119 The Idiot
Nivritti sighed with relief, but her heart was racing with fear. She thought that her secret was about to be revealed. Maybe finally Apeksha would realise that she was in Korea. She was praying to God to not let that happen.
“Di! Di!” Apeksha kept shouting.
“Yeah, I am here,” said Nivritti and faced her sister.
Apeksha raised her eyebrow and looked at her, disappointed. “You know you muted yourself, right?”
“Oh, sorry!” said Nivritti after unmuting herself. Apeksha shook her head in disappointment.
“And she calls me, an idiot,” Apeksha facepalmed.
“Yeah, okay, enough drama,” scolded Nivritti. “How are you? How is mom? How is dad?”
“Everyone is okay and why were you acting weird? It’s not like you were watching porn, it was just k-drama,” noted Apeksha.
“Yeesh! Shut up!” scolded Nivritti.
.....
“Why were you hiding that you were watching k-drama? You have watched it hundreds of times,” Apeksha scratched her head trying to make sense of everything.
“What?!” scoffed Nivritti. “I was not trying to hide it. I was just bringing the volume down so that we could talk,” she lied. She was surprised to see that the self-proclaimed detective was unable to catch a clue. Well, k-dramas were seen all over the world, so it was not that important of a clue. “It’s good to see that you are brushing up on your Korean.”
“How do you know that I have been practising my Korean?” asked Apeksha, amazed.
“And she calls herself a detective,” mocked Nivritti. She rolled her eyes, hard at her sister, and said, “you recognised the language just by hearing it. You didn’t ask me what I was watching, you yourself realised what was playing on my screen.”
“Oh, that. Well, I had to learn languages. I saw you learning so many languages. So, I thought about what people will say if they find out that the elder sister knows hundreds of languages and the younger sister knows only two, Hindi and English. You call me an idiot and they too will call me that,” pouted Apeksha.
“You know people can’t help themselves. They say as they see. If one is an idiot, they will call them an idiot,” teased Nivritti.
“Di!” shouted Apeksha. Nivritti started laughing out loud at her sister. “I am telling mom,” pouted Apeksha.
“Complaint box!” shouted Nivritti. Before she could stop her sister, Apeksha ran to the living room of her house and turned the phone towards her mother.
“See, mom, Di is calling me an idiot again,” complained Apeksha.
“Hi, mom!” greeted Nivritti.
“Very bad, Ritti! You must not call an idiot, an idiot in front of their face,” said her mother. Both Nivritti and her mother pursed their lips and stifled their laughter. But one look at each other and they started laughing out loud.
“Mom!” sulked Apeksha. “Only dad care for me. You both are so bad.” But both her sister and mother were busy laughing at her. “Dad!” shouted Apeksha and her father came running from his room.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Your wife and your daughter are making fun of me. They are calling me, idiot. Di even called me, complaint box,” grimaced Apeksha.
“Very bad, darling!” he said to his wife. He then looked into the phone and scolded Nivritti, “not good, Ritti. You should not call your sister names. Fix one name. You already had a name, ‘headache’, then why are you calling her ‘idiot’ and ‘complaint box’, very bad!”
Again, Nivritti and her mother started laughing after his comment. Everyone was finding it amusing to tease Apeksha.
“Hi, Dad!” greeted Nivritti.
“Dad! Even you? I am not talking to anyone of you,” shouted Apeksha.
“If you don’t want to talk to me, give me my money back,” shouted Nivritti.
“Money? What money?” asked Anil Rathod, Nivritti’s father.
“Nothing, Dad. I received a bonus for doing great work. So, I thought of treating ‘headache’. She can buy anything she wants. I know you and mom won’t take money from me, so I am sending a few gifts to you,” replied Nivritti.
“Don’t waste your money, idiot. We don’t want gifts,” scolded Sheela Rathod, Nivritti’s mother.
“Ha-ha-ha, Mom called you an idiot,” teased Apeksha, laughingly.
“Shut up!” scolded Nivritti. She then addressed her mother, “Mom, Mommy, Maa, just accept it. This is the second bonus I received.”
“Woah! A few weeks of a new job and a second bonus? What are you doing? Where are you? Tell me, tell me,” demanded Apeksha.
“I am in...” started Nivritti. Apeksha grew excited. “...your head,” mocked Nivritti. Apeksha stuck her tongue out at her.
“Are you alright?” Anil asked seriously.
“Yes, Dad, I am fine,” replied Nivritti.
“Is your new job treating you fine?” he asked again.
“Dad, I just told you I received a second bonus. How finer do you want my job to treat me?” asked Nivritti.
“But are you happy?” asked Sheela.
“Yes, Mom, I am happy, very happy. This is an amazing job. People are too kind, so good,” answered Nivritti.
“Did he...” Sheela trailed off.
“No, Mom, no call since I changed my number,” replied Nivritti. “You guys can relax.”
“So, when will you give us your number and tell us where you are?” scolded Sheela.
“Mom, you can talk to me on Swipe anytime you want. You can even message me. Why do you need my number? To give to aunties?” Nivritti raised her eyebrow at her mother.
“No!!” Sheela’s tone climbed up a notch.
“Don’t give her your number. She will distribute it to the world,” commented Anil.
“I know, Dad,” smiled Nivritti.
“Anil!” Sheela softly punched her husband on his arm.
“Ow!” exclaimed Anil. Watching her parent’s playful nature, Nivritti grinned from ear to ear.
“Okay, guys, I have to go. Talk to you later,” said Nivritti.
“Take care of yourself,” said Sheela.
“Always, Mom,” replied Nivritti.
“Always!!!” screamed Apeksha. “Don’t lie.”
“Hey! I take care of myself,” pouted Nivritti.
“Did you find a therapist yet?” inquired Apeksha.
“I am actively looking for one,” replied Nivritti. All three, her father, her mother and Apeksha stared at her, angrily. Nivritti gulped, hard. “I am going to find one tomorrow,” she urgently replied.
“I will call you after two days and if you haven’t found a therapist by then, I will find where you are, I will come to your place and hit you on your head,” shouted Sheela.
“Right, okay, noted,” replied Nivritti, fearfully.
“Huh... calling me, idiot. You are an idiot,” commented Apeksha.
“Yeah, she is right,” scolded Anil.
“Wow! Now you guys are ganging up on me,” Nivritti rolled her eyes.
“We just worry for you. We saw what happened last time you were away from us,” said Sheela.
“I know, Mom. I assure you, I will find a therapist soon and then call you. Now I really have to go. Good night, guys!” said Nivritti.
“Fine, go, and tell us as soon as you find one. Good night!” said Sheela.
“Good night!” said both Apeksha and Anil, simultaneously.
Nivritti disconnected the call and sighed loudly. “I will have to take Jae’s help. I need to find professional help else Mom will kill me.”
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