Time-Bound

Chapter 21

Dakshinayan restaurant,

Mumbai,

Maharashtra, India.

The Johnsons arrived at the restaurant and thanked the driver for the wonderful ride.

They walked in and sat at a table close to the door. 

A waiter walked close to them and smiled.

“Kia jaiye?” What do you want?

Anthony chuckled. “I suppose that would mean what we want right? Let's just see the menu.”

“Menu?” The waiter points at the table.

“Ahh! I see. We'd get back to you.” Anthony smiled.

The waiter looked at him.

Anthony looked up. “You're still here? go.”

The waiter still stood there looking.

Anthony gestured with his hand for the waiter to come back later and he left.

“Now, let's see what we have here. What would you guys like?” Anthony asked.

“Do they have parathas?” Mercy asked.

“Hmm. How come you know their food without even looking at the menu?” Anthony asked.

“She watches...” Victoria said.

“I'm not talking to you.” Anthony snapped.

“So like we were saying, I see these things in movies.” Mercy said.

“Okay good. Let's check for something delicious and then we can consider your parathas.” Anthony smiled.

“Okay.” Mercy nodded.

Anthony looked through the menu for a while and sighed. “I think we'd go with parathas and this stuff that looks like oats. Kir.”

“C-C-C-Can I have co-co-co-coffee?” Brenda asked.

“I'm not sure about that until we ask the doctor or do some research ourselves. But you can have tea, is that fine?” Anthony said.

Brenda nodded.

“Hold on a sec, Is it me or did her stammering actually seem worse?” Mercy asked.

“I think I noticed it too.” Victoria said.

Mercy ignored her. “So Daddy, Did you observe it?”

“I didn't really pay attention to it but replaying it in my head, It sounds different from normal.” Anthony said.

“Exactly.” Mercy looked at Brenda.

“Are you okay?” Anthony, Victoria and Mercy asked.

Brenda laughed. “Y-Y-Yes. So much love f-f-for me in this fa-fa-family.”

“I don't think she is. We'll have to see the doctor.” Victoria said.

“But that will wait till the sixteenth.” Anthony said.

“Oh. So you can talk to me now?” Victoria asked.

Anthony ignored her. “Waiter! Waiter!!”

The waiter rushed to their table. “Kia jaiye?” What do you want?

“Please don't speak hindi after this.” Anthony sighed. “Get all of us parathas and kir with tea too.”

“Parathas, kir aur tea. Thaek he.” Parathas, kir and tea. Okay.

“Or tea? I said he should bring tea too.” Anthony said.

“What if he meant kir and tea? You know their English isn't that good here.” Mercy said.

“That's true but...” Anthony said.

Two waiters arrived at their table with their food.

“There's tea?” Anthony was surprised.

“Ahh! You no want tea?” The other waiter asked.

“You speak English, very good.” Anthony said.

“He said Parathas, kir or tea before leaving so we...” Mercy said.

“Ooh. He speak Hindi. Aur mean And in Hindi.” The other waiter said.

“Oh okay. Thanks for the meal.” Anthony smiled at them and they left.

“Wow Dad, these parathas taste so good.” Mercy said.

“Stop calling it parathas, it seems pancake to me.” Victoria said.

“You should have said the word pancake to them and let’s see if they’d actually have pancake for you.” Mercy said.

Brenda smiled. “T-T-Tea is so g-g-good.”

“I know. Their food is nice.” Mercy smiled.

“Except this oat. It seems as though they dipped mashed rice inside milk.” Victoria hissed.

“Always finding fault in everything.” Anthony shook his head.

“L-L-Let's enjoy our meal b-b-before it gets c-c-c-cold.” Brenda said.

“Yes, of course. I'm already enjoying it.” Mercy smiled.

They enjoyed their food in silence and didn't say anything neither to themselves nor to Victoria.