Sorting done

'Can I have two minutes, please?' I grab his hand and look at him intently. 'It's serious'. Hubby doesn't have a fire to put out, so he gives me half a minute.

He stands by my comp and asks in a hurried tone, 'What?'

'I wanted to sort out our passing away.' I say.

'Not planning to die for many years. Conversation postponed.' he says, looking hopefully towards his laptop.

'Me neither. In case of accident, dumbo.'

'Ok. Shoot.'

'You remember when we were courting? You remember you had said we will chill with Shiv and Parvati? Does that still hold ?'

'Mmmm... I think I will sit next to the coconut water seller. Yup. I will meet you near the coconut man.'

'Ok, fine. That is for later. What if one of us is left behind for a long time?'

'You can use my laptop.' he says, sneaking one more look, struggling to go. I grip him tight.

'I will give your laptop to Pavan.'

'Whatever. Or to your husband.'

'You give me permission to marry? I am not giving you the permission to marry. ' he looks crestfallen.

'Ok, you can marry.' I say, slightly sad.

'But take care of Pavan, make papad for him every time you make tehri. I will make sure he paints every now and then.'

'Yes, Pacca. Now can I go?'

'Wait. Take care of my family, I will take care of yours.'

'Yes.' he almost goes, then comes back and cracks a joke and I laugh. (Joke too personal to be shared)

'Make yourself laugh every now and then, otherwise you will get a big ego.' he says.

'Yup.' he leaves for the laptop, to the adjacent room.

'And I want to go with all the proper rites.' I shout.

'You can throw me to the vultures, the Parsi way.' he shouts back.

'I will not. Throw my ashes on the Mountain.' I say, and realize that I am done.

That wasn't so hard. The sorting is done.

Leaving you with three posts today. Probably am taking the creative writing class on my own heart.

Prayas has been playing this song all day, probably with a foreboding idea of things to come.

Saaiyaan, tu jo chule, pyar se, aram se mar jaoo...