The afternoon heat arrived like an uninvited guest. By early afternoon, the air inside the house felt thick, heavy, pressing against her skin. The ceiling fan whirred uselessly, pushing warm air from one corner to another. Outside, the leaves of the small garden hung limp, barely moving as hot wind swept through.
Lakshmi finished folding the laundry and eased herself into a chair near the dining table. Her throat felt dry, each swallow scraping. She glanced around, hesitating.
On the table stood a glass, half full. Sweet lime juice. A few ice cubes floated weakly, already shrinking under the heat. Aarav must have left it there before running off to play.
Lakshmi stared at it for a long moment.
Just a sip, she told herself. Only to wet my lips.
She lifted the glass, the coolness seeping into her fingers, and took a small swallow. The sweetness spread across her tongue, relief immediate.
That was when she heard the sharp scrape of a spoon hitting glass.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Riya’s voice cut through the room, loud and sudden. Lakshmi turned, startled, the glass still in her hand. Riya stood by the kitchen doorway, her face tight, eyes narrowed.
Lakshmi felt a flush creep up her neck. “Beta, I was just so thirsty,” she said softly. “I only took one sip.”
Riya strode forward and slapped her spoon down onto the table. The sound echoed, harsh in the quiet room.
“That is my child’s juice,” she snapped. “Have you lost all shame? Even at your age?”
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