Chapter 80

Ward off men!!

“I was hoping if I volunteer to pick him up every day you would let him stay over some night” he said somberly

“Oh? “Oh wow” “Umm”

“We need to talk about it soon

“THAT’S ur secret?”

“What were you expecting?”

“I told you something explosive” she was solemn

“I lied to my Amma about where I was going that night I met you” he said

“Oh did u?” she looked at him intensely

He nodded slllowly

“Where were you supposed to be?”

“At my Aunt’s in Worli”

“But u went to Lonavala?”

“I guess so”

“Does she still live here?”

“She divides her time between her daughters and Mumbai”

“Oh”

“She is in town now, would you like to meet her?”

“Why?”

“So u can rub my nose in dirt and reveal to her what I was up to almost 11 years ago?” he chuckled

“No… that’s fine” she was uncomfortable

“I am OK with pranks Mrunalini, we cannot be forever suspicious of each other right?”

“Basically I should quit being wary of you?”

“I would hope so” he smiled

Dhru honked LOUDDLY

They jumped out of their skin

“Do u want to come over for dinner Friday night? Or Saturday?”

“To meet your team?”

“Umm.. NO… why?” he was confused

“Then why?”

He had to laugh

“To EAT?”

“Ah? Oh!... dinner?”

Her mind plotted to get out of it

“U can make it if u want him home on Friday night or Saturday otherwise he stays with me?” he nodded his eyes twinkling

He was so wicked she thought

“So u will just keep him?”

“Can I?”

“Umm.. No”

“So yeah 7 PM on Saturday?”

“Are you giving me a break every Saturday?”

“No actually I am overseas quite a bit the next couple months so I will do my best this month”

“Where are you going?” she was curious

She was getting used to the convenience the assistance the conversations and the help he was offering

“Just SE Asia”

“Do u head the region?”

“I do”

“Oh” “Umm.. OK”

“If he didn’t have school I could bring him with me”

“How would u work?”

“I would not” he smiled sheepishly

“U better work”

“I agree”

“OK Thanks, can I go now?”

“If u want to”

“Yeah he wants to try tennis”

“My society has a court as well”

“Mine did… “ stopping (Sagar’s Bandra apartment was NOT hers)

“Umm.. we can also talk about how and when I can begin financially supporting his needs?”

“Why do you want to do everything?” she accused

“Because he is my child”

“I am more than financially secure to care for him”

“I am sure, I am I was an absentee parent I have to do my bit”

“I don’t think Dhru will need your money”

“I am sure he wont, but I need to pitch in”

“U want to help so you can insinuate urself in our lives” she muttered distressed

“No I want to help so I can make it easier for u to accept me as a parent”

“U don’t have to pay me to do that”

“What do I have to do? Then?”

“Umm..”

“A chance encounter is how I found out about my child Mrunalini, nothing you say will make it go away or make sense”

“We don’t know each other trying to be friends is not going to work”

“Maybe… so maybe…. How about lets keep it all business sans the kiss” laughing “We make it business and draft a plan for his future”

“I can pay for his college” “Not Wharton but definitely IIM”

“Ouch! Ive never heard anyone use Wharton as a cuss word” he laughed hysterically

And watched her turn red

She sat behind her wheel, he coaxed Dhru out and bend down by her window as she slid it down

“Are you engaged?” he asked

She looked at him confused at first and astonished later

“Oh? The ring?”

“I wear it to ward off men looking for a connection” she air strummed with her fingers

He smiled and stepped away waving

She did a face palm

She had just told him she was not engaged!!

Idiot!