Chapter 88

Making the same mistake…. twice

“If you think we have something would you be ready to explore where it gets us?” “I mean not wedding or anything but just you know… just having a good time?” she texted him a week later

He was traveling for work and was in Bangkok and Hongkong for meetings, Sameena had sat her down and instructed her not to do anything stupid

She had explained how it was going to hurt her

She had advised her not to be reckless and let her emotions get the better of her

She had told Mrunalini “Don’t seek attention from him Mrunal, I know you feel unrequited from your parents, you feel unfulfilled in every way, aap please bas Aatreya ko misunderstand mat karo”

“I am not misunderstanding him, HE kissed me” Mrunal was deeply hurt

“To theek hai you be cool”

“I am”

“I don’t even know what will happen if you fall for him”

“I don’t think I will fall for anyone” Mrunal lied

She felt a tug each time she met Aatreya, she knew it

She hadn’t expected him to appear in her life, never expected him to “do the right thing”

She hadn’t expected him to be so kind toward her

She didn’t know what love was, her parents didn’t teach her she hadn’t witnessed it in their relationship either

But how could he be so nice, genuine and caring?

“If there was a future if there was hope agar who aapse connect hona chahte hain he might have said so na?”

“He made the first move, I didn’t fall on top of him”

“I know… you are afraid and…. and afraid to trust”

Mrunal nodded sadly

“He shouldn’t have done that” Sameena sighed

“I think so too”

“Galat kiya”

Mrunal nodded eyes filling up with tears

“Was he also checking to see if there was something?” “i wonder”

“Should I ask his best friend if he is dating?”

“Kya mil jaayega aapko?”

“I don’t know…”

“His friends will know… even if you are as much as curious u know… they will know”

“I should just keep the relationship professional”

“There is someone out there for you, you will get that person in a heart beat if you stop being afraid”

“Probably when Dhru no longer needs me and goes off to college” she laughed and sniffled

“You should stop being afraid, there are millions of people that give love a second chance”

Mrunal looked at her in daze

“I am contradicting myself I know, but I think I don’t know about Aatreya, he left immediately, he showed up 9.5  years later and is doing everything legal and now wants to take the relationship to the next step”

Mrunal sighed

“I know you are lonely, I think you should start dating, you are deliberately choosing to stay single and Aatreya is causing all sorts of flutter on ur radar”

“You think he knows?” she questioned Sameena

“Aapne kaha kya unko?”

“I told him I wear a ring to ward off men looking for relationships”

“Tch tch”

“I have to be honest right”

“Has he been honest with you?”

“I don’t know… he told me he is divorced, he told me his parents are conservative, I know his Dad is still angry with him”

“This is all so much for you Mrunal”

“I know… but I have to say having him as a support for raising Dhru is indeed very pleasant”

“That’s great” Sameena smiled happily

“I mean Dhru has not been tardy for pick up even one day, he hates the after school care lady he didn’t have to be in that program for a while now, its like winning the lottery for me”

“You have been doing such a good job with him”

“And Oh! I also have to say he tells me at least one time every time we meet as to how thankful he is and what a great job I am doing” Mrunal turned red with pride

“Woww” “Great”

“I am hurting… I am lost I am not sure who is real who is fake, I just take everything at face value” Mrunal did some introspection

“I am new to my business Mrunal” “I am not a veteran you are my first real life client I feel very protective toward you” Sameena found herself breaking down

They both sat quiet and sipped their tea

“I tell him everything honestly, I ask him if he hopes to some day take Dhru away far away from me, I ask him if he wishes I had done a better job with Dhru”

“You shouldn’t be…. I know its not it is not his fault he was absent but he needs to feel more and do more, aap nahi”

“He did not know I was pregnant, it was no questions asked, just a night of hook up, I did not demand anything from him, he never promised anything”

“You are so fair and reasonable Mrunal”

“I am not lying Sam I was not going to ask for anything… I didn’t even know I was going to get pregnant, I had the dates wrong I realized after I tested positive”

“Such a strange and unexpected turn of events” Sameena sighed in awe

“Yeah… especially for him to return and find me and reconnect with his son”

Sameena nodded

Sameena had pumped her up enough that evening Mrunal went home more thoughtful and agreeable

A week or two of thinking about the kiss, which was obviously more potent than Sameena’s words could ever be, Mrunal started slipping, being lonely did not help either

There was just so much appealing about him to her, a struggling single parent, with a child with sh—ton of allergies

How effortlessly he connected with Dhru, how beautifully he was able to deal with temper tantrums, and fussing over food

Hence the…

“If you think we have something would you be ready to explore and see where it gets us?” “I mean not wedding or anything but just you know… just having a good time?” she texted him 12 days later

He was in the middle of a meeting when he saw it he found himself coloring self consciously, his chest thudded in excitement and fear