Chapter 38

10 & 10

She tagged along as they walked two blocks to the building with the pool and gym

Jaidrith was slowly becoming familiar with Ira and Iris

Iris decided she only wanted to hold Jaidrith’s finger

Causing him to turn bright red with embarrassment

“She is a baby” Mrunal whispered when he refused

“No she is not she is big” Jai couldn’t say she is not 1 year old

“She is not even 5 babe” she begged

“Arey mera hand hold karega Iris” Mendy butt in

“HO HIS HANDDD” Iris screamed

“Is he your boyfriend?” Ira mocked

She was 7 so obviously she knew everything

That was it Jaidrith refused completely

Mendy scolded Ira

Aatreya was uncontrollable, he laughed until he teared up

Mrunal gently held Iris’s tiny soft hand and gripped Jai’s pinky on his good hand

“Good?”

Iris was so so happy

Jai acted like she didn’t exist which was fine

“Thanks for bringing him” Aatreya said softly as Mendy took Lynn’s call while walking

“That’s OK”

“Are you going to tell him soon?” he coaxed

“I don’t know when” she dodged

“I can be at your place or we can do it in mine”

“I can bring him whenever you want to see him” she offered in exchange

“That’s great, thank you for that… but I want to spend time with him too”

He smiled as an afterthought

They looked great together Mendy realized walking behind them

But only one person shared his opinion which was his friend Atty

She really didn’t even see Aatreya…

“Do you dig her still?” Mendy asked him when those two were alone near the pool

“Do u want the truth or a BS?” Aatreya’s eyes twinkled

“Chal jhooth”

“Cant stand her”

The men laughed together

“I mean she is not even the person I met her, I mean absolutely not, this is someone I do not know” Atty was all serious now

Mendy nodded gazing at Mrunalini sitting on a deck chair helping Ira untangle a bucket and a scoop near a kiddie pool

“She sounds like a 5 year old, her logic is off she sounds crazy sometimes” Atty spoke agonized

“Kya baat bol raha hai dude”

Lynn had hinted that he had yelled at Lynn for it

“she is obsessively protective about him”

“Hmm”

“Physically do I desire her?” “Probabbly a notch or two or 10 over what I felt 10 years ago” he ran his fingers through his hair smiling sheepishly

“Are ur parents visiting?”

“Hmm.. Pa is furious still but he is talking to me now”

“Think about them dude… you WANTED to find her, they didn’t really want a fully grown grandkid mann!!”

Atty nodded somberly

“This whole thing is pretty unbelievable man

“U are telling me?”

“I mean you wanted to know just like many do…. About that one night you had with that person… u go on to look for her, you find her and you find YOUR CHILD”

“Hahaha” Atty was able to laugh about it… though he was totally not sure where he wud go from here

“Imagine what her parents must be feeling”

“I never thought of that”

“Talk man… ask her… meet her parents, I can go with you… mere jaisa perfect hai nei boss tu, but mein guarantee dega ki tu OK OK hei” Mendy laughed

“hahaha”

“Apan jaisa ek piece hei” Mendy was rather proud

“They wouldn’t want ME they would want u”

“Ek beachside villa lene ka hai Lynn ke liye” he sighed “Yaha pe Holy Cross Catholic Church ke aas paas”

“I cant afford it, neither can my Dad, you need to figure out another Dad to latch on to” Atty laughed

“We better go to the kids” Atty muttered

“Door se ogle karke thak gela hei?” Mendy winked

“Somewhat”

“The blue eyes mann!! Kidhar pakda rey tu? I think Lynn’s jealousy is only of the blue eyes she is not able to articulate it”

Aatreya laughed

“I watched it under moonlight ten years ago”

“mannn” Mendy gasped

“the kid got the same eyes” Aatreya exclaimed

“Did she tell him u are the Dad?”

“Not yet”

“F---”

“Yep”

“I am forcing it out of her”

“Bhaag gaya beta leke to?”

“She shouldn’t” Aatreya worried

They got to the 3 kids and Mrunalini

“We have to go, I have to work we can take a cab” she stood up nervously rubbing her palms on her jeans

“Nahi mere ko bhi jaane ka hei”

“thanks”

“Main gaadi leke aata hai idhar?”

“No we can walk with you” Mrunal promised

She really had nothingt o say to Aatreya

“I had some things for the kids at home” Aatreya nodded

“He really cant eat anything”

I actually texted the Doc you pointed me to, the snacks align with his acceptable food category” Aatreya tried not to be irritated

Mendy knew he was livid

So off they went with a giant bag of fruit treats and other besan snacks and crunchies

Ira and Iris got candy and cookies

“We can talk some afternoon if you like at a coffee shop?” he offered

Mendy pretended to buckle the kids in

“He cannot stay overnight, he wont” she claimed

“You need to tell him who I am first”

“Umm”

“Maybe before the next weekend?”

“Uh”

“I can tell him next weekend” he said firmly

“IS THIS WATER GUN FOR ME?” jaidrith screamed with joy peeking out the back seat

“Hmm.. may be not” Aatreya teased trying to grab from him

Jai snuck it back and tried to raise the window glass

Aatreya pretended to want it more, banged on the window as the girls and his son giggled away

Aatreya begged and pleaded, Mendy watched amused

Mrunalini was not amused