"But Maaaaa!" The agonised wail followed me as i dashed deftly into the kitchen to avoid the confrontation that was about to follow. Nah. No chance. My teen could put a politician to shame, when she wanted to be loud and vociferous. " Birthday parties are for babies only. And it's a Sunday, for gosh sakes ! I'm supposed to be going out with my friends. What on earth am i going to DO there, tell me ! " The protests continued to drift my way. Seen a river in full flow in the monsoons ? Then you get the jist. Teethered as she was to the comp, her i pod was being fed its weekly quota of songs, she couldn't follow me to the kitchen. The tirade hence followed me there.
After hearing her out for the next ten minutes, i held up a hand. "Enough. The milk will curdle, with all these bitter complaints. You are coming. I'm not going to cook for you alone. Besides, Cousin Ummi, is a foodie. The food is going to be to kill for." The answer when it came was cautious, thoughtful almost, "Oh okay. But only for you." Then seeing the smug look on my face added a lofty, " Rich food. Ugh. it makes me fat."
As we got out of the car, first the heat hit us, then the din. It was either the AC confines or the loud music and din within. My teen, immune to noise chose the former. As we entered my cousin greeted us warmly, then caught hold of Maria, my daughter, who was desperately trying to hide behind me. "Go and have fun," she commanded. "The party's started already!" Whipping out her phone, Maria pretended to be in deep discussions with a friend, until it actually rang. Turning a shade of pink, that matched the birthday girls dress, she reluctantly took the proferred baby from my cousin's arms and marched stagewards, darting murderous 'Now look what you've got me into' looks at me.
After all attempts at conversation were drowned by the music, I sat quietly, a delighted husband beside me, "That's far louder, " he chortled, quietly to himself. There was a roll of drums, heralding the arrival of the DJ, after which all was mayhem, as everything in skirts, or jeans, rather, rushed to be near him, he was that 'hot'! My harrassed turned delighted daughter, found herself chosen as his assistant. As the games heated up, one required collecting the maximum number of cell phones. All hell broke loose, as everyone's cells got mixed up. I found myself on hands and knees, clutching onto what i thought was mine, until i found my daughter doubling up, killing herself laughing, as she had helpfully retrieved mine already.
It was then that the baby deemed she had had enough. Setting up a wail, which almost drowned the music, she was hurriedly removed from the spot and calmed with her feed, after which the cake cutting was announced. As the proud father blew out the candles, he found that job was being partially done by the baby, whose pamper had gone askew. All hell, as i said before, broke loose, all over again. Maria, who had just recovered from the first bout, went into paroxyms of laughter once again, this time with half the hall for company. As she was glared at, the disgruntled baby decided she didn't want any part of it, and was hurriedly thrust into her new found friend, my kid's, arms. The DJ decided a spot of music could best quell the mayhem. He was right because even my teen, hurriedly moved off, baby and all to the back of the hall. As my eyebrows', disappeared into my head, she looked at me and said, defensively, "I can't help it, okay ! The baby's taken to me."
The last i saw off her before i went for my food, was the baby vibrating gently in her arms to the tune of the latest song, "Anarkali disco chali," apparently a well beloved song. "Her favorite song, she loves to dance to it," beamed my happy cousin, as she started a karaoke version of it, bang splat, in my teen's ears. This time I was the one who was rolling in the aisles with laughter, at the pained look on my kid's face.
After hearing her out for the next ten minutes, i held up a hand. "Enough. The milk will curdle, with all these bitter complaints. You are coming. I'm not going to cook for you alone. Besides, Cousin Ummi, is a foodie. The food is going to be to kill for." The answer when it came was cautious, thoughtful almost, "Oh okay. But only for you." Then seeing the smug look on my face added a lofty, " Rich food. Ugh. it makes me fat."
As we got out of the car, first the heat hit us, then the din. It was either the AC confines or the loud music and din within. My teen, immune to noise chose the former. As we entered my cousin greeted us warmly, then caught hold of Maria, my daughter, who was desperately trying to hide behind me. "Go and have fun," she commanded. "The party's started already!" Whipping out her phone, Maria pretended to be in deep discussions with a friend, until it actually rang. Turning a shade of pink, that matched the birthday girls dress, she reluctantly took the proferred baby from my cousin's arms and marched stagewards, darting murderous 'Now look what you've got me into' looks at me.
After all attempts at conversation were drowned by the music, I sat quietly, a delighted husband beside me, "That's far louder, " he chortled, quietly to himself. There was a roll of drums, heralding the arrival of the DJ, after which all was mayhem, as everything in skirts, or jeans, rather, rushed to be near him, he was that 'hot'! My harrassed turned delighted daughter, found herself chosen as his assistant. As the games heated up, one required collecting the maximum number of cell phones. All hell broke loose, as everyone's cells got mixed up. I found myself on hands and knees, clutching onto what i thought was mine, until i found my daughter doubling up, killing herself laughing, as she had helpfully retrieved mine already.
It was then that the baby deemed she had had enough. Setting up a wail, which almost drowned the music, she was hurriedly removed from the spot and calmed with her feed, after which the cake cutting was announced. As the proud father blew out the candles, he found that job was being partially done by the baby, whose pamper had gone askew. All hell, as i said before, broke loose, all over again. Maria, who had just recovered from the first bout, went into paroxyms of laughter once again, this time with half the hall for company. As she was glared at, the disgruntled baby decided she didn't want any part of it, and was hurriedly thrust into her new found friend, my kid's, arms. The DJ decided a spot of music could best quell the mayhem. He was right because even my teen, hurriedly moved off, baby and all to the back of the hall. As my eyebrows', disappeared into my head, she looked at me and said, defensively, "I can't help it, okay ! The baby's taken to me."
The last i saw off her before i went for my food, was the baby vibrating gently in her arms to the tune of the latest song, "Anarkali disco chali," apparently a well beloved song. "Her favorite song, she loves to dance to it," beamed my happy cousin, as she started a karaoke version of it, bang splat, in my teen's ears. This time I was the one who was rolling in the aisles with laughter, at the pained look on my kid's face.
you write it so well, cant figure out if its real or fiction!
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