Chapter 129

Imperfectly Perfect

“I don’t want any of this” she said quietly, her eyes brimming with tears

Dhru was shocked too, he was getting old enough to understand his mother’s moods

“I am sorry” Aatreya leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets, as she cooked dinner

“We can order food”

“No, I don’t want to… In fact what you pay me… pay me FOR Dhru has to stop” “also” she finished with a sigh

“No it wont”

“You are just making it more difficult for me A”

“I am not I am completely sure I want to be married to you, I did not urge my Amma to interfere, I am learning to stand up for myself, how ever laughable it is at 33”

“Don’t blame yourself… you did nothing wrong” she turned to face him

“Let me order food Mru” he whispered softly using the language of intimacy

“Hey u called her MROOO” Jaidrith heard from the living room as he played his switch

“Yep I am bribing her to agree to order food” he turned to his son and laughed

He turned to her with a grim look “I am not about start a big argument with you, you can go ahead and cook I am tired and hungry I need energy to fight”

“I am making vegan food”

“That’s fine” he growled

“Will you leave afterwards?” she didn’t look at him

He walked over to the stove “No actually” he almost leaned

She squirmed and tried to pull away

“I am staying over” he said firmly

“You get the upper berth of the bunk or the couch”

“Do you come with it?”

“No I don’t… not now… not”

“Stopp” he hissed

“U know the answer”

“I am going to wait for you to join me when he sleeps”

“Stooppp OK?” she scowled

“What are you making? Karela, rice and dal”

He laughed out loud

“Sameena will dump me, if I say I want to see her everyday” she muttered

“I am sorry”

“Its not your fault, I am screwed up” she stopped her stirring and just stared at the simmering dal

“No you are not”

“I will never forget the reaction on your mother’s face when I said what my parents are up to”

“I am sorry”

“Don’t..” she warned glaring at him

“What do u want me to say”

“U are just being too nice… I don’t trust you” she blurted

He stepped back drawing a sharp breath

“I think u will steal Dhru leave me on the way side on our honeymoon and I will never see you again… or my Dhru”

“Uh..”

“Ur parents hate me… Dhru has 500 allergies, I have the most f-ed up parents in the world” “U want to marry me”

“And it all has to be because I want to abduct ur child”

She didn’t respond, just pulled out plates from a drawer and started setting the floor eating area in the living room

They ate in silence, the men ate up all the potato, Aatreya narrated a fantasy superhero made up story for the 10 year old

Helped him set his school back pack for the next morning

Tidied the bedroom

She just watched TV in the living room

Aatreya returned around 11 PM

She shifted away from him

He just threw a pillow and crashed face down

“I can watch on my ipad

“Yeah this is my dog house I am told” he scowled

“The sane part of me knows u wont abduct him but when u insist on marrying me I am afraid u will”

“Like I cannot abduct without marrying you?” he asked muffled through the pillow

She reached to touch his hair and quickly changed her mind

“I haven’t had… we haven’t had normal family evenings, when you come by that’s the closest u know” she muttered

He didn’t respond

“U don’t want a crazy wife… I am not the Bergdorf Goodman bikini wearing 20 year old anymore”

“I cant make up my mind about who I want for a wife then?” he asked rolling to his side trying to squint his eyes to adjust for the TV’s glare

The room was dark

“No no u can, u are smart and successful… I am just too messed up to make a good wife”

“Ur Mum tell u that?”

“Umm.. no…”

“Then? This low self esteem statement was crafted on ur own by u?”

“My Mum thinks I stole her share of the money”

“I don’t care about her… don’t say anything”

“Can we talk about Kirti’s Mum?”

He looked up at her as he lay on his back now

“I hate her… so no… Kirti I mean” she said defiantly

He chuckled

She was sitting right above his head leaning on the wall, legs stretched out parallel to his pillows

“Its funny if you think about it…. U would have to put a gun to my Mum’s head to make her talk to me… like even say a freaking word… your Mum literally treats you like you are some fragile precious artifact that needs to be guarded and protected”

“Umm..”

“Ur Dad is principled ethical religious and conservative… mine… the antonyms of all those words”

He was just watching her spellbound

“U have ur Dad’s eyes” she said looking down at him

“Hmm”

“What? No fight?” she smiled before yawning

His parents had called him multiple times his Dad had texted him “Disappointed you are choosing to abandon your mother at night”

He had arranged for his cousin and his wife to go over and sleep

Did not tell his Dad

His Dad called again after the cousin and wife arrived for the night, ashamed a bit? Maybe! But Aatreya did not answer

Mother sent a couple texts

He didn’t reveal anything to Mrunalini

“U had a perfect childhood… when I got my first period my Mum found out after years?…” she chuckled

“Oh?” he sat up in shock pulling the pillows on to his lap

He didn’t know how to even comfort her

He gently ruffled her back with his finger tips

“U are so cute… this is super awkward for u” she laughed looking at his face

“Nope” he said quietly

“Men hate it”

“how many have u known” “Since u say men”

She smiled “I told u I wore a fake engagement ring”

“Just not mine then?” he smiled