Thanks to my Amma and Daddy (That’s the way I am used to calling them!), they didn’t want to follow the government rule – “We two ours one!”!! I was all excited when Amma’s tummy blew up big like a balloon day by day, when I was in class two. Amma and Daddy sat with me one night and told me that we were soon going to have a little baby in the house. I immediately said “Wow, Thambi Pappa!!”. I wished for a younger brother as I thought I could play cricket with him and also share with him the whole collection of “Hot Wheels” that I had cumulated over years since I was a baby. I surely didn’t want to be stuck with a boring Barbie doll or cooking choppu saaman* or teacher-student games, which seem to fascinate my then neighbor and class mate Pavithra.

That’s all did I know about gender difference at that time!

But my parents promptly told me a baby sisters are also equally exciting. Soon Roshini was born. And soon I realized how true their words were!!

I was in class 12 into biology stream, toiling hard towards my dream of securing an admission into any of the prestigious medical institutions. Roshini was in her class 6 then.

One day when I came back from school, I saw Roshni sitting on the couch reading a book. She was not in her uniform. Though she comes back home from school earlier than me, she usually either in the kitchen munching her Tiffin, boring Amma with here school stories or in front of the idiot box, but usually in her uniform. Only after dozens of repetitive instructions from Amma, will she go and get on to her home clothes. So this sight was unusual. I quickly reminded the morning scene – We had breakfast together, indeed she was complaining of severe stomach pain. Even Amma was asking her rest at home, so that they could go and see a doctor. School is like a second home to Rosh, and she is that sincere girl, who wants to bag the full attendance certificate year after year. I don’t know how God makes such creations on earth.

“Rosh, you ok?”, I asked.

Only now she looked up from the book she was reading and glanced at me.

“Hmmm…”, she said.

“How was school today?”, I asked

“Came back half day”, she replied and went back to reading her book again.

This indicated end of her answers. She was not her usual self today, because her usual self is to not shut her mouth when opened. I thought may be she was sick and didn’t bother to disturb her. I walked straight into the kitchen to check out Amma.

“Ma, whats for tiffin?”, I screamed as I walked in.

“MAGGI NOODLES”, Came the reply from the living room. It was Rosh shouting.
Now I knew she was perfectly fine!

I went over to Amma, who was washing utensils in the sink. Stood next to her put an arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ears, ”What’s wrong with her?”

She gently smiled back and said, “She is fine. How was your school today?”

“School was good. We are going to have Physics special class this Saturday. It’s getting scary as the exam gets closer. By the way,why did she get back from school early?”

“Kanna, why are you worried!! I am sure all the hard work you put in you will do great!”, She replied with her reassuring smile, “Now come and eat your noodles and I will tell you the story of the day”.

I sat with my plate on the table. Amma sat in the next chair.

She said, “Rohit, Rosh has come of age. Today when I was washing her clothes, I noticed some blood stains. So I knew. I went to school got her back half day. You remember she was complaining of stomach ache in the morning.”

“Hmmmm… “,I said.

May be Amma, wanted me to tell something more.

“Does that change anything?”, I asked.

“Nothing da. Just that she will needs more of your care and affection’", Amma smiled and shuffled my hair.

“Of course, Ma. Is it a bit too early for her? In 6^th standard”, I asked her.

“It all depends, in today’s scenario women are into a lot of physical activity. I was reading in the internet the other day, this is not unusual”, reassured Amma.

After tiffin, I walked across the living room to our room.

She glanced from her book and murmured, “So, now you know huh?”

I gave her back my usual smile.

That night, when both of us were in our room in our beds, she started, “I don’t know why God has to give women all the complicated stuff in life”

“Because, women are much more capable than men are”, I answered her back.

“I am kind of tensed”, she said.

I knew what she was going thru. I just walked to her bed and gave her a nice reassuring hug.

She smiled back, I was sure she was going to be fine.

Amma, just walked in at that moment. She came and sat I Roshini’s bed.

“Hey Rosh, I wanted to ask you something?”

“Sollu Ma”

“I our times, coming of age was celebrated with a small function inviting all family members. I wasn’t sure if you like it that way. That’s the day when the girl wears her first Padavai Thavani**”

“I don’t think I will like that Ma.”

“Hmmm… ok”

“May be Rosh, you should try Padavai Thavani. girls look sexy in that”, I said with enthusiasm.

“Shut up Ro.. “, she smiled back.

We both use the same calendar to mark our stuffs. From the next month, there were markings reminding her of her monthly cycle, so occasionally I helped her remember if she forgot.  Women have mood swings when they have their periods, so did Roshini. Sometimes, during those times, when we are the rage of fighting she would just say “Beware” and walk of. This was like a code word between us….....

* choppu saaman - Tiny miniatures of cooking utensile made my steel/wood/plastic used my kids to play.
**Padavai Thavani - Tamil for Half Saree