Page 34 of The Promise of a Traitor

She listened to something, her head cocked to one side, deep lines furrowing her forehead. “Try an agency. See if we can pay premium for one day’s work.”

She shut the phone off, tossed it to one side and picked up the deck of cards, shuffling them expertly. “My deal?” she asked.

“The Oompa Loompas are defecting?” Advik asked, even as she briskly doled out cards.

Aastha gave him a droll look that had him smiling. “Every year, I put up a Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory experience for the kids at the café. It sees a record turnout, our highest annual numbers actually. Three of my staff have left suddenly, without any notice. We can’t complete making everything we need to without help. And if we don’t finish, then…”

She didn’t need to continue. Advik got the gist of it. He’d already been piecing together bits and pieces from her conversations through the day.

“Could your parents help out?” he asked, dropping a card and picking up another one from the pile.

“Our parents?” Amyra snorted, managing to make even that sound sarcastic. “Help? Please! They wouldn’t do something as normal as that.” She turned a worried gaze on Aastha, her cards almost falling out of her hand in her preoccupation.

“Rubbish,” Aastha said briskly. “I’ll figure this out. All you need to do is figure out your rest and recovery. And,” she added, a note of warning entering her voice, “all the school work you are missing out on.”

“But Di-“

“Amu.” Aastha’s voice got very quiet.

Amyra fell silent, her restless fingers playing with some of the matchsticks in her pile. “I’m tired,” she said, fretfully, pushing the cards away from her and turning on her side, away from them. “I’m going to sleep.”

Aastha packed the cards away, shaking her head at Advik’s offer to help. He opened up his laptop again, going back to work, the world of AI robotics was something he actually understood. But as Aastha paced, had whispered conversations, and furiously typed out messages on her phone, a niggling feeling of unease swept through him.

Watching you in pain and not doing anything about it…it’s not an option for me.

He opened up his cousin’s group chat, the one that didn’t have the older generation on it and typed out a message.

Advik: Any of you know of a pastry chef who would be open to a few days work? Even an assistant would work.

Rehaan: Why? You’re teaching your robots to bake?

Advik: Shut up Reh. Vedu, Kimi – you guys know anyone?

Kimi: Why would you assume only we would know? Because we’re girls?

Rehaan: Yeah, don’t be a sexist pig, Adi.

Advik: I’m not. I just didn’t think-

Vikram: Didn’t think sounds about right. Have you ever seen Kimi in the kitchen?

Kimi: I’m really good with the knives…

Advik: Guys, I’m serious. Aastha needs help at her café.

Kimi. Oh! Aastha needs help…why didn’t you say so?

Vedika: I have an old college mate who started a cloud kitchen. Let me reach out to her.

Rehaan: I can help.

Advik: Not now, Reh.

Vikram: I can ask mom if any of the chefs at home know anyone.

Rehaan: Guys, I can help.

Vedika: Not now, Reh.