Chapter 48

Name of Father

The Principal Mrs Dhawan, the administrator Mr Nilenkeni, his class teacher Mrs Ojha, the School nurse Mrs Nandi were all present in the principal’s stadium like office

Mrunalini was sweating in fear praying he was not dismissed

Jaidrith sat in a corner nursing BOTH hands

The one with a brace on his pinky broken two weeks ago and now his right hand red and swollen in his knuckles, his upper lip did not look torn again but was definitely sore

His translucent skin bright red

He ran up towards her, the boys who he got in an altercation with sat in a corner egging him on, mocking him though their mouths were covered with their hands

He turned to look at him

“DHRUUU” she hissed

He ran up toward her and started sobbing

“It hurts… it hurts”

“Sshhhh shhhh”

“Mala khupa vedana hota ahet” (I am in pain) he sobbed and gagged and

Then she ran with him to the bathroom where he thre up in fear

They returned after drinking some water

Mrs Dhawan nodded kindly

Mr Nilenkeni grunted

He hated her she thought

“Mrs.. Ms Ghatge”

“Yeah sorry he had to go to the bathroom”

“He keeps talking about ghosts” Mrs Ojha tried to make small talk

Mrunalini was hugely embarrassed

In the light of day her nightly fears seemed super stupid

Last night was the first night she did not see the mug rocking or the door swaying

“Oh sorry, does he distract other kids?”

“Umm.. not yet”

“Ms Ghatge, he punched yet another kid” Mr Nilenkeni stressed

“I AM SO SORRY”

“Mr Suresh (Nilenkeni) one minute” Mrs Dhawan interrupted and asked him to slow down

“What actually happened?

Mrunalini had Jai sit by her in the chair next to her

“Umm.. the lunch duty who was outside then, umm.. suno, Ms.. Poornima kidhar hei?”

The peon went off to fetch her

“She just stepped out”

“Oh?”

“So in the lunch hour I was told he said something about finding a father and the boys happened to say something and he dealt a few punches”

“Boys will be boys no Mrs Dhawan” Mr Nilenkeni tried to steer the conversation

“Mr Suresh ek second”

“Go ahead… umm.. yes yes” he nodded haughtily

“Ms Ghatge what is the father thing?” she lowered her voice as the boys in the far corner were trying to listen

She turned to the peon “Please have them sit outside”

The boys gave her a dirty look

“Use your snooping skills to get better grades”Mrs Dhawan mocked

“Mr Nilenkeni… please, Mrs Ojha u stay please”

“Bhayya door close kar dein aap”

“what is going on?”

“Umm.. I am a single parent… by choice”

Ma’am Poornima” the peon told her

“Achha, Poornima can you please go with Jai and have him get a juice box from the canteen?”

“Jee Ma’am

“Yeah sorry Ms Ghatge”

“I am a single parent by choice, but suddenly the Dad discovered and reached out and now we know him”

“OH REALLY?” mrs Dhawan was SHOCKED

“Yeah” Mrunalini squirmed

“I heard rumblings from Mrs Ojha, hmm… how is Jaidrith taking it”

“WWe know… today” Mrunalini sighed and leaned back

Mrs Dhawan pushed the water and clear juice toward her

“I am fine I just had a bottle of water” she nodded “Thank u”

“Will he be a part of his life now?”

“I HOPE NOT” her mind screamed

“Umm.. I” she was too choked up to respond

Mrs Dhawan walked around and squeezed her shoulder

Pulled a chair closer and sat down by her

“I am sorry I don’t know what I would do” she shook her head

Mrunalini was quick to notice she was wearing a Maharashtrian black bead mangal sootra with the two spherical half pendants

“U are married?” she asked sniffling

“Umm.. I (am sorry) Yes I am… in fact I married a Marathi guy 15 years ago, we have two girls I want a boy” she smiled

“Ah” she nodded

Mrunalini never asked anyone anything she didn’t want to know it broke her heart

She came from a family where her parents didn’t care for each other or her

She didn’t know how it would be to “crave for another child and ASK the husband for a child”

Sigh!!

She stared at the table

“I don’t mean to upset you”

“Most people in the city are married” Mrunal chuckled

“I guess” Mrs Dhawan relaxed

“I haven’t told his father where he goes to school”

“I understand, but we have to have his name on the records and emergency contacts”

“I will ask him”

“If he has voluntarily entered your life he should be OK right?”

“Umm”

“U can take ur time”

“Thanks”

“About the suspension, you know it is one month for 2nd offence, I had to tell the school board it cannot be more than a week”

“Can in any way this be reduced?” she begged with folded hands

“I know I am sorry” Dhawan held her hands “No don’t”

“I work at a 5 star hotel they don’t let me work from home I recently moved to Chembur, I don’t have day care or creche, Pragati doesn’t work in my house” she panicked

“U can use” Mrs Dhawan stopped

The all day care center at the school for kids was not open to the ones facing disciplinary action”

“Will it go on his school record?” she feared

“No it will be cleared if he has one good year”

“I have to take time off”

“I am sorry”

Mrs Dhawan let her ponder for a while

“Please bring the Dad sometime and introduce so we can get his ID and such?”

“Hmm”

“I can talk to tonight with Mr Gavarkar, and see if they will make it 2 or 3 days?”

“thank u” she nodded in appreciation

“Have his knuckle checked Mrunalini”

“Yes”

“Hope its not broken”

“I do too”

Jaidrith had not texted Aatreya after last night

They got home she was upset and angry with the kid

He was trying to be apologetic that made her even more sad

After a wrestling with him to eat and the fussing and the drama

She lay down on the low divan in the living room and took a nap as he played on his switch, both sulking at the other

She checked to see how much time off she had she had more than two months

But Mr Sen always kept her in some “critical issue”

She texted Aatreya

“He got suspended from school” she said bluntly

He called her instantly

“hey”

“Umm… did u see my text?”

He had to chuckle

“Oh u called for that?” she asked naively

As if she expected a “normal” call

“Hmm”

“Some kid said something and he punched him”

“I am heading over”

“No need”

“What do u mean”

“They cant change the suspension” she whispered standing in the kitchen

“How is HE?”

“I have an appointment with the doc at 8 to see his knuckle”

“Mrunalini” he was irritated

“That’s not (my name)”

“I am walking to my car” he ignored her

“I can tell u after the appointme”

“See you in 45”

He hung up