Chapter 65

Especially….

“So I must want to abduct the kid?” he was incredulous

“Why else will you be so nice?” she asked equally incredulously

“I have no other way to allay your fears Mrunalini,  I have no intention of doing any of that, I may not fear you or respect the pact I made with you, but I fear my Pa, my Mum would skin me alive if I even as much thought such thoughts” he said in a shaky voice

Mrunalini had no baseline to compare that against, no parent even cared

She went off and had a freaking human, mother used it to shame her father used it to buy himself additional indiscretions

She wouldn’t know what skinned alive means, she could do anything and no one would know or care… like she had a baby… quite literally

“I am unable to stop fearing” she declared nervously

“I don’t know how you would let go but I can

 assure you I have no intention of taking your kid away from you” he said grimly

She nodded slowly

“I will never jeopardize the trust placed on me”

“OK”

“How long have you worked here?”

“From when Dhru was born

I got the job a few months before, I had him, when we met in Lonavala I didn’t have a job”

“Finally there is something common about that meeting” he smiled slowly

“You didn’t either?”

“I told you I was headed to Wharton”

“Oh?”

“That’s fine”

“I must have been too drunk”

He sighed

If she hadn’t drunk so much they would not know each other today

“We both cleaned up our act, you found yourself a job I went to grad school, made our parents proud” he smiled

“I am not in touch with my parents” she said expressionlessly

“Oh? Umm… uhh.. umm… Oh?” “Umm”

“Thank you for bringing him” she said quietly sighing, beginning to walk again

“Is it because you had Jaidrith?”

“No… umm.. no… not because of that, they didn’t care” she started to walk, he sprinted to stay together

“No, actually they didn’t worry about such things” she said blandly

“Hes amazing I bet they are happy” he said quietly

She didn’t answer

“My parents are likely to visit next weekend” he said

A look of terror gripped her face

“I cannot meet them” she said shaking her head

“Oh”

He was going to say “The invite is not for you” “The invite is for Jaidrith alone”

“Umm.. I am not very social that way” she chuckled nervously flicking her hair

“Oh.. I am sorry”

“I rarely go to Mendy’s”

“I heard” he smiled

“You can bring him to your house Saturday and Sunday” she offered relieved there was going to be no meeting

“Oh great”

He wanted to approach the next topic

“letting Jaidrith SLEEP OVER”

She was going to lose her marbles he knew even as much as uttering those words

But it has to be talked about soon, he thought

“mendy’s anniversary is next Saturday, I am sure you have the terrace party invite, my parents are going” he smiled gently

“Oh? I am meeting Samee, a friend” she shut up

“No problem”

“I no longer crash parties” “1 kid is enough” she laughed self deprecatingly

“Did you crash that Lonavala Party?”

“Oh yeah all 3 weekends, I went to many like that” her expression was one of sadness

“You should bring me with you next time” he smiled hoping to blunt her shame

“Like I said I don’t… crashing is expensive I am not ready for any more little humans” she said somberly

“Not even when they look like Jaidrith?”

“especially” she said 

Revealing the pain and hurt she felt in looking like Sagar Ghatge