Page 111 of Made in Mumbai
He grinned, holding her neck between his palms and giving her a playful shake — “Is that inching closer to a yes if I give you a good reason?”
“No.”
“I think it is,” his grin widened.
“Grovel properly, Gautam. You are not in my good graces yet.”
“What? Should I get on my knees and fold my hands together?”
“Good idea,” she stepped back, giving him a wide berth. He wasn’t above doing that, so he began to lower himself before her when she held him up, laughing. “No! You are really doing it?”
“I could do anything for you two.”
Her face sobered up. Gautam still went down on his knees, resisting her efforts to keep him up. He took both her hands into his — “Remember you told me that happiness is not in getting but in doing? I haven’t gotten as much happiness in earning my accomplishments as I have in taking care of you and MM… changing MM’s diapers, kissing you, getting ice cream for you, hugging you… I derive my happiness from doing things for you two. From livinglifewith you two. Iama father, M. I already am MM’s father. That was my happiness all along.”
“G, get up,” she was crying again, pulling his arms up. He held steady.
“I only wanted to see Mumbai once. That day before I met you, my greatest ambition was limited to seeing this city. Then I met you. And I wanted to live here, earn here, make my mark here. I thought Mumbai was my life-changing moment. And I gave it years and years of my life but didn’t feel even half fulfilled. Because it was you, M. You were my life-changing moment. And then this mini M became my second life-changing moment. I am not prepared to live without you two. So now you have to marry me.”
“Or what?” She sniffled.
“Or…” he began to think of a solid threat. But before an idea could strike she was onto him, her mouth finding his, tumbling him backwards on the floor. Gautam laughed, snatching his mouth away from hers — “Say yes or no kisses for you.”
“If no kisses then no yes.”
“Fine,” he rolled his eyes, letting her kiss him. It was two seconds of cold shoulder before he laughed and kissed her back, rolling over until he was caging her on the floor. His hips rested in the cradle of hers, moving slowly, steadily, making her mouth fall open.
“G…” her eyes rolled back.
“Say yes,” he nipped her jaw, kissing his way up her cheek, nipping the soft skin there.
“Yes!” She screamed, punching her hips up. And that set off their baby girl behind them.
“Shit… Megha!” Maya began to throw him off but he was faster, laughing as he collected her from her carrier and rocking her briskly. “Make her bottle. It’s there in her bag?”
Maya was already on it. This was her formula time. She had breast milk for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and formula in between. Gautam sat on the bed with MM on his chest and Maya settled beside him, handing him the bottle that he popped into his girl’s bawling mouth. And like an alarm hit snooze, she went silent, all the frowns gone.
“Mini drama,” he nuzzled her head.
“She’s a bigger drama than me,” Maya elbowed him. He didn’t agree, but in the spirit of their new engagement, he didn’t voice it immediately. Then the questions came flooding to his head.
“Why was that Hem in your office?”
“To get my sign on his property papers.”
“What property papers?”
“His father had bought a bungalow in our joint name in Amby Valley. It hadn’t been mentioned in our divorce papers, and he wanted to get me to gift it to him.”
“Why did you leave her alone with him?”
“I didn’t! I had left Simran to guard her while I ran to Trisha and gave my two-week’s notice. He came and ordered her to get him coffee.”
“I’ll deal with him. He violated his restraining orders…”
“No. He called me this morning asking to come to my house to get the sign. I didn’t want him alone with me in your house so I asked him to come to the office. He took it in writing from me on WhatsApp. I think his lawyer is really scared for him.”
“As he should be. I don’t ever want him around you. Or her. I know she may have questions about her biological contributor one day, or she may not. I will try every single day that she doesn’t. But he does not get to touch her. Forget touch, he doesn’t get toseeher.”
