Elena was walking around offering fruit salad when Maya, one of Rach's twin nieces collided with her. Elena shoveled the plate towards me and righted herself, huffing a laugh.

Watching her, Maya started laughing and her mum, Silvia scolded her but she was also laughing and then everyone was laughing, throwing Maya mock angry stares.

A hand sneaked around me towards the plate and I almost dropped it.

Startled I turned around, towards a grimacing Alex.

"Hehe. Sorry." And then he took the plate and emptied the remaining salad in his cereal bowl. Only he could think of eating cereals while others ate buttery chapatis.

"Oh, it's alright. I get startled easily. Though I would appreciate a warning next time."

The family moved around to settle. I loved how nobody fought over destined seats, they just sat wherever they found place.

Alex snagged his one year old nephew Sunny out of his sister's arms and held him as Rochelle fixed a plate for the elders.

Did I mention the number of family members freaked me out?

So like grandpa Clarke and his wife Jenny had four sons.

Then the sons married and then their kid's got married and had kids. To sum up I was witnessing four generations of the Dalton family. Scratch that. It was a clan, all living under the same roof.

The new addition included Elena's long term boyfriend Diego, Laksh's fiancée Rebecca and Alex's girlfriend Eva.

I did a little mental math. Thirty.

I was surrounded by thirty Daltons.

"Twenty nine." Naina aunty corrected.

Did I saw that out loud. My face got hot with embarrassment.

"Twenty nine?" I questioned.

"Denver is not home." Her face scrunched up. She was missing her husband.

Uncle Denver was the oldest among the four brothers and usually had to leave for business trips.

Aunt Ruth, Alex's mum steered me towards a chair. I was about to protest when a plate of dosa was handed to me. That shut me up real quick.

I was going through my second dosa when I saw uncle Jarvis, Rach's dad looking for space to sit. I shot up for my seat and motion for him to come over.

He shook his head. I shook mine.

He knows there is no point of arguing with me. I won't settle until he sits in the chair. There is no way I would sit on the chair while he sits on the rug.

Before I can say anything, Luke is there, offering his chair and I almost swoon. Almost. Okay I did a little. Respecting elder is high on my priority list and then he goes doing stuff like this. Prove of his good upbringing.

Aunt Naina asks me about the journey. She is also a Rajasthani so she understands my mixed feelings about Delhi.

The men offer to clean up after the breakfast. I'm not complaining. I can barely move. I'm stuffed. STUFFED.

Monica glances at me and sighs.

"Oh, you must be so tired." She mocks me. Yes I'm a sleep person and even though I slept the whole night, I'm feeling sleepy. Big deal.

I stick out my tongue at her. No I'm not childish. I only do that around people I feel comfortable around.

Half an hour later, I find myself in the clutches of Lindsey, Alex's eighteen year old sister. Lindsey was the quidnunc. I mean, even I like gossiping but Lin, she was THE QUIDNUNC. And currently she had her eyes on me.

I swallow.

"So you are telling me that you don't have any crush? That is a physical impossibly." She says griping my arm.

"Come on Ad, don't be shy." Rochelle poked me.

I glared at her. I didn't need her to encourage Lin.

"Seriously. I really don't have a crush." I have a tiny crush on this certain guy, but I'm not telling them that.

Rochelle pokes me again.

"Lies. Look at me in the yes and say you don't have a crush."

I stare at her. Her lips twitch. That makes me smile.

"She's smiling! Tell me about the lover boy this instance." Monica demands.

"I'm not lying!" But I laugh.

My phone rings and Lin pounces on it.

"Look who is calling. LG? Lover guy? Its lover boy Ad." She says.

I swipe for my phone. She better not answer it.

"Its him, isn't it?"

Tired, I nod. It's not. But whatever gets me my phone back.

Wrong move.

Lindsey jumps from the couch and I run after her.

"Ad has a boyfriend!" She screams as she runs through the door.

"Lindsey! Shut up! And give me my phone back. Please." I had zero tolerance when it came to my phone. It was my baby.

"Uhh. You had to use that word. Can't even tease without feeling guilty." She hands me my phone.

I breathe a sigh of relief and look at the screen.

I turn around and there he is. His phone by his ear.

I end the call and Luke lowers his phone.

"Boyfriend huh?"

Shit.

********************

Vote and comment.

Love,

MJ