Chapter 19 #2
“Okay, busted. I thought I could be a lawyer but didn’t get into law school. Mostly because I didn’t try.”
Her jaw dropped. “You lied to me? To Leena Auntie?”
“Not lied, just didn’t tell the whole truth. That’s how people date these days. You tell half-truths, and later, shit comes out and you get over it.”
Manisha chose not to dwell on the fact that she was no better herself—hiding her intentions, fabricating the dating site.
“I had to test the waters,” Vikas went on.
“I know all you Indian chicks want a doctor or lawyer, so I fibbed a little. I wanted to see how far I could take it. Look, I may not have the kind of money you want now, but like I said, play your cards right, and we could be in for a major windfall soon enough.”
“That’s not what I want at all! Ever!” she exclaimed. “Hold up, so what do you do for work?”
“I’m kind of in between jobs until that inheritance kicks in.”
Finally, Manisha was saved by Rohit as he delivered the refill she’d ordered what felt like ages ago and put a bottle of sparkling water on the table between them.
Vikas asked Manisha, “Listen, you can pay for this, right?”
“Um, I guess,” she said, glancing nervously at Rohit. “You can charge it to me, Rohit. You know how it goes. I always pay for potential clients.”
She was desperate for Rohit to leave before he realized she was on a date. He looked at her funny but left without any questions. She let out a long breath.
“Potential client, huh?” Vikas smirked. “So, you like to role play?”
“No!”
“Calm down, baby girl. You were asking about my parents and the ‘plan.’ ”
“I wasn’t, and that’s enough. I really don’t like the way you’re talking about your parents. I feel like an accomplice in some plot to…I don’t know…to murder them.”
“Wait, are you suggesting we kill them ourselves?” He leaned forward, interest sparking in his eyes. “I’m all ears. I’ve heard about these ‘unsolved mysteries.’ Is that what you’re thinking?”
“No! That’s not what I am thinking at all!” Irate, Manisha leaped out of her chair. It made an awful scraping noise as she stood, drawing the attention of neighbouring tables.
“If you don’t leave now, you’ll become an unsolved mystery,” she hissed between clenched teeth.
“Geez, okay.” Vikas took a big gulp of the sparkling water. “At least this was on you.”
A low growl emitted from deep within her throat.
Vikas dropped the bottle on the table with a clunk and scurried out the door. Deena hurried over to Manisha.
“Another one?” she asked sympathetically.
“He was not looking for an ambitious, well-rounded, and down-to-earth woman like his profile said. He was looking for a partner in crime. Literally.”
“Wow, this is a lot tougher than I thought it would be. I can’t believe these guys. They take the time to fill out their bios and answer our questions and then…they show up like walking red flags. I’m sorry, Manisha.”
“I don’t remember this being on Manny’s whiteboard,” Manisha said under her breath.
Deena frowned. “Who would have thought? Even my online dating disasters are turning out to be no match for yours.”
“Maybe I’m just not cut out for dating Baskin guys, Deena.
They’re all handsome Indian men, but they’re so shallow.
I know I said I’m looking for my Prince Charming, but these guys are all charm, no depth at best. What I really need is someone who’s more than just charming—he should be kind, genuine, and passionate about exploring life.
Isn’t that what I’m putting out into the world?
So why does it feel like the only thing I’m getting on these dates is attention for my looks? ”
“I get it, Manisha, but it’s only been a few dates. You’ve got to give it more time. You can’t expect to find your Prince Charming in just six days. Trust me, it’s not the Baskin guys—it’s guys in general. I’ve dated in New York, Colorado…heck, I even went to Canada.”
“Canada?”
“Yeah, Meena Auntie did say to keep all my options open. But honestly, it’s no better up there.” They shared a soft chuckle.
“Look, we’re just getting started. Forget Vikas. Nick’s up next. Why don’t you take some time to go over his profile?” Deena suggested, taking Manisha’s hand and coaxing her to sit.
Manisha did just that, trying her best to push her frustration aside.
“He’s right on time,” Deena whispered when Nick entered the café fifteen minutes later. She rushed back to her table as Nick approached Manisha with an enthusiastic wave.
He extended his hand, giving her a handshake that felt perhaps a little too eager.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” he said with a sheepish smile. “Busy day in the ER.”
“Oh, no, you’re right on time,” Manisha replied. “We could’ve rescheduled if you needed to.”
“I’m glad we didn’t,” Nick said quickly. “I’ve been really looking forward to meeting you.”
Manisha racked her brain for something relatable to say. “Uh, ER was one of my favourite shows.”
“Ah, classic! Who doesn’t enjoy a good medical drama?” Nick chuckled. “So, your bio said you’re a lawyer, and I’m a doctor. Pretty much a Bollywood rom-com waiting to happen. Our parents would be thrilled.”
Manisha gave a tight smile. “Well, I’m actually not sure I’ll stick with law. It’s—”
“Funny, I feel the same way about medicine.” Nick leaned forward.
“I love saving lives and all, but I’ve been thinking…
maybe it’s time for something more. Something different.
Like owning my own business. Or retiring early and setting up in a different country.
Maybe starting a family soon? I’d really love to be a dad. ”
Manisha blinked, her mind racing to keep up. He was talking a mile a minute. Did he just say…family?
“I’m lucky. I had a great dad,” Nick continued. “He was an amazing role model. I want to pass that on to my kids. You want kids, right? Leena Auntie said you did.”
“Yeah,” Manisha said quickly, her voice a little too high-pitched. She cleared her throat. “I mean, yes. And I got lucky with my parents, too.”
Nick smiled widely, reaching across the table to take her hand. His gaze locked on hers, and there was a moment of silence as they studied each other.
His thumb gently caressed her palm.
Manisha nervously bit her lip.
“If this is our version of foreplay, I can’t wait to see how playful we get in between the sheets.”
Her eyes flared, and she yanked back her hand, knocking over her coffee in the process. What just happened?!
“Okay, that’s it! I’ve reached my limit!” she blurted, jumping out of her seat, and looking around the shop in panic.
Nick blinked, genuinely surprised. “Wait, what? You went from playful to prude in, like, two seconds.”
“Maybe, but this is a first date!” Manisha cried as her face flushed bright.
Nick, undeterred, slowly stood with a casual grin. “That it is, and I was kinda hoping this first date would end at my place, just around the corner.”
He jerked his thumb at the door.
“Ugh, please just go! Alone,” Manisha emphasized, shoving him lightly in the direction of the door, her face a mix of disgust and second-hand embarrassment.
“Alright, alright,” Nick said, raising both hands like he was surrendering. “But if you change your mind, I’m a block away…”
“Leave now!” Manisha practically yelled. Nick finally got the hint.
Deena came running up. “I heard the whole thing. That went from G-rated to X-rated in seconds. What a weirdo!”
“Deena, I’ve had my fill of dates today. I can’t handle any more.”
“I get it. Even I’m tired of watching your dates. They’re like slow-motion car crashes.” Deena reached out and squeezed her arm. “I’ll cancel the others for today. Besides, don’t we have to run that stuff over to the temple for your mom later?”
Manisha glanced at the counter. “Oh shoot. We do. Okay, let me just help Rohit quickly with the paperwork and then come pick me up at my house in a couple of hours.”
“At least you two are being more civil to each other now.”
“It was a low bar.”
Manisha hugged Deena goodbye. Deena noticed the loose straps on Manisha’s dress and adjusted them for her.
“Thanks, Mama Patel, for the amazing flirting advice,” Manisha said with a sarcastic grin. “She told me loose straps are a perfect excuse for flirting—because a guy can ‘fix’ the strap and, you know, casually graze your shoulder.” Manisha huffed. “That’s the last time I take her flirting tips!”
“Well, we’ll keep searching for that perfect man to fix your straps for you. He’s out there, I promise!” Deena said, waving goodbye.
Manisha approached the counter and spotted a sign. The Café will be closing early today. How much time did Rohit think they needed to go through a few pages of legal jargon?
Manisha sank into her chair, waiting for Rohit. It was still early, not even eleven, so she decided to kill time by sending a quick email to Sunil.
Subject: Breaking News!
The date was a disaster!
Apparently, finding a decent guy, let alone my ride or die, isn’t as easy as I thought. Here I was trying to bring my authentic self and I’m not sure they even know the meaning of authentic—seems like they’re too busy spelling “sex” to spell “sincere.”
Anyway, I could use a little cheering up from the squad. How’s your thumb? And did you end up tucking into some aloo parathas?
Isha
Manisha hit send and stretched back in her chair, letting out a small sigh of relief. A few minutes later, Rohit appeared from the kitchen, jacket in hand.
“What’s going on? I thought we agreed to meet after my meetings?” she called out, a bit surprised.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Rohit said, looking apologetic. “Something came up, and I actually need to get going.”
“Oh…well, I guess we can meet another time, then,” Manisha said, her voice trailing off. “I just thought your dad wanted to get this done sooner rather than later.”
“He did,” Rohit replied, running a hand through his hair. “It’s my fault. I’ve been a little distracted lately and forgot I had something else I needed to do today.”
Manisha nodded. “Okay, well, I’ve reorganized everything.” She held out the folder containing the righted paperwork.
“Thanks,” he said, quickly taking it from her and tucking it behind the counter.
She hesitated before speaking again. “And…before you go, here’s the money from the other day.” She pulled the cash from her purse and placed it on the counter.
Rohit shook his head, gently pushing the money away. “No need for that. I don’t want it back.”
Manisha raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. “But I want you to have it back,” she insisted, nudging the cash closer to him.
He sighed. “Look, Manisha, I really don’t have the energy for another round of this right now. I’ve got a lot going on.”
Manisha crossed her arms but softened, the tension lifting a little. “So do I…”
“Really?” Rohit said, his tone teasing. “Because from where I’m standing, all you seem to be doing is coming in here, looking all fancy for meetings that always seem to end in a hurry.”
“Well, I’m a lawyer,” Manisha replied with a slight shrug. “That’s just how I work. Remember, it’s all about billable hours.”
Rohit let out an exaggerated sigh. “As I mentioned, I need to get going, and so do you.” He scooped up the cash and dropped it into the tip jar.
“And that’s how I work,” he added, starting toward the door.
Manisha trailed behind him, feigning annoyance. “Okay, okay. I’ll be on my way, too. Good grief.” She turned toward the exit, rolling her eyes playfully.
After locking up, Rohit jumped into his car and sped off, leaving Manisha standing in the parking lot.
“Well, that was a fun twist,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head. With a sigh, she slid into her own car, trying to shake off the lingering awkwardness as she drove away.