Page 113 of Strictly Solo

“Yes.” He nodded happily. “And that too extra cheese one.”

Her face brightened. How could she turn down such an extra cheesy offer. She nodded and again continued to watch the repeat of her daily TV soaps.

***************

Later in the afternoon, the house help arrived to do her daily cleaning. Kaushalya settled on the couch with her tea, switching to her next favorite soap opera, while Neil remained busy with his drawings and doing his homework. The boy was intelligent. She had seen him studying and completing his school homework without any help. She remembered Ruhaan needed tuitions at that age.

The house help moved about the rooms, dusting and mopping as usual. Neil, although busy with his homework, his sharp-eye noticed something amiss. When the house help emerged from Kaushalya’s bedroom and declared she was done for the day and was leaving, Neil immediately piped up.

“But you didn’t mop Daadi’s room!” he said confidently.

The house help frowned, taken aback by the child’s observation. “I did,” she argued. “Maybe you didn’t see properly.”

Neil crossed his arms and shook his head. “No, I saw you. You skipped it.”

“Tell the truth,” Kaushalya said sternly. “Did you mop my room or not?”

The house help hesitated, then sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry, Daadiji. I didn’t. I was in a hurry today.”

“You could have just told me instead of lying. If Neil hadn’t said anything, I would have believed you. Don’t do this again.”

Embarrassed, the house help apologized once more and quickly left. Kaushalya turned to Neil with gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Daadi!” he replied cheerfully, his chest puffed with pride.

“I don’t know since when she is lying to me. I always believed her you know. Ruhaan is right. I should cut down on my TV timings, at least when the house help is around. So that she doesn’t fool me again.”

“It’s okay, Daadi,” he replied with an impish grin. “I know you’re too innocent. But don’t worry, now that I’m here, I’ll always help you. You can watch TV as much as you like.”

She blinked at him, momentarily speechless. All she caught was the word ‘innocent’ which Neil used for her. She was anything but that.

“I’m not innocent,” she replied. “I know everything that is happening around me. It’s just that this house help comes at the wrong time... when I have my TV serials to watch. Otherwise, I would have kept a close watch on her.”

“Okay,” he shrugged. “If you are not innocent then tell me why Mom and Ruhaan made me stay here with you.”

She raised an eyebrow, confused. “What kind of question is that? It’s because they’re busy with work this weekend.”

Neil shook his head, his grin widening. “Not just work, Daadi. They wantedusto spend time together because…” He paused dramatically, lowering his voice. “Because Mom and Ruhaan are getting married soon, right? So, they want us all to be one happy family.”

Kaushalya’s jaw dropped. This was alltheirdoing?

“How can you be so sure? Did you hear them say that?”

“No,” Neil admitted, shrugging. “But I know my mom. She never lets me stay with anyone else like this, even if she has work. She always works from home if she has to. This time, she didn’t mind at all.”

Kaushalya had suspected something similar but dismissed it, thinking her son wouldn’t play such tactics with her to get her close with Naina and Neil. But he really did what she had not expected. Ruhaan had simply announced that Neil would be spending time with her, leaving her to assume it was a matter of convenience. Otherwise, why would Naina leave Neil here? She didn’t like her much either.

“It’s okay, Daadi. That’s why I say you’re too innocent. But now that I’ll be here forever, we can chill together, okay?”

“Who said I like chilling with you?”

His face fell. “You don’t like me, Daadi?” he asked softly with sadness.

Tears pricked her eyes at his dejected tone and she pulled him to her.

“The only thing I don’t like is seeing you sad. Otherwise, I like everything about you.”

His face brightened instantly. Neil squealed with joy, throwing his arms around her neck.