THE BURNED CURRY

It was a fine morning in the month of May, followed by a rainy evening. Maomi was on her favorite armchair enjoying the rain plopping against her glassed balcony. No wonder she was reading, her favorite activity of all time. She was just ten pages from the happy ending when the bell twanged, interrupting her mood. “Someone curse that__, ugh.”

The third sound moved her from her armchair as she pulled her unwilling body to answer the unanswered door. “Feels as if all are in dead sleep,” she muttered under her breath and opened the door to________ her ‘posh and disgusting’ Aunt Sally, unfortunately. With a broken heart and sulking face Maomi was hugged to death by the long fat arms of her Aunt. She wondered why she made the effort to ruin this beautiful rainy day.

Her aunt was a master at showing off; scoffing and making children regret their existence. She was always in the mood to show her love for children, with none her own, which turned out to be their nightmares. Take Maomi for example. She is a good dancer, a good singer, a good student as well as a good artist. All praised her work to the limits. Nevertheless when it came to her Aunt Sally, she practically, was dead meat. She would laugh her squeaky laugh and say all the rubbish in the world, “ I guess my child deserves a literary prize for her extraordinary piece of literature. Oh I think you can put up a wall of art for her or make some money from all the paintings she had done. Oh girl do you mind running a dance class, one that would be called ‘Sally is proud to let her almost-9-year-daughter run a dance school for her.’ Well my intuitive mind says you are a doctor material.” And this goes on.

Well back to reality

Now the sister hugs made Maomi feel dizzy, both her mother and Aunt Sally were insane sisters always squeaking when talking to each other. “Well Agnes, I see your daughter has grown too early, I think we should test her knowledge and ability.”

“What a test, what do you_,”

“Be polite Mia! Aren’t you warned about not interrupting elders?” shrieked her wide-eyed mother.

“Okay, I see she is going to get a poor grade, but mind what I have got for her is just as simple as cooking,” she cackled leaving Maomi baffled at her mention to ‘easy’ cooking, “Well Agnes I hope you are familiar with Master chef? I find it really mind-blowing at the same time the easiest challenge on earth. I think your, um, what was her age again?” “ 10 and a half,” “Yeah 10 year old girl is as talented as those master chef kids. Don’t disappoint me Agnes.”

 “Yeah my daughter is an excellent cook she once made pancake for me.”

“Well this time it’s not only about pancake but a whole lot of ‘party’ cooking.”

“Wait! What?” interrupted the exasperated Maomi, “You say it’s a ‘party cooking’?”

“I see your daughter doesn’t remember the dates well, what date is it sweetheart?”

“It’s your_____!” Aunt Sally put her halt sign and raised her eyebrows.

“Is it your----- um _____ er your --- birthday Aunt?” stuttered Maomi, realizing her peril.

“At least you remember, now let me tell you this, I have invited all my friends and relatives to my birth day, especially at your house,” she pointed at her niece, “And you are going to be the cook my sweetie.”

Maomi’s eyes were wide with frustration, agony, annoyance, and dread. She did sense this coming and knew her grade would be nothing than a -100/100. She bit her lip and searched for an explanation from her mother, whose eyes were as calm and blurry as possible.

“Well what do you say Agnes? Am I not brilliant?”

“Of course sister and I know my daughter is going to score the highest.”

“Yeah, let’s begin Mia; you have exactly 2 hours from 6:00 pm. I have asked them to come at 8:00pm.”

“Yeah,” Maomi turned and headed towards her room for her phone. ‘She could do this of course at least with online recipes.

Entering the kitchen she dreaded her less-than-2-hours- future and proceeded with the ‘so called easy-cooking’.

After almost half-hour was she done with half the cooking, after a lot of her trials and errors’ when her aunt peered in and squeaked, “I said no help, you remember?”

 ‘When did you mention any rules you Mrs posh lady?’

“Oh? Did you?”

“Of course I did!” she blurted out realizing she was caught. “Well I think I should keep your phone safe with me.”

“Before seizing my phone you may have to taste this garbage,” Maomi shoved her burned curry and the weird smelling cake towards her aunt who backed away immediately and said unwillingly, “Okay, okay go on, just don’t ruin the party please,” and strode away.

Completing her cooking by the next 1 hour she dusted the house and other furniture in just 20 minutes. Then she put on a party dress and served the food and the only chocolate cake she managed to bake. The bell twanged furiously as she opened the door and faced a rush of aged ladies, who no fault, were Aunt Sally’s ‘close friends’. 

 In the next one hour the guests were done with more than half of the food which alerted Maomi to make some garbage and shove them in these hungry mouths, without any idea of getting her dangerous wish fulfilled. “Mia don’t you see we need more food, go make some more of your curry, they are the mouth-catcher tonight,” whispered her mother cornering her to the end of the dining room.

She hurried into the kitchen and made 2 more bowls of those curry with some rice and fries. Frustrated with all the work she dropped her phone. As she proceeded to pick it up, reluctantly she noticed something white shining. It was a bowl and the yellow stains on either side of it told that they contained nothing but curry. ‘I would better take this too, no idea how long they would keep eating.’

Little did she remember they were the once she had considered garbage.

“Well I am so sorry I made you wait, take this, it’s some more curry and rice, I hope it would be adequate.”

“Oh my, are you that tiny-little-cook Sally was talking about. I wish my daughter was as intelligent and hardworking as you.”

Her mother glared at her making her unable to reply. She thanked the guest and strode off to her room. Unable to suppress her anger she punched the wall. The next moment, she was on her bed sobbing, ‘Why do these old creaks always have to mock the children, aren’t they the greatest bullies in this world. How do they call me ‘tiny little’ when I just made them the food they wanted? Besides I am no less than 5 feet even at the age of 10 and the tallest girl in my class.’

“Eww, what is this garbage you served us?” At first she thought she had heard them in her head but the knock on her door told her it was real. “What is this? Mia did you do this intentionally?” Agnes barged into her room with the familiar bowl in hand.

Did what__?” realization swept through her. It was that curry bowl she showed her aunt and pushed aside due to its disgusting smell. “Mom I just realized. I er I -----did not do that intentionally, it was a mere mistake, I was too absorbed in cooking that I forgot it was the burned one.”

“Well Agnes I guess we should leave.” Mom hurried to the crowd assembled at the gate.

“I guess you won’t make your niece do any of the cooking, again. At least I won’t be here to taste that out.” The last of Aunt Agnes’ friends sneered at her and left.

“Were you having fun Mia darling?” her Aunt Sally questioned her after all other friends and relatives were gone.

“Why did you even ask me to do this irrational act? How do you think a 10 year old will cook these? I am no master chef participant as a matter of fact, Aunt.”

“Well Agnes I think your ‘haughty’ daughter deserves a big 0 in this challenge. By the way I would like to leave now though it’s too late.” Soon her Aunt was out of the door.

‘Why did you even bother to come, Aunt Sally? My day was better without you.’