Page 117 of Made in Mumbai

“No, no, no. I change the rules. You cannot badger her. If she says it on her owntoday, then good. You are not allowed to put words into her mouth.”

“You are not allowed to change rules in the middle of the bet!”

“Dadaaa!”

Both their eyes whirled to their girl running to Gautam, her tiny feet thumping so hard on the grass. Her curls went billowing behind her as she crashed into his legs, flying high as he swung her up and around. Her giggles echoed through their courtyard as he kept going around in circles, his surprised laugh heavy in the air.

“Did you hear that?” He was bewildered, bringing MM close to his face and pressing his lips to her cheek. She preened, her tiny arms going around his neck.

“Dadda?” Gautam cued her.

“Da-dadaa,” she repeated.

“Da-da?”

“Dadda!”

The duo grinned, booping noses with each other. Maya’s eyes watered.God, why did you have to make me lose the bet and make it so emotional?

“We weren’t even trying to teach her Dada,” his liquid voice found her as he walked barefoot down the garden to her.

She pinched her tears — “No, but she learned it because I always talk to her about Dada when you are not there.”

“What do you tell her?” He came to her, tipping her chin close and kissing her tear trail.

“That her dada is an inorganic mule.”

Gautam kissed her, hard. A tiny hand clapped on her nose and they broke apart. Maya smiled, running a finger down her daughter’s nose — “Fine, he is all yours.” Then, close to her ear in a stage whisper, she said, “Your dada is the best, most handsome, most amazing dada in the whole world.”

“Dadda!” MM banged her father’s face, as if informing him that his name was being called out.

“Yes, baby, I know,” he kissed her palm. “See the benefits of no sugar, no processed food diet for babies?” He showed-off. “My daughter is faster than all the above-average kids in walkingandtalking. Come on, MM, we’ll learn new words and trump over all those Mommy-&-Me kids…” he trudged inside to get her books.

Maya kept quiet. If she told him MM had eaten all the sugar in the world in all its glorious forms, he would banhersugar forever. And she had great hopes for the Mississippi Mud chilling in her freezer right now.

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“MM, no,” Gautam mouthed to her without heat, buttoning his suit and stepping towards the huge round gong. Maya sat in the audience as he and his executive team crowded around the Dalal Street bell, waiting to ring it as soon as the clock struck nine.

Today, GK Enterprises was being listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. A big day. No, a huge day for Gautam. And her. He had scaled up GK Spices in record time, now that he had the business acumen and a plan of five years before he even started operations. That compounded onto GK Textile’s business, while Made in Mumbai had become a classic subsidiary in the luxury designers world of Mumbai and Delhi. They currently had supply contracts with 60% of the A-lister designers. A monopoly, if you would. And Maya headed the division with another designer. This one was nothing like Sia. She had a happy family of her own and did not look at the boss with lust or rupee signs.

“Daddy!!” Megha squirmed out of her hold in the first row, pushing to go up to Gautam. Maya settled her. The terrible twos were hitting her at four. Especially when Gautam wasn’t giving her his undivided attention. The countdown began for the bell-ringing but Gautam’s eyes were on them. And Megha kept jumping in her lap, now that she knew she had her dad’s attention.

“MM,” Maya turned her towards her and gave her her wide, stern eyes — “You want me to take you home right now?”

“I want Daddy!” She screamed.

“Yes, I know. But he is working and he will come when is done working. If you don’t keep quiet, I will take you home and no Sunday outing for you either.”

Her pretty almond eyes crinkled, and then it was a bawl fest.

“…4, 3, 2, 1…” The bell gong sounded. Maya glanced up at the stage. Gautam had hit the gong bell with a hammer in a jiffy and was clapping his hands, his feet retreating to the stairs, his eyes on them. A few of his executives and the SEBI heads came to shake hands with him, but he politely folded his hands and moved down the steps, running towards them.

“What happened?” He took Megha from her.

“I want you, Daddy,” their little girl wound her arms and legs around him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. He patted her head — “Alright, you have me. Now you have to let me finish this, ok?”

“Mmmkay.”

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