Chapter 18
Manisha had been looking forward to a quiet evening in her childhood room—the kind of peace she could never seem to find in London.
Surrounded by the constant buzz of client meetings, crowded Tube rides, and the endless cycle of after-work drinks with colleagues, life in London always felt like a sprint.
But here in Baskin, time seemed to stretch out, offering her a rare chance to breathe.
Even with the looming “Dr. Rocky baby deadline,” Manisha felt oddly at ease.
As she was starting to unwind though, her phone buzzed, breaking the calm. It was a message from Deena. Manisha had shared with Deena that she was ready to “ramp up the dating game,” and it seemed her cousin had taken that request as a cue to take matters into her own hands.
Four dates! Manisha stared at the message, blinking a few times. Four dates in one day?
No sweat, I can totally do this! Manisha typed back, more to reassure herself than Deena, who she knew wouldn’t need any convincing.
In fact, she had a sneaking suspicion that Deena had probably done five, six—heck, maybe even ten dates in one day at some point.
The woman was on a mission. Just like Manisha, but Deena’s mission was on pause—until Manisha found “the one” first.
“You should get busy, too.” Manisha’s mother’s voice replayed in her head.
Four dates would surely keep her busy. Manisha didn’t mind taking her mom’s advice for now, especially because her mom wasn’t giving her a hard time about returning to London.
Manisha had told them her vacation was “indefinite,” a statement her parents had accepted without a second thought.
Like most Indian parents, Manisha’s wanted their adult daughter to stay at home for as long as possible.
Manisha smiled at the thought.
She took off her watch and placed it on the nightstand, glancing at the empty baggie from Meena Auntie sitting next to it. She had taken the magical seeds only a few days ago with Deena, but so far…
No miracles.
No enchanted encounters.
No Prince Charming.
Nothing.
Her phone buzzed again—this time, it was from Sunil.
She leaned back into the pillows, putting Deena’s date schedule aside for a moment as she opened Sunil’s message.
He had become her favourite distraction lately.
They were good at this—sharing their thoughts, their frustrations, laughing over the small stuff.
I like the sound of that team. And good for you! You’ll have to keep me posted on your adventures and I can cheer you on from the virtual sidelines. Rah-rah!
I think you’re a step or two ahead of me, though.
A friend of mine strong-armed me into making an account on a dating app the other day.
She had to help me write my bio and everything, which, by the way, was way harder than I thought it would be.
Then I started swiping…and swiping…and 30 minutes later, my thumb was sore. My heart just wasn’t in it, you know?
Manisha chuckled to herself.
He continued:
All I saw were women obsessed with their looks (why so many selfies?), showing off their fancy meals, purses, cars, and vacations.
Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the finer things in life (especially food and wine), but I’m not about just slapping a name on something, or going somewhere because it’s “luxury.” I can’t say I’m interested in dating someone who’s obsessed with appearances.
So, I deleted the app. Too much, too soon perhaps.
Manisha tightened her lips as she ran her fingers over the underside of her phone case, grazing the double Gs. Without allowing herself to dwell, she tapped out a reply from the heart.
There’s no rush, Sunil. And I’d take a nice person over nice things right now.
I’ve dealt with my share of dishonesty, blame, and a lack of accountability in the past. You could say I carry a bit of PTSD from my last relationship, but I’m hopeful.
However, spending half an hour swiping through dating profiles doesn’t seem appealing.
I’d much prefer to put that time toward exploring new career opportunities instead.
I’m in a bit of an adult funk when it comes to figuring out what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Can’t be the admin of a matchmaking site forever…
As soon as she hit send, she felt a surge of exhilaration go through her. It was liberating to express her true feelings about her life in Baskin and admit that she was still in the process of figuring everything out. Just as quickly, a new message came in.
I read your message twice, and it gave me chills. I can relate. You can probably tell that I’m also working through my own PTSD from my last relationship. Not to overstep but I’ve found a bit of therapy can truly make a difference.
Retail therapy, Manisha thought guiltily as she slid her gaze over her carpet, strewn with designer clothes.
She went back to reading his message:
Funnily enough, I’m still figuring out my own career goals too. There was a time I thought I had everything mapped out—like a good Indian son—but I realized I wanted something deeper, something that allowed me to give back. My parents have always been big on that, and I’m striving to honour them.
Isha, I have to say I really admire your openness. And your assuredness in where you are in life. It sounds like you aren’t afraid to just be and go for it. I hope the right guy for you comes along soon and spares your thumbs.
A sympathetic smile pulled at Manisha’s lips. She could feel the weight of his words—the kindness, the compassion, the hope he carried with him. Something about his candour made her want to reach through the screen and give him a hug. She settled back into the bed, taking a moment before replying.
You and me both, Sunil. I’m (im)patiently waiting for that special man to come along. I believe it’ll happen, and when it does, I know it will be every bit as magical as I imagine.
Manisha smiled as she typed out the last part, thinking about Meena Auntie’s words. She still wasn’t sure if magic was real, but speaking to Sunil…it was as though his understanding had eased some of the pressure on her.
A new message from Sunil popped up almost instantly.
That word, magic, is strange. I’ve encountered it a few times, but never really felt it. But call me crazy, I still believe in it. Speaking of magic, take a look outside your window. The sky is filled with stars, just waiting for wishes to be made.
Manisha nestled further into her pillows, gazing out the window at the stars above. Closing her eyes, she sent a silent wish for her Prince Charming skyward. When she opened them again, another message awaited her.
Anyway, red or white wine?
Red, Manisha responded instantly.
A bold choice. Vegas or LA? he followed up.
Vegas, she typed quickly, but only for the brunches.
I’m with you there. Brunch is life, Sunil replied. Deepika or Katrina?
Manisha paused. Tough one, she admitted. But…I’m going to say Deepika.
Team Ranveer and Deepika, all the way! he responded.
She could practically see him grinning through the screen.
Not literally, of course. But through his messages, she had begun to paint a picture of the kind of person Sunil was: He was an honest, thoughtful man who had, like her, been burned in the past. A man who, understandably, wasn’t ready to venture back into the dating realm, but hadn’t given up on love.
She chewed her lip, trying to think of where to take the conversation next.
I’m afraid of spiders, she typed on a whim.
Don’t laugh, but I’m afraid of hot tubs, came his next reply.
She laughed.
It felt easy to talk to him. To share little quirks and random preferences.
They spent the next few messages sharing their favourite activities—road trips, Sunday hikes, beach days with a good book, and occasional art gallery visits.
Sunil was a seasoned traveller, fluent in three languages, studying Italian in preparation for his dream adventure in Italy.
Manisha had a love for languages as well, and while her travel adventures were limited, she found joy in simpler things like brunches with her parents and mimosas with friends.
As the conversation went on, she noticed the contrasts between them—he was the world explorer, and she was the more homebound one.
Funny that—it was almost the opposite when it came to their search for love.
Regardless, her conversation with Sunil was acting as a nice confidence booster ahead of her four (four!) dates tomorrow.