Embrace the Chicken

by Mahtab Narsimhan

  Shivani took the opportunity to ask an easy question. “So what’s your favorite food?”

  “Steak and potatoes,” said Ryan. “Oh, and hot dogs, pizza, burgers—guess I can’t answer that kind of question when I’m hungry.”

  “What about Indian food?” said Mel. “Shivani’s mom is a great cook.”

  Shivani turned to look at Mel. Stop it, she mouthed.

  “I tried Indian food in Toronto once, when I was visiting cousins,” said Ryan. “A bit too spicy for me. Maybe my taste buds aren’t used to it. But it could also have been my cousin pranking me. I think he ordered the hottest version of the curry.” He shrugged.

  Mel dug an elbow into Shivani.

  “Well, you’re just going to have to try my mom’s curry,” said Shivani. “Maybe during the summer holidays?”

  “That would be awesome,” said Ryan. “We could hang out, maybe go to a movie.”

  Shivani nodded. “Sounds good.” Like it was no big deal. Oh my god!

  “Okay, gotta run,” said Ryan.

  He said he wants to try Ma’s curry!

  “So what should I call your mother?” asked Mel.

  Shivani dropped back to earth with a thud. They were almost home. The moment of truth. Would she still have a friend by the end of the day? Or had she just made the biggest mistake of her life?

  Chapter Nine

  “Ma, I’m home!” said Shivani as she shut the door behind them. She turned to Mel with a tentative smile. “She must be in the kitchen, preparing dinner. We need to take our shoes off.”

  Mel slipped her boots off as she sniffed the air. “It smells so good in here. What is she cooking?”

  “Yellow-lentil dal, jeera pulao and masala okra,” said Shivani.

  Mel stared. “Wow! You know all that just from sniffing the air?”

  Shivani laughed. “That and I helped her shop for groceries on Sunday.”

  Mel punched her shoulder. “Cheater!”

  “Hello, beta, you snack before you do work-home?” said Ma, wiping her hands on a towel as she came out of the kitchen. She froze when she saw Mel.

  Mel came forward, hand outstretched. “Hello, Mrs. Das, I’m Mel. I’ve heard so much about you from Mom. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

  Ma shook her hand with a big smile. “Welcome to our house. Please to call me Aunty. You will stay for dinner, no?”

  “I will stay for dinner, yes!” said Mel, grinning. “Thanks, Aunty.”

  “Nice. Nice,” said Ma. “You go work. I bring chai and biscuits.”

  “Ma, you don’t have to.”

  “I’m starving,” said Mel, smiling at Ma. “Yes, please.”

  An hour later they’d finished their homework. There wasn’t a crumb left on the plate of biscuits, and their mugs of chai were empty. “Delish,” said Mel.

  Downstairs, Shivani heard the clink of plates and a murmur of low voices. Anita was home. Papa would arrive shortly. Then they would all be sitting at the table. Eating Indian food. And talking. Despite how well the afternoon had gone, Shivani was nervous.

  Mel checked her phone. Shivani daydreamed about her possible movie date with Ryan. It seemed like just seconds later that Ma called, “Shivani, dinner is ready.”

  Well, here goes nothing. If Mel didn’t like the food or her family, at least she’d tried. Shivani remembered what Katya had said. Real friends accept you just the way you are.

  Shivani introduced Mel to Papa and Anita. So far, so good. Then she helped bring the rest of the dishes to the table. Mel offered to help too. Once they sat down, Ma insisted on serving Mel first. Shivani watched nervously as Ma piled rice on Mel’s plate. She smothered it with a big scoop of dal and heaped some okra beside it. She topped it with a dollop of ghee and a crisp pappadam. A meat-loving girl had just been served a completely vegetarian meal. This was not going to go well.

  “Eat, please, before it catching cold.”

  Mel scooped up a large forkful and put it in her mouth. Her eyes popped open.

  Shivani wanted to duck under the table. “So, um, do you like it?” she asked.

  Mel shook her head and chewed furiously.

  Shivani met Ma’s eyes. She looked the way Shivani felt. Maybe now Ma would believe her when she kept saying her friends would not like Indian food!

  Mel finally swallowed that first bite and sat back. “Wow! It’s so good, Aunty! A million flavors exploding on my tongue. So mad at you, Shivi-girl, for keeping this from me for so long!”

  Ma laughed. “My nickname for her also Shivi.”

  “Great minds think alike!” said Mel.

  Mel finished everything on her plate and asked for seconds. Ma couldn’t stop smiling. Even the conversation flowed well. Papa made his usual corny jokes. Ma and Anita piped in now and then. Shivani could tell Mel was enjoying every bit of it. Including the jalebis Ma served for dessert.

  “I have died and gone to heaven,” said Mel after her second helping. “Best dessert ever!”

  “Thank you, beta,” said Ma.

  “What does beta mean?” Mel asked. “Like, ‘honored guest’?”

  We all laughed.

  “It is an affectionate term for our children, Mel,” said Papa. “But we hope that you will be our guest again soon.”

  “I will definitely be back. Especially if Aunty is cooking!”

  When dinner was over, Shivani walked Mel outside. She wasn’t sure how to say how grateful she was. She decided to keep it simple. “Thanks!”

  “For what?” said Mel. “I should be thanking you. Your family is fantastic, and your mom is adorable. You need to stop hiding her away.”

  “Mel, just because you like her doesn’t mean everyone else will be kind. Back home, her supposed friends made fun of her. I was happy when Ma stopped inviting them over.”

  “Your ma is a strong woman, and she can take care of herself,” said Mel. “And yes, there will always be some idiots who are afraid of anything different. But for the most part, our community is very open-minded and supportive. You’ll see at the fundraiser. Is your mom going to have a food stall?”

  “No way!”

  Mel shook her head. “Speaking of idiots…” She gave Shivani a quick hug. “But I like you anyway. Good night!”

  “Bye-bye, Mel!” Ma called from the doorway.

  “Bye, Aunty!” said Mel, grinning. “See you soon.”

  When Shivani went back inside, Ma was humming a tune as she cleared the table.

  “Ma, you go rest. I’ll do this,” said Shivani. “Dinner was great! Mel loved it.”

  “So, I told you,” Ma said.

  “Yes, you did,” admitted Shivani. Then she made Ma a hot cup of chai.

  Chapter Ten

  The weekend of the fundraiser was almost there. Shivani and Mel pooled their allowances for consolation prizes. It was Mel’s idea to pile them at kids’ eye level on the table.

  “If that doesn’t lure them in, I don’t know what will,” Mel said. “It would work on me!”

  Shivani, who had never tasted a gummy bear before, tried a couple. “You’re right!” she said. “I could eat these forever.”

  “And I could do the same with jalebis,” said Mel. “They are so good! Are you sure you don’t want to ask Aunty to set up a stall? Mom could totally arrange it on short notice.”

  “Can we please not go into this again?” said Shivani. “Maybe next year.”

  Mel muttered something that sounded like yeah right.

  “Sorry, what?” said Shivani.

  “Nothing,” said Mel.

  Friday evening, the night before the fundraiser, Shivani’s stomach churned with excitement. And hunger. It was almost eight, but there was no sign of dinner. Shivani headed toward the kitchen. Ma and Anita were chattering softly in Hindi, bursting into laughter every so often.

  “What’s so funny?” Shivani asked, stepping into the kitchen.

  Ma and Anita froze. The kitchen counter was littered with used pots and ladles. Shivani notice
d a huge mound of chopped cilantro on a cutting board. It gave off an earthy aroma that Shivani loved. Beside it was a mound of tandoori chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces. Shivani’s mouth watered. Ma’s butter chicken was to die for.

  “Food time already?” said Ma when she saw her. “How clock flying.”

  Shivani didn’t bother to tell her how late it was. She stared at Anita, who was stirring a large pot on the stove. She hadn’t turned to look at her. Shivani could tell something was up. Ma and Anita had been acting weird all week, whispering and giggling. She didn’t like being left out.

  “Can I help with anything?” she asked.

  “Please set table,” said Ma.

  “Maybe I could clean up?” said Shivani. “It’s a mess in here.”

  “I’ve got it under control, Didi, but thanks,” said Anita.

  Shivani turned and left the kitchen. Fine, she thought. Keep your secrets. I have better things to do with my time. As she set the table, she thought about the next day. She’d have at least four hours of minding the stall next to Ryan. They’d bumped into each other during setup and had eaten lunch in the cafeteria at the same table, but this would be a lot more fun.

  As soon as Papa got home, they sat down to dinner. As Shivani ate, her thoughts returned to Ryan. He was a sweet and friendly guy. Shivani was looking forward to getting to know him and his friend better.

  “Pass the yogurt, please, Shivani,” Papa said.

  Shivani snapped out of her daydream. “Sure,” she said. Only then did she realize she’d been munching on gobi parathas with yogurt and pickles.

  “Why are we eating this when there’s butter chicken?” asked Shivani, looking with amazement at Ma. “You know how much I love it.”

  “Just realized that, did you?” said Anita. “I win the bet!” she said to Ma with a wink.

  “What bet?” Shivani asked. “What’s going on?”

  “Settle down now, girls. You don’t need to shout,” said Papa.

  “You’re so wrapped up in your own world, Didi,” Anita said. “I said it would be ten minutes before you noticed what we’re eating tonight. Ma said five.”

  Shivani’s face grew warm. It was true she’d been very preoccupied the last couple of weeks, and especially today. “Not that it’s any of your beeswax, but I’ve been thinking about the fundraiser.”

  “You sure that’s all?” said Anita, popping a bit of paratha into her mouth.

  Shivani glared at Anita. Ma ate her food in silence.

  “So do we get a taste of the butter chicken?” asked Shivani. “Or are you preparing for a dinner party?” Ma did that sometimes. She would cook some of the dishes a day or two in advance. They always tasted better the next day anyway.

  “Yes. Party,” said Mom, nodding. “Now hurry up finish. I have much work to do.”

  If they wanted to have secrets about a dinner party, fine. It was too boring to get involved in anyway. She and Mel were going to win the award for earning the most money. The prize was a school ribbon and two movie tickets, presented in front of the entire school. Her cool factor would skyrocket.

  Chapter Eleven

  Shivani whipped open the curtains. The sun beamed at her from a cloudless blue sky. She hummed a tune as she took extra-special care with her outfit. She slipped on her favorite ripped jeans, a cream shirt and a denim jacket. For a moment she hesitated, staring at the kurti Ma had bought for her. It was a deep royal purple and was covered in delicate white embroidery—chikan work. Embrace your culture, Ma and Papa always said. If she did that today, she would definitely have the most unique outfit at the fair. The kurti would go so well with jeans and slip-on mojris.

  Shivani shoved the drawer shut with a sigh. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to fit in. Not stand out. Sometimes she wished she could be more like her sister. Not only did Anita wear what she liked, but Shivani could have sworn she’d seen a couple of Anita’s friends wearing her sister’s outfits too.

  “Morning, Didi!” Anita said, stepping out of the bathroom, fully dressed and heading for the door. An early riser, Anita was ready way before Shivani just about every day of the week.

  “Morning!” Shivani replied in a cheery voice. “Where are you off to? It’s so early!”

  “I’m helping someone out at the fundraiser,” she said.

  “Oh yeah?” Shivani asked. “Games or food?”

  “Food,” said Anita and raced out of the room.

  After checking her hair again, Shivani carefully applied gloss over her pink lipstick. She had to look as good as possible since she was going to be working so close to Ryan all day.

  Shivani’s phone buzzed. Mel.

  Meet you on the school grounds in ten.

  K. See you soon.

  Shivani took one last look in the mirror and stepped out of the room. Ma hadn’t brought up the topic of the fundraiser since their blowup. Shivani was relieved. She did think it was most unlike Ma to give up so easily though. Ma could be very stubborn when she made up her mind about something.

  Shivani would make it up to Ma by being extra nice when the summer vacation began. Maybe she would make her a cup of hot ginger-cardamom chai and give her a foot massage one Sunday morning. Or maybe she and Anita could offer to cook lunch and dinner one day so Ma could have a day off with Papa. Her parents had not had any time to themselves since they’d come to Canada.

  Shivani raced down the hall. “Ma! I’m leaving!” she called.

  “Okay, beta, have a nice day,” said Ma, stepping out of the kitchen. She smelled fragrant, like a tiffin full of delicious food. But she looked a bit preoccupied, worried even.

  “Everything okay, Ma?”

  “Big day for you, no?” said Ma.

  “Yes!” said Shivani. “I hope our stall does well. Don’t forget, I’ll be home late. All the volunteers have to stay afterward to help clean up.”

  “If you work hard, the rewards will follow,” Ma said.

  “Right. Okay, gotta run. Mel is waiting for me.”

  It was odd that Ma didn’t even ask if Shivani wanted breakfast. Not that she could have eaten anything. She was too nervous. “Best luck,” said Ma. “Break feet.”

  “Thanks, Ma!” said Shivani, giving her a tight hug. “Bye.”

  “It’s all ready, Ma!” Anita called from the kitchen.

  “Go, go,” said Ma, almost pushing Shivani out the door.

  As Shivani ran to school, she wondered who’d been invited to the dinner party that night. Probably the neighbors. They had been dropping major hints lately about how much they loved Indian food.

  Chapter Twelve

  The school field was buzzing with activity. Volunteers with name tags swarmed everywhere. The smell of popcorn, candy floss and donuts was all around. Shivani looked for Mel. She was excited about the idea of winning a prize if they did well with the balloon-dart stall that day.

  She and Mel spotted each other at the same time and waved. Even from here, Shivani could see that Mel looked great. Her blond hair was freshly washed and styled. She wore denim jeans and a cool white peasant blouse. They had planned ahead and deliberately chosen similar outfits. That was another reason Shivani had decided not to wear the kurti.

  “Ready?” asked Mel as she got closer.

  Shivani nodded. “You bet.”

  “I’ve already dropped off the gummy bears at our stall. If nothing else, that should draw the crowds,” said Mel. “Please don’t let me eat them all!”

  “If there are any left over after I’m through,” Shivani replied, smiling.

  “Mom said there are a couple more bags in the car if we run out.”

  “Sounds good. Once we’re all set up, let’s go scope out the competition,” said Shivani. “See what they’re offering and then decide on a game plan.”

  Mel laughed. “I like the way you think, Shivi-girl.”

  They checked in with the teacher handing out money boxes with change. They also got a roll of tickets and an instruction sheet. They headed o
ver to their stall. A large board covered with tiny balloons was already on the back wall. Shivani and Mel carefully arranged the colored darts on the table. Then they set out the large bowl filled with gummy bears. Even if a kid missed all three turns, they’d still get a small prize.

  People were starting to trickle onto the grounds, so they decided to stay put. Shivani sat with the money box and tickets. She and Mel would take turns selling tickets and handing out the darts.

  The stall next to theirs was still empty. Where were Ryan and his friend? Maybe they’d changed their minds. Shivani hoped not.

  “He’ll be here,” said Mel.

  Shivani started. “What? I didn’t say a word!”

  “You didn’t have to. Your expression said it all.”

  Shivani gave Mel a hug. “You’re the best.”

  “I know,” said Mel, grinning. “But feel free to mention it as often as you like. And hey, one more thing.”

  “Yeah?” said Shivani, her eyes sweeping the grounds.

  “No matter what happens today, don’t forget we’re here to have fun. And raise money for the school,” Mel said. “So, um…I don’t want you getting upset over anything.”

  “Why would I?” said Shivani. “We’ll do our best, and if we don’t win, so be it. Oh, look! There he is.”

  “Hi, Shivani! Hey, Melanie!” said Ryan. His arms were full of plastic bows and arrows.

  He wore blue jeans, a white T-shirt and aviator glasses that reflected the blue sky. He is so cute! Shivani felt a bit woozy. She sat down on the chair and smiled. “Hey there!” she said, trying to play it cool.

  “This is my friend Calum,” said Ryan. A boy with dark hair stood behind him, holding a roll of tickets and a money box.

  “Cal for short,” his friend said. “Hi!”

  Shivani watched Mel look Cal up and down. She could tell her friend approved.

  “I was in the gym where the food stalls are being set up,” said Ryan. “It smells soooooo good in there! Now my stomach is begging for attention. I don’t think I’ll last until lunchtime.”