Part 10:
Shravan hovered around her all day until Sumo finally had it with keeping face for the students and teachers.
Sumo rounded on him: What is WRONG with you!? Can't you take no for an answer???
Shravan: Why can't you ADMIT it for once that you are crazy about me? Confess to me.
Sumo: I have been through this a hundred times today. I don't care for anything but this school anymore. Go back to your Daddy.
Shravan: Haannn...yeh dekho, anger. This is just it, no? You are not refusing me out of some random compulsion to be a nun. You are angry about Papa and your pride won't allow you to accept me without making me go through the wringer!
Sumo scoffed: Oh, please!
Shravan: Admit it then!
Sumo: I am done talking in circles with you. You have now exhausted my patience.
She went for her storybook for the children's lunch storytime. Shravan grabbed it before she could. She went for it, but he pulled it out of her reach.
Shravan: Take it, if you can!
Sumo, exasperated: Really!? Grow up! (She lunged for it).
He grabbed it with another hand out of her reach.
Shravan: Bite me! Oh no, you actually will, "grow up" ki bacchi.
Sumo chased him just long enough to make him run and then close her office door. In his fun, Shravan ran out to the backyard, unaware that she was not playing anymore.
Ramnath saw the blinking light and picked up the phone without looking.
Sumo: Come pick up your son, he had forcefully joined my school and now refuses to leave unless I marry him.
Ramnath jumped awake at her voice: Suman!? I was done with you. Why are you calling at this ungodly hour? I am in a foreign country.
Sumo: Did you not hear me? I am said your son, Shravan, has moved into my school in Mumbai. If you care so much for his safety from me, come and get him. He found out everything.
Ramnath angrily: You told him!? You are pinning your hopes on my son again!
Sumo: Oh, please. Uncle, I am established in my own right. I don't need to "pin" my hope on anyone. If I had to take him, all I had to do was accept the marriage proposals he has been throwing my way all day. Want to save your son? Come and get him because he's not leaving on his own. Bring him home before he gives everything up. He is all yours!
Sumo hung up the call with a satisfying click. At last, she had thrown back the gift Ramnath tore away from her. Shravan.
Shravan made his way back slowly when he saw that Sumo had indeed grown up. He handed her the book in the hallway, looking down, and walked away.
Sumo signed in relief. At last, peace.
Shravan kept up his pouting all through dinner and even after when Preeti and Pushkar were leaving. Sumo paid him no importance, just like she refused to give in to her children when they threw their tantrums. But deep down, they both knew with heavy hearts that it was more serious than a child's play.
Pushkar: Don't push him away. Sumo, that's all I will say to you. Life has give you two another chance. Don't push him away and throw away this opportunity. Grab it with everything you have got. He's only yours. I have seen him all these years, he has always been only yours...and he will continue to be whether you chose him or not. Don't condemn him to loneliness.
Sumo: He's only Ramnath Uncle's. Your Sir took him from his own mother! You think he will let anyone else love his son?
Pushkar sighed: I know what Sir did was terrible, that was his prejudice. But even he's worried about Bhaiyya by the way Bhaiyya has been pining these last few years. Don't punish Bhaiyya because of Sir. He's a living, breathing person on his own, he's not Sir's object. He has been through enough with his parents. Don't push him away from the love I know you both feel.
Sumo signed: Ramnath Uncle is his father. And his only parent as far as Shravan is concerned. I can't create a rift between them. It is already alarming that he has abandoned the business to be here for me. I don't want to be the reason he gives it all up.
Pushkar: Bhaiyya is handling it as best as he can online. It's his decision. Let him and please don't think of it that way. I am managing the rest. Sir and he will be fine! You don't have to put your heart underfoot again for anyone, Saliji!
Sumo sighed as Pushkar kissed her forehead and left.
Preeti grabbed Shravan's hand: Now stop pouting! So, she's not as enthusiastic about getting back together. Can you blame her!? Look at what she has been thorough, look at all her responsibilities.
Shravan: I agreed to everything. I will go anywhere to be with her, why can't she see that!?
Preeti smiled: But will you do anything to be with her!? Her trust is broken, Shravan. It won't mend with mere assurance. You have to give her reason to believe you will be there for her.
Shravan: As if the Great Sumo ever needs any support.
Preeti pushed his hand away in reprimand: No, not support. She just needs to know that you are committed. You can't keep breaking up with her at the drop of a hat! Do you understand?
Shravan: You call picking Aditya over me the drop of a hat!?
Preeti: I call misunderstanding PCT's investor lie from Adi as Di's choice a drop of a hat, yes!
Shravan signed. Preeti had a point.
Preeti: Now cheer up and keep going as you have been. She's bound to melt sometime, no matter what her reservation. She loves you at the end of the day.
Shravan: Does she? She said no like 20 times today.
Preeti scolded: Yes, she does! You see Sahil? He's practically an homage to you. She tried to raise him like you too. What more proof do you need that a living, breathing baby?
Shravan smiled: He could have been ours, if your silly sister did not keep running from me.
PReeti: Who say he's not yours just as much without being your biological son? You love him, don't you?
Shravan: Of course!
Preeti: Okay then, that's all you need. You get a ready-made family of 60 with your Sumo now. Good luck!
The next morning...
Sumo came in to the hall to find Shravan sitting with Sahil between his legs. Shravan was making a small baby mohawk with Sahil's hair with great concentration while the latter sat patiently.
Sumo's heart was swollen with love. She had imagined Shravan like this with Sahil a million times in her wistfulness, a million times...
Shravan dipped into a jar behind him and applied the gel on Sahil's soft, young hair.
Sumo barked: Don't apply gel on his hair! He's just a baby!
Shravan: Oh keep quiet, no one's hurt. Don't alarm him, he's sitting quiet. Besides, it's only the best beeswax gel - all organic.
Sumo rolled her eyes: Bare logon ke chochle.
Shravan deftly brushed Sahil's hair and made his own copy-cat hairstyle on the child.
Shravan to Sahil: There! Just like Papa.
Sumo, shocked: Papa!!!?
Shravan: Haan, now if you are Mama, I am naturally Pappa, na?
Sumo gritted out angrily: Naturally!? We will see about that.
Shravan grinned, satisfied with himself when Sahil stood up and hugged him as he still sat on the ground.
Shravan: Look, Sumo, he's so tiny! I am smack on the ground and he is as tall standing up. It's so cute!
Sumo impatiently: he's JUST a baby (she grabbed Sahil's hand and led him away). He will grow tall soon enough.
Shravan laughed: And you want him to be 6'4" no doubt. Just a guess, am I right?
Sumo glared at him as she put Sahil on his high chair.
Thoughts?
Edited by Marybarton - 8 years ago
Cricket
