2.2 | Karthik and Anjali

acting like lovesick fools 101

"Why are you smiling so much?"

Anjali looked up from her phone. "I was?"

Paati regarded her with narrow eyes, tugging her hair a little as she braided it. "Did something happen?"

"No, nothing. Everything is completely fine. Totally normal," Anjali said,

"Why do I feel like you are hiding things from me?"

Anjali mock gasped. "Me? Hide things from my grandmother? No chance. What are you even accusing me of, old lady?"

Lalitha Paati tied the ends of Anjali's braid with a hair tie and pinched her cheek.. "No one can beat you when it comes to being dramatic."

Anjali grinned and spun around to face her grandmother. "That's true."

"Your father called. He wants you to answer his calls," Paati told her gently, tucking in a stray strand behind her ear and patting her head.

Anjali closed her eyes and shook her head. "He didn't care about my feelings then. Why does he care about it now?"

"Your father has always been an idiot. But he is a carer, Anju. That's the only thing he does best. He cares too much for everyone other than himself. That's the only reason he put up with your mother for so many years. He didn't want you to feel like he tore apart the family that you loved," she said, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not making excuses for him. But as his mother, I know this about him. He cares for you a lot. More than anyone in this world. But sometimes he loses his way when he tries to express it."

Anjali lay her head on her grandmother's lap. "I know that he cares. And I understand what you're saying. But he wasn't there when I needed him."

"And he hates himself for it."

"He should have just left Ma when he had the chance. Maybe I could've had a proper relationship with Pa at least."

"It's not too late, Anju," Paati said, lifting her granddaughter's head. "Your grandfather used to always say this: Don't refrain from doing something just because you think it might be too late. Sometimes there might be time left.

"So, give your father a chance. You might be able to salvage a relationship. He aches for it as much as you do."

"I'll think about it."

Paati kissed her head and smiled. "Now, tell me why you were smiling. Did something happen with Karthik?"

"Paati! How did you know?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "You've been on call with someone every night in the past week. And we never seem to never run out of groceries. Somedays, you come smelling like Tanya's berry lotion. It has a very distinct smell."

Anjali's face was red as she looked at her grandmother with her jaws open. "You can hear me through the wall?"

"I can't hear you enough to know what you say but I can tell you're talking to someone. Don't worry. I am not the person to eavesdrop on a lover's conversation. God knows what you speak."

"Paati! It's not like that. We just talk about—"

"Aiyoo, I don't want to know about it." She stood up and walked to the kitchen.

"Paati!"

Anjali's grandmother laughed at how crimson and defensive her granddaughter had gotten. She enjoyed it. As she put the kettle on, Anjali came and wrapped an arm around her from behind. "So... you're okay with it?"