Chapter 84

Curious Curry Leaf

He served like a seasoned cook at weddings, she hadn’t been to too many traditional weddings, she looked at him trying to figure out how he would look in dhoti

“Yeah?” he found her staring he paused midway as he served steaming jasmine like white rice

“Umm.. you brought everything I see” she mumbled looking down at her plate

There were 4 cups around the thaali

There was the three bowl serving cup like a clover with a handle

“Amma did when she recently visited”

“She is setting up the house for you” she nodded

“Do u need a spoon?”

“YES please” Dhru yelled

“DHRU” she warned

“Why not?”

“I am trying to get him to eat simply, he is too elitist” she grumbled

He flashed a smile “Rasam rice is hard to eat without a spoon” he defended his son

“SEEE Aaai… seeee” Dhru shouted joyoudly

She shook her head defeatedly

She watched Dhru scarf down sambar rice and rasam rice excitedly

Father and son talked about an anime character

She watched wistfully

Her father would be bent over his phone her mother would be texting making plans to get back at him her next petty revenge

Nobody even looked at her

The help spoon fed her once when she accidentally shut the car door on her right hand

Aatreya placed a curry leaf on his tongue and chewed Dhru watched mesmerized

“I don’t like it, its black and soggy”

“Guess what?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t need any glasses because I have great eyes” he opened his wide…

“Aaai wears glasses did she not eat her curry leaves?”

Aatreya chuckled

“Fail” Mrunalini growled under her breath

Aatreya laughed out loud

“Dhruuu don’t argue”

“See I am asking a question

“Its OK”  “I think its OK to eat with a spoon when u are here, I would like for u to respect ur Mum and eat with ur hand back in Chembur”

“No way”

“If u make such stupid rules he will walk all over u”

“I want to eat with a spoon” he shouted

Aatreya explained to him patiently, they finished their meal she helped him load the dishwasher, he taught Dhru to clean up the table

“I don’t want to stay here I am not going to do any work” he said arms crossed across his chest

He looked cute sulking Mrunal did not interfere

She was tired, watching Aatreya be efficient and friendly and a great host was exhausting to her

She turned off the faucet and peeked out the kitchen

Aatreya was kneeling in front of Jaidrith explaining the rewards of taking ownership

“I just want to go to my room”

“How about you do the two things I told u to and then u can be done, no sorbet because you did not do all 5”

“I can eat in my house” smug

“Well then, but Oh u are staying over”

“I am not Aai is going home”

“Nope she is staying over too”

Jai watched Mrunal with astonishment He was so happy he ran toward her and hugged her

He did all the chores and went to his room

She loaded the dishwasher and walked out the kitchen door to the wrap around balcony and found the lounge chairs and sat down by the living room

He appeared 20 minutes later with a kheer bowl and a teeshirt

“This one is pretty oversized, I can give you a sheet or something underneath?” he sat by her

She was stretched out staring into the distance as lights twinkled across the cityscape

She was astounded to hear him be so practical about it

“I have some clothes in my trunk I always have something from Dhru’s baby days”

“Oh great!” he dropped the tee on her lap and pulled a chair closer

She turned red in the dark

“So?”

“Umm.. thanks for dinner”

“U are welcome”

“Umm.. he wont eat if we push him” she felt a surge of protectiveness toward Dhru because of all the dinner table disciplining

“U think I was too rough?”

“I mean he is only a child right?” she was defensive

“Its not OK to talk back”

“Hes not even 10”

“And?”

“I will teach him”

“So he is not the problem, me addressing the issue is?”

“Ive been a single parent”

“Ive heard that” he nodded

She ate her kheer slowly

“U cannot say “Aattreya u are allowed to do 5 parenting things but not the other 15”

“I am not”

He grunted

“I said I wont take money because I don’t need it”

“I am not planning to fund because of ur need” he said coolly

She realized none of anything was about her

Her parents did stuff to please themselves

Mendy did things to please Lynn

And now Aatreya was doing things to please Jai

She was not “IT” for any one, just around… Not one

Mrunalini Ghatge is like a curry leaf garnish, People usually picked her out and put her on the side of the plate

He pulled his legs up and turned towards her dropping his feet beside her chair

She stiffened and looked his way

“Thanks for staying over”

“I will try to make him comfortable” she nodded

“U still think I will disappear with him in the middle of the night?” he asked softly

His elbows on his knees, his eyes sparkling with amusement

“I don’t know” she said a sinking feeling in her gut

“I wont” he whispered

“OK” she nodded

“Do u want ur own room? Or do u want to share?”

“With WHO?” she asked in shock and curiosity