The Visit

“What are you saying, Beta? How can this ever feel trouble-some for us?! Don’t worry about a thing; you just get ready and drop the children here. Do not forget anything important, okay! See you in an hour, then!”

Sharma smiled and disconnected the call. Then he jumped out of his seat in panic and called out to his wife. “Rashmi, quick! Start hiding the valuables! The two rascals are about to hit our home in an hour!”

“Hold your horses, old man! What is the matter?” Rashmi walked into the room, looking at Sharma in confusion.

“Divya is about to drop the boys here!” Sharma let it all out in a single breath.

Rashmi’s jaw dropped. “Did you really refer to our grandsons as rascals??” She asked in blatant disbelief.

“That is a far decent term than what I want to refer to them as. One six-year old boy wreaks enough havoc when let loose on his grandparents. The twins are double the destruction! Do you remember what happened in the last visit?” Sharma said, already trying to hide the remote of the television and the charger of his mobile.

“It happened by mistake, I am sure.” Rashmi said, biting her cheek in amusement.

He glared at her. “They used the remote as a bat and my portable wi-fi router as ball. That cannot be called as mistake. Then there was the whole fiasco with the cake.”

“Which cake?” Rashmi asked even though she knew very well.

“Did you see the way in which they ate the cake?? Who dunks their entire face into the cake and ploughs through it?? Hooligans, they do that!”

Rashmi stifled her laughter.

“And I cannot forget the way they raided my wardrobe and got hold of my precious ties! And what do they do with them?? They literally looped the ties into each other to see how long a chain they can create, in the process, creating a mess I have never seen the likes of! Ten minutes, that is all I took a nap for. Ten short minutes, and the havoc they created! And don’t even get started on the dog!”

Rashmi shuddered here. The kids had brought home a stray puppy ‘to feed it’. The mess they created and the trouble Rashmi and Sharma went through to get the puppy out of the house was something that was etched into her memory forever.

“We need to buy some cream-biscuits for the kids.” Rashmi reminded him.

“Absolutely not! Last time we gave them that, they licked the cream and then force-fed the remaining bland parts of the biscuit to me! Every time I opened my mouth to refuse, one of the twins would shove a clean-licked biscuit into it! I am a retired General, for God’s sake; I deserve some dignity!”

Rashmi made a hasty retreat into the kitchen to restrain herself from laughing. A man indeed needed some dignity!

“I will just take a quick walk around the complex. I need to take in some calm before the storm strikes.” Sharma muttered and left the home.

He returned fifteen minutes later, a large bag in his hands. He set it on the table. “I have brought samosas and vada. The little tykes seemed to like them when I had brought these during one of their visits.”

Rashmi smiled at him gently. “They are not coming. Divya had just called. Minutes before she was about to leave, Shyam came home, it seems. The kids want a guys’ day at home with their dad now.”

“Oh.” Sharma said, looking lost. He looked at the bag and took a deep breath. “I guess we will have these for snacks later. At least we can spend a peaceful day at home.” He muttered in a low voice as he took out the remote from its hiding place and switched on the television. Rashmi found him changing the channels mindlessly without seeing anything in particular. She went and sat beside him.

“Kids will be kids, you see. If they don’t do any mischief, then who will do?” He said softly. “So what if their dad came home, they could have come for at least half an hour or so. Why say that they are coming and then change the decision?”

“Do you want to have a video-chat with them?” Rashmi asked him. He shrugged and kept changing channels. She shook her head with a smile and called up at Shyam’s number.

“Ma, how are you? I am sorry the kids decided to stay home at the last minute. Divya just left for her office.” Shyam said.

“I am fine Beta. Where are the kids?” She asked.

Sharma flung the remote aside and shifted near her to see the video.

“Naanu! Arnav just pulled my hair!” Amitav said, shouting into the phone.

“Where is he? Why do you guys always fight?” Sharma asked, sounding much more spirited now that he had seen his grandsons.

“Amitav forgot to mention that he punched me on the nose!” The other twin Arnav piped in.

It was simply delightful to look at the identical twins. From the mutinous expressions on their faces to their disheveled hair, they looked every inch a chaotic duo.

“All right boys, stop fighting. Do not give a tough time to your father.” Sharma chided them gently.

“I am not done! I am going to pulverize you!” Arnav shouted at Amitav and handed over the phone to Shyam before chasing after his twin.

Shyam gave a tired smile. “Papa, how are you?”

Sharma laughed slightly. “I should be the one asking you this. Listen, it will be too much to handle them all on your own the whole day. Bring them here after some time. You will get some much-needed respite and the boys can blow off some steam.”

“Are you sure it is no trouble to you, Papa? It does seem overwhelming – handling the two for the whole day.” Shyam said uncertainly yet there was a hopeful note in his voice.

“Kids will be kids. If they do not do any mischief, then who will?” Sharma looked sheepishly at Rashmi who smirked at him. “Bring them here. We will be waiting for them.”

“All right, Papa. I will bring them in an hour.” Shyam said, his relief evident in his tone and disconnected the call.

Shyam grinned at Rashmi. “Hide the valuables, the little rascals are coming here in an hour.”