After dinner, the family splits. Ramesh scrolls WhatsApp forwards (mostly religious GIFs and fake news). Kavya texts her best friend about the film design plan. Adi pretends to sleep but is watching Tom and Jerry on the phone under the blanket.
Amma sits last at the table, eating the leftovers. She will wash the vessels, check that the gas is off, lock the front door three times, and finally sit down at 10:45 PM.
The gas cylinder runs out in the middle of frying papads. Asha bai doesn’t panic. She pulls out the old coal stove ( sigdi ) from the balcony. “Hath ka khana, dil ka khana,” she laughs (Food made by hand is food made with heart).