Sparkle in a Speck - Page 80

Married with kids

You must be really joking if you think this is no big deal” Suhasini Deshmukh was livid

“You knew I was dating her, your husband here offered friendly advice” Indy did some air quotes

“It was a speculation, I only discovered now right, based on how you brought her over here when we weren’t home”

Manas squirmed on the couch

“Did you want me to bring her when you were home?” Indy was sassy

“You think this is a joke? She was the first teacher Kunal ever related to”

“He has a crush on her, that’s why”

Suhasini’s turn to cringe

“Shut up Indra”

“Indy Vynee… stop calling me Indra”

“You are in so much trouble…. His school told me she cant do next year…. Because you screwed up”

“Did they say that? That’s a violation of her privacy”

“They Didn’t, you caused it… she withdrew from his coaching contract”

“I heard she was getting married… must be why”

“You hooked up with a married woman?”

“Listening skills Vy…. She is NOT YET married”

“You were not even serious about her?”

“I don’t get serious about my Tinder dates”

Manas grunted “Enough Indy”

“What is this…. Do you want to insert yourself NOW? Do u see how she is grilling me?”

“she is not…. You shouldn’t have hooked up with her”

“I had no idea until I found her on Tinder”

“Jhooth nakko Indy” Suhasini screeched

“I am not lying” he barked in Marathi

“You are….”

“I have no personal motive in bedding your kid’s math teacher” he continued in Marathi

“Are you hearing this?” Suhasini yelled at her husband

“I am over 30… I am here for Baba’s sake… we all know that”

“Shame on you… your brother loves you”

“I DO TOO…. Did u want me to be celibate?”

“Get married FFS”

“Why should I” Indy was mad

“If the school finds out they will get us all arrested”

“Because two 30 year old consenting adults hooked up?”

“Have some respect for Baba… this is his house”

“I AM…. I am not living in right”

“You bring that…. You do that… then you will see”

“I will… I will when I move out”

Suhasini felt a wave of compassion for him

He ought to be married

They all knew that

Indy was sad and bitter

He didn’t deserve this plight

“Indy…. Please let me start seeing alliances” she begged

“No” he tried not to choke up

“Do you like Ms Pankaja?” Suhasini asked

Indy was startled

“NO… Why?”

“How did you hook up with her”

“SULU” Manas warned

“How can he have s—when he hates her”

“I am I don’t know…. I enjoyed her company”

“You will find it impossible to find a girl like her”

“Call her and tell that to her groom”

Manas and Suhasini glanced at each other

Suhasini’s shoulders slumped

“We don’t have a teacher”

“I am sorry” Indy growled

“thanks”

“What do we do now”

“I can find him another teacher” Indy promised

“Married with 2 or 3 kids, or retired” Suhasini shouted angrily

The brothers laughed out loud

Pining & Pious

“He is a priest is her?” Indy stared at the YT video of the handsome young guy chanting some mantras

It was Ninaad he was looking at

Ninaad was wearing a dhoti and a red shawl draped across his left shoulder and was clear and loud in his Sanskrit pronunciation. Baba had insisted both boys learn to chant and do all the rituals. After Aai’s passing they both had refused to do much religious things, blaming and upset about being left with no mother

“Not sure if he is a priest though” Jay chuckled handing him a beer bottle

Indy stared at him as he uncapped the bottle

“How do you know him again?” Indy was curious

“Well Alpana’s friend Sulu sent it to her”

“And Sulu is Punky’s best friend” Indy nodded in affirmation

“Riight”

Their other friend Avneet was also lounging on the couch

“Did you date this woman” he asked

“Yes” Indy nodded

“Niice she goes off and marries a priest… what did you do to her?” Jay cracked himself up

Indy was unusually bothered about the man Pankaja Vyas was dating

He wondered if this is what she wanted

He had to find out but didn’t know how

They had parted ways pleasantly and run into each other a couple times when they had met Sulu’s husband Alok at the mall. Sulu’s new baby was carried by Punky

She looked stunning in a multicolored dress, bringing out the green in her eyes like fire

“I can never forget her eyes” his vahini Suhasini had commented two mornings ago, he realized it was indeed true

He cannot forget those eyes

“Cute baby” he muttered

“Yaar mall mein?” Alok winked deliberately assuming the comment was directed at Punky

“Private mein leke jaane ka aur kehne ka” Sulu had laughed

“No more private we are done” Punky had smiled at Indy

“Yes… we are officially done” Indy nodded

“To theek hai na it wont be awkward abhi ghar aane ka na?” Alok invited Indy

Indy nodded

“Apan ka ghar Alpana jaisa nahi hai haa?” Sulu warned Indy

“Sure” he rolled his eyes

“Seriously two bedroom Ghatkopar flat types”

“Got it…” Indy smiled

“Sulu explained to Alok about Punky teaching Kunal

“Oh yeah you told me…”

“Iska ghar ekdum bada hai” Sulu explained

“I feel like Pankaja might have exaggerated”

“Who is Pankaja?” Alok enquired worried

“”Apna Punky re” Sulu explained to Alok

“Tu ek insan rahega world mein jo isko Pankaja bulana ka”

“I guess”

“When you have a grandma name you just bury it” Punky laughed

Indy returned to the now…………. leaned back and sipped his beer at Jay’s

He could not forget those eyes or the easy “I really don’t feel anything for you any more dude” attitude Punky was wearing

He wondered if Ninad and her were smoking hot in bed

He got up and walked to the balcony

He told himself it was time to start going through Tinder again

He finished his beer swiping profiles left and right

He recalled Baba’s lecture this morning about “settling down”

He stared at the road in the distance

Went to his phone and texted his Baba

“I know we canceled our chanting classes years ago, I will try and fit it into my schedule after this project”

Baba sent a shocked and a teary emoji

“I know I have to lead a pious life too Baba, I have to try harder for that” he said sadly

He drank beer and whisky, he dated random women, he was no religious upright son

He was irritated at himself for the first time in a while

Wow 😮

The guy seems affected

He does care about her more then he let known and is very much affected

Sensitive & seeking

He went through boxes and boxes of pictures and school work he had collected over the years. He did it after his brother went to bed

His father was still awake and was startled to find him awake, he ambled into his room

“Did Kruti get into your things” he smiled trying to check what his son was doing

“Nah… shes a good kid… I just wanted to see where my Veda notebook was”

“Are you serious about taking classes at the temple”

“Yes I am”

“I am happy you are finding solace in God”

“No I am jealous of some rando Pankaja is dating and am trying to mentally compete” he thought

“I don’t know”

“Why would you search?”

“Good Q” he lied

“You are so organized” his father was astonished

“Working for a finance company” I guess he moved stuff around to make room on the bed

“You don’t like looking at pictures” Baba muttered

“I know” That’s why I am not opening those three boxes” he smiled pointing to a corner, every balcony has a storage room, his was choc a block filled with his stuff, stuff he bought when he lived alone for a while after the wedding was called off

“I miss your mother also, but I love looking at her photos”

“But I don’t want to look at the woman I was going to marry because, there was no marriage” he grunted

“You wanted to tear up all the pictures”

“And….. vahini said I am not supposed to, its bad luck”

“Well she is right”

“Mithila was a good girl but very lost” Baba continued in Marathi

“If u think so”

“I also liked Kunal’s teacher”

“Which one Ive heard he has 9” he muttered

“Oh? “9 math teachers?”

“Oh I don’t know” he shrugged

He didn’t want to be reminded of Pankaja Vyas”

“Suhasini likes her too”

“Well… she is getting married”

Baba’s expression was one of shock and sadness

“Did u have a guy in mind?”

“I might have” Baba sighed trying to get up

“You can contact her, she is seeing someone but if they don’t get engaged, she might like your idea”

“You think so?” Baba was curious

“I am guessing” he shrugged again

He was back on Tinder

He was trying to compete with Ninaad…

He was trying not to think about her

“Please don’t do too much of online friendship, you will lose faith in love and relationships”

“Is that an order?” Indy laughed, stretched and yawned

“No… Not an order… you are grown man”

“I know”

“I am just afraid you will never get married… mulgaa”

“Oh that didn’t happen because of the Tin… the dating… the online stuff” he was ashamed to say the word “It happened because I tried to get married and couldn’t”

“Well you cannot let that define your life”

“But it has”

“Your mother’s passing should define my life but it doesn’t”

“What do you mean? Do you want to start dating?”

Baba laughed heartily and shook his head

“You young people… all I am saying is I savor the good things”

“There is nothing good for me to savor”

“Yes… in the past yes… but in the future there will be”

“You are naïve and hopeful Baba” he muttered trying not to choke up

“You are sensitive and seeking” his father got up and walked away after kidding the top of his head, patting his shoulder and squeezing his arm

“You are naïve and hopeful Baba” he muttered trying not to choke up

does the guy think he doesn’t deserve any happiness???

Baba do has some role to play here

Influencing Shelf Life

It always pinches to see someone else have the life you want. Will she ever have it?

It always seems so unfair. Men can have what they want at almost any point in their life. Women have their clock ticking the whole time.

He knows she is serious about getting married, settling down and having kids. The exact order that he is not willing to deliver.