OS: Bun in the Oven

She is the apple of their eyes.  At the age of 17, she is already a beautiful young woman.  She inherited looks and brain from her mama but she has her daddy's anger and attitude.  She is a bright, fiery star, can't be touched but admired from afar.  Though she likes to point out that she is almost an adult, she will always be a little girl for her mama, daddy, mima and Superstar.  Yes the girl is none other than beloved Tara also known as babyta and little star.  She is indeed one lucky girl to have two sets of loving parents.

On one such beautiful day, the almost grown up princess is playing chase with her younger siblings and cousins.  Her mima and Superstar live next door with their ever growing brood of 3 boys and one on the way.  With her own two rambunctious younger brothers, she hopes it's a girl.  So her daddy and Superstar can focus their overprotective tendencies on her and she can get a little space.  Tara loves her daddy and Superstar but they make dating a nightmare.  All her friends are dating but let her even hang out or even chat with a boy.  They are all up in arms.

Tara tired of playing and being chased around by the boys, puts a halt to the game.

Tara (breathing hard):  Alright you little monsters!  Enough!  I am tired.                     

The boys (in a chorus):  Awww!  Di…!

Tara (puts hands on hips and scowls):  What (nasally voice) awww Di?  You little devils have been chasing after me with your toy swords.  (Jumping, pretending to hold a sword and growls like a pirate) Yarrgh…!  Saavy I got me a fine piece of muslin.  Yarrgh!  (Normal voice) Now be quiet and sit down!

The boys (replies glumly):  Yes Di…

Tara (biting her fingers, just like her mama):  I am hungry.

The boys (pipe up in chorus):  We are hungry too Di!

Tara nods her head and marches towards the family room to walk through the kitchen. 

The boys quietly follow.  They know their Di.  She will probably forget about bringing their snacks and finish all the food herself.  Their dad/chacha is always bemoaning that Tara also inherited her mama's insatiable appetite.  Arnav likes to joke that once Khushi and Tara are done eating, the rest can fight over the remaining scraps.

Slowing her march, she stops near her mima and gives her a hug.

Tara:  Mima…I am going to the kitchen to look for snack (pointing at the boys) for this lot here.  Do you want something…juice, cookies? 

Madhu caresses Tara's cheeks with affection.  It still amazes Madhu that her babyta is no longer girl but on the cusp of adulthood. 

Madhu (pats her swollen stomach):  Babyta…you know your mima's cravings so well.  I want some juice and something sweet…please. 

The boys gave up following their Di and just started fighting with each other with their swords.  Tara just shakes her head at her unruly brothers and starts toward the kitchen.  But her daddy and Superstar stop her.

Arnav (affecting a hurt voice):  Princess…what about your daddy?

RK (also pretending to be hurt):  Yes…my little starlight…how can you forget your Superstar?

Khushi (reprimands the men):  Chup!  Don't bother my baby.

Madhu:  Yeah…and neither one of you are pregnant so go get your own refreshments.

Khushi (stands up):  Madhu you forget…our Patidevs here are only happy when we cater to them.  (To Tara) I'll help you in the kitchen baby.  Nargis is out running errands so she can't help you in the kitchen.

Tara (walks to Khushi and forces her to sit back down):  Uff…mama!  I am not a child any more.  Believe it or not…I can move my way around the kitchen.  (Speaks to Arnav and RK) Daddy…Superstar…I don't have to ask you two.  Daddy…you always drink black coffee no sugar.  Superstar you want tea with dollop of milk and lots of sugar.  Because you like to lick off the sugar at the bottom once you drink the tea.  (To Khushi) And you my dearest mama like to drink masala chai.  Ok?  Now my order is complete…I am going to the kitchen.

Tara walks off to the kitchen.  She loves them but sometimes they drive her batty.

Arnav (smiles proudly):  That's my baby girl!

Khushi:  You know she's not a baby anymore.

RK (replies staunchly):  Of course she is…she'll always be our little girl.

Madhu (shakes her head and whispers to her stomach):  You better hope to be a boy or your daddy and chachu won't let you grow up.

The four continue chatting till they catch the drift of the boys' conversation.  They stop and RK and Arnav lean forward to listen attentively.  Aarav, the eldest of the boys, is sharing some interesting bit of information.

Aarav (speaking to the other boys):  Speaking of cricket, Di brought home a boy (scratching his head to remember) I think…a few days ago.  Mama and dad were not home.

The other boys (chorus):  Really?  Our Di?

Aarav (frowns):  I've never seen him before.  (Grins) But he said he'll invite me to play cricket with his buddies next time.

The other boys (chimes):  We want to play too!

Aarav (shrugs his shoulders):  Well…I'll ask him next time.  Afterwards, he and Di went somewhere else alone.

Arnav and RK clench their fists in anger.  They can't believe a boy got their sweet, innocent baby girl alone.  They grimly think that boys have only one thing on their mind.  The possibility that this boy could have…no they can't think along those lines.

Khushi and Madhu notice the men's reaction.

Khushi (hisses):  Stop it you two.

Madhu (whispers):  Don't jump to conclusion.  Have more faith in our girl.

Arnav and RK relax a bit but Aarav's next words throw them off the kilter.

Aarav (frowns):  I came here to play Wii and I heard them, so loud! They were laughing a lot.  He kept on saying slow down…go gently…softly...put in the right amount of pressure…then he said that he will mold it to perfect…then he said it's ready to stuck in…well I don't remember what.  I could barely hear the words by then.  After some time they were laughing again…saying it was sticky, gooey, and well worth the wait.  Strange.  (Grins again) But whatever…I'll get to play crickets with the big boys.

Arnav and RK are ready now seeing red.  If this boy came in front of them, they would beat him to bloody pulp.  How dare he take advantage of their baby girl?

Arnav (hisses):  I am going to kill him!

RK (cracking his knuckles):  I am going to tear him from limb to limb…starting with his favorite appendage.

Madhu (cautions):  Look…you can't just jump to such a conclusion.

Khushi (agrees):  Let Madhu and I talk to Tara.

Madhu (nods her head):  Babyta's not like that, she's smart.  She knows not to jump into…(waving her hands) IT unless she's in a committed relationship.

RK (grimly):  That boy took advantage of the situation.

Arnav (equally grimly):  And my poor baby girl didn't know what hit her.  She was just blown away and things got out of control.

RK (standing up):  We should go talk to her!

Arnav (also stands up):  Yes…we should get his name then pay him a little visit!

They stalk off towards the kitchen.  Khushi quickly follows while Madhu comes in a more sedate pace.

Khushi (whispers loudly):  You can't just march in there and interrogate my baby!  Not based on what a young boy overheard.  It was pretty vague and hardly a reason to assume anything happened between them.

Arnav (whirls around):  That sounded pretty damn clear to me!

RK (growls):  Plus…he's a teenage boy.

Madhu (points out):  Patidev…I know you don't like to be reminded.  But you were a teenage boy once too.

RK (grimly):  Exactly.  One track mind…only focused on…err…how to get the girl.

They march on into the kitchen, Madhu and Khushi still protesting to their blunt method.

Arnav (stands opposite to Tara and asks quietly):  What's his name?

Tara (stares at Arnav in confusion):  Who's name daddy?

RK (takes up guard to Tara's left):  The boy.  What's his name?  Where does he live?

Tara:  Huh?  Superstar…what boy?

Arnav (snaps):  The boy you were all alone with in the house!

Tara (scratches her head):  Boy I was alone with in the house? Huh?  (Remembering) Ohh Ranbir?  That was a few weeks ago actually.  And really daddy…I was hardly alone.  My naughty brothers were in around…one can be hardly alone with them.

RK (growls):  What did he do to you?

Tara (confused again):  Well Superstar…I don't know what you mean…but he showed me…

Arnav (yells):  What the hell did he show you?

Tara (taken aback):  Really daddy…I don't understand why you are shouting at me.  (Bites her lips) Well…I suppose he showed me how to do something I have never done before.

RK (groans):  I knew it!  Damn…damn…damn!

Arnav (rubs his hand across his face):  Damn…damn!  I can't believe it…it happened right in my damn house!

Khushi and Madhu stand back, refusing to take part in this interrogation.  It's a delicate situation, and they have no wish to exasperate it in the same manner as their husbands.

Tara (very confused):  What are you talking about?

RK (ignores Tara, narrows his eyes):  We should take her to the doctor.

Arnav (nods bleakly):  He could have put a bun in her oven.

Tara (smiles widely):  Ranbir did put a bun in the oven.  (Frowns) Though I don't see why I would need to go see a doctor for it.

RK (looks up at the sky):  God…why are you making me pay for my sins in this manner?  Did you have to use my little star to complete my punishment?

Tara:  Huh?!?

Arnav:  I can't believe it…I can't believe that my sweet baby girl, my teenage daughter is pregnant! 

She was completely, utterly and beyond shocked and speechless for a minute.

Tara (recovering her voice and sputters):  You…think I am…I am…OMG…that I am pregnant?!?  (Horrified) You think I had…OMG…OMG…OMG…you think I had sex with Ranbir?!?

The men nod their heads in agreement.  This infuriates Tara and she is quite tempted to throw things at her daddy and superstar's respective heads.  At the sound of the oven timer, she whirls around and takes out a tray of aromatic, sticky cinnamon buns.  She slams it down on the oven and whirls back around to face her daddy and Superstar.

Tara (furiously):  I can't believe you don't trust me!  For your information, Ranbir and I were in the kitchen.  He was teaching me how to make sticky cinnamon buns.  His mom taught him.  I tried it one time at his house and they were delicious!  So he decided to show me.  If you don't believe me just ask Nargis maasi!  She was in here the whole time, keeping an eye on us!

Nargis (walks in):  It's true.  I was in here with them the whole time.  Nothing inappropriate between them, boy was a perfect gentleman.  They made some mouth-watering, delicious sticky buns.  (Eyeing the freshly baked batch, speaks to Tara) Ohh my sweet girl.  You've made a batch of those sinfully, wicked deliciousness.  (Picking one up) I just want one quick bite.

Tara (holding back tears, snaps):  Eat one…eat all of them if you want!  I don't care! 

Khushi and Madhu cluck their tongues and hold out their arms.  Tara runs to them to seek comfort.

Arnav (uncomfortable):  Baby girl…I am sorry…I…well…I just…

RK (equally uncomfortable):  I am sorry kiddo…I…well…ahem…well…we should have trusted you.

Tara (snaps from Khushi and Madhu's embrace):  Yes you should have! 

Khushi (croons):  It's ok baby.

Madhu (comfortingly):  They are idiots babyta and they should have trusted you.

Khushi:  We knew our baby wouldn't do anything wrong.

Tara (sniffles):  Thank you mama and mima.  You two are the best!

She pulls out of their embrace, turns around, glares at the men and stalk out of the kitchen.  Madhu and Khushi glare at them as well and march out.

The men follow their militant wives and hurt, angry daughter at a more sedate pace, with drooped shoulders.  Their overactive imagination and overprotective tendencies just made a huge mess. 

The princess of the realm is now royally pissed.  They, the old, unbending kings, must do something so their joint kingdoms can go back to living happily ever after.