Brute

51. Max

The drive back to her house was awkward to say the least. After Max finished pouring his heart out to her, Kalki had stood there stunned for two minutes and burst into laughter.

"Max! I thought you were kidding. I'm so sorry." She was still trying to apologise to him.

"No it's alright. I get where I stand to you right now." He sighed.

"I really appreciate how honest and vulnerable you were but my life has literally turned upside down right now, I'm all over the place and my brains are melting."

"It's okay! You don't have to justify why you laughed I'm not hurt." He said, parking the car. "And we're here."

"I know you're hurt. I'm sorry I'm such a moron." Kalki laughed.

"It's been a while since I met your family." He smiled.

She led him into the house, Kalki announced she was here. Her mother came to the foyer and instantly started questioning her about why she looked like a drenched cat. Max was about to utter a word and suddenly stopped. He may have changed but she hasn't, she'll have to first rationalise every emotion and then justify feeling them before telling anyone what happened.

"Forgot my umbrella and then ran into Max, he offered to drop me home." She lied.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Burman." Max greeted Kalki's mother.

"Max! You don't have to be so formal, come in! I'll make us all chai and Kalki go change out of that soaked outfit right now!" She took Max by the hand dragging him in.

Kalki left them alone to get changed, Max sat by the dining table near the kitchen as Maya made them tea. "We've got a lot to talk about." She said.

"We do... and I'm sure you've already heard Kalki's side of the story."

"I did. But to every story there's her side, your side and what I comprehend from them is my truth."

"I..." His voice trailed off.

"I've been thinking about that incident everyday since I've been away and there's no logic to anything that happened but I do know one thing for sure."

"And what is that?"

"That I love her. I've spent too much time denying I didn't and it caused so much pain to her."

"Have you told her?"

"Would you approve of her being with someone like me?"

"My approval only comes after what she decides!" Maya laughed.

"I did. And she laughed in my face because she thought Neel and I were pulling a prank on her." He rolled his eyes.

That mad Maya laugh too, she could understand where her daughter's scepticism came from. Max knew it too, he was probably the last person on this planet she expected to have feelings for her like that.

"Three dates. And then I'll give you my verdict." Kalki walked into the kitchen.

"You were hearing our conversation?" Max looked at her stunned.

"Yeah you folks speak so loud I could hear everything." She laughed. "But yeah, the offer stands. Three dates. You pick the first one, I pick the second."

"And the third?"

"If we can still tolerate each other we'll plan it together."

"We're going to have the best third date ever." He grinned.

"We're going to hate each other by the second one." She said taking a sip of her tea.

"Kalki! If you go in with that mentality of course things won't work. Give him a fair shot or reject him flat out!" Maya intervened.