Chapter 74

Buying favors

Just when her needy heart was getting used to him in the house, the soft rich voice talking endlessly on calls, cracking jokes, opening the door for the cleaning lady, opening the door for courier, like just being the guy that would have been the guy who would have been the guy to raise the kid with her

He was gone

Wednesday evening as she coughed and moaned and drove home from work, she found Kirti with her door open and held a basketing her hands

Jaidrith took it as license to enter and just went in

He was like a rat in cold weather sneaking in when the door was open

She even smiled pointing to the basket

“is it for me?” Mrunal asked longingly

“Te majhyasathi aahe?” (Is it for me?)

“Nakko majhyasathi” she said smugly with a smile

Mrunal nodded wearily

“Majhya mulaga tumachya Gharat aahe” (My son is inside)

Immediately Kirti was all smiles invited her inside with a nod, pulled her hand even

Mrunal was shocked

Ulhas and Utkarsh were playing video games

Jai sat between them laughing out loud

She had NEVER seen her son on any one’s couch

Well except Ira Iris’s, the girls mainly used their time to tease him (Mrunal personally thought it was cute but Dhru “hated” girls)

Mrunal wanted to take pictures

She gave up her pride and asked Kirti and did take pictures

Kirti still holding the basket told her it contained chocolates, popcorn, gummy bears and cookies

Mrunal nodded seething

She had no friends that cared to send anything for Jaidrith

“He koni pathavale he tumhala januna ghyayache ahe ka?” (Do u want to know who it is from?)

Mrunal nodded a “Hmm”

“Tumchya ghari yenara manus” (The man who comes by to your place)

Color left Mrunal’s face

“WHY was Aatreya hitting on Kirti

Oh wow!!

She saw red

Instead of thinking about what was sent she started pondering over who it was sent to

“Dhruuuu chalaa?”

“Tyala khelu dya”

(Let him play)

Mrunal’s jaw dropped

She nodded barely smiled and went back to her flat

Dhru would not return until 9 not until much yelling and shouting

Aatreya called to ask Dhruv if he wanted to go rock climbing on Saturday

“I am sorry he cannot go anywhere”

“Why not?”

“He was at the neighbor’s uninvited and spent four hours there despite my calling, did not do homework, has not eaten dinner, has not changed or showered, the water pressure was poor this morning so he threw a fit and wanted to take a 30 minute shower and he doesn’t even get home until 9:40”

“Mrunalini, he loves those boys doesn’t he?”

She heard a faint chuckle

“So he has your approval so I guess its OK if his homework grade is F tomorrow”

“He can do it after dinner right?”

“He has bedtime at 10:10 ALL  the kids in his class have a bedtime at 9”

She was part of the parents group, but no one ever invited Dhru to anything

He was too shy and or didn’t know what to say to the kids

“How can you know the actual bedtime”

“I am not going to argue with the parents or with YOU”

“Is it Atty? Can I talk?”

It bothered Mrunal he called his Dad Atty but she didn’t want to encourage him to call him Dad either it was a slippery slope

Already they were going down

“No you may not…. Ja tujhi anna kha (go eat ur food)

Then began the whole I don’t want it

I hate it

It tastes like socks

She hung up abruptly

After an hour she called him back much to his astonishment

“Did you send gifts to my neighbor?”

“Whatt?”

“Kirti Sahasre showed me a basket”

“Oh yeah I had my secretary send her something”

“That’s nice” “No wonder my son was allowed to go in today”

“Oh that’s great”

“I don’t usually bribe or try to buy friendships”

“Do you want to know why I sent?”

“No”

“I am going to tell you anyway”

“I don….”

“I was headed out yesterday they were delivering a TV to your upstairs neighbor I am told, I dodged out of the passageway, and ended up pushing the boys (Ulhas and Utkarsh’s) bikes

“Oh”

“They were distraught”

“Looks like they don’t go to school” she accused smugly

“They were in their uniform, they were headed to their bus stop

“Hmm”

“Is that fair enough reason for u”

“I don’t care” she whispered

“I wont buy favors so Jaidrith can have friends”

“OK”

“Are you sorry you accused me?”

“You want to take charge and fix everything”

“So I would automatically buy his friends”

“He is very emotionally fragile”

“I KNOW that Mrunalini”

She nodded as her eyes welled up with tears she realized she was talking about herself too

“Do you want to come watch him rock climb Saturday?”

“If he gets out of curfew”

“Cmon”

“Did your Mum go this easy on you?”

“She DID” he laughed

She cried some more

“Have a nice night” he said gently

She heard female voices in the background

There was a knock on the door

The guard from the gate delivered a basket saying it was delivered in the morning the guard on duty locked it up and went for the day, he was the night duty guy and so he could open the store room

It contained soups, and chocolate for her and gluten free nut free sweets for his son with a get well soon card signed by Aatreya

The image on the card made her blush

It was of a comic image of a child abductor wearing those burglar like sunglasses running off with a crying baby and a blonde ponytailed woman chasing after him

“Get well soon” it said

Her embarrassment knew no limit that night