Sugar and Spice And Everything Nice

A Lot Happens Behind Closed Doors

Zahaan flinched, remembering the previous encounter with his mother and Amy.

“Hey.” She solemnly waved at her Aunt. “Come in, what happened?” Amy scuttled over, making place for Silloo on the bed.

“I should be asking you that, young woman. I happened to drop by the bakery on my way back from work.”

“And…?”

“There’s an eviction notice on the shutter.”

Amy sighed. “Yeah that agent has been sticking those up. I’ll get it off in the evening.”

“No need for that.” Silloo held out her hand to Amy. In it was a crumpled piece of paper.

“I thought if there were no papers, there’d be no lease?” Silloo raised an eyebrow.

“Slight miscalculation there, Mom.”  Zahaan sighed.

“You children are really the most foolish kids I know.” Silloo shook her head.

“I’m sure all Moms say that about their kids.” Zahaan scoffed. Silloo glared at him. Then she turned to Amy.

“What do you plan to do now?”

“Sack them all. Saras can help me find new people.” Amy said monotonously. All of a sudden, Zahaan crushed her foot with his. She jerked up, glaring.

“What are you talking about?” Silloo said sharply.

And then she realized her folly.

In all the mess, Amy didn’t realize her Aunt was asking her about the eviction notice. She’d told her about the strike, when Silloo had no idea that the workers had gone on strike.

Oopsie.

“Uhm. Nothing?” Amy tried to make amends. Zahaan smacked his forehead with his palm.

“Why are you sacking them all? Amy…” Silloo said in a warning tone. “What happened?”

“Um.. Um…” Amy shuffled in her place.

Silloo narrowed her eyes.

A minute of tense silence passed.

“Okay fine, they went on strike.” Amy gave up.

“WHAT?!”

“The workers. They all just upped and left. Saras told me that Malik paid them to go on strike.” All of it spilled out of Amy’s mouth.

“Stealing, threatening, bribery, strikes.. This is getting too much, Amy. This is really going too far.” Silloo repeated. “All this never happened before.”

“Well, Tehmasp Uncle has never leased out the bakery without telling anyone before, either. All this mess wouldn’t have happened then.” Amy said bitterly.

Silloo’s head shot up, and she looked at Amy in shock and pain.

Immediately, Amy realized her mistake. “No, Aunty, I didn’t mean it like that!..”

“If that’s how you feel, you may think I’m just butting in, adding to the mess, right?” Silloo’s words were laced with pain.

“No. No, I don’t.”

“Mum, no offence, but can you try not to be so dramatic? This is seriously fucked up even without the theatrics.” Zahaan sighed.

“That’s what you feel too? I’m being too dramatic? Did you not hear what your sister just told me? I’m your mother, Zahaan. Doesn’t it anger you that someone would talk about your mother and father like that?”