Chapter 31

Father & Friends

Mrunal had never spoken about who his father was, tonight she was going to have to. He has asked her a few times during his school sports day and the Amaltas annual day, and school music performance day

It was always “You are mine, I am both Baba and Aai”

He had looked unsure but never challenged it

Or he had attempted to on a couple occasions, but feebly, not putting up a big resistance

She almost could not drive that evening in fear as she clutched the steering

She decided to bribe him with a treat, she bought him a coconut gelato, bought a quart to put in her new fancy freezer

Now that he had kids he could stare at he wasn’t complaining much, otherwise the first thing when he hopped into the car would be a giant meltdown

“I think you need to make more friends” she began with a nervous chuckle, he never paid any attention when he was reading his anime comics

“Uh”

“Dhruuu”

“Aaiiii” he scowled

“U can make new friends”

“I don’t want to talk about it” he said primly yanking his tie

He flung it carelessly nearby

“Dhruuu Udyā sakāḷī tū malā śōdhāyalā lāvaśīla (u will make me search in the morning)

“Aaiiii pleez, mee vaachat aahe” (I am reading)

She smiled she had been insisting he speak in Marathi more

She was even thinking of enrolling him in a class where he would learn to write the script

“Now I hope that man will allow it”

She cleaned house waited for the maid to come by based on the guard recommendation

Fixed dinner showered and Aatreya called

She answered fearing Dhru would, but he was busy staring out the door at the two boys’ antics

There was a lot of giggling

Dhru was giggling at the show those boys were putting on for him, punching each other playfully, and playing hide and seek with a “hidden” Jaidrith, sliding down the banister rail

She grabbed her phone and went to the kitchen, chopping brinjal

“Hello”

“Thanks for taking my call”

“Its fine”

“Its Ira’s birthday this weekend do you want to bring him to her house?”

“Who is Ira?” she thought she might be his wife “Ur wife?”

“I don’t have one… no… this is Lynn’s daughter”

“Umm.. I don’t know her”

“How old is Jaidrith”

“He will be 10 in two months”

“Great” he said after a pause

She wondered if he was doing the math for when he was in Lonavala

“I wanted to ask you…”

“I don’t know if I can go over the whole story now” she panted as the wok sizzled

“I can wait”

“How many kids do u have?” she asked

“I don’t have kids”… “Except for Jaidrith” he corrected himself

“Do u have other kids?” he asked the question back

“No I do not”

“So we both are coparenting one… or will be”

She did not agree

She didn’t know when she would be OK

She sighed and stirred and rinsed

“Where is he right now?”

“I cannot make him talk sorry” she said abruptly

He smiled at how possessive she was 

“I understand I would be too if someone suddenly appeared in my

T child’s life and demanded  a portion”

The compassionate way he said that made her tears flow down freely, she rinsed her face, and sniffled

“I can talk later I am making dinner”

“Sure”

“Can I see him once?”

She leaned on the wall shut her mouth and cried

“WHYYYYY?” she thought

It started already

WHYYYY

Why cant ONE thing be mine? JUST MINE?”

“Umm.. hello”

She ran the faucet and sniffled and shut

“Hmm… let me see”

She lowered the volume of music on Alexa, and gave a shout out to Dhruuu

Stepping out of the kitchen

He was OUTSIDE

Just as she hit facetime

She saw her little 9 year old was sliding down the rail of the stairs with those little munchkins cheering him on

There was cheering and loud laughter

She had no idea he could do that

She shut off face time to savor it

Jaidrith unaware his mother was outside continued to slide down the rail from the landing down to the ground floor

“Tujhee aai ithey aahe”  (ur mother is here)

“Can I see him? Is he downstairs?” Aatreya demanded cheerfully hearing the laughter

“Hmm” Mrunalini was in complete shock

“I can call back” she lied flippantly and hung up

Watched her son mesmerized for the next 10 minutes, 

Her sweet little boy had found a friend for the FIRST time in his life… the day he found a father he found a friend too… friends

Jaidrith gave her a look of sheer pride, and went down without looking and CRAAASHED

The two boys darted a fearful look at her and vamoosed

Jaidrith began to cry loudly, he had broken his pinkie