Summer was about to end, and the much-awaited rainy season was going to start. The village elder with much experience in farming predicted that rain might start within a week. This provided Aachman with a reprieve from farming work as the field was already prepared, and all the farmers in the village were waiting eagerly for the rain to plant the crops.

Aachman vowed to himself that this interim period should be spent wisely by lazing around the house. "Aabha, where are you going?"

"I am going to play with my friends; you are not welcome."

The younger boy lounged comfortably on the veranda and made a shooing gesture towards his older brother. "Hmph, good riddance."

The older boy left the home with a perplexed face.

"Haha, true peace. This is how life should be lived," he closed his eyes and went into deep meditation.

ooo0ooo

Kari came back to the house after going to meet several other villagers. He paused at the entrance and looked at his youngest son, who reclined and lazed around as if there were no worries in his life.

Kari thought his son was becoming weirder after the illness. He shrugged the thought away and entered the house. "Bhumi, I am home".

A middle-aged woman who was cooking at the corner of the house replied. "Sit down, I will bring buttermilk".

"What did the old man predict?" She handed over a brass vessel full of buttermilk.

Kari chugged buttermilk like there was no tomorrow. "Burp, that hit the spot. The old man said the first shower would be within a week. We have to be ready for planting the seeds."

"Good," the lady turned back to go for the unattended stove, but a large hairy hand suddenly pulled her back and hugged her.

"Aaah!"

"What are you doing? Children are in the house, and I need to cook," the lady said with a red face.

"Aabha went out for play, and Aacha is asleep," the man told the woman and winked at her.

The lady wriggled and tried to escape from the clutches of a lusty man. Anyone with good eyesight would observe that the lady was putting in token resistance and being as eager as the man.

The man was more invigorated because of the resistance of his shy wife. He panted like a thirsty dog and pulled her into his embrace, and she melted.

ooo0ooo

While this shenanigan was happening inside the house, Aachman was in deep meditation, but a sudden noise disturbed him. He was irritated and got up to resolve the annoying sound.

"Ich"

"Ich"

"Ich"

"Old goat, unhand your paws off my mother."

The middle-aged couple split hastily. The woman's face was tinged with red because of shyness, but the man was sheepish and tried to pull off an innocent look.

"Hmph." Aachman snorted and was bemused by the thought of his father trying to dupe him.

"Boy, why are you shouting? We were playing." Kari replied, and the lady nodded her head like a chicken to support her husband.

"You villain, don't act innocent," the boy yelled in his righteous anger.

Kari ignored the boy's shouting, rubbed his hands and spoke like a true snake oil salesperson. "Ha, Aacha, don't you want a younger sister? After all, only boys are present in our household, and don't you want a cute little sister?"

Aachman was shocked to daze by his father's shamelessness. "Already, Aabha, eating all my share of sweets, and I am not getting enough. Why would I want a sister?" The boy said indignantly about this injustice.

Alas, mother overcame her shyness, and her face was still red, but entirely for different reasons. She approached the boy when the father and son were arguing about the need for a loli sister and the cuteness appeal of said loli.

"ENOUGH!" the lady hollered and smacked the boy on the back of his head.

"Why are you even lazing around the house? "

"Resting."

"Go out and play," she said with her voice showing that she would not accept the answer 'no'.

Even though mother had cute girly moments, she was the one wearing pants in our household. So, Aachman wisely fled from the house.

Aachman sighed and thought about his current grievances. Who would have thought his mother and father had also made a vow? He heard the voice before leaving the house.

The lady's voice asked curiously, "Dear, how did Aacha know about the play?"

"I don't know. Did you teach Aacha about bees and birds? Or something," the male voice spoke carelessly.

"Why will I? I don't think even Aabha knows about this," Lady said while pondering.

"Who cares? " The husky voice replied. Followed by:

"Haaa!"

"Ich"

"Ich"

Aachman, who lingered near the house, left hurriedly and considered whether he was traumatised because of this incident. After deliberating for several moments, he concluded that pondering further may lead to hidden danger in his mind. So he locked his memory in the deepest part of his mind and left to explore the village.