by Van,P. G.
She continued to talk holding the cold beer in her hands waiting for him to turn around. A few minutes in, she realized he wasn’t going to turn around, and he wanted her to give him the drink.
“I’m gonna go play some foosball guys, be right back.” She hoped she said it loud enough for Kris to hear. She walked around the event area and took the couple of steps down to the arcade level. She went to stand next to Kris and gestured for him to take the drink from her hand, and he completely pretended to not understand what she was saying.
She gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes at him and caught the wicked twinkle in his eyes.
“Ewa, can I try next?” she asked one of the girls who was playing.
“Absolutely, Varsha!!”
“Thanks...Oh Kris, could you please hold my drink for a sec?” She batted her eyelids at him making him let out a low chuckle.
“May I?” She grabbed a napkin out of his hand and wiped her palm dry before grabbing the handles on the foosball table. She played the game feeling Kris’s piercing eyes on her making the hair at the nape of her neck stand up.
She kept an eye on him as she played and noticed he wasn’t taking a sip of the beer she had handed to him. She played for a few minutes and thanked the girl that gave her a turn.
“See you guys.” She turned around and started walking away when Kris called out to her. “Varsha, your drink.”
“It’s for you, Kris,” she said turning back to smile beautifully at him.
He knew she was everything he ever wanted in a woman, she was smart, funny, caring and knew how to blow his mind. He saw his future with her and was ready to give up his unmarried status.
He smiled, his eyes following her back to where Kevin was sitting at the bar.
“I’m back!!”
“Where’s my drink?”
“I drank it.” She winked at him laughing.
“Did you just down a beer? You don’t drink beer.”
“I know, but I did,” she giggled.
Kevin smiled at her shaking his head. “I haven’t seen you like this in years. I miss old times.”
“Seriously? Someone told me that a few days ago.”
“Yeah, I told you. Something’s going on with you and you aren’t telling me.”
“Hi, Kevin.” The all too familiar voice interrupted what she was going to say.
“Kris, my man!! How’re you?”
“I’m good. How is everything in the cool office?”
“Nothing cool about it when it’s scorching hot outside,” Kevin snickered.
Kris laughed leaning in to shake hands with Kevin brushing his shoulder against her back. “I’m taking off dude, let’s talk next week.”
Varsha caught her breath when she felt him on her back, her body jolting awake to his touch. She visibly jerked when he gently dug his elbow into her back.
“Oops, sorry Varsha. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Kris,” she almost growled.
“See you guys later.”
“Dude, that was rude.” Kevin nudged when Kris was out of sight.
“What?”
“The dude apologized, and you almost chastised him.”
“No, I did not.”
“He is a cool guy, but he is way up there in the food chain so you better not mess with him,” he teased.
“What are you talking about Kev, if you had taken the job offer with the team in Australia you know you would be up there too.”
“Maybe…but that guy is a whiz. Two security products, and he decides to come work for us when he could be building another product that gets sold for another fifty mil.”
“Why didn’t you take that job?” she asked in a hushed voice.
“It was a good opportunity but it didn’t seem the right one. When the right opportunity knocks on my door, I’ll be ready to grab it.”
“Good!!” she encouraged.
“I am talking to Kris next week to discuss his products. The guy has done some impressive stuff.” Kevin was excited.
“Yeah, impressive resume.” She agreed softly.
“Impressive fan following, too.”
“What? For Kris?” She was amused.
“Oh yes, how is it that I know all the gossip here and you don’t?” Kevin teased.
“The downside of being part of the leadership team.” She rolled her eyes. “So, what’s the gossip?”
“You know MaryAnn?” She nodded.
“She tried endlessly to get that guy to go out with her, and she did everything possible to get to him without breaking the rules but bending them.”
“What?” She let out a low squeal.
“I am not kidding. She apparently burst into tears in the women’s restroom when he left without staying overnight for that event a few months ago.”
“What event?”
“The intern event that you skipped.”
“Oh…and?”
“What do you mean and? She was pissed he left when she hoped to you know…”
She laughed spewing her drink on his shirt. “Fuck, I am sorry.”
“Varsha, seriously?”
“I’m so sorry.”
She grabbed a stack of napkins and handed them to him.
“I’m not talking about you puking all over me. Did I just hear you swear in public and laugh like a schoolgirl? Who are you?” He laughed.
“Oops, hanging out with the wrong people lately?” His eyebrow cocked up suspiciously.
“Oh my gawd and what happened?”
“I’m told MaryAnn requested for a sabbatical so she can get over him.”
“That I’m sure is a total exaggeration.”
“I’m just telling you what I heard.”
“What else did you hear?”
“Apparently he is unavailable, he has a girlfriend and a kid. Not sure how old but he left one day to pick up his kid breaking a long string of hearts.” Her heart fluttered remembering the crazy day at work and how he went home so she could stay at work.
“I heard that, too.”
“You should set Myra up for a playdate with his kid. I think he lives in Sunnyvale, too.”
“Right!!”
“So there’s another rumor and you are not going to like it.”
“What?”
“Apparently…don’t be mad at me…I’m just a messenger.”
“Spill it.”
He cleared his throat and leaned closer. “The talk was that Kris had a thing for you.”
She felt a slight haze run through her body as her heart pounded away in her chest, but she managed to shake her head. “That’s just bullshit.”
“I’m just telling you what I heard, but then they ruled that theory out when they found out he has a girlfriend and a kid.”
“Geez, how is it that people have time to talk about crappy stuff?”
“Stop being an adult all the time. You got to chill.”
“Whatever!!”
“If he didn’t have a girlfriend, he would have been good for you,” Kevin declared making her mouth go dry.
“Why would you say that?”
“I was convinced he had a thing for you when I saw him for the first time.”
“Kevin, you’ve become one of the girls? Next time I see you are you gonna talk about pedi’s and mani’s?”
“Shut up,” he mocked.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“No, I’m serious. I asked you the day of the demos if you had something for him because your eyes kept wandering in his direction every minute.”
“No!!”
“I’m not kidding.”
“You’re just indirectly telling me I need to get a life.”
“I don’t need to foam it up for you, I will say it to your face that you need to get a life.” He ran his fist into her shoulder. She laughed unable to respond to him.
“I’m serious, the dude’s like a perfect match for you.”
“Matchmaking on the side, eh Kevin?”
/> “Fine, I won’t say anything now.”
She laughed slipping her arm into his elbow. “Thank you. You are a good friend.”
“Yeah, yeah…”
She spent all evening with Kevin, and it was ten o’clock before even she knew it.
“Drive safe and text me after you get home.” Kevin reached forward to hug her.
“I will and thank you.”
“For what?”
“Knocking some sense into me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Kris…I’m the girlfriend and Myra is the kid.”
“I knew it!!” He wrapped his arms around her sweeping her feet off the ground.
“Kevin…you can’t tell anyone.”
“Sealed and locked away. I am so happy for you. I thought you were going to die a spinster.”
“Shut up, Kevin!!”
“Best decision of your life, Varsha. Hang on to that dude.”
“I will,” she called out as she got into her car.
Almost an hour later, she opened the door to a quiet house. She tiptoed upstairs and went straight to the bedroom to an empty bed.
“Kris!!” No response.
She walked out of the bedroom and went towards Myra’s room. The music from Myra’s mobile was playing softly. She peeked inside and felt her heart flutter at the sight in the room.
Kris was in the rocking chair with Myra sprawled on his chest and they were both asleep. He had his arms protectively around her and Varsha stood taking in the image she had dreamed of but never thought would be a reality. She wasn’t sure how long they were in the rocking chair sleeping in each other’s arms.
She smiled fighting back tears of joy as she walked closer to the rocking chair and looked down at the man holding her precious baby. His face was turned away from her and his face looked so beautiful she had to fight back her initial urge to run her finger along his jawline.
She took a deep breath and gently moved one of Kris’s arms to rest on the armrest and hoped that it would wake him but no change in his breathing. She gently slid her palm between Kris’s and Myra’s chest to pick her up and put her in her crib; at that moment, he winced and tried to put his arm back around Myra and in the process put his arm around her waist pulling her onto him.
She felt his beard against the soft skin on her neck and felt him turn his face and take a big whiff against her neck. The cold flow of air set her being on fire as she struggled to get off his lap without waking Myra.
“Varsha,” he said against her neck, and she froze at the intensity in his voice and felt his lips brush her collarbone as she gently eased herself up.
“Hey,” she whispered. “I was going to put Myra in her crib”.
“I got it,” he said in his smoky sleep voice and looked at her as she stood up feeling rather shaky from the tingling on her neck from his touch. He had that effect on her every time he touched her; like it was the first time he was touching her.
He got up carefully and lowered Myra onto the crib mattress and securely tucked her in. She stepped out of Myra’s room with Kris right behind her. He ran his fingers through his hair and said, “She didn’t want to go into her crib so I had to make her sleep on my shoulder, and I don’t know when I dozed off”.
“I missed you.” She wrapped her arms around him flattening her cheek on his soft shirt.
“Really, I thought you were coming at me with guns blazing.”
“I can’t be angry at you.”
“How much did you drink?” he mocked.
“My standard amount. I’m not angry. You can do anything you want with your girlfriend.”
“Oh, that’s a lot of love, sweetheart.”
“Do you not want it?”
“What?”
“The love.”
“You know I do.” He pulled her to him running his palms on her back, holding her close.
“I was a fool to take this long to realize what you’ve done for me. I needed to hear it from someone else how perfect you are for me.”
She took her finger to his lips when he pulled back to say something. “Will you promise to take care of Myra as your own?”
“Yes.”
“Do you really want me in your life?”
“Yes.”
“Kris, please don’t break my heart. I can’t take another heartbreak.”
“Varsha, you are my everything!!” He planted a kiss on her forehead.
“I love you, Kris!!”
“Oh baby, I waited so long for this, I love you too!!”
Chapter Eighteen
“I love it when we carpool.” Kris winked when she got into his car on Friday after work. They were scheduled to meet the lawyer her ex had hired to discuss the custody and were going straight from work.
“Yeah…I like it because I can nap on the way home.”
“And I like that because you can stay up late.”
“Ridiculous!!”
“Where are we meeting this lawyer guy?”
“I got the directions to his office on the phone…just follow my directions.”
“Yes, ma’am. What’s my baby up to?”
“She is hanging out with her cousins and is excited about her sleepover.”
“I wanna go get her even if it’s late. It’s gonna be weird waking up without her calling me.”
“You’re nuts.”
“I talked to Kevin yesterday.”
“What did he say?” She turned to look at him as he focused on the road.
“We talked about the datacenter upgrade and just when I was about to wrap up the call…he told me I should take good care of you.”
“He’s a good friend.”
“He was thrilled when I told him you and I were together.”
“Yeah…I did pick up a warning when he talked to me.”
“Yup, my bodyguard.”
He laughed shaking his head. “How much longer?”
“Just take the exit in two miles, and the law offices are right off the highway.”
“Take a right here and the entrance is over there.”
Kris looked at the sign outside the law office and his heart sank.
“Shit!! Varsha don’t get out.”
“What?”
“What is your ex’s name?” He was breathing fast and the palm that circled her wrist felt sweaty.
“What is it? Are you okay?”
“Varsha…,” he pleaded.
“My ex’s name is Rahul.”
“Fuck!! I can’t deal with this now. We need to go home. We really need to talk.”
“You are freaking me out right now, Kris.”
“I’m sorry baby. Call the lawyer and tell him you can’t make it,” he pleaded.
“Okay.”
He backed up the car as she called the lawyer’s assistant to reschedule.
“He rescheduled me to next week. You got to tell me what’s going on before I lose it.”
“I am such a fucking idiot!! I’m sorry baby.”
“Kris, stop it. What is going on?”
“Varsha…I can’t talk now. Let’s go home.” It was a plea that got her even more worried.
“Okay.”
Thirty minutes later, she sat across from him in the dining room looking at an upset Kris.
“I am not asking again, what is going on?”
“I fucked up, and everything is such a mess.” He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.
“Details will be helpful.”
“Six months ago, this was even before I met you, my old roommate called me and asked me to give him a reference for a good family lawyer.”
“What?”
“Varsha, that family lawyer I referred to him was the guy we were supposed to meet earlier today, and I just connected the dots and your ex was my old roommate.”
“No.” It was a denial, she wanted to open her eyes and realize it was a bad dream. She was deafened by the blood rushing through her veins screaming for
all of this to be a dream.
“I’m sorry, I should have known. I didn’t think about the consequences.”
“You got the best family lawyer set up for my ex to fight for my daughter?” Her voice blared in the quiet house as her eyes burned with unshed tears.
“I had no idea.”
“Kris, he was your roommate, and you didn’t know what an ass he was?”
“He…he was my cousin’s friend, and I let him rent a room back in college.”
“What did he tell you when he called you?”
“I don’t remember a damn thing because I wasn’t paying attention and after all that, he asked me for the contact. That asshole knew how to get to the best lawyer, and he wanted me to recommend so Mike gives the case more weight.”
“Great, you gave him a recommendation and an attestation. Exactly what I needed.”
“I will fix this, let me handle this.”
“No, you will not.”
“Varsha,” he pleaded.
“Kris, I should have seen this coming. It was too good to be true.”
“I will take care of this for you.”
“How? Are you going to beg your lawyer buddy to drop the case? Don’t you think your smart roommate has a contract with the lawyer already?”
“Varsha, let me fix this for you.”
“No, I don’t want you in any of this anymore.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know if I can trust you now. What if you are that asshole’s mole? Shit!!!” She panicked.
“I’m not, and you are being paranoid.”
“I should be, it’s my baby at stake here. Do you even realize that?”
“I know…darn it!!”
“How can I trust you anymore?” Her voice shivered threatening to give in.
“Believe me Varsha, I had no idea.”
“Why is it that he reached out to you? Have you guys been in touch all along and if you were, did you not know he was deported? Should that not be a red flag?”
“I wasn’t paying attention, and I am paying for it now.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“When I’m working on a product, I am so focused on it, I am cut off from civilization until launch. I had missed all of what happened and never bothered asking him why he was in India.”