Two Cups, No Sugar

Afternoon light. A small kitchen. Ceiling fan HUMS overhead. Tiled backsplash. Two mugs on the table. A sugar jar, spoon, biscuit tin. A PRESSURE COOKER WHISTLES in the background.

BINA (45), colorful house dress, reading glasses, bangles, stands by the stove like she owns the planet.

KRITI (22), college hoodie, messy ponytail, phone in hand, pretends to be very busy.

Chai bana de, Kriti. Aur dhang ki.

Main bana rahi hoon. Aap bas... advice mat do.

Advice? Main? Arre, main toh guidance deti hoon.

Haan, uninvited guidance.

Bina snorts. Kriti opens the sugar jar, then stops.

Pehle sugar daal. Warna chai ka taste kharab.

Taste sugar se nahi, logon se kharab hota hai.

Bina turns, offended.

Matlab?

Matlab jo har cheez par comment kare.

Achha? Aur jo phone se chipka rahe?

Kriti lifts her phone defensively.

Busy hona crime hai?

Busy nahi. Secretive.

A beat.

The cooker WHISTLES louder.

Aapko har cheez mein shaadi hi kyun dikhti hai?

Kyunki tumhari life mein career ke saath-saath ek insaan bhi hona chahiye.

Aur aapko har insaan mein shaadi kyun dikhti hai?

Kyunki tumhari generation commitment se bhaagti hai.

Aapki generation options se bhaagti thi.

Bina gasps.

Hum log practical the.

Aap log lucky the.

Silence. Bina stirs the empty cup with the spoon like she’s thinking.

Lucky? Hmph.

Haan. Aapke time pe sab available the.

Available? Arre, tum log toh ek text ka reply dene mein do din laga dete ho.

Kriti’s phone VIBRATES.

She flips it face down instantly.

Bina notices that.

Oho.

Kya oho?

Kuch nahi.

Aapka kuch nahi ka matlab bahut kuch hota hai.

Bina folds her arms.

Chalo, sach bolo. Kaun hai?

Koi nahi.

Phone ne jhooth bol diya kya?

Kriti tries to stay cool.

Rohan.

Bina freezes. Then slowly smiles.

Aha.

Aisa mat dekhiye.

Main? Main toh kuch nahi.

Kriti groans.

Aapka kuch nahi bhi lecture lagta hai.

Bina reaches for the sugar jar, then pauses.

Theek hai. Mera bhi ek... matter hai.

Kriti looks up.

Kya?

Bina clears her throat, suddenly shy.

Building ka naya electrician.

Suresh?

Haan.

Aunty!

Kya aunty? Har baar bolta hai, “Aapki chai bahut achhi hai.”

Oh no.

Oh yes.

They look at each other. The argument deflates.

Toh hum dono... same scene mein phas gaye?

Tumhara Rohan, mera Suresh.

Aur hum dono overthink kar rahe the.

Main overthink nahi karti.

Aap over-talk karti hain.

Bina points the spoon at her.

Aur tum over-hide karti ho.

A beat. Then both laugh.

Mujhe text karna hai.

Kar.

Par agar awkward hua toh?

Toh kya? Zindagi hi awkward hai.

Kriti smiles.

Aapko bhi kuch bolna hai?

Bina glances at the sugar jar.

Haan. Par pehle ek rule.

Kaisa rule?

Paanch minute. Koi advice nahi.

Deal.

Bina opens the sugar jar. Kriti picks up the spoon. They make tea together, finally in sync.

The cooker WHISTLE fades into the background.

Ab daal sugar.

Kitni?

Apni marzi.

Wah. Miracle.

Bina smiles, proud.

The tea simmers.

Aunty...

Haan?

Thanks. For... not being too much.

Bina pretends to be offended.

Main kabhi too much nahi hoti.

Of course.

They pour tea into the two mugs.

Bina takes a sip. Kriti takes a sip.

Both react with surprise.

Arre... theek hai.

Haan.

Matlab, actually theek hai.

Kyunki advice kam thi.

Kriti laughs.

Her phone VIBRATES again.

She looks at it. Then calmly places it aside.

Bina slides the biscuit tin toward her.

Ab pehle chai.

Aur baad mein?

Baad mein... jo bhi hoga, dekhenge.

They clink mugs lightly.

END.