Nina Soni, Sister Fixer by Kashmira Sheth

Author:Kashmira Sheth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
Published: 2020-04-08T00:00:00+00:00

Didn’t I say I was fine? But now Mom and Meera Masi were not going to let me leave the couch before I showed them where it hurt. I pointed at the middle of my stomach. “Right around here.” I clutched my shirt as Mom felt my stomach.

“Why is your shirt stained kind of yellow?” Jay asked.

When had he snuck in? Why didn’t this happen yesterday, when he was in Chicago?

I could have drowned in my own embarrassment. I closed my eyes to fight the tears that prickled my eyes. They might soak my shirt and then everyone would for sure see my yellow stomach.

“Why is it yellow?” Mom asked.

Great and double great. Now I had to answer.

“Montu told me to rub turmeric paste on my stomach,” I said, opening my eyes.

Mom shook her head. “Montu? You talked to Montu about it?”

“Is Montu her doctor?” Jay asked. Even though he should have remembered that Montu is my cousin.

“Montu is seven.” Dad’s voice was bitter, as if it was Montu’s fault that he was only seven. Dad turned to me. “Since when is Montu your doctor?”

I wished he was still talking to the 911 person.

“Oh, your cousin Montu!” Jay said.

Did Jay think it was possible to know more than one person named Montu?

“Quiet, Jay,” Meera Masi said.

Kavita sang, “Montu, Montu, I have a cousin named Montu. What more can you ask, when you have a cousin named Montu?”

Kavita’s singing reminded me that my sister-fixer project had run into a problem. I mean, she was singing at the most awkward time of my life.

Dad looked at Kavita. “That’s enough singing.”

I guess Dad was taking over my job, or at least helping me out.

Meera Masi grabbed Jay’s hand. “Let’s go home.”

But before they left, Jay looked back and whispered, “Turmeric on your tummy?”

I gave him a look that said don’t even think about mentioning this at school. He smirked. Then he and Meera Masi left and I felt sick all over again. This was because

I had taken seven-year-old Montu’s advice.

I had rubbed turmeric on my stomach.

My stomach was bright yellow and would stay that way for days.

Jay knew about it.

Our dam was working.

And the puddle was changing to Lake Ninita.

It could get very big.

I should tell Mom and Dad about it.

But I didn’t know how.

Before I could figure out what to say to my parents and how to say it, Dad took Kavita to her room to tuck her back in.

“Let me get you some water,” Mom said to me. “You might be dehydrated.” She went to the kitchen.

While they were gone, the front door opened and Jay peeked in. “Just grabbing Mom’s umbrella,” he said. Then he looked around and whispered, “Neon yellow stomach! A new fashion?”

As if I had done it on purpose!

As soon as he left, Mom walked in with a glass of water.

I took a few sips and was feeling much better when Dad returned.

I saw out the window that the rain had stopped. No need to say anything to them now.

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