Chapter 5
Alright Nupur, this is your last warning from your conscience. One more time you think of that woman, Mayank Sharma, OR anything related to both, you shall not give yourself your usual five minutes break time from the kids. You know you love them, but sometimes they simply HAVE to get your knickers in a twist. But if you think about both of them one more time missy, you have to stick with the babies the entire day. Even if it means you go insane. Psh. You're anyway going to go insane soon. Look who's standing ahead of you, ready to fulfill that deed. NUPUR! Focus on the kid. Focus. Focus. You're going to be teaching him soon. Even if every nook and corner of his face reminds you of that rat. Get used to it. It's for your own good.
"Don't leave me, daddy. I'm scared," he sobbed quietly.
Mayank reached his hands out to wipe his son's tears away. He kissed each cheek softly and brushed his fingers through his son's hair. Nupur found herself in complete awe at his actions, rooted to her spot and watching quietly. Her heart started fluttering absurdly against her chest, but she soon berated herself and tried to acted with indifference. Yet, how could she? Mayank Sharma was showering affection on someone…someone other than me? Stop it Nupur! This is his son we're talking about!
"What did we say, Neev? What do I always tell you?" Mayank asked, rubbing Neev's shoulders.
"Big boys don't get scared," Neev recited, his lip quivering, his chest rising and falling with urgent, crying breaths.
"And are you a big boy?"
Neev nodded vehemently and ran the back of his hand across his eyes.
"So you shouldn't get scared," Mayank said. "I'll only be gone for a few hours and I'll be here to pick you up at exactly five o clock."
Mayank rolled up his sleeve and held out his wrist to Neev. "Show me on my watch when five o' clock is."
Neev pointed his little finger at the watch and counted to the number five, pointing at the right number and sniffling.
Mayank took off the watch and strapped it to Neev's wrist. It was ridiculously big on his small arm, but it didn't matter as Mayank adjusted the strap to fit him perfectly.
"Now you'll know when I'll be coming to get you, ok?" Mayank said and kissed his son once more. "You're going to have fun, buddy. I promise." Hopefully. With HER around, I can only wish you good luck, Neev.
Neev nodded his head sadly, his attention still focused on the watch on his wrist. He petted it protectively and held it close to his body.
Mayank stood up from kneeling and his eyes met with Nupur's. She was watching him strangely. It disconcerted him. She's thinking how can the Mayank Sharma she once knew – the cold-hearted bas***d – be so attached to his son? No, actually, she's thinking who I had this son with…ha! As if I'm about to tell her my life story. And now she's looking at my left hand. Found what you're looking for?
"What?" he asked snidely.
Nupur shook her head and pointed to the paperwork, indicating that he should finish it. She stepped from behind the desk and knelt down in front of Neev, much the same way that Mayank had. No wedding ring? That's strange. Even Sonali noticed that. What's that supposed to mean? Nothing, Nupur, it means nothing. You still hate him, he still hates you. Now approach the kid.
"Hi, Neev. My name is Nupur," she said kindly. "I'm going to be your teacher."
Neev stared at her, still hugging the watch to his chest. He didn't reply.
"Neev, be nice," Mayank said distractedly above them as he filled out the superfluity of papers. "Say, hi."
"Hi," Neev said quietly.
"How old are you, sweetheart?" Nupur asked. Well, no matter how much he looks like that oaf, he's still a sweetheart.
Neev held up four fingers.
"Since you're here early, do you want to help me set up for the class today?"
Neev shrugged wordlessly.
"Talk, Neev," Mayank said, signing his name for what had to be the seventh time.
"Yes," Neev said, looking between his father and the pretty lady in front of him.
"Well, we're going to set out the building blocks first and then we're going to put out the crayons and parchments for art time."
"What's art time?" Neev asked, his eyes wide with wonder.
Nupur smiled. "Art time is where you can either draw, or paint, or make sculptures using clay. Do you like any of that?"
Neev nodded his head.
"Well, that's great, then. You're going to have a lot of fun today. Especially when you meet your classmates," Nupur said with a smile.
Mayank watched the two of them talk as he finished with the bureaucratic part of the enrollment process. The annoying chit seemed to have a way with children, her voice soothing and kind. Even if the child in question is mine. She spoke to Neev as an equal, and not as a baby, the way she did. Just the thought of his ex-wife made Mayank want to revisit his breakfast.
God, she still talks too much. Look at her go like a chatterbox. Once Neev opens his mouth, they'll both be a riot. How the hell am I supposed to handle both of them. Mayank furrowed his eyebrows. Handle both of them? Wait a minute, Mayank Sharma, you're only going to meet her for two minutes everyday for another….6 years. That's…4380 minutes. 2 minutes everyday sounds better. Is it too late to take Neev out of this school? No, Mayank. You don't have to show her that she still affects you. It wouldn't matter if Neev went to school here or on the other side of the Mumbai.
Mayank could never get over for 5 years how bloody irritating she was to see her as a person and always used to question himself – why? Why had I ever fallen for her once? Her soft facial features and kind brown eyes were focused solely on Neev and her cupid's-bow lips smiled and relaxed in fullness. Her lips. How many times have I – end your thought right there mister. Don't look at her lips. Don't, he thought with a snarl.
Nupur stood up and somehow she held Neev's hand in her own, surprising herself, Mayank and Neev itself. Nevertheless, Neev's shyness seemed to be slowly ebbing away as he gazed up at his teacher curiously.
"He's really smart for his age," Nupur said, looking Mayank straight-on. "If he didn't look so much like you, I would wonder about his parentage."
And there was the comment that reminded him of why she was a stupid hag. Always finding the flaws. Always.
"I'm hurt, Miss Bhushan. Really, I am. Now, can I pay you and get on with my day?" Mayank replied dryly.
How dare he talk to me like that? What does he think I am? The old wallflower, who gets pushed around to his whims. Ha! You're in for a surprise Mr Sharma.
"Monthly tuition is 5000 rupees." Nupur replied coldly.
"I'll pay now," Mayank said, reaching into his business robes and pulling out a small dossier. "Do you take HSBC bill notes?"
Nupur nodded and watched Mayank sign the check. He wrote it out for 12000 rupees. Since when did he get loaded?
"This should take care of two months," Mayank said, handing her the bill note. "And a little something extra to make sure he gets the best education."
"We don't take bribes," Nupur replied, staring at the bill note in her hand. Bloody Mary, 12000 rupees? How the hell…?
"Think of it as a donation," Mayank retorted. He knelt down in front of his son and kissed his forehead. "I'll see you at five, Neev. Be good."
Neev nodded and hugged his father before putting his hand back in Nupur's. "Miss Noopur…"
"Nupur," Mayank corrected, the name feeling foreign on his tongue, not having mentioned it loud in 5 years.
"Miss Nupur said I can help set up for art time. And I am going to draw you a picture, daddy," Neev explained.
Mayank smiled and stood back up. "I can't wait to see it, buddy," he said and turned to leave. "Au revoir."
"Adieu, daddy!" Neev replied.
Nupur looked at the little boy clutching her hand as his father left the building. "You speak French?"
Neev shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't yet at the age where he was cognizant of knowing a foreign language.
Nupur couldn't help but be curious… insanely curious... about this little boy; about his rogue father. Where had Mayank been all these years? Who did he have a child with? He doesn't look like her. But he just might not have inherited most of her genes. They must all be recessive. Just like her persona. Hmph. And more importantly, the cruel and malicious Mayank Sharma she'd known had become so loving (well he was loving to you Nupur at one time – HALT), even if it was just towards the fruits of his loins? How?
And when on earth did he overcome his prejudices to leave his darling son in the care of someone whom he hated fervently? But then again, he didn't have a choice. He couldn't just walk back and take his son with himself after coming all the way here. Or maybe he trusted me enough….? Nupur, please don't continue….please.
"Did the hottie leave?" Sonali asked, coming out of the back room and startling Nupur out of her wayward thoughts.
"What's a hottie?" Neev asked.
Nupur shot Sonali a sharp look. "It's nothing, Neev. Come on, let's go set up for art time and then you can meet your classmates once they get here." Nupur decided against telling Sonali about Mayank. She didn't want to pull her spirits down, her birthday was just round the corner. Plus, they had got enough money so as to not only pay this month's bills but also a little extra! But that extra is going in the savings account, Nupur. Don't splurge money unnecessarily.
"Is there going to be girls?" Neev asked, with his brows furrowed slightly. She couldn't help noticing, that was exactly the way his father furrowed his eyebrows.
"Yes, there are two boys and two girls in your class," Nupur explained.
"Yuck," Nupur responded. "Girls are stupid."
Nupur heard Sonali snort in laughter behind her.
"That's not nice, sweetheart. The two little girls who are your classmates are very, very nice," Nupur said. "The two boys are also nice."
Neev shrugged and followed her into the room. His hand was so small in hers. She worked daily with small children, but Neev seemed different. No, not because he is Mayank's son. But there's something else. What is it? She felt something for the child. His father loved him intensely, that much was obvious, but the little boy still had an air of insecurity about him. As if, maybe, he had been rejected…
Despite who had sired him, he seemed like such a sweet child. Maybe he wasn't Mayank's. Why am I sounding hopeful? So what if the kid is Mayank's? Regardless of who his family is, Neev is still a darling. Who would have thought the rat would produce such an innocent offspring?
"I'm sorry," Neev said quietly as she showed him where the crayons were.
"For what?" Nupur asked, coming out of her very preoccupied mind.
"I said girls are stupid," Neev said, his eyes wide in his usual childlike gaze. "That's a mean thing to say and daddy says I shouldn't be mean to anyone."
"Your father told you that?" Nupur asked, surprised beyond her words. What a hypocrite.
Neev nodded. "You are a girl and you are not stupid. You're nice."
Nupur smiled and patted his hand as they laid out the papers and parchments. "I think you're nice too, Neev."
Neev beamed and rubbed at the watch strapped to his wrist. He was going to like this Miss Noopurr. She was nice and she smiled so prettily at him. Her name was hard to say, but that didn't matter.
Maybe school wouldn't be so bad…
Kumkum Bhagya
Tu Dhadkan Main Dil
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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