The Teak Forest

Chapter 14

Pavi

I pulled against the ropes that were tied to my hands which were tied to a pole. My throat was drier than the Sahara desert. My stomach grumbled loudly as if an orchestra is conducted in it. I really regretted not eating earlier.

There was a tiny crack in the wall of the hut where rainwater was dripping in but it was out of my reach. I tried and tried but it only lead to my hands getting sour. I gave up. I sat down and rested my head against a rock. I considered asking him for help but quickly dismissed it. It would make me seem desperate.

I heard people chatting and laughing outside. I saw shadows under the door frame moving hurriedly here and there.

I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest. I could see Ram's face. His eyes moved here and there searching for me. Then slowly I drifted into a deep sleep.

***

"Pondati," Ram said hugging me from behind while I was cooking. I nudged him away.

"Don't do that while I'm cooking," I said getting annoyed. "Then you'll complain when the food is not good," I turned back to get some salt but he was there inches away from me smiling. "Move! Don't stand like a bull," I scoffed. He didn't. "Look of you want to be in this kitchen you either help me or you shouldn't disturb me," I said angrily.

"Why is my wife so hot today?" He asked to himself as he grabbed the salt. He handed it to me and sat on the counter top.

"Do you know something?" He asked while eating the chopped up carrots. I moved it away from him so he wouldn't eat them all.

"What?" She asked.

"I just realised our house feels empty," He said as he reached out his hands for another piece, but I smacked his hands away.

"You're just realising it now?" I asked him. " Do you know how lonely i feel whenever your on duty?" I asked.

"That's why I have decided something," He said with a cheeky smile.

"Hmm?" I asked him.

"Wouldn't it be nice if there's a cute little Pavi running around here and there?" He said dreamily.

I looked at him with a surprised look on my face. "Why this sudden decision?" I asked with a grin.

"So you wouldn't be lonely," He lied. I looked at him with a suspecious look.

"Fine, We went to my friend's baby shower last week no?" He said.

"Haan,"

"I got a tad bit jealous that my friend is going to be a father to a beautiful bundle of joy, so I decided I wanted a beautiful bundle of joy like my lovely wife too,"

"That's well and all," I sighed.

"You don't want to have a kid now?" He asked, disappointed with the lack of interest in my voice.

"Yes, I want one, I really do, but not like me. I want a little Ram," I said.

Ram scrunched up his nose. "Like me?" He asked. I nodded. "No, nah," Ram shook his head.

"Why? What's wrong with a boy child?" I asked defensively.

"What's wrong with a girl child? Don't you want a little princess?" He asked equally defensive.

"No, No--You listen to me!" I pointed the spatula towards him. This turned into a heated argument, Ram argued he wanted a girl child while I wanted a boy.

I was ready to throw hands with him but we came to a compramise.

"Okay-okay, fine!" Ram surrendered. "We'll have two kids, one girl, one boy, deal?" He asked.

"Who will take care of them? Me only no?"

"Baby...." Ram whined.

"Okay, fine," I rolled my eyes. He jumped in victory and gave me a tight hug.

"First one will be a girl," He whispered .

"RAM---"

***

I heard a loud bang behind me which shook me away from my sweet dream. I jerked up and dusted off the sand from my face.

I could hear a baby cries coming from the corner of the hut. First I thought it was me hallucinating. But when I saw the baby crawling towards me, I knew the moment was very real. If my hands were not tied I would've picked her up. I just love babies and this kid especially looked so cute. It's like God sent me a bundle of joy in my moment of distress.

She crawled towards me and sat down on my lap. The baby was torturing me! She was so cute. She had a little bindi on her forehead and her cheeks. Oh my! She was so bubbly.

She rested her forehead on my chest and started sucking her entire fist.

"Whose child are you?" I asked her. She looked at me with a smile and blabbered something.

She started playing with my saree while I looked at her beautiful innocent face. She looked back at me with a huge smile and closed her eyes with her hands as if playing peekaboo with me.

"Kutteyma!" I heard someone call out outside the hut. The baby turned towards the direction where the voice came from and blabbering something.

The door opened. I turned back to see who it was.

"Malli kuttey," Veera sighed as approached me. The babies face lighted up, she started clapping her hands. He stopped and sighed and muttered something under his breath. It was something about the saree I was wearing. "I was searching for you everywhere," He told the baby who was extending her hands waiting for him to pick her up.

He picked her up and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. He placed the baby over his shoulders and was talking to her in baby language. The baby started playing with the chain on his neck. "Are you hungry?" He asked the baby to which she gave him a laugh as if he said something funny.

This was a new side of Veera I was witnessing right now. It was so amusing to me how someone as hard as Veera could act so sweet in front of a child.

"Were you missing your father?" He asked her clashing his head against hers softly. She chuckled at that.

Father? Him? To this beautiful baby???

The baby looked nothing like him. Well, if I looked closely she had the same nose as his but still.

He looked up and down at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"No," I lied again. Fuck my ego.

He shrugged and went outside with the baby in his hands.

Now my curiosity peaked it's ugly head in my mind. I wanted to meet the girl who has to put up with all his antics. His wife. I wanted to meet her.