Ramma insisted that she prepare dinner that evening; she liked being useful. Smells from Sandhya's childhood soon filled the room. She was cooking a familiar meal–daal, bhaat and bhaji. This used to be mum's favourite. ​

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'Perhaps she misses her too.' It was a passing thought but enough to sow sadness in Sandhya's grieving heart.

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She sat down at the kitchen table and watched Ramma cook. Sandhya and Sean had never stayed long enough in one place to consider owning or leasing a domestic helper. It was the first time she was seeing one of these humanoid robots cook. The smell of cooking drew Sean in; the novelty of watching a robot cook was hard to resist. He joined the show.

​​​​​​

Ramma moved proficiently about the kitchen, cooking the familiar meal with a familiar flare. Her movements had a learnt grace to it, one that defied her mechanical form.

​​​​

She moves like mum,' Sandhya slowly realised. 'She must have watched and learnt from her.' The sadness grew.

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Ramma served up their meal and insisted on waiting on them.  Sandhya mixed the daal-bhaat with her fingers, and scooped it expertly into her mouth. A taste was all she could manage before the sadness welled up in her eyes.

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'You Ok babe?' Sean quietly asked.

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'This tastes exactly like mum's cooking.'

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Ramma walked over to the dining table and gently placed her hand on Sandhya's shoulder, 

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'I am your mother, dear.'