Anchored Tempest - Page 3

Now he has a name. Were they ever seriously committed or it was just a dalliance?

She never had a stable life. She is trying with Jai.

Naam to stylish dena chahiye na bandey ko? :)

Chahe banda jerk hi kyon na ho

Loving & Loved

It wasn’t a loving marriage she wasn’t a loved child, but Mrunal acted and talked recklessly in her teens and 20s and projected a pampered well loved façade

Madhao Rao’s passing coincided with Sagar and Amruta affair and the breakdown of the marriage

Mrunal drank alcohol uninhibitedly at parties and tried pot and smoked occasionally when she shared cigarettes with friends and never returned home many nights.

Was ultra gorgeous, was young, and was wealthy, If Aai and Baba didn’t love her she was going to find it outside.

Both parents living in their definition of now….. neither worried about Mrunalini Ghatge’s tomorrow.

They didn’t check on her like other parents did

They didn’t stay up like other parents did

They didn’t pace the floor and drive down to the venue and slap her like movie Dads did

Her mother was too overwhelmed by her own disappointments to worry about where the grown daughter was and what she was up to

Sagar was so gorgeous and wealthy, he was living like a teen most days

Two completely incompatible people staying together until he chose to undo it so publicly with Amruta

Endless partying and not being home was her escape chute

She lied to friends when they asked if her parents had a curfew for her

Partly from craving validation from her Aai, and partly to fit in among her female friends

She told them fantastic stories about how her parents only wanted a grand Bollywood like wedding for her at Greece or Rome or Italy

Went on to 2nd base and even 3rd base with many young men

Aatreya was her home run (more detail on the steamy encounter)

Fast forward to today, she was raising Jaidrith Ghatge by herself with no parents and no husband

One constant has been she still ached to gain her mother’s acceptance and love.

It was a picture perfect family of wealthy healthy gorgeous people, but no one was happy. Everyone had reasons to bail… well except Mrunal

She wanted in

But no one wanted to stay in

“Can we go some place nice?” she lay in Jai’s bed as he sat in a corner and played on his PS-4

He didn’t pay her any attention

He looked exactly like her too tall too slender and had her eyes

“If you eat your lunch for the next month everyday we can go” she offered an incentive to a boy who didn’t care for lunch nor cared for vacations

He wanted to be left alone with his electronics

He was smart, articulate and funny, but was too afraid of change and feared people

It was like ALL of Mrunal’s darkest secret fears had manifested in her womb and molded Jai.

Her mother didn’t visit her in the hospital, until her father dragged her sorry a—to it

Sagar did so because he didn’t want Mrunal to find out WHO he was in bed with, quite literally, Falguni had suspicions though

“Tumhe laaj aanali aahe, tumachyakadun khupa apeykshya hotya” (U have shamed me I had so many expectations from you)

Her mother actually told her for the first time ever that she even expected something out of her

Not once in 23 years she had heard that line

She heard it over text two hours after labor & delivery

Her mother didn’t visit her in the hospital, until her father dragged her sorry a—to it

Sagar did so because he didn’t want Mrunal to find out WHO he was in bed with

That was really terrible! The parents are so messed up and she literally has NO ONE!

The one person she was sharing her heart with, Sameena.. even she doesn't seem to be too involved. It's like she's doing her a favour. 😒

Aatreya Rao is her hero, is he? 😲

And what's the deal with the kid's allergies?? He gets them from the absconding father?

She has no one to call her friend and no one to turn to. What a lonely life!

Based on what did the mother have any expectations? What did she ever do for her daughter?

Knock on the door!

“Majhyakade society cha patra aahe” Sagar Ghatge texted Mrunal one morning

Amltas sent him notifications, he texted his daughter, she tried not to be home when the work was being done or when Sagar wanted to come by to check the work

She got ready, put him on the bus this morning since he was happy to get gluten free jam sandwich for lunch, it was too sugary and the only thing he liked was SUGAR

Oh and he also had frosted cornflakes with almond milk for breakfast

She had attentive, present, responsive Jaidrith

She stared at him while he ate breakfast

Thankfully, no kid in school had figured out Jai’s maternal grandpa’s name was also ghatge

Kids can be mean, they would then want to know how his mother with a maiden name had a child with the same last name

She had attempted to change her last name when she suspected Sagar was upto something fishy when she was pregnant

But never got around to it

She wanted to, but didn’t know what name she would choose

Rao? Dadu was not like him yeah maybe Mrunalini Rao… sure go right ahead Mrunal

Aatreya will like that

She got up nervously and filled up her coffee mug

There was nothing holding her to either parent

“Can we go to my soccer game?” he asked smiling

He had her beautiful eyes, she smiled, not the hair though the thick luscious silky hair was definitely Aatreya’s

“When have I not?”

This was his FIRST, a kind coach had included him, he would most likely be benched but what the heck

The school was expensive so it was about time they put him in some activity and it would give her something to do on a Saturday.

“Do I have any cousins?” he asked curiously

Her heart lurched

She was an only child

Her Aai and baba were not

But she was somewhat decommissioned from the family for being an unwed mother. In a family where the man takes on a 23 year old GF!!

She looked at her text again

“I have soccer game…” she erased it

“I had a Saturday appointment” she typed in English, she refused to give in to the familiarity of Marathi

She didn’t know if Sagar was visiting the school to watch Jai, he didn’t tell her, he probably knew where he went

Her mother didn’t really care

Yep!

She sighed

Sagar tried to call her

He always did!

She did not answer

“Mee 8 wajat aaoo shakata” Sagar offered hoping to see her

“I can leave key with Mrs Sawant” she cut off

Didn’t respond

Got up and packed up every picture from the wall, and chest of drawer, she didn’t want her Baba to get a hold of anything

Jai was hers

Sagar was the only parent that wanted a connection, Mrunal didn’t want any groveling attempts from him

The grandma didn’t give a damn… she could send pictures Falguni would shred them immediately.

She put him on the bus, and walked to the local station

She asked Sai “Do you want to go out for lunch?”

Might as well thank the few kind people in her life, will also give her a chance to flee her apartment”

Sooner or later Sagar was going to be standing at her front door, where would she go?”

I need to move out soon

Sigh!

She had tried to move out, but most of the times the money she saved up went in fridge or TV repairs, or school trips, or allergist visits

Her down payment got depleted

The hotel health plan was a joke.

I will figure it out soon

She jumped on a Ladies Special and sat down and began to take a nap

When they returned in the evening, the security guard at the lobby of the posh Amaltas intercepted.

“Ma’am there was visitor” he said

She made a face.

“Saga..” she began”

“No Ma’am it was Mr Rao”

“Who?” she was confused

“Aatreya Rao he said”

She froze in shock

“Did .. oh… did…”

“I told him we are not allowed to say who lives in building”… as if that was going to deter Aatreya

The young guard was proud of himself

Mrunal rarely cried, but she was moved to tears

Waiting for the story to unfold😳

Omg Nisha when are we going to get the next update?