079 Ring

I had lunch with Jeemma. I ate more than half of her lunchbox. She just sat there and watched me eat. According to her, watching me eat so well was enough to fill her stomach. After lunch, I fell asleep on the couch in her office.

"To think that I will live long enough to see you taking care of his son..." I was woken up by someone talking to Jeemma. I was facing the wall, so they didn't notice me waking up.

"Haha... You have many years remaining. Doesn't he look exactly like his father?" Jeemma asked.

"I haven't seen his father when he was this small. But he does resemble his father a lot. Except for his character. I heard that he almost extorted the interns." The man replied. I identified the person by his sound. It was the manager uncle from the bakery.

"Yes. I let him go free for a few minutes and when I found him, he was filling his pockets with chocolates." I could hear the love in her voice.

"Weren't they all too well-behaved? Why is he such a little rascal?" The uncle asked.

"He was spoiled by his elder sister," Jeemma answered.

I wasn't happy. Why is she blaming Anuchi for something I did?

"Isn't she just seven years old?"

"Yes. But she has pampered him from the days he was just a baby. She used to smuggle candles for him. She also fed him solid food even before his parents did. She used to bite meat into small pieces and feed him when he had only a few teeth. When he was in playschool, she and her friends used to smuggle sweets for their younger siblings..." Jeemma continued nonstop. I had to admit. She was right.

"You are also spoiling him." The manager answered.

"How can I not? He looks exactly like his father. You know what, a few days ago, he fought with his mother and wanted to leave home. He said he would come to my home. Can you believe it? This little rascal wanted to leave his home and come to mine. I am pretty sure that his mother hates me even more now."

"Now I understand why you wrote the bakery in his name." The manager answered.

I was shocked. I knew that Jeemma transferred half the ownership of her business to our Dad. But according to what he said just now, that was not the case with the bakery. I was the sole owner of it. It didn't make any sense.

"Why did you bring him here?" The manager asked.

"I was thinking of taking him home. But then I thought that he should be familiar with our businesses."

"Are you going to take him home?"

"No. He is still not mature enough to be away from his family for that long. He would start missing his home the moment he wakes up."

They continued talking. I didn't pay much attention to it.

In the evening, I had snacks with her. I also managed to extort her. She ended up buying me more sweets than the girls.

In the evening Jeemma dropped me at my home.

Before leaving, she made me promise that I would come to her home on Friday evening.

I went to my siblings after greeting Mom. The little ones were sleeping. Anuchi was not sleeping. She was searching for something. Her nose was red. She looked sad.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I... I lost the ring." Anuchi answered. About to cry.

"What ring?"

"Amma's ring."

"Wedding ring?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I... I put it on when we went to bath." Anuchi was almost sobbing. I facepalmed. I returned after having a relatively peaceful day with Jeemma. The moment I entered my home, I lost my peace.

Anuchi has a special liking for Mom's Jewels. Whenever she got a chance, she would put them on. Mom has no issues with that. But this time, Mom forgot to get the ring back from her and Anuchi lost it.

"Did you tell mom?" I asked.

"No. Don't. She will be disappointed." Anuchi didn't like the idea. I understood her. She can handle punishments. But she doesn't want to disappoint our parents. Usually, she would run to our parents the moment she messed up something. But this time, she wanted to solve it on her own.

"Where was it?"

"I kept it on the dining table."

I followed her to the dining table. Mom was sitting on the sofa reading something. Anuchi and I secretly checked the dining table and the surroundings. We couldn't find the ring anywhere.

"What are you two looking for?" Mom asked.

"Nothing." We both answered in unison and returned to our room.

"She has it!" I said the moment we entered our room.

"Who? Amma?" Anuchi asked.

"Yes. She is fake reading." I excitedly pointed out. This is something she does regularly. She would pretend that she was reading, while she would be keeping an eye on us.

"Why?"

"To scare you."

Anuchi fell into deep thoughts for a few seconds. Then her expression brightened. "Let's find the ring first."

"But where is it."

"I know where mom hides her stuff." Anuchi dragged me with her.

We crawled under the table to infiltrate the bedroom of our parents without Mom noticing it. Once inside, Anuchi went directly to the pillows. She checked under the pillow and the pillow cover.

"See..." Anuchi pulled out the ring which was hidden inside the pillowcover. I was impressed.

"Let's go give it to her." I walked toward the door.

"No. I just had an idea." She grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me back.

"No no no. Ideas are bad. Let's just return it." I instantly had a bad feeling. Everyone in my family is scared of Anuchi getting new ideas.

"How can I return it that easily? She made me search for it for the past half an hour while she just sat there are read the newspaper as if it was a novel. I have to teach her a lesson. Else she will forget who is the eldest sister in this house." Anuchi replied with a devious smile.

What is the point of her being the eldest sister? Mom is the mother.

Despite my protest, Anuchi took the ring. Then we sneaked back into our room.

Anuchi took our pillow and dropped the ring inside the pillow cover.

"Hihihi... Now let's see her searching for the ring." Anuchi was happy with the plot. But I was a bit disappointed by her hiding ability. The first place mom is going to search is the pillow cover.

"Come." Anuchi dragged me to the dining room.

"Is there any news today?" Anuchi asked Mom with a straight face while sitting next to her.

"Huh? No.Nothing new." Mom answered bewildered. Anuchi was acting strange. She never goes to Mom and initiates conversations about the news. I could see the suspicion arising on Mom's face.

She put down the newspaper and went to the bedroom.

"Go follow her and report to me." Anuchi pushed me. I had a feeling that I was getting involved in something I didn't want to. With no other choice, I followed her. As expected, she took the pillow and inspected it. Then she saw me standing by the door.

"Where is the ring?" She asked me.

I looked at her confusedly. I blinked a few times to look as innocent as possible.

"Where. is. the. ring? Answer me if you don't want to get spanked." Mom grabbed my collar and threatened me.

I wanted to cry. I didn't want anything to do with the situation. Still, I was dragged into it. I contemplated the situation.

If I don't tell Mom, she will be angry. But she won't punish me for this. If I tell, then Anuchi will be angry and she will not hold back a bit from beating me up. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to keep quiet.

I made a zipping motion on my lips.

She dragged me to our bedroom. "You don't have to say. Just show me where she hid it and I will buy you an ice cream." Mom decided to bribe me.

"No. I am not playing this game." I rejected her offer without any hesitation. One important lesson I learned in the last four years is never to get involved in a fight between mom and sister. Those two will go back to being best friends within seconds and I would end up offending both of them.

"Tch... I don't want your help. I can find it on my own," She started searching.

Without a doubt, the first place she searched was the pillow cover.

I was relieved. This new drama would be over since she found the ring.

"Huh? It's not here." Mom was a bit disappointed. She then proceeded to search the room and failed to find the ring.

I stood there confused. I was sure that Anuchi put it inside the pillowcover. But it was not there now.

"She hid it in my bedroom. Right?" Mom turned towards me and asked.

I refrained from answering. She took it as a 'yes' and went to search her room.

Once Mom was out of the room, I grabbed the pillow to search for it.

"Good boy. I knew you wouldn't betray me." Anuchi said while crawling out from below the bed.

"Eeekk..." I almost screamed. A shiver ran through me. If had betrayed her, she would have known it right away and taken revenge for it.

"Where is the ring?" I asked.

"In her room," Anuchi answered proudly.

"How?" I thought she put it in the pillowcase.

"After I took it from her pillow cover, I put it under her mattress. Then I pretended that I put it in our pillowcase to test your loyalty. Congratulations... You have passed." She patted my back.

"But iyamma just went to search there." I pointed out.

"Hmm... Go and report to me." Anuchi again pushed me to spy on Mom.

With no other choice, I went to Mom.

"Found it." With a wide smile, she showed me the ring the moment I entered her room.

"Good. You won. Now let's go tease Anuchi." I was relieved.

"No. How can I end it so easily? I have to teach her a lesson. Otherwise, she will forget who is the mother of this home." Mom said with a devious smile.

"..." I should have gone with Jeemma to her house.

_________________________________________

So, after about 3 years of searching, I finally met a girl.

She is beautiful, simple and lovely. We talk a lot daily. I think I'm in love with her.

（っ＾▿＾）

I think she is the one. Please do remember me in your prayers.