All Strings Attached

Chapter Thirty

Falling in love is something, isn't it?

~.~.~.~.~

"Hi Thathayya," I greet cheerfully, carrying with me a cup of his favourite earl grey tea. "Did you nap well?" I enquire, setting the tray down on the teapoy before pulling the curtains open.

"Good evening Bangaru thalli," thathayya greets back, equally cheerful. "Did you get any rest?"

"Yes, I did," I answer, "I napped as well. I'm going to go back with Dhushyanth now, so I thought I would check up on you."

"Aha," thathayya teases, "sharing your husband's responsibilities by checking on me, is it?"

I pout, feigning a hurt expression, with a hand on my chest. "I check on you because I want to, not for my husband."

Thathayya chuckles heartily. "I know, darling," he assures me, "I was just pulling your leg."

I shake off the expression, and sit down with thathayya for a minute, who begins his campaign for the tastes of earl grey. "You should try earl grey, you know?" He recommends, once again. "It is really good."

"I'm sure it is, thathayya," I agree, "but I'm loyal to my chai."

"Dhushyanth appreciates good tea," he attempts to rouse a competitive spirit in me, but I only shake my head, laughing.

"I do not want to compete to be the best grandson," I let him know, "for now, you only have one granddaughter, so that automatically makes me the best."

"I could have a favourite grandchild," he points out.

"And that's obviously me," I jest, "you should appreciate that I won't lie to you about my tastes simply because I want you to like me."

Thathayya nods thoughtfully as he sips his tea. "I do appreciate your honesty."

"So who is your favourite grandchild?" I ask, raising my eyebrows in dramatic eagerness.

"Me, of course," comes Dhushyanth's voice from behind me. "The inheritor of the earl grey and the politics."

I frown at Dhushyanth, who seats himself on the arm of my chair. "You wish," I remark, unable to find a comeback.

"If Sita takes on the politics, I can forgive the earl grey," Thathayya offers, "what is earl grey, I will buy her a tea estate, she can grow anything she likes."

I grin up at my husband, who is now frowning. "I am going campaigning now," I point out, "that does sort of make me involved in politics."

"It does," thathayya agrees, "you're surely leading then."

"So I'm the favourite."

"What are you guys talking about?" Dhruv asks, peeking into the room.

"This discussion isn't for lawyers," Dhushyanth shuts him down immediately, eliciting a slap on his arm from me.

"Ow," Dhushyanth winces, dramatically rubbing his arm. "Is this your favourite grandchild? Someone who resorts to violence like this?"

"You were mean first," I defend myself, "you're so unnecessarily mean to Dhruv."

"Both of you are always ganging up against me," Dhushyanth whines, "you do realise he's my brother? This is how brothers act."

"He's also your brother," I point out, "I don't see Dhruv being mean to you all the time."

"It's cause he's such a mama's boy—"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"So he's pampered so—"

"You're jealous he's a pampered boy?"

"He's twenty-six himself," Dhushyanth cries out, "his friends are getting married and having babies—"

"You're thirty-three, what have you been up to?"

Dhushyanth's eyes widen, and I realise what I said. "I didn't mean it like that," I say quickly, looking at thathayya so he doesn't get the wrong impression, only to see him and Dhruv sharing boiled peanuts and watching us like we're circus performers.

"They're very entertaining, aren't they?" Dhruv asks thathayya, who nods earnestly.

"I hadn't expected it," the older of the two responds, observing us both.

"They've always been like this," my brother-in-law further mentions to our grandfather, "they've become a lot nicer to each other after the wedding, though."

"I was supporting you," I narrow my eyes at Dhruv. "You're telling on me to Thathayya."

"See, I told you. You wouldn't listen," Dhushyanth complains.

"Thathayya knows Dhushyanth's annoying to be around."

"I have an idea," Thathayya promises.

"So what do you guys understand?" Dhruv asks, as though concluding a lesson. "I'm the favourite. No matter whether you accept it or not."

"That was before I had a granddaughter," Thathayya shoots Dhruv down. "Now, you're just peanut boy."