Page 76 of Made in Mumbai

“And what about you?”

“I’ll eat whatever you eat. I am low maintenance that way,” she joked.

He shook his head, then sat down on her desk. “Come here.”

She padded to him, her gaze unsure. She was a few feet away still when he grabbed both her hands and pulled her closer between his legs — “You live there too, and I specifically asked you to live like its your house, M.”

“I know… but that’s just good manners. Don’t we tell guests to ‘make yourself at home,’ ’don’t be shy.’ Doesn’t mean they will start jumping on our sofa.”

“I wold love you jumping on my sofa,” he smirked, making her seriously perk up. “But maybe not now. Mini M will have the jolt of her life.”

“Mini M?”

“You are my M, then she has to be my Mini M,” he pointed to her gentle swell of a belly.

“How are you so sure it is a she?”

“I just am. Now, what do you want to eat? I have to call him back and inform.”

“You decide.”

He rolled his eyes, squeezing her hands — “What was the last 5 minutes about?”

She sighed.

“Ok, what were you having made when I wasn’t here?”

“I wasn’t having much made. I would either eat here or I would ask him to make whatever he usually did for you.”

“What do you mean you would eat here?”

“I went home late.”

“Why?”

“It was too weird to stay in your house without you there so I got so much work done here…”

He blinked. Took a second. Then jumped to his feet.

“Let’s go,” he began pulling her hand.

“Where?” She pulled back, surprisingly strong for a pregnant girl.

“Out. You have done enough overtimes here to deserve a comp-off.”

She laughed — “Don’t be stupid. What will we do on a weekday?”

“Eat out, walk around, I don’t know… we figured it out at 19. We’ll figure it out at 34 for sure.”

“But I already made lunch.”

“Good thinking. Let’s take those tiffins too.”

“Gautam, where?”

“Get your tiffin bag and meet me outside in 5 minutes.”

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