"Massa! Two more, please?" Kaya begged.
"Kaya, you have already taken one right? I was not supposed to give you this without offering it in the temple. Enough, no more shall I give you!" Kahini snatched the ladoo from Kaya's hand and kept it gently on the plate.
Kaya pouted, her eyes still coveting the ladoo, which looked so bewitching to her at the moment.
If she doesn't have them now, she'll die!
"Mother." Kaya blocked the main door and made sure that her mother doesn't go away without giving her the ladoo.
"Either give me the ladoo or sign those papers," she said in a firm tone. Again reminding Kahini that she's determined.
"I don't understand why you don't want to get married... Rajkumar Rudra is from an affluent family, if not him then whom will you get married to" her mother remarked, impatiently holding the plate.
" I don't know, maybe someone simpler!" She shrugged her shoulder with a silly smile plastered on her face.
" You are an impossible child" her mother sighed as Kaya's smile widen.
"I'll sign the paper after coming back from the temple, okay? Till then don't disturb your father, he's sleeping." She gently touched Kaya's cheek and stroked with her thumb, as if desperately asking for her to obey what her mother asked to, for once.
However, kaya had plans. She was very satisfied with how she has gotten her mother to agree to sign the papers.
"let's execute our plan now!" kaya jumped with excitement. It was so much fun to trouble the old man. Men in this era were high on themselves...
"Wake up." kaya went inside the house and said firmly but loud enough for him to hear her.
"The old man's forehead creased. "ask your mother to prepare a huge dinner today, my friends are coming," he said probably in his sleep as he turned over to the other side.
Listening to him, kaya gasped. This oldy gives order even while sleeping.
"see if I don't make you go from ordering to pleading" She crossed her arms tightly and went into the perpendicular kitchen to a plate and a spatula. Without any mercy, she started backing the utensils against each other.
"...."
The old man could no longer take it. He was so scared that he was literally pretending to sleep a while back, thinking that Kaya would go away after some time.
He admits that he didn't think much of his daughter but he knew that she was kind.
Narrowing his eyes at her, he asked in his polite tone, "What's it you rascal, can't you see that I'm sleeping?!"
Rascal?
"...." kaya's smile widen as her eyes widened in surprise.
"what do you want?" he asked in an annoyed tone, the old man was taller than her.
"what do I want, you ask?" a muscle in her jaw twitched. "is this really your house, sir?"
"yes! Of course, it's!" her father was shocked to hear the respectable salutation given to him. Looks like this punk was back to her senses.
Kaya looked around the house, and then back at him while nodding with a hidden intent. "why is it not clean then?" she questioned.
"What?" his smile faded "What's that supposed to mean?!" he grew red with anger. She was not trying to call him 'sir' but 'sir-vent' = 'servant '.
"you --!" he raised his hand to slap her, but it ached so much that he retreated it back.
If not for his arm then he would have probably given her a beating... like before!
"the whole house. I need clean it in 2 hours. And your time starts... Now!" she can't sit on a stool and kept the sand clock upside down.
"Why do you think I would do that?!" he could only shout aggressively since he couldn't hit her.
"Yeah, you would not...easily...
But I'm sure I can make you do all that. Since I have a lot of ways to persuade a defiant old man like you.." the corner of her mouth quirked up as she was about to stand.
But before she could, he ran to the
Kitchen to get the broom in his hand and started working.
What was wrong with him, he himself wondered. Kaya looked so intimidating that he couldn't help but submit.
Kaya was surprised. This man was easy. She gave a lopsided smile.
"56 minutes left! I see that corner is not clean yet!" Kaya shouted in a bored manner.
The old man cleaned as if his life was dependent on it. He didn't know why he was so scared of his daughter, but something told him to be cautious of her since she seems
.... dangerous now!
He was swearing profusely, he glanced at her with a low gaze and his pupils flared.
"..."
Kaya was eating a carrot?!
'she hated them, didn't she?! Why the hell is she then eating it? ' he could not understand her anymore.
"Keep doing the cleaning, old man,"Â she said without opening her eyes. The old man jumped in his spot with fear and continued what he was previously doing.
After almost an hour, the old man was on the floor, struggling to breathe. He does not even remember the time when he last worked so hard.
"good job!"Â she chuckled as she gave a sweet smile to him t which the old man only cringed.
"oh! Mother, you are back?!" kaya welcomed her into the house, taking the plate from her.
"you did a good job kaya. The house looks so clean today. You must be tired right, let me make sharwat (cold drink)Â for you."
Kaya flashed a smile as the corner of her eyes lifted. Between the two sweet mother and daughter was an old man, sitting on the ground who was ignored, disregarded and neglected.
'How easily she took my credit!' he felt wronged for the first time.
"kaya's father...would you also like some sharwat...?" kahini stuttered fearing rejection or probably a scolding like the old man always does.
"....." the old man stared at the women in front of him, his lips pursed. A layer of mist forming in his eyes....she did not ignored him....?
'He treat her so badly...yet she-'
Realizing that he has been starting at her for too long, kaya cleared her throat.
"....."
He gulped before answering, "y-yes". The man looked down at the ground and walked out of the room and the mother went inside the kitchen.
"great going.....old man!" she muttered as she smiled to herself.
"Mother add some coriander--" kaya's smile dropped with her enthusiasm.
"KAYA." rudra was standing at her doorstep.
Her forehead creased at the sight.
"what are you doing here?" she asked in a flat tone. It looked she was not really waiting for the answer as her gaze travelled down to a big bag...
"...."
" I came here for you...my soon to be wife!" he flashed a smile.
Kaya could not revert back that expression. Her mind was a mess.
'The more I try to get out, the greater I fall!'