Chapter 19
Probably slept in with Suzy.
As quick as the thought crossed her mind, Manisha inwardly took it back and scolded herself.
Her mother’s remark that she was letting envy colour her opinion of Rohit, and Suzy, rang true.
They were together, sharing those little moments, while she what?
Filled her time tapping away on her phone, no closer to finding her Prince Charming.
She sighed, running a hand through her wavy hair.
It was early and last night, she’d stayed up late messaging Sunil and studying the profiles of today’s four dates.
They’d spent all that time filling out questionnaires, the least she could do was read them.
Now, with her eyes still half closed from lack of sleep, she took a long sip of her coffee, hoping the caffeine would kick in quickly.
Just as she settled back in her chair, her phone buzzed. She glanced down. Speaking of Sunil…
Good morning, Isha! You know, our conversation had me thinking. I know you said no rush, but I’m toying with the idea of re-downloading that app and giving people a proper chance, maybe even going on a date. Maybe I’ll even send my profile to Cupid and Curry, too!
She could empathize with Sunil’s struggle to find love.
Here she was, resorting to deceitful measures to find a sperm donor and start a family.
She had created a fake matchmaking site, weaving a web of deception to find potential donors.
Some might say it was a desperate move, but Manisha was determined to have a baby, no matter what it took.
She couldn’t shake off the guilt that gnawed at her, though. For all her honesty with Sunil last night, she was still holding back the truth about one major thing. But she had no time to dwell on it right now. She quickly fired off a response.
Morning! Funny you mention that. I’m actually heading on a date right now. I’m sending you lots of luck. We can do this!
She was pulling up the dating profiles Deena had outlined for her when her phone buzzed. Sunil again. He was quick.
Sending you luck back! We can do this. You’re absolutely right. Hey, props to you for gearing up for a date WHILE being a great website admin and squeezing in the time to answer me. I can barely walk and talk at the same time without tripping over my own feet!
Manisha reread the part where Sunil mentioned her working for the site. Her stomach flipped. She needed to focus on her actual dates, not the pen pal she was playing make believe with.
She typed out a reply:
Here’s to hoping all that tripping leads you straight into the arms of someone special.
“Well, don’t you look cheerful! More meetings today?” Rohit’s voice suddenly came from beside her, causing her to nearly drop her phone in shock.
“Oh, Rohit! When did you get here? I didn’t even see you come in,” she said, trying to sound casual.
“I kind of snuck in. Had a late night,” he said with a wink, grinning as he leaned against the counter.
I’m sure you did, Manisha thought sourly, her envy getting the best of her again. But she kept it in, going for a polite “I should be free just after noon.”
“Sounds good. Can I get you anything else?” he asked, gesturing to her cup.
“Yeah, how about a stiff drink?” She was only half joking.
“A drink before your client meetings? At ten in the morning?”
“Right,” she said. “Clients.” Not a date. Manisha had to keep up with all her stories. “I guess I’ll have a refill.”
“One refill coming up.”
Manisha unlocked her phone again, navigating out of her email thread with Sunil and to her potential matches’ profiles.
Vikas was first up. He was a criminal lawyer.
Even though Manisha was hesitant to meet another lawyer, Deena had made it clear that the right person was the right person, regardless of career.
Next up was Nick, a doctor who enjoyed being around kids.
Manisha was pleased to see that, hoping that if Nick was her Prince Charming, he’d be a good candidate to become a dad.
“I’m here,” Deena said as she entered the café. “Are you ready to do this again?”
“Absolutely! I’m so excited!”
“Really?” Deena looked at Manisha with curiosity in her eyes.
Manisha shrugged. “Today feels different.”
“How?”
“The guys you set me up with seem promising.” Manisha shrugged. “Or maybe those seeds are starting to work…” She decided to keep her digital dating-support pen pal to herself for now.
“Ha, very funny. Well, guess what? While I’ve been working miracles for you, Gina Auntie is setting me up on a date with her grandson. So I guess my seeds are kicking in.”
“That’s great to hear! I’ll keep you posted on whether mine start working. Given my luck, I might just have the placebo seeds!”
Deena and Manisha shared a laugh.
Manisha felt her phone vibrate in her hand. “Can you give me a few minutes? I need to review those bios you sent,” she fibbed, eager to read Sunil’s email.
“Yeah, sure.”
Deena walked away while Manisha glanced at her phone.
Haha. If I trip today, I don’t think I can blame multitasking. Call me old, but we were up way past my bedtime. I’m feeling a bit foggy, almost like I have a hangover. I could really go for some aloo parathas right now.
Sunil was speaking Manisha’s love language. She was about to reply, but Sunil beat her to the punch with a follow-up.
Aloo parathas give me life.
Manisha couldn’t type her response fast enough.
Same here! Food gives me life. I so don’t understand the people who only eat like rabbits to fuel their bodies. How can anyone say no to a good aloo paratha? You will never catch me doing that!
“Hey, Manisha?” a male voice said.
Preoccupied, she blurted, “Sunil!” Then she recovered. “I mean…you’re not Sunil. Sorry, I was sending a work email. Vikas, you’re Vikas.” Great, now Manisha was starting her date with a white lie.
“No worries, dude. You do you. But damn, does you doing you look good from here.”
Manisha wasn’t sure if she should feel flattered or violated by Vikas’s words. She decided to put away her judgment like Manny had reminded her to do.
“Please, sit.”
Vikas hung his jacket on the chair before settling in.
His hair was impeccably styled, neatly parted to the side with a close fade that suggested he was comfortable in front of the mirror.
He looked sharp, sporting a black jacket over a brown turtleneck paired with skinny jeans—a bold choice that he was just managing to pull off.
However, as Manisha’s gaze drifted back upward, she spotted a price tag dangling from his jacket. She didn’t want to embarrass him, so she kept it to herself.
“How’s your day been?” Vikas said as he looked around for the server.
“Oh, it’s been great. You?”
“Really great now that I’m sitting in front of an Indian goddess. Manisha, tell me about yourself. Leena Auntie mentioned that we have a lot in common and that we’d be a great match.”
“Oh, she did?” Manisha stared down Deena a.k.a.
Leena Auntie, who was watching with an encouraging grin.
“Right, of course she did. Why else would we be here? You’re a lawyer—we have that in common.
” Manisha wished she had spent more time committing Vikas’s profile to memory and less time being distracted by Sunil’s emails.
“Yup, I’m what you call an international lawyer. Dabble in a little bit of criminal law, too. How about you?” Vikas asked.
“Same…well, I’m just on a little break from law. Not sure how long that’ll be, to be honest. I guess I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.”
“Besides being a sexy woman.” Vikas winked at Manisha. “I’m lucky, I love my job. There’s just something about working with criminals. If you need a pair of VIP tickets to a sports or music event, or a luxury car, they have that kind of access.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Sure. Payment doesn’t have to be made in cash, you know?”
The back of her neck prickled. “But you’re a lawyer. It’s almost like you’re acting like the criminal yourself ?”
He leaned across the table. “Except I’m smarter than these guys. I don’t get caught,” he said proudly.
“As lawyers, we take an oath. It sounds like you might be engaging in some questionable under-the-table activities.”
“Oh, come on, baby girl, you don’t like to do anything under the table?” Okay, this guy’s words were bordering on offensive.
“I don’t do that under the table,” Manisha said with a firm voice. Then she softened her tone, hoping to segue and give him another chance.
“What else do you like to do for fun?”
“I little bit of this, a little bit of that.”
Vikas swiped at his nose, as if to signal he was into doing drugs. Did he really just do that? Manisha shook it off, trying to play off his cues and questions like Manny had suggested.
“Do you have any interesting hobbies?” she asked.
“Yeah.” Vikas winked. “Can’t wait to show you later.”
It took everything in Manisha not to let her shock and repulsion show on her face. She could really use one of Rohit’s inopportune interruptions right about now.
“And how about your family?” she ventured. Surely that was a safe question. “The bio said you have a brother?”
“Yeah, he’s out west right now. We’ve had our issues in the past; probably best he keeps his distance from me.” Vikas made a fake gunshot with his hand.
Or not. Manisha concealed her surprise again, and gave Vikas one more chance to redeem himself. “And your parents?”
“Meh, I don’t care for my parents. I’ve given all I could.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
He shrugged. “It’s just a money thing now. If you’re lucky enough to be with me, I’ll share my inheritance with you when they keel over.”
This time she couldn’t hide her shock. “Oh my god.”
“Exciting, right?”
“No. I mean, that’s awful!” Here she was on a date with a guy who was literally waiting for his parents to die so he could collect their money. “I can’t believe how nonchalant you’re being, especially as a lawyer.”