Changing homes/cities is always traumatic but with the kids it takes on a whole new dimension. Next week we pack out bags for Pune. Sunil has been there for two months now and it's equally tough handling the kids on my own.
They rarely talk about him or the fact that they are missing him, so I assumed they just didn't think about him. However I was proved wrong today. The milkman came to take his money and Hrit ran to the door saying "papa papa papa". Trying not to let the embarrassment show I said with a very straight face, "Beta it's not papa." And what does Hrit do? Does he go back quietly? Nope.. he just stands there staring at the milkman repeating like a parrot, "Papa.. papa... papa." Finish your food, I say with as much firmness as I can muster under the circumstances. He looks at me defiantly, then looks at the milkman and launches into a, "Papa aa gaye,, papa aa gaye," Thankfully the bearded, bespecaled milkman went along with me and pretended he couldn't hear Hrit at all.
Sunil really needs to come home.
Labels: Daddy