Arylie FF: I'm Happy Here With You

thirteen ~ she will be loved

it's not always rainbows & butterflies

it's compromise that moves us along

my heart is full and my door's always open

you can come anytime you want

... ... ...

Imlie recounted the day's event one more time to Narmada and Arpita while sipping her favorite spicy tomato soup, exactly the thing that she'd wanted. Both her Kakima and Didi were ideal listeners, they showed similar levels of excitement at each retelling. And Imlie loved telling stories.

"True Imlie, you are something else," Arpita praised. "After everything Malini did to you, you still went ahead and helped her and her baby? I have never met anyone like you."

Imlie nodded, pleased with the praise, "what else was I supposed to do? I couldn't let her die, or the baby. Didi, you should have seen the baby! So beautiful! Oh, your brother was so mad at me when we were stuck."

"My brother is a nalayak bhainsa. Always mad about something or another."

"I couldn't have done it without his help though, he did all the heavy lifting, literally," Imlie giggled and Arpita joined in. "Bet he loved that, no?"

Imlie saw Dolly hand Narmada a folded shawl and couldn't help but shiver. Despite the warm soup, she did feel a bit chilly. I should invest in warm clothes. She did have one red sweater that Aparna had made for her but she didn't want to wear it. Because, well, reasons. She rubbed her feet together.

She was surprised when Narmada wrapped that heavy maroon Kashmiri threadwork shawl around her. "I noticed that you have been shivering for such a long time," she reprimanded slightly. "Why don't you ever ask for things you need, beta?"

"Kakima, why should I ask, I get everything without asking. See, I was craving this soup and this is what Mohan Bhaiya made today. Sita Maiyaa always takes care of me."

"Really? I thought you asked him to make it, Mohan was saying that he got a call," Narmada mused.

"What, no, I didn't," Imlie replied. She was busy heaping chips in the soup, so she missed Narmada and Arpita sharing a glance and smile. It was almost funny how much she liked to eat this, when she'd shared this to her Amma, she had teased her - Imliya tu din din firangi bante ja rahe ho...silly Amma.

It hit her two minutes later.

Mohan said he got a call and she never called him.

Of course.

She must have whined about it to ABP during their wait in the hospital and he made sure she would have it. Sometimes he was too much. She looked up towards the second floor corridor even though his room was not visible from here. The day has pushed his limits. He'd gone straight to his room and didn't come out once. He'd asked for his dinner in his room.

Probably catching up on the day's missed work. Or doing some kind of pink shirt burning ritual. Who knows. Pity. She liked the pink t-shirt. The glitter was too much but she thought he did rather carry the color well. The thought made her flush.

"See Imlie," Narmada interrupted her thoughts, "now that you are warm, color is coming back to your face. You were looking so pale earlier."

Ah, bless Kakima's innocent heart.