Chapter 32

Nothing to everything

She sat on the bottom step and held him close and rocked him 

as he bawled his head off

“Sshhhh shhhhh… shakara… shhh shh”

The big blue eyes looked like some faraway ocean filled with sparkling tears

She carried him up the stairs

The neighbor’s wood door was open two boys hid behind curtains and peeked sadly

The younger one sucked his thumb as he stared in shock

Jaidrith immediately stopped crying and looked at them

Slid down Mrunalini’s form, and wiped his tears

His finger throbbed his upper lip was split and oozing blood

“Tula khelyace aahe ka?” (do u want to play?”) he asked

Mrunalini’s jaw dropped

The younger one smiled through his thumb inserted mouth

“Aaai?” Jai begged

“DOCTOR” Mrunal warned

He began to cry again

“I am soooo happy you have friends”

“They are my best friends” Jai was sure

Everyone was his best friend, those that hurt him emotionally and those that caused him physical pain

Mrunalini grabbed her purse and realized she was in home clothes

She quickly changed and grabbed her purse

Ran out

Jaidrith was leaning on the grill door of the neighbor’s staring longingly inside

A woman yelled and shut the door on his face

He began to cry again and joined Mrunalini

Lynn texted about the birthday as she sprinted towards the gate without realizing she doesn’t need an auto, she ran back up the stairs, Jai did not want to go

She was sure it was broken

It was purple and swollen now

When they unlocked and pulled the car out they had to wait to get out of the society

Too much traffic at 7 PM with families walking strolling to the nearby marketplace, teens and young boys laughing promenading teen girls

She had no idea where to take him

She paused at the gate to ask the guard

Unbeknownst to her Mendy was returning from cake pickup, to drop a bag of fabric off at Lynn’s favorite tailor in the same Abhay society.

Mrs Gomes had introduced her to Mrs Swarna Kale

He wondered if Mrunalini knew her

He allowed her right of way, and then drove in

“Usko invite kiya?”

“Who?” Lynn asked

“Ur new best friend”

“I DID  she cant come mann”

“Why?”

“U ask her

“Wish u told me dude abhi dekha mei usko dude”

“Ja run karke”

He laughed

“Ur girl is out and about” he texted Atty

“Nice” Aatreya was putting things away in his apartment in Khar East

“Did u talk to her?”

“She was too busy watching her kid have a good time”

“YOUR kid”

“That too”

“Pa ko bola?”

Mendy sat in the car and texted

“I did he is not happy”

“Ouch”

Atty sipped his water and walked to the wrap around balcony

Something struck him, Mendy got off the car and walked over to the guard booth

And asked the guy

“Madam jo naya aaya hai kidhar ko jaayega wo?”

“Who aapka friend?”

“Hmm”

“Uska beta ka ungal toota bataya” “Kuch to toota” he sounded confused

Mendy was shocked

“Abhi gaadi mein uska son raha kya?”

“Jee saab” the guy nodded

“Kidhar ko bola? Wo Paswan Multispeciality bataya?”

The guard nodded

Mendy went on his phone and texted Atty

“Dude looks like the kid broke an arm or finger”

It took her 3 hours to get out, she had not taken Jai to Paswan

She was too afraid to take him to a run of the mill place, she took him to Inlaks General

She didn’t return his cals

He waited outside her building, when she returned after 10 with a sleeping Jai

She was shocked to see him as usual

“What happened she asked HIM

“What about him?” he pointed

“He broke his pinkie” she said worried

“Why is he asleep?”

“They had to calm him down for the brace”

“can I?” he reached

“Oh no” she said confidently and went up the stairs

She wouldn’t even give him the keys to unlock

When she put him on his new bunk bed lower level

“Does he have meds?”

“Hmm” she looked at him curiously, wondering if he was goingt o yell

She realized she had no authority over this child

“Don’t worry I have broken many bones” he said with a chuckle

She stared dumbfounded

No anger?

His Pa had blasted him, he was sad too, though he didn’t show it

“Do u want to talk tomorrow about the weekend? Since IT IS the weekend?” he asked arms folded staring at his son

Jai had opened his eyes briefly, too groggy to notice he fell back asleep

“About what?” she asked obtusely

“Sharing custody” he said calmly looking straight into her eyes

He was sure she was going to bolt

He saw it in her eyes

“Umm”

“I want to do the right thing” he whispered

He knew the front door was not shut all the way

“I am sure so do u”

“I don’t” she thought…

She was answerable to no one

She wondered who told him about the accident

“How do u know?” she asked waving at Jai

“Mendy was here, he asked the guard” he said honestly

“I cannot go to the birthday”  she said nervously

“That’s fine” he shrugged

He wore a white vest and a stripe shirt and jeans she noticed

Always well dressed

“We have to figure this out”

“You are so eager is your family eager?” she asked as if she knew

“My mother is… my Dad is extremely disappointed” he said quietly

She looked at him frozen

“You told them?”

He nodded calmly

“Now they will want to see HIM” she realized in panic

She took a couple steps back and left the bedroom turning around

He followed her

She opened the door

“Do they live here?”

“No Bangalore” he said

She felt choked up

“You cannot take him to Bangalore”

“I am not thinking about that right now” he tucked his hands into his pockets

“Thank u for coming” she said softly

He nodded “I didn’t bring him any treats, I don’t know what he is allergic to”

“Umm”

“Can u send me his Doc reports? Does he I mean I am guessing he goes to an allergist?”

All this was new

She had never explained anything to anyone

Now he wanted to know everything….

“