Chapter 97

Edict & Empathy 

Everyone agonized in private Somesh, Pramila, Mrunalini, Aatreya and Mendy

Aatreya met Mendy for lunch on Monday and explained his conversation with Mrunalini

“You cant stop Mrunalini from being afraid or lonely, you cannot be like “Oh well Pa I made a baby now just accept him and move on” “Tough luck dude”

“I am just wondering how I could tell Amma”

“Just wait man!”

“Hmm” squirming

“In 4 months, you’ve established connection threw the legal bind on Mrunalini, got her to relax a bit and allow the kid to visit, just chill for now”

“My Mum is a little antsy because I divorced”

“U are not 10, you are 33 just tell her I am seeing someone, or beginning to”

“She hates that, because that ended in a wedding and divorce”

“Don’t marry rich women I will have to get a divorce dude”

Aatreya stared at him blankly and burst out laughing

“We don’t want any other woman to be more beautiful or wealthy” Mendy sounded irritated

“K… noted”

“I am just tired of her Mum.. and her constantly whining”

“What about?”

“Letting go of Mrs Gomes’ flat”

“Name a price and have Mrunalini move out” Aatreya suggested wickedly

“Dude mere ku apne job mein I don’t get a SVP pay no”

“I am kidding, I doubt she would sell”

“Have u started paying her child support?”

“I started paying the fee directly”

Sahi hai”

“I don’t know… she is very self respecting, and cringes when I bring up money”

“Her Dad is wealthy I think”

“Oh the Bandra flat?”

“Hmm”

“She lived there and got out” Mendy lowered his voice

“Hmm?” Aatreya’s brows creased

“I will tell u something I am breaching her trust, but”

“K”

Aatreya stiffened 

He wondered if Mendy was discouraging him from talking to his mother because of this? Was she seeing someone?”

“Her Dad is dating her best friend bola wo”

“Whattt?”

“I swear if word gets out, you are so dead”

“Don’t worry”

“She looked like she had seen a ghost after she told me”

“Hmm” 

Aatreya reeled

“Oh wow”

“She is not in touch with either parent”

“Oh?”

“She runs the whole show”

Aatreya leaned back and stared into oblivion

This was super messy and his Dad would be absolutely horrified, not to mention be unwilling to approach any idea of him being interested in Mrunalini

His face lost all color

“What happened”

“Nothing, what about her Mum?”

“I don’t know”

“This is something else” Aatreya gasped

“Can u imagine man!! I mean, my Dad hooking up with Lynn’s best friend, who  Gita…”

“True”

“She needs a safe space I think, emotionally”

“I do too” Aatreya sighed

“The kid is great man… she did a fine job, I wonder why this all happened”

“Must have had a bad divorce” Aatreya speculated

“Don’t say a word to Lynn alright”

“I will not”

“Don’t say anything to ur Mum or Dad, first figure out what you want from life” Mendy gently cautioned

“What do u mean?”

“She is great, but, you cannot hurt her more”

“I don’t plan to”

“Your parents will never agree to you marrying her, if they discover her family is so screwed up, they just won’t, Ive known you 15 years I can tell u, they just wont”

Mendy chewed quietly as both men looked away thoughtfully

“I kissed her twice”

Mendy’s face broke into a big grin

“Cant keep ur hands off her?”

“Somewhat…” Aatreya nodded

“She is trusting and vulnerable”

Aatreya only nodded

“keep it professional for now…. Maybe ur parents will fall in love with her at some point, I don’t know I am not inside their head”

“Hmm”

If u go too fast, then u have to tell ur parents soon, ur Dad hasn’t forgiven u for making a baby, a divorce and what else”

“That’s it I guess”

“If Lynn finds out prematurely she might play the villain”

“Don’t get so dramatic”

“I don’t think she can stand Mrunalini” Mendy was outraged

“For what?”

“Wo flat, must be the eyes…” mendy clammed up

The men talked politics sports and business soon after…..

Lynn and Mendy were working out many marriage conflct issues Mrunalini featured in many of them

There was selfishness being displayed by Mendy, he loved Mrunalini and cared for her etc, but if Aatreya ended up with Mrunalini his marriage would be toast

Lynn couldn’t take it, she was jealous, petty and vindictive when it came to this new friend/neighbor. For absolutely NO reason

Mendy wanted to be fair, he was ashamed of himself, he decided to repent

He sighed

“U know what? Never mind what I said man… do what feels right to YOU” he said gulping a giant mouthful of the flat but cold beer near him

Aatreya smiled

“I shouldn’t be telling you what u should do, I never asked u when I went down on my knees for Lynn, tub hi mast reh”