Mimosa, with Samosa, Vani (Part-6)

“I read your black”, said Shekhar, playing with the little ties on my dress.
I looked up at him, surprised, and happy, and not wanting to show any excitement of a little girl, said “Hmm”
“You write beautifully”
“Hmm”
“Been imagining your bare back in black ever since”
“Hmm.. But only I didn’t write anything to that effect”
“It’s all in imagination”
“Yours runs wild”
“Because you are beautiful and lucky, and I lust for you”
“Liar”
“Shhh” and he seals my lips so that we don’t talk anymore, but how I crave to talk only, sometimes, and cuddle only sometimes.

“Hey, you”
“Umm”
“Want me to fix you a drink”
“Uhmm”
“Let’s go downstairs”
“You go ahead, I will change and come”
“It’s Ok. She is sleeping. Here, wear my shirt on top”
“You wanted to talk?”
“Yeah..”
“Want to quit your job?”
“Hmm?”
“If you want to, that’s OK. I know you have been working too hard already”
“I love it better than sitting at home and not finding another one”
“You can write”
“You really think I can write?”
“Yes. Go ahead and write something. If it doesn’t work out, you will at least know that you tried”
“You are so sweet”
“You are not.. You are plain sexy”

I tried hard not to bring up Ruchi into a conversation that was so intimate, and an evening that was just about us, after a long time. We were discussing just us, or rather just me. No distractions. But a mother has got to do, what she has to.

“Listen, we are going to the doctor tomorrow”
“You.. alright?”
“Yes, it’s just that Ruchi..”
“Oh, the cervical vaccine? Does she need to skip school to get that vaccine? Imean, how urgent is that? She is not even sexually active, or I believe so!”
“Ruchi started her period”
“Which one?”
“Menstrual”
“What! She is so little”

Shekhar looks at me, so shocked, as if it’s all my mistake!

“In case you haven’t noticed, she is almost as tall as me, and taller than several kids her age”
“But it can’t be true.. did you check?”
“Don’t be silly. It’s not something that you check. We will go the doctor tomorrow, and go out for the rest of the day”
“I will take a day off as well”
“Ruchi doesn’t want you to know”
“I am her dad! She tells me everything”
“But this is different”
“Yeah.. in your grandma’s days”
“Shekhar, you don’t understand.. let her get used to it first”
“Shh.. don’t you ever come between me and my daughter”
“I am serious”
“Let me handle things my way. I need to know what happens to her just as much as you do. I have changed more diapers than you have ever. I have taken care of all night feedings ever since she was born. I have taken her to the first day of preschool, and cheered her on every other occasion. I deserve to be included in this”
“You won’t be less of a parent if you wait till she is ready to talk”
“I will talk to her tomorrow morning”
“Whatever”
“Stay out of it, will you? ”

I didn’t want to spoil the rest of the night with a fight with Shekhar, but I had to look for ways to convince dear daughter that I was not a tattletale even though I told Shekhar, and she should still continue to trust me.

I try to enjoy the drink, but Shekhar is already flipping channels..I sleep in his arms for I don’t know how long, till he wakes me up and takes me back my room. I switch on my phone when he falls asleep, as if I had an email from a secret lover.

Only this time, there is another email that needs more attention. I forget all about the long and lovely letter, by a man I didn’t know.