Chapter 69

Horror & Harmony

Mendy had told Jaidrith there was going to be a bounce house, he had been on it twice in his entire life, once at Ganpati at Sai Holkar’s society and once when a kind neighbor in Amaltas invited her and Jaidrith even though she didn’t even know them

Jai was up at 6 AM on Saturday, just sat by the front door staring at his “friends” flat aceross the hallway

The Dad went in and out until 8 AM, the boys woke up soon after and waved and gestured to Jai

His pinkie was much better now, he was no longer wearing a brace, the lip injury showed no trace

Mrunal kept the steel gate locked in multiple places so Jai could not let himself out overzealously and she could sleep in peace on Saturdays

Already everything was upended with Aatreya’s arrival, the days the nights and weekends were not their own

Every night when she went to bed she thought about when he was going to pop the question and demand Jai stay over

She didn’t know what she would do then

Sai had given her an open invite to stay over if ever she was alone

But 10 years and not one night she had to be

She went through her closet and looked for outfits to wear to the anniversary

She was going there so Mendy would be happy

She was going there so Jaidrith could be supervised

She knew going there to see Aatreya like a giddy teenager was stupid

All her dresses were too tight, she no longer had the body of 10 years ago, she no longer had that budget either

The Ferragamo and Gucci outfits no longer fit

She chose a peacock blue bandhini silk kurta with a oversized yoke in front with mirrorwork and pompoms in dark pink silk

It was one of her early maternity outfits when she was living in her parents home and hiding pregnancy until 4th month

She wore it in the bathroom Friday night with white pencil pants and twirled on the wet floor

The full length mirror on the bathroom door was forgiving she realized

She took it off folded and put it away

She wondered if she should let Mendy come get him

He had spent the whole 6 hours last time at Ira’s? Bday without eating a morsel

Not many in that group had children with life threatening allergies and/or were “weird”

She rolled over Saturday morning

Reached for her phone

When she wanted “alone time” she usually slept in the living room, last night she slept on the lower birth

“Has he been camping before?” there was a Q from Aatreya

“No” she said yawning

“That’s great then”

“Are there animals?”

He sent a smiley first

“Not one”

There was no “Would you like to go”

“Day trip nah?”

“Umm”

“Day trip is OK” she said

Her fear from every night coming true partially

He was sllllowwwllly making an attempt to have the kid the whole night

“Happy Saturday” he said after 30 minutes

“Your first text just came thru she “replied” to it

“Ouch” he said

“Happy Saturday” “Are your parents home?”

“Yep” he said and sent a picture

They looked as good and as dignified as she had imagined in her mind

Her mother had her pallu pulled over her right shoulder, she was tall, with salt and pepper hair in a bun, and glasses, she looked like Aatreya

The father looked exactly like Apoorva, filled cheeks, rounded nose and curly grey hair

“OK” she said still staring at the pictures

She went to her parents SM and looked at the pictures

Her Dad in swim shorts by some pool, bent over Amruta lounging in a deck chair wearing a hot green bikini, his hand was exactly under her right b---

She went to the bathroom to be sick, too afraid to check out her mother;s latest pictures

She did anyway, she had compulsive urge to hurt herself and inflict pain and crush her soul

Annika Falguni and her husband were on some snowy vacation, and she found Annika being kissed, by both parents on either cheek

Skipped chai, and then made chai, and cried over it

Fixed Jai oatmeal upma and soy milk

He didn’t want to eat in “front of his friends” he said and threw a fit

Kirti watched curiously them from inside still not letting her boys out

Jaidrith was the one who was hurt by the boys’ reckless behavior and here he was begging for the boys to play

Mrunal felt mean

“Amala vaad divasalya partyla jaayche aahe” 

(we have to go to a birthday right? Get up)

“Sandhya kalachsa aahet” (its only in the evening) Jai argued

“there will be a bounce house” she said LOUDER

The young boys across had an expression of sadness

Bounce house was a expensive party entertainment

Lynn loved to show off

Mrunal could not afford it today for Dhru’s birthday

She felt like a heel hurting those little boys like that

Tujhī ā'ī tulā paravānagī dē'īla tara tū udyā khēḷāyalā yē'ū śakatōsa

(If ur mother will allow you you should come play tomorrow) she said apologetically

She was ashamed of herself the rest of the morning

After much hassling Jai was ready at 6, he was very opinionated in what he wanted to wear

To her utter shock, he chose blue jeans a white vest and a check full sleeve shirt

He looked like a mini Aatreya

When they arrived at 6:30 PM, she took a nap as he sketched on his ipad and read anime comics

Everyone was there since it was supposed to be from  5 PM until midnight

Lynn was  a party animal

She saw Mrunalini but did not come forward acted like her phone was ringing

Mendy saw that and sprinted to the doorway

“Did you see the Rainwing and Mudwing dragon pictures?” Dhru ran over to Aatreya who was behind Mrunal and was spotted by the curious 10 year old

He looked criminally good as always

He was ogling too but she didn’t notice

“Ma, Pa… Jaidrith” Aatreya said nervously

His palms were sweaty

His mother bend down EXACTLY like Apoorva, the father Somesh Rao quickly grabbed her purse lest it fell on the floor,  and placed a hand behind her back to offer support

“Oh yes… most importantly “Mrunalini Ghatge” Aatreya laughed waving

Mrunal’s stomach rushed into her mouth as his parents inspected her

“Hello” the mother smiled first

“Hello” Mrunal nodded

“He looks like my son” Pramila Rao announced with a smile to a stunned Mrunal