Fight for the better parent vote
Part 1 (There will be many) 😆
Of course he copied her on all the forms he submitted to school, he arranged for a Zoom call to discuss after school care options and openly shared his willingness to pick him up from school everyday at 3
That was devastating to her. To have him be at Aatreya Rao’s house
He didn’t tell her directly but told the After School Principal Mrs Khan that he managed SE Asia region for his bank and he had “enough flexibility”
Mrs Khan was not mean but did respond with “We ideally like for the child to be picked up Mr Rao, I know many parents do not have a choice it’s a tough school to get into its expensive and there is a waitlist so they do everything possible to keep their spot”
“I understand, I am available to chaperone them for school field trips how ever many days you would like for me to as well” he assured her, Jaidrith did not go to every Saturday field trip, she slept in, so did he
Mrunalini argued with Mrs Khan about how Jaidrith is happy well adjusted despite not going on many field trips
Mrunalini musually made one of 5 trips, she was unable to go to school Diwali, School ID School Ganpati School Christmas, she occasionally went to the New Year and Founder’s Day and Sports Day
Her child never played any sport was not in the band or marching team, nor was a sprinter though he weighed well below his weight and was fast and nimble
He was usually either bullied during try outs and or failed to make the cut off
He was once selected to play Krishna in a school play and he had to take his shirt off to wear dhoti, and was mocked endlessly for being “naked”
It traumatized him enough he didn’t want to participate in anything
She was too sad to go cheer for other kids
“Well you can work it out with Ms Ghatge and he can be picked up at 3 on the days you have him and at 6 on the days she has him”
“that sounds great”
“Then Ms Ghatge will not have to spend on overtime hours” Mrs Khan “gently reminded”
Guilelessly
But Mrunalini did not want Aatreya to know she was a absentee parent
But he knew now
Its usually traffic she contested Mrs Khan hotly
“I know Ms Ghatge, many parents have 10 or 14 overtime days” she smiled gently
Mrunalini approached everyone as a threat, nothing relaxed or comforted her
Sameena and Sai were the only two she was able to talk to without allowing herself to go into absolute panic
The feeling was increasing since Aatreya had entered her life
“We have grandparents day, and aunt& uncle day your family is welcome to all, its usually in after school hours so we don’t disrupt education”
“That’s fantastic
“Yes, I wil send you what is coming up next month”
“That would be great
Mrunalini wondered how such a celebration might look
HER Jaidrith in a large group photo with his aunt and uncle and grandparents and… Dad
“I will just pick him up early on that day” she told herself hurting
They hung up and Mrunal went to check on Jai
He was buried into his anime comic
“did u do ur HW”
“Aai will you let me go to Atty’s on Saturday?”
“I can think about it”
“Aaai please”
“You forgot ur epipen bag twice in the last week shakara… u know its dangerous”
“Mee punaha ase karana nahee” (I wont do it again) he growled
“Well”
“Aaai… Atty said we could go swimming at his apartment pool”
“Umm”
“Mee tyala sanganar aahe” (I am going to snitch) he challenged
She glared at him and went into the kitchen
And HE DID
Two hours later after his work call he called her
“Is he busy”
“When?”
“Saturday”
“Might be” she was ticked off at her own son
“But we texted yesterday and you confirmed, I have signed him up for water volleyball”
“Well… he cannot make it”
“What is going on?” he growled
“Kuch nahi”
“Mrunalini”
“I told him I will think about it and he texted you its NOT COOL”
“U want to punish the child”
“He is my son.. umm.. Aat” she stopped and did not say his name
He held his breath hoping to hear it
“Don’t use him to get back at me”
“Ha” she mocked “Why would I do that we are not exes or friends or adversaries”
“Stop it! You know I ticked you off when I volunteered to pick him up earlier today when we had a call with Mrs Khan”
“You did not, you have a fantastic flexible job and you flexed, its OK I am a big girl I can take that” she mocked
“On the contrary you DID NOT, you argued”
“I was just stating facts to Mrs Khan, it had nothing to do with you, its about me and my child”
“It has everything to do with me, I am the Dad” he was irritated”
“The world will not stop because you have emerged after 10 years”
“I am not asking it to, in fact I am saying I will HELP IT MOVE ALONG FASTER” he mocked
“You are insinuating yourself to prove you can be a better parent”
“You are irritated because you have work constraints”
“thank you for calling it that and not “You are out drinking and pubbing””
“You would love for me to say that wont you, you are looking for every little thing, so you can use to deny me access to my child” he was livid but spoke softly and slowly
“Oh how can I even deny? You are more paternal than any father ever was” she aired her grief
“Look I KNOW this is hard for you I did not intend to appear like you were a negligent parent, I am just stating facts about what my work will allow and not allow”
“My work does not allow anything, so you don’t even have to pretend” she said sadly fighting tears
“You ask me to go drop him off at 10 PM some place or pick him up at midnight or pick him up at 5 AM I absolutely cannot do that, I work nights with the US” he said quietly
She wanted to empathize, looked like he worked long hours
“I don’t go to bed until 1 or 2 AM Mrunalini, most weeknights, I turn off my work cell phone on weekends to spend time with Jaidrith”
“Tch tch, must be hard for Shyamal, I am sorry but I certainly will not place any demands on you at night” she spoke without thinking
She was openly taking a dig at his s—life
It part amused him and part angered him
It bothered her, he realized
“Demands around Jaidrith’s care” she over corrected
“I will see you Saturday” he said quietly
“He is mine” she said softly
“Understood” he said quietly… exhausted, her pleas did not make her seem catty or mean, just vulnerable and exposed, he just could not understand why
“have you had dinner?” he asked trying to be normal
“I am still cooking” she said unused to having a normal convo with him
“You are ahead of me for sure” he chuckled, he hadnt begun yet
“OK” she said instead of a thank u
“can we be nice to each other for Jaidrith’s sake?” he begged
“I am nice” she said distractedly moving pots and pans
“Good to know” he laughed
She brought the phone upfront and looked at the keypad to understand what that laugh meant
“Good night Mrunalini”
“Umm” she struggled to wish him back
Edited by Nisha0604 - 4 years ago
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