What's her mistake ? - 11

The house was very big. Unbelievably big! I found some servants silently move and placed a tray on the rosewood teepoy with Belgian glass. The teepoy had 4 legs of elephants carved out of wood. An exotic piece of furniture!

The tray had a very beautiful teapot with 3 cups (it looked costly!). it also had a porcelain plate with variety of biscuits.

We were sitting on the sofa around the teepoy. Dammu served us tea and held the plate of biscuits in fron of us. Each of us took two biscuits and we started enjoying the ambience, the tea, the sweetness of the biscuits.

It was then that Dammu categorically declared “I want you to stay with us, young man!”

I could not understand whether to say yes or no. I have seen this lady since yesterday. She keeps making everything feel light. Is this also a part of the jokes she is carrying out? Is this the one which she is dragging too far?

I did not respond. The statement kept ringing in my ears. I did not get a chance to reply her. Funnily she also did not press it. I felt, ‘ok, she has made one of her regular jokes. But this time on me’.

She took Nammu Aunty by hand and said, “Come, I will show you your room”.

Nammu Aunty followed her. The room was on the ground floor itself.

Dammu explained, “You are already so thin. If I make you stay upstairs, you will become thinner and vanish one day just by coming and going, down and up the stairs.” Nammu Aunty just smiled.

Dammu continued, “Of course, my room is upstairs. The more I walk up and down, there is a remote chance of I becoming as slim as you” she smiled naughtily and took Nammu Aunty by her hand and made her sit on the lovely Queen size bed.

I could see Nammu Aunty squirming. It was clear that she was never comfortable being on such a bed. I had seen her house when she was with Uncle. The beds were thin and hard. She did not mind the bed then at all.

Then she showed the bathroom and how to use all the equipment there.

“You take the shower. There are some clothes in the wardrobe in the room which suit you. I will come and take you for lunch after one hour. Now, let me take this young man to show him his room” said she and we left Nammu Aunty’s room. Dammu pulled the door and closed.

Now only two of us were there. Dammu took me to the porch. There were beautiful roses looking at us smilingly.

The side of the bungalow had a good collection of cactus plants.  

“Madam! You were mentioning that I should stay with you people. For any specific reason?” I asked finally.

“Don’t you love your Nammu Aunty?” she asked looking at my eyes.

I nodded dumbly.

“Then what stops you from staying here? Don’t you like the place?” she asked seriously. “Do you want me to break any portion and rebuild to suit you? If so tell me, I will get it done”

I just stared at her.

“And don’t call me madam. If she is Nammu Aunty,  I am Dammu Aunty” she smiled. “But call me Dammu. I don’t want to be known as aunty. I am not very old” she declared.

“Dammu.. Aa.. Dammu.. you are there to look after Nammu Aunty. You are young also. Can you not do that yourself?” I asked. I was looking at a particular yellow rose, which was so lovely to look at.

“Young man, why do you think I came to the Oncologist?” she held my two arms and turned me towards her.

“You must be a relative to him” I told feeling little uncomfortable. Am I missing something?

“I too am a patient. So, you have two people to look after”

“What problem Dammu?” I asked hesitatingly.

“I am suffering from breast cancer” Dammu declared.