Stuffed Eggplant
He left in 15 minutes though, when he got up after looking at a funny “Homework meme” page
She couldn’t help look at the clock on the wall
She had in rushed to the bathroom to check to make sure she looked “good”
He wasn’t looking at her
She surveyed her appearance nevertheless
Her no make up look was nothing to gush about, she had pimple scars and new pimples on her chin
She removed her glasses to see if she looked any better
She fluffed up her hair, and, scooped up her b—bs she pulled the neckline down and then shaking her head in disgust pulled it back up
They were both in the same “space”
She had not shown any interest in him
He reciprocated generously
She washed her face, spilling water all over herself
She didn’t have the courage to step out without a towel around her neck
“Umm.. no” she muttered
He DID look tho, as he was leaving, watched her glistening neck for a few seconds
SShe looked away she spotted him noticing her checking the time out
“Aaai… look what he showed me?”
Dhru jumped up to show her the bookmarked memes page on the ipad
“He already doesn’t do home work”
“Well then I am not hurting anything then” he mocked trying not to laugh
“That is not funny, and if he fails this grade”
“He wont relax…”
“Umm.. have you checked his weekly progress report?”
“What sort of a school IS he in?” he was shocked
“A great one!”
“Umm.. Oakridge?” he recalled from that day at the lobby
“No… this one is different” she was secretive
Dhru was on his ipad leaning on Atty much to her irritation
“I want to”
“I sent u a meeting invite for Tuesday to go to his school” she said smugly
“Great”
“Dhru, pack ur school bag”
“Aaai after dinner”
“He hasn’t had dinner yet?” he was shocked
She was on her ipad and watching cable TV this evening, switching between Marathi and Hindi soaps and checking out sarees on line
“I was working
“Aaai was buying saree” he said viciously as he went to pack his school bag
She turned bright red
“Umm.. so did u buy any?” he asked leaning on the door jamb
“No I DID NOT” she smiled sweetly
“Aaai u never signed my field trip form” he yelled
Angry he could not be on the ipad
“Dhru ATTITUDE” she hissed
“I want to go home with you” he started crying loudly
“Dhruuu” she grabbed him and went into the bedroom and soothed him
“I will see you early on Saturday bud!!” he came up for a high fi routine
“Aai can I go watch my friends?” Dhru begged
She didn’t want Atty to know “watching was basically standing by the steel gates wishing the boys across the hall did some after dinner antics
“Do u want to break another finger?” she whispered kissing his cheek
“Five minutessssss” he screamed
“Sshhhhh OK”
“Whats that?”
“Umm.. just… umm.. nothing” she squirmed as Dhru moved on her feet as they balanced across the room ina dance
“See ya bud”
He waved and left
She followed him to bolt the door
Just as expected Kirti peeked and so did her boys
“8 on Saturday”
“We wont be up” she said sweetly
“8:30” she said
She went to the window, pretending to grab the phone she put on the sill
He did look up as he passed by
It sent her heart racing
It was juvenile, but enough to make her night pretty
She met Sai the next day for lunch and told her how difficult Atty was
Sai sided with her obvi
“Kaha tha 10 saal, tu dar nakko, mei hei tere saath”
“Baba wants to come see us” she said worried
“Kyon rey?”
“Kya maloom?”
“Shaadi kar raha kya? Rahe kya?” she changed herself
Mrunal looked disgusted
“I cannot believe I will have another sister or brother, soch rey, one is 7, Annika Savarkar
Now there will be one more some Ghatge”
“Chal kha aa gaya pa bhaji” Sai dug in squeezing the thin wedge of lemon
“Usko school mein naam add kara to u think its risky?” she aired her fears
“Abhi dhek tu baba, jo bhi karegi tu, risk to hei baba, aadmi sudden se aaya ne?”
“He sent me his boss’s home address too, and sent me his office cube picture rey”
“Mei tere ko koi picture bhejegi tu doubt karegi mere ko?”
Sai was sameena’s opposite
Sameena tried to calm her down, Sai always whipped up her anxiety
Mrunal was jittery half way thu
“Tu boli IVF kar le, tubes tie kar le, abhi Dhru ko leke gaya wo main doosra baby bhi nahi kar paayegi” Mrunal was worried about THAT
“Koi hai jiske saath baby karehi?” Sai asked earnestly
“I don’t want to make one more rey mere ko yah ich maang raha hai”
“Tu chali ja kidhar to”
“Oh really?” Mrunal was all ears
“Just go rey, tere ko job kidhar bhi mil jaayega”
Mrunal’s mind raced, tonight she would stay up to search for jobs and cities
“India mein?”
Sai laughed hysterically
“Tu foreign bhaagegi kya?”
“Ive just brought Dhru to Singapore one time”
“Tera job sahi hey rey,” sai spoke wistfully
“I hate my boss, he hates me”
“Paisa to deta hai na, apan nurse ka jaisa nei”
Āpaṇa ēka māṇūsa śōdhū āṇi bharapūra sēksa karā (apana ek manush sodhu ani bharpoora s—kara)
The girls laughed like mad women
“Mee tey ithey karu shakato” (I can do it here) Mrunal gasped at the end
“If you hate him na, bhaag le rey tu”
Mrunal could not answer it instantly
She had imagined sitting in his balcony swing drying her hair on a lazy Saturday as it rained outside and he bringing chai for her
Dhru would be asleep because if Atty got frisky he cant see
She had grown a mental fantasy with the man now all because he looked up at her walking away
It would all come crashing down Saturday night when she would go pick Dhru up after the offsite fun day for the bank employees and family
Shyamal Mehta would open the door
“Hi!!” “I am Shy,” “That’s my nickname” she laughed
She was energetic, oval faced, with beautiful straight hair going down to her waist, curvaceous
With manicured nails and in great “casual” clothes
A complicated camera sat on Atty’s coffee table
Jaidrith was somewhere inside
“You are the MUM right? Those eyes cannot be unrelated, unless u are aunt”
She nodded walking in
“Atty loves stuffed baingan” “Yummm that’s what I love too” she nodded
The house was cool, and inviting smell of spices wafted through
“I showered already he is in the shower, your boy didn’t want to shower”
Mrunal wanted to leave before she even saw Aatreya
She was too crushed for her imaginary love affair to end this way
Dhru was flushed and tired he showed her the toys he won at the “fair”
“where is ur epipen bag?” she demanded
“Umm… in the car” “Umm.. yeah” Jai was confused
“Did you ride in mine? Or Atty’s?” Shy gently coaxed him
“YOUR car” he nodded rubbing his forehead sheepishly
“I can go get it”
“Dhru savdhan rahave lagel” (be careful)
“I am just parked crooked down on the street” she giggled and ran out and returned as Mrunal and Jai followed her
“You canttt leave… Atty will scold me”
“No he wont… “ she smiled “We are not family” Mrunal explained
“I am nothing” she mumbled as she squeezed Jai’s hand and walked to her car
Seher Hone Ko Hai
