Chapter 47

Suspension of reality

She found out the next morning and was really disappointed that Jaidrith would text this man without checking with her first

When she began to check his backpack for phone, juicebank and power cord she noticed he had said something to him in broken  Marathi, but in English

There was SO much going on in her life, she didn’t know how to deal with this newest crease

The kid had a new person in his life and he was slipping away from hers already.

“U do know you cannot talk with people without telling me don’t you?”

‘I don’t HAVE ANYBODY” he said sadly

That made her want o bawl

She nodded fighting the lump in her throat

Why couldn’t he have been well accepted and jovial and not bookish and nerdy and without any allergies?

Why did he have to get bullied

She was the star of her school because of her blue eyes

Her son was the opposite

It was like he somehow knew he was the baby of shame and so when he came out he was mocked and ridiculed by everyone

When in primary school he once accidentally wet his pants, he threw up on his school uniform

So many many incidents like that making him a laughing stock

Mostly derived from allergic reactions, and nervousness

“Dhruuu… this is OK, but you know, you are mine… I don’t want you to be stolen”

“You arE OK?” he was quite stunned

She sat cross legged in front of him as he stood towering over her

“You know this man” she said not looking into his eyes

“I can be his friend?”

“I told you the other day right….Tujhyā vaḍilāmbaddala (about your father)

He looked dazed and mystified

“Tū nēhamī mājhīca rāhaśīla (u will always be mine) kayamache ani kayamache (forever and ever) she choked up and stared at the floor

“If only I knew this man was suddenly going to show up and steal you from me” she wailed in her head

“I don’t have much… I only have you… and he wants a piece of you” she thought

A fat teardrop fell on the floor

Mī kadhīhī strangers bōlaṇāra nāhī (I will never talk to strangers)

He sat down cross legged in front of her

Mī kadhīhī anōḷakhī lōkānśī bōlaṇāra nāhī (I will not talk to strangers) he cupped her face findly

She held his hands and looked into his eyes

“Umm.. that man is your father” she said choking on the words

“Atty Uncle?” he was stunned

“Hmm”

“Did you ask him if he wants to be?” he asked afraid

“No I told him” she said firmly

“YOU bought him?”

“No” she wanted to laugh

“How do you buy Dads?”

“I don’t know… I didn’t buy him” she mumbled not sure how deep she could go into that

“Will I have to call him Dad?”

“Umm.. no… I mean I am not sure” she didn’t know

“will he live with us?”

All pertinent questions

“NO he will NOT” Tyācyākaḍē ghara āhē” (he has his house)

“But Dads live with Moms”

“Well… to kayda nahee (there is no law)

“Then did you buy him?” he asked fascinated

Mī tyālā vikata ghētalē asē kā vāṭatē (Why would you think I bought him?) she was shocked

“Because we don’t know him so he cannot stay with us”

“We don’t know him, but I did not buy him” she sighed

“Will he come to my school?”

This was the MOST difficult

The school and home were HER territories

Both were slipping

“we don’t have a bed for him”

“We don’t need it” 

Mī tyācyā gharī jhōpū kā? (will I sleep in his house?)

“NO” she said vehemently

“never”

He hugged her, comforted

He wasn’t ready for that either

“will you leave me with him?”

“Pratyeka shanivaara ravivaara naahee” (not every weekend)

She gathered him and hugged him tight

“I like Zainab” he said firmly

All this was happening too fast for him

“I do too” she wept on his uniform shirt

“Can we go back to Bandra” he begged again

She held his face in her hands and whispered after kissing his forehead

“I bought this house” she whispered

“Give it back” he said firmly

She chuckled through tears

“Aapana kuthe rahala shakaraa?” (where will we live?)

“I want everything to be back”

“I want to also”

“Is he going to be around?” kayamache? (forever)

“You have to live to 200, so I think so” she smiled fondly

“Will you be with me?” 

Aai Tū mājhyābarōbara asēla kā? (will u be with me?)

She nodded unable to answer that

“I love you Aai” he hung from her shoulders

“Me too shakaraa… aapana ata shaalet jau ka?” (should we go to school now?)

And then things devolved

He had cockily declared at school that he now had a father and the other kid had asked him

“Did your Mum buy him off the street?”

He didn’t quite understand what that meant but when the bully and his buddies cackled he had to throw a punch

Mrs Rachita Dhawan called her at 1 PM to let her know he will be suspended for a week this time