85 Deal (1)

Many called us to know about the details of the event. Mom was tired of answering calls and explaining.

A few of Anuchi's friends also called Mom's phone to check on Anuchi.

"I am telling you. It is fortunate that they didn't look under the poop. I am sure appa hid the gold there." Anuchi explained to some random friend on mom's phone.

I hoped that the police were listening on the call.

Appa came home by night. He had to call the TV channel and ask them to remove the blurring on Piya's face. She was furious that all the channels blurred the face of us kids.

For us kids, it was a fun evening. But for adults, it wasn't that fun. Mom was angry that her garden was ruined. She was also shaken by the security guard's unexpected betrayal.

"I used to give him snacks and tea every evening. I cannot believe that he bit the hand that fed him." Mom complained.

"It's okay. We are fortunate that he exposed himself like this. What if he had done something really bad for us?" Appa consoled mom.

"What are you going to do to him?" Mom asked.

"Nothing. Since he exposed his true colours, he won't come back to work for us anymore. Also, we don't have to do anything to him. The police and the ones invested in the raid are all pissed at him." Appa answered.

"What about Jeemma?"

"Jeemma is furious. But she will not act. She is busy manipulating the media."

They continued chatting for a while before we had dinner and slept peacefully.

***

Days passed. We easily forgot the events. After all, we were just kids. But that wasn't true for the adults. All the politicians and their supporters who rushed for our blood became jokers in the public eye. Jeemma had used this opportunity to boost appa's image. There were hundreds or even thousands of social media posts praising appa and KDF. Jeemma had paid people to share this online. She made sure that all those news and memes were shared in all the groups.

But us kids were no longer concerned about any of those stuff.

"You know what, every one says I am appa's lucky star." Anuchi praised herself without any shame.

"You didn't do anything." Arjun retorted.

"Who said that? You know, appa started winning after I was born." Anuchi retorted.

We were all sitting in the backyard of our home. It was a Saturday afternoon and we didn't have anything to do. So we all sat in the shade and munched on tapioca chips Arjun brought as we chatted.

"Now Achu..." Pichu got up from the egg while rubbing his ass.

I hope you haven't forgotten the egg-shaped rock we got from the river. For the past few months, we had taken turns to sit on the rock. Unfortunately or fortunately, the egg hadn't hatched till now. I didn't want to sit on it as it was uncomfortable and pointless. But as we had prviously made a deal, I reluctantly sat on the egg.

"Anyway, we have to make more money as soon as possible," Anuchi commented.

"I only have 250 rupees in my savings," Arjun commented despiritedly.

"You have to nag your parents and all uncles and aunties. They will give pocket money only if you ask." Anuchi advised.

"I am trying." He answered helplessly.

"Ask your grandma. She has a bad memory. You can get money from her every hour and she won't remember it." Anuchi had a bright idea.

"My mother has told me never to take ideas from you." Arjun rejected.

"Tch... Don't always listen to adults. They have all the boring rules." Anuchi kicked him.

A few weeks ago, Anuchi went to appa asking for a bicycle. He agreed to get one for her birthday. But Anuchi had other ideas. We already had two tricycles. If we could get one more bicycle, then the four of us will have one each. Unfortunately, our parents had no intention of buying something just because we wanted it. They also believed that the bicycles we buy today will become too small for us within two years. But he wasn't against us buying one with our own money. So we started saving and included Arjun also in the business.

"Kids, come inside." Mom came and called us all inside.

"Me?" Arjun innocently asked whether he should also come inside.

"Do you want sweets?" Mom asked with a smile.

He shyly nodded. He was a bit reluctant to admit it.

We had snacks and milk. Mom had made our favorite snack - love letter. After snacks, Arjun returned to his house. We continued playing inside our home.

In the evening, appa came home early.  He had to for a function. Since he is a local politician, he regularly gets invited to functions. Usually, he politely rejcts the invitations. But sometimes, there will be unavoidable functions. Whenever there was a function on holidays, Anuchi would nag him to take her with him. Anuchi was well behaved whenever he went for some event like this. Appa also liked to take her with him. So he usually agreed. But he didn't have enough confidence to take the remaining of us kids with him. So he made the excuse that we aren't tall enough to take with him for the function.

"Get ready fast. We will be late." Appa urged Anuchi. Today also Anuchi was going with appa.

"Just wait a bit. I am putting make-up. You know... When we go out, everyone looks at mom and no one looks at me. It is because she goes to the beauty parlour." Anuchi complained.

"Everyone looks at her?" He asked with his nose scrunched.

"Yes. Because she does eyebrows." Anuchi commented.

"Have you forgotten the last time you did your eyebrows?" Mom asked.

Long ago, when I was a baby, Anuchi had the idea of shaping her eyebrows. In the end she ended up with half of her eyebrows gone.

"See. She doesn't want me to look good. She is worried that if I become beautiful, no one will come to talk to her."

"They come to talk to her?" Appa asked.

"Yes. Just like aunties come to take selfies with you." Anuchi noded like a wood pecker.

"What?" This time, it was Mom's turn to be annoyed.

"Yes. When Appa is outside, sometimes the elder sisters and the aunties come and talk with Appa. Some of them also take selfies." Anuchi answered happily while combing her hair.

"When did this happen?"

"Do you remember? When I went with Appa to that marriage. Then there were many coming and talking to appa."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing. Should I have done something then?" Anuchi asked innocently.

"If any elder sister comes to talk to appa or to take a photo with him, just call him 'appa'," Mom said with a playful smile.

"Why?" Anuchi asked.

"Just do it."

"No. Why should I do it?"

"... Every time you do it, I will give you one rupee." Mom gave her an offer.

"Just one rupee? I am not doing it unless I get ten."

"Five rupees."

"Agreed." Anuchi agreed right away.

Anuchi and mom shook  hands on their new deal. Appa complained how he is going to be embarrased by her.

I watched from the sidelines dumbfoundedly. Won't they ever learn?

I have known Anuchi since the day I was born. If there is one thing I was sure about, that would be her talent in exploiting deals.

I silently prayed for my parents.

*****

Thanks for the reads and votes

As I told you in the previous chapter, I got married.

I also resigned from my teaching job. I was teaching in an entrance coaching institute in Kerala named Brilliant study centre Pala.

My wife works in New Zealand. I came to NZ a few months ago. We have rented a small house here and we have been living together here since then. It has been the happiest period of my life. I still have difficulty believing that I am a husband.