#adithi joshi

Adithi went silent, eyes wide, heart pounding. For some unknown reason, she glanced at the clock on the wall, maybe to confirm that this was real and she wasn't dreaming. 

"Who said so, Vikkie?" She asked, just to be safe.

"Remember I was telling you guys about my assistant? Otto, the uh. Y'know. The robot. He uhm. He said he loves me back."

Even if he sounded nervous, Adithi knew her son well. She could hear the smile in his tone, practically feel the anxiously excited energy radiating off of him and through the phone. There was a delay to her reaction in kind but as soon as she found her voice, she used it.

"Vikkie!!!" She squealed, almost jumping in place, she was so amped. "Ohh, that's wonderful! You have to bring him over as soon as possible for dinner--" She turned her mouth away from the receiver to yell down the hall. "Yuvraj!!! Do you still have the number for those cleaners? This house must be SPOTLESS for when Vikkie visits next!"

"Did something happen?" Yuvraj called back from his office. "Good news?"

"VERY good news!" Adithi's attention shifted rapidly back to her son. "Oh, this is so amazing!!!"

"Called it," Vikram sounded adorably smug. "No big rush though, okay? Otto doesn't have a digestive system but I'm making him one from scratch so he can enjoy your cooking."

Adithi felt tears peck at her eyes. No wonder her son cried so damn much, he got it from her.

"You're building this man a stomach and such just to eat our food?" She sniffled.

"Aiiie, mama, it's okay, don't cry! I've been wanting to since I first got him but you guys definitely motivated me. He's gotta have baba's vindaloo."

"You are absolutely right, Vikkie," Adithi nodded like a soldier, her tears vanishing as she got serious. "I'll have to go shopping, get some really good tea, and make the best cookies. I've got my work cut out for me."

"Glad I could add some excitement to your guys' retirement," Vikram laughed, bright and full and his mother felt another pang of delight. It was always so nice when he sounded happy. "I'll give you guys a heads up once I'm ready, 'kay? Gotta make sure whatever he eats doesn't wind up melting his circuits or some shit."

"You tell us right away, okay? This is serious."

"Of course, mama! You two are top priority, always. I gotta go now, work stuff. Love you!"

"Love you, too, Vikkie." Adithi smacked a loud kiss against the receiver, hearing one last bubbly laugh before her son hung up.

Yuvraj toddled out of his office shortly after, holding up his latest project. 

"Ooh, is that the Lego Sydney Opera house?" Adithi shook her head with passion, physically dusting off the distraction. "Yuvraj! Our son is in love and his loved one loves him back!"

"Of course he does," Yuvraj scoffed, moving to set the plastic architecture down. "Anyone our Vikkie sets his sights on will come to love him, easy. I'm not surprised."

"You could at least act excited about it," Adithi huffed before she went to fetch her grandmother's cookbook. "Vikkie wants you to make him-- make Otto your vindaloo."

"Ooh. Okay," Now Yuvraj looked interested. "We'll have to go shopping."