Chapter 122

Moonlit talk

Saturday night Sai and Mrunalini were crouched on lawn chairs staring into what would be a beautiful ocean but blocked by dense beautiful trees, the sea was visible at a distance

The house was tiny, it was being let out to a married couple on the ground floor and  these two got the first

The terrace was past a sloping roof they had to balance their chairs and drinks and nail polish and food and hair accessories all in one trip

They were spread out on two blankets and the old nylon rope chairs

“A man who is afraid now will remain afraid for ever” Mrunalini muttered into her drawn up knees

“Its good to be afraid” the friends murmured in Marathi

“Aai thinks I steal from her”

“U told me like atrah baar”

“Can you imagine… she says the money belongs to HER daughter”

“Kalaji karu nakka theek ahe” (Don’t worry it will be OK”)

Sai rubbed her sobbing back

“When he cheated it was my fault, he is still with a 30 year old, its not Annika’s?”

“Annika uski nei hei rey”

“I bet she has taken her everywhere”

“His mother is here, wo bhi mere ko nai milna chahti” Mrunalini referred to Aatreya’s mother

“Theek hai na… apan dono milenge” Sai laughed

They talked about her most crazy ICU cases

They drank more

The couple downstairs made out on a blanket

Sai turned her phone light on and shined on them… it was too far for them to notice

“Chale walk pe? Samandar mei nahaate hai”

“Samandar mein nahaake” Sai giggled

“The began to wind up and then again sat down to enjoy the breeze

Her phone rang, she panicked and leapt up to grab it

Hoping it was Dhru though it was almost 2 AM

“Where are you?”

A far cry from the kind of places she had hung out at 11 years ago in April

Luxury homes and villas

Her blue eyes sparkled like gems in the pitch black night

“On the terrace” she swung the phone around

“How did u even get up there”

“Well we had to walk… on the edge of the roof”

“Are you drunk”

“I think so”

“Good vacation then?”

“I guess go”

She was crouched in  a huddle form

“How is Sai?”

She turned around… “Passed out” “I think”

“How will u carry her down?”

“We will sleep here” she smiled

“Out on a terrace?” he was horrified

“Sure… why not?” she quizzed him confused

“U have changed” he muttered

“I know that… I would have never spoken to Sai” she sighed

“Or me”

“U I think so… u were hot”

“Ouch”

“Well… I don’t look at u like that” she lied

“So I was right? U don’t feel a thing for me”

“Feeling things for people is overrated”

“No its not…”

“How is Dhru?”

“He is asleep in Amma’s room”

“WHY?”

“She fed him a bunch of stories from the Hindu scriptures”

“Oh”

“She loves to”

“Here I am drinking”

Mrunalini cringed realizing she is not the right fit

“I would too if I was with you”

“No u shud be with your parents” she nodded

“Are u wearing ur ring?”

“Umm.. no? I left it in the box to be picked up?”

“Wear it when u get home”

“Umm…”

“If u don’t feel a thing for me… if having s—with me disgusts u, u can tell me I will step back” he said directly

“Umm”

“Wear it” he said she lay down on the blanket  and put her phone up to the skies

“Good night Mrunalini”