I Got Breastfed Again

065 The mirror family

The following day was Palm Sunday.

The easter and summer holidays always coincided. So we spent almost all our easter with chachan in my previous life too. Chachan's biological kids also joined us. So it would get really crowded and noisy by easter.

In the morning, we went to church. Anuchi sat with mom in the church. Pichu and Piya were my responsibility. But it was only a sham. In truth, Appa was keeping a strict watch on all of us.

On Palm Sunday, in our place, we use tender leaves of coconut. At first, the priest blessed it. Then it was distributed to the worshipers. Seeing the little fellows holding the white coconut leaves seriously was a cute sight.

After distributing the leaves, the priest started his speech. Pichu, Piya and I were sitting in the first row in the church.

Halfway through the speech, the priest started looking at us.

I didn't know what was the issue.

I looked around to see what was wrong.

My search stopped at Pichu. He was gnawing on the leaf!

"What are you doing?" I smacked him on the back of his head.

"Eating." He replied and took another bite of the leaf. Half the leaf was already eaten by the senseless fellow.

"Why are you eating it?" I asked while rescuing the rest of the poor leaf from him.

"Piya told Pichu."

I looked at Piya. She was covering her mouth with both her hands and struggling not to laugh. She's only three years old and she's already making troubles just like her elder sister. I wanted to punch some sense into her. But didn't have the courage. She's a bit scary.

"Pichu, it is not for eating. Just hold it." I returned the leaf to him.

"But... Appa - amma always eat."

"That's 'bread and wine'. Not coconut leaf. Stop eating it." I didn't know what to do with this dumb guy.

"Mmm." He agreed and started picking his tooth.

"Hmm? What happened?" After the mass, mom asked after seeing the half-eaten leaf.

"Pichu ate it," Pichu answered.

"Why?"

"Because Piya said..." He continued answering mom in his own broken words. Mom understood his language. So I didn't have to explain.

There were many people who were curious about the leaf with half of it gone.

Mom had an extra headache explaining to all of them. Other than that, it was a fine day till the evening.

In the evening, more people joined our family.

It was chachan's youngest son, Peter and his family.

I checked them out.

Peter uncle was someone of the same age as Appa. His face was neatly shaved. There wasn't even a single crease on his shirt. There was an impeccable smile on his face. He was polite and handsome. His wife was also perfect. She was wearing a black saree. As for their kids, they had four. They also brought an elegant looking cat.

The eldest one was a girl named Anita who was the same age as Anuchi. The second one was a boy of my age. His name was Aloshi and the last two were twins the same age as Pichu and Piya.

It was as if they were a mirror family of ours. I met them last year also. But I didn't notice this similarity.

"Kariacha... Would you please help me with the bags?" Peter uncle asked dad politely.