Chapter 3

Witchcraft

They met while she was wasting her time with the IHM diploma, she would spend all day sleeping and all night bar hopping with Amruta, growing up with privilege and being ultra stunning there was nothing she needed to set her mind to, she did not need goals or aspirations.

They had  had 10 chance encounters until she came up close and personal without her sunglasses on …….. deciding to talk to introduce themselves

Mrunalini stood out in a crowd, heads turned, people noticed her height and then her eyes… usually in that order

He noticed her eyes, because she was level with him in height

Aatreya Rao…

“You have witchcraft in your eyes” he had modified the Henry V quote followed by an audible gasp like he almost did not believe they were so blue… for real.

Nobody at home cared who she was with or what she did

Joy of being an only child, she decided. Mother never really cared where she was, they only talked to each other when they were fighting

“If you had listened you would know Aai”

“I know I am not supposed to have a life when I pull a baby out of me, too bad I DO” Falguni would mock her

Mrunal could do nothing right acc to her

“Ask Baba”

“Baba can be there”

“The driver should know where Baba is”

“You are my AAI” Mrunalini would yell

“I DON’T know HOW” Falguni would scorn

She didn’t want to be mother to someone who was stunning and looked like the adulterous man she married.

She had aspirations though, that she would have a relationship with her mother, early on, that bubble had burst, when Falguni had discovered her daughter was a clone of her husband in the looks department, tall light skinned and with blue eyes, she did not go on a mission to show her off to friends, she started to resent her.

Some of it had to do with Sagar’s dalliances early on.

The money was good and connections were superlative, Falguni stayed on

Every time she looked at her daughter she was reminded of Sagar, she tried not to show it at first but slowly, began sending Sagar to every school event and appointments.

“I want mother daughter trips Sameena” Mrunalini wept on Zahra’s couch (Sameena’s parents house)

“Hmm”

“I am willing to forgive her for not being there, for judging me, but I want everything she gives Raima Savarkar

“You can recreate everything with Jai you know?”

“I DO, he doesn’t have anyone else”

Zahra had two younger kids at home, Jai was close to one of them Zainab, but frequently did not want to stay or or hang out

Today was one of the good days

“Have you heard from your Dad?” Sameena asked thoughtfully

“NO… I think he thinks if he makes Amruta reach out to me I will forgive him, It just GROSSES me out…” Mrunal tried not to cry

“Don’t think of what goes on behind closed doors”

“I just feel like if I stay in Mumbai I will have to think about them hear about them… I DON’T want that” Mrunalini got up and paced the room restlessly

“That is great BTW, have you thought about what you want to do?”

“For what?” Mrunal turned to Sameena and found her checking her texts

“I apologize”

“No its OK”

“I mean about moving out of Mumbai”

“I don’t know…. Do u think I can be peaceful here?” Mrunal begged

Nobody had the answer to her happiness

Talking to Sameena made her feel relaxed

It was like rain showers after a 45C day, but quickly the sun came back out again

“Jai is doing well I see” Sameena smiled staring at the balcony

“He threw up at school and refused to go to PE” “On Tuesday”

“Oh”

“His allergist wants to do another back patch test” she nodded

“Yeh to achhi baat hai na?”

“Yeah, its overdue, Ive paid so much to school for late pick up I kept postponing the test”

“If he can eat more things, you two should go on a holiday”

“Where?” Mrunal was shocked

“Aap soch lo” Sameena got up, this session had gone on for over 2 hours, almost 2:30

“That would be nice…”

“I took a bunch of notes, I will send you something to read”

“Can we meet next week?”

“I have exams” Sameena made a face

“Hmm”

Sameena handed her a card for a kids singing playgroup thinking it might help Jai, Mrunal didn’t wear contacts when she visited Sameena, one of the few people who she bared her eyes to… and of course the only one she bared her soul to