Ch. 16: At dinner table

Riya‘s grandma and aunt leaves, her papa’s back and dunner‘s ready. Calls of “ Riya, Riya”, resonates the almost empty house. Just as Riya was about to go, a message pops up on her phone. Reading it she shouts, “oh how can I forget about this”, and she rushes to her study. Opening the drawer, she picks up a form. It’s the form for the entrance test to the EFLA. It‘s filled but for her father’s signature. The last date is tonight 12:00 A. M. She would have to get the sign soon. With the form in her friend and a blue pen, she rushes to the dinner table. Just there was her father, about to start his dinner.

Just as his hands were to touch the roti, she shouts from a distance, “wait papa, here's something, I need your signature on” With this she reaches him and extends the form. What‘s this, he asked her with his eyebrows. She answered, “a form for an entrance. Wanted to try my luck”. “ Is it, great!, tell me where to sign ”. Riya shows him the space. And no sooner has he signed, her mother says, “ See once before you sign”. “It’s only an entrance. What's there to look. Let her give it”, says her father.

“Still….. Riya, how Munch‘s the fees”, says Riya’s mom.

“ ₹500”

“₹500? Isn‘t it too much! Do you really need to give this test”, says Riya’s mom.

“ Aree. What the fuss are you making of a ₹500. We spend that much money on a dinner outing ”, says Riya

“ She‘s right”, says Riya’s father supporting her.

“I get it. Do pay if it‘s necessary. Just asking. She need to be taught to be economical”, says Riya’s Mom.

“ Don‘t worry, Mom. I am economical, anyways. Not like my friends who spend thousands on s day’s make up and all”.

“I I know my dear”, says Riya's mom.

“ Now have your dinner”

“But what did you think of that thing, I told you in the evening”, asks Riya to her mother.

“ What”, asks Riya's father.

“Actually, I asked mom if we could travel somewhere this summer vacation. Of course, a bit later, after this entrance. ”, says Riya superseding her mom.

“So, where are you going? ”

“Let see. It's vacation time. She would want to travel. Will take her somewhere. ”

Within few minutes, dinner is completed. In no times, did the doors close and the lights come up in Riya‘s house. As of most other houses in the locality. Riya’s house, along with samirpur, this decide to call it a day