Apathy & apologies
She had booked the tickets in a hurry because the travel agent had told her they would get expensive closer to vacation date. She had been desperate to go overseas at least one time. Ajji really didn’t want to go, but she was dragging her along anyway, she still owend the travel agent the remainder of the ticket money and hotel, plus she had to save spending money
This kid was really smart but he was argumentative. She didn’t want to teach him in his room, she wanted Suhasini to be around in the house. She wondered if she could go back and tell the Principal and the accountant about the kid. This was not the first time, the school usually switched it out and assigned male tuition teachers in such cases
There was none available now to teach math, she knew that.
“No we can start at step 4, Kunal, lets pause a little bit, THINK we just looked at a similar problem
“8x+16” she pointed to a previous question
“Just write it down for me” he growled
“No I wont… you will follow along as I work this” she said with a smile
“Factor” she said gently turning his chin, away from the window
“8(x+2)” remember?” she offered
He immediately worked it in a second
“There!! You got this!!”
She heard Indraneel’s door open
She knew it was him but looked up anyway
He paused to stare into her soul
She looked down
“Do u know my Chachu uses Tinder” Kunal sniggered
“And that’s exactly why you bombed your midterm” Indraneel was merciless
Suhasini was walking out of the kitchen
“INDRA” she shouted
“He needs to pay attention to what is being taught”
“He gets angry, but it’s the truth”
“One more word Kunal I am going to get up and go” Punky hissed warningly
“Punk… Pankaja” Suhasini quickly corrected herself
Punky had offered to be addressed at Punky
But Suhasini was shrwed enough to realize her son was looking for trouble and so she should not offer more fodder
“PUNK?” is that your nickname?” Kunal chuckled
He was handsome just like his Chachu Punky realized
“Nope, next question” she wrote down something he hadn’t been taught yet (she KNEW, she had taught his grade before)
“Lets do congruence statements” she said slowly
Kunal was irritated
“Its not even part of the text book”
“Yep it is… its going to start in around 10 days my friend”
Suhasini and Indra neel were arguing in his room
“How pathetic are you Indra?”
“U mean sitting and watching your son talk about my sex life?”
“He is a 13 year old for God’s sake”
EXACTLY” Indraneel bristled
“YOU are open and explicit, so live with it”
“Well in that case I will tell him he is crossing the line in whichever way I see fit” Indraneel was adamant
“Everytime I feel bad for you and tell myself I need to be kinder you manage to blow it Indra”
“I don’t need your pity Suhasini”
“BHABHI hu tumhari”
“Manas insisted I call you by name”
“You know what? YOU are a brat” Suhasini was furious
The house was quiet, except for Shankar Rao’s room where the TV played Marathi news endlessly.
Kunal was trying his best to be distracted, Pankaja reeled him in sternly every time. He overheard the way she taught as he walked towards the kitchen
“I am sorry” he growled leaning on the door jamb
“Its fine” Suhasini mumbled pouring tea out
“I don’t like my life being advertised”
“I doubt the math tuition teacher cares Indra…. Aajkal sab koi kisi na kisi app mein hai, young people don’t care”
“I am not trying to impress her”
“Well maybe you should” she hissed under her breath
“Maybe you should mind your own business”
She turned to giggle
“I will talk to Kunal after class”
“Don’t bother” he shook his head
“Well….Your brother has no time”
“I cant fix that” “I can help out with whatever you need until I move out”
Suhasini was sad, but he was a pig headed, opinionated, grieving touchy prickly man, she didn’t know how to stop him
“Tum un logo ki care nahi karte jo tumhe pyaar karte hai Indra”
“You mean your kids?”
“Haa”
He took his chai and turned
“Everything is a mess” she mumbled
He heard Pankaja laugh out loud as he passed the living room, Suhasini left the tea and snacks for Pankaja on the coffee table and left them
He went to his room, the standing desk was by a wall, when he faced the 3 monitors his eyes were level set directly into the living room
He sipped softly and looked at her
She was barely a day old interacting with Kunal and she was doing OK, he was jealous
“We cannot be jumping to easy ones Kunaaal” she scowled
“I am done” he threw his pencil and got up
Pankaja was startled
This boy drove her nuts
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