Her Sanctuary

26. The Future

Avinash POV

I got a call as I sat there lost. I pick it up and put it to my ear.

"Hmmm.." I say as she answers.

"I'm almost downstairs. Are you done? If not, I can pickup Danish and then..." she goes to say as I get my ass up from the chair.

"No, we were done like half an hour ago. I'm just locking up and I'll see you downstairs." I say as we disconnect.

She picked me up, as we went to Danish's school in comfortable silence. The teacher waves walking out, as I try to recognize her.

"Avi, you sit here and I'll get him." She says as I hold her hand.

"Take me with you." I say as she gives me a confused frown.

"I might have slept with that teacher, the way she's looking up at me." I say, pointing in the direction with my eyes.

"So, now you don't want to anymore and you're afraid that she will..." she goes to say as I put my lips over hers. Her eyes widen, at first but then she shuts them reeling in.

I take my time, slowly pressuring her lips to open up, as I slide my tongue in her mouth.

"Umm..." A repulsive moan is heard as I pull myself back as she looks at me breathing heavily.

"Sorry... but do you think she saw that?" I ask as she shakes her head smacking my plaster.

"You're a cop. You know the rules to such PDA." She says warning. "Not to mention, we are in a school parking and my son can be bullied if someone saw."

She got out of the car and walked towards the gate. I sat there regretting my actions.

Meeting my father has had a bigger impact on me, than I'm ready to accept.

She walked out with the little one, holding Danish's bag as I got up and open the car door in the back for him.

"So, how was your day champ?" I ask, as he pauses to kiss me on the cheek before getting in the car. I buckle his seat belt, and walk to my seat, putting on my seat belt as Sabina turns the car on, putting it in drive.

The next 15 minutes were spent hearing Danish talk about his day. He proceeds to mention his drawing class and how someone broke his crayon. I told him, its okay and we'll get him a new one. He told us how it was apparently his favorite color and that's why the guy broke it. I gave Sabina a side eye knowing it was the case of a bully.

I tried explaining to Danish, how he needs to keep his head up, and not cower in front of such bully.

"The weaker, you feel the stronger they get." I say as we reach the house and I get out, opening his seat belt, and leading him out.

"Have you ever been bullied?" he asks, as my steps halt. I take a deep breath with a big smile and shake my head.

"I was the bully and I was a very very bad person at your age, until I turned 8." I say seeing the real deal as he looks at me with hate in his eyes.

"You hurt somebody?" he asks as I shake my head.

"I stole everybody's Tiffin box and returned it empty. I was tall and fat, so everybody just gave it to me without a fight. They never confronted me, and I thought I deserved the food." I say trying to make him understand, how he needs to be strong.

"Your mother never gave you your own tiffin?" He asks, and for one moment, I hated how he had hit just the nerve as I shake my head.

"She couldn't wake up early to make it for me."

"Was she sick?" he asks, as I nod.

"Yeah buddy. She was sick." I say adding another word to it in my thoughts.

Mentally

She was mentally sick, who lived under the delusion of being some kind of queen that couldn't be bothered by daily chores.

"So, let's have some fruits that Nani must have cut for you and get you up for a haircut." I say as he nods, jumping up and down excited.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

"Babe?" I hear Sabina as I look up from the book I was reading.

"Dr. Manmohan Singh?" she asks, referring to biography, The accidental prime minister as I nod. She sits by my side, on the small space between the bedside table and me.

"Good man." I say as she nods.

"So, he loves the hair cut." She says as I nod with a big smile.

"Yes, but I hated the background music while working. That hindered my creativity." I say referring to the Baby shark song, Danish had insisted to put on repeat on the Bluetooth speaker.

"Hearing it for 20 times on loop, can be frustrating." She says with a bright smile as I nod.

"I'm sorry, Sabina." I say as she looks at me confused. "The kiss, I don't know... I panicked. I should have asked for your consent." I say as she shakes her head.

"I just hated being turned on in my baby's school parking lot." She says with a naughty smile as I chuckle.

"I know right and wrong. I feel you think that I don't. I was in that relation because I wanted my child to have a normal childhood, but I know who has the right intentions for me, and who just wants what's right for himself. So, don't over think that kiss." She says as I nod.

"You know what I think..." I say as she looks up to meet my eyes. "Broken houses are better than abusive houses." I say as she nods.

"I learned that lesson, when he kidnapped his own son." She says as I shake my head, reaching to take her hand in mine.

"You're strong, for tolerating so much bullshit, just for the happiness of your child. But I don't think that you don't know right from wrong. I know you, are an amazing, intelligent woman, and I don't doubt that for once." I say as we hear the clearing of a throat. She jumps, as her hand slips out of mine.

"Jeet Uncle?" I say, while he stood near the door as he looks at us walking in.

"Naina is calling you downstairs for dinner." He says as we make eye-contact. He gives me an encouraging nod, and leaves as I look at Sabina. She helps me get out of bed, before we walk down.

+++++++++++++++++++++

"Don't do it, Danish." I warn him, as he looks at Sabina with a look on vengeance.

"She put broccoli on Pizza." He says ready to throw the slice of Pizza on the floor.

"Because she wants you to be strong." I argue, the age-old narration.

"I hate broccoli." He states, as Sabina narrows her eyes.

"I dare you to throw it and see what happens." She says, as Danish was ready to fling the slice across the room as I hold his hand. I pick out the broccoli from his slice, adding baby corn from mine, since he loves it and keeping it back in his plate.

"Eat it." I say as he shrugs.

"The cheese under it will taste like broccoli." He says as I exhale.

"You wanted Pizza for dinner and your mom made it. Now, you can eat this or the Eggplant and potato curry that Nani made." I say as he looks down at the pizza slice, picking it up and taking a reluctant bite. I put the curry and chapatti in my plate, with the small slice of pizza. I'm not allowed much fast food, because of my medicines, but I took one for tasting.

I took a bite from the chapatti and look up at the three adults of the family staring at me.

"Sorry." I whisper as Jeet chuckles.

"Welcome to parenting." He says as Naina aunty laughs, while Sabina sat there with a small confused smile. I hesitated for a while, unable to react eating in silence.