The Roommate Therapy ✓

50 • Festive Vibes

《Short Recap》

"Do you need a hot water bag or chocolate? Or more uh...you know, sanitary pads or something?" he asked after a pause.

I snorted at his sudden awkwardness and ushered him out of my bedroom and into the kitchen.

"I've been a menstruating female for six years Vinay, I'm fully prepared." I said between peals of laughter, "What you can do though, is make us dinner."

"Whatever." He muttered grumpily, "I was simply trying to be thoughtful, ok"

"I know." I smiled, before rushing to the bathroom to get changed.

●○●

I rechecked the address that Vinay had texted me a last time to confirm that I had made it to the correct street. Although superficially very organized, residential blocks for independent houses in Bangalore had an uncanny ability to be rather confusing.

I once found two separate lanes marked sixth cross in the same block and I spent fifteen minutes trying to locate my cousin's newly bought house until I finally conceded and called him. He had to come running down the block and direct my car to his house.

"Thank you uncle." I said politely, as I gathered the silky material of kurta and clambered out of the auto rickshaw.

Vinay had left early the apartment early in the morning to help his father put up the lantern and strings of lights and other last minute things.

Taking a deep breath, I smoothed out my delicately embroidered silk robes with one hand and stood nervously in front of the large, lamp lit house before me.

"Vinay Bhaiyya! She's here." a shrill squeal came from a window on the first floor and I spotted Millie staring at me inquisitively.

I raised my hand to wave at her and she waved back enthusiastically before giggling shyly and running away from the window.

The front door opened revealing Harsh, and Millie who carefully jumped over the colourful rangoli in front of the door and ran over to me.

"Happy Diwali Akira Didi." Millie smiled up at me and grabbed my hand before I could greet Harsh, dragging me into the living room where Mr. And Mrs. Karthik were sitting on their plush sofa.

"Happy Diwali Aunty." I flashed the bright smile I'd spent most part of the afternoon perfecting at Mrs. Karthik before turning to Mr. Karthik and wishing him too.

"Happy Diwali beta." He grinned warmly as he shook my hand firmly, "I heard your startup is doing well."

"It is better than we expected, Sir, but we can't get overconfident too soon." I replied, "It's only been a month and a half. The gestation period can last for more than a year, sometimes even extend to about five years."

"That's true and I must admit I'm impressed. I feel like it's an underlying cue for me to look towards getting retired soon." he nodded with a solemn grin as he patted my shoulder lightly, "If kids like you start helming new companies, people like me are going to get kicked out of the corporate world soon."