Continued..... The next morning, Shikha grunted laboriously as she turned to her right side. She used her right shoulder and both hands to push herself up into a sitting position. Her protruding belly rolled up like a rebounding basket ball. It always took a few seconds for her to orient herself in the morning before she began her daily routine of checking emails. Fifteen emails, and not one from Jeevan. Saturday mornings, he usually slept in. Her family had already gathered at the breakfast table as Shikha walked in with a Dhaka shawl around her shoulders. "Hoina bhanya Sanu ma, Poonam le Ka-le bihey garyo ta ke bho ta? Oos lai maan paryo ra garyo." Neha argued with her aunt. "Aammai, ke bhanya tyasto? Aaphno sanskriti chadera pani bihey garincha ra? Neha, hamro dharma le didaina kya!" Sanu ma explained in exasperation. "Mamoo, maile, kuhire sanga bihey gareko bhaye hajur le ke garsinthyo?" Neha asked mamoo as she nudged Shikha with a wink. "Tyasto Kuhirey sanga bihey garney chanas nai thiyena thimro. Mamoo lai sodha, kaati patak graha shanti garayom hamiley timro! Timro bihey ra bhawisya ta mantra le jogyako cha, ba. Tyo Poonam ko pani tyastai garaoonu parne Nepali dula nai paoonthyo ki? "Grinned Sanu Ma with a conspiring glance at mamu. Shikha caught mamu glance at Sanu ma as she frowned and touched her lips with her forefinger. "Aajha, mandir janai parcha ra, mamu? Malai ali sancho chaina, tyas mathi mandir dhayei rakhna pani icha chaina." Shikha said as she meticulously sorted the onions from her omelet. Onions always triggered off nausea. "Hin-na-hin, Pundit baje pani wohin aaoonchan ke. Ani tero pani chi-na dekhaoonoo parcha ke." Mamu coaxed. "Tyahi ta Shikha, timro lagi pani Kathmandu bata biheyko kura ayeko cha ke. Ye so graha shanty garaooney ki timro pani? Aaba ta oomer pani bhai sakyo. Abiwahit chori ghar ma baseko hamro sanskriti le ramro bhandaina ke!" Sanu ma blurted the real purpose for the visit to the temple. "Janna ma mandir sandir. Malai bihey garna iccha pani chaina!" Shikha pushed away her plate and walked out of the room. ' Bho bho katti karai rakheko Sanu, oosko padhai le nai dherai byasta cha. Ooslai keta seta ma dhyaan pani chaina ahiley." Mamu warned Sanu ma. **********To be continued**********