Ch 15. Manjula Has a Problem

Leo sat in his car, absentmindedly drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He didn't have any specific plans today and figured it was as good a time as any to explore more of Springfield's food places. He'd been eating at home too often lately.

After a quick thought, he decided to check out one of the town's fast food spots. It wasn't the healthiest option, but it was quick, easy, and he could use a distraction.

As he drove, his thoughts drifted to Maude. He still hadn't called her back to schedule their next meeting like he said he would. He missed her—her quiet demeanor, the way her dress fit on her and showed off her figure. He made a mental note to get in touch with her soon if he wanted to keep things moving in the way he wanted.

Pulling into the parking lot of the fast-food joint, Leo couldn't help but chuckle at the outrageous decor. Giant neon hamburgers, cartoonish signs, and flashy lights dominated the exterior. The kind of place that screamed Springfield. He stepped out of the car and headed inside, feeling the familiar hum of casual chatter around him. But as soon as he walked in, something—or rather, someone—caught his eye.

Sitting in one of the booths was a familiar face—Marge. She looked deep in conversation with another person. As Leo got closer, to his surprise, he noticed the person across from her wasn't Homer or one of the kids. Instead, it was someone unfamiliar—a beautiful woman with Indian features.

She had long, thick black hair that was tied in a simple braid that rested over her shoulder, and she wore a traditional sari with intricate gold details that went well with her deep brown skin. The sari was tight and from this distance, he knew that she possessed a perfect body with a beautiful face.

Leo noticed the serious expressions on both their faces—the stranger's, in particular, looked troubled. Her eyes were downcast, and her hands fidgeted with her napkin. Something was definitely off.

'Hmmm… this seems interesting,' thought Leo. He decided to approach them.

"Hey, Marge," Leo said, his voice cutting through the air.

Both women looked up, startled from their intense conversation. Marge's face brightened with surprise and excitement.

"Leo! I wasn't expecting to see you here!" She motioned for him to sit down with her, then gestured to the woman sitting across from her. "This is my friend, Manjula."

Manjula offered Leo a small, polite smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Hello," she said quietly. "It's nice to meet you."

Leo could sense the tension. He glanced at them both before sliding into the booth next to Marge. "Yes it's nice to meet you too, Manjula." His gaze flicked back to Marge. "Is everything okay? You two looked pretty deep in conversation."

Manjula let out a deep sigh, hearing his question, her shoulders slumping slightly.

Marge glanced at her, clearly conflicted, before turning to Leo. "Well... it's complicated," she began hesitantly. "I don't know if it's something… something I-I c—"

Manjula interrupted her softly, but firmly.

"It's alright, Marge. You can tell him." She looked up at Leo, her gaze steady though filled with weariness. "Marge has mentioned you a lot recently, she speaks highly of you, and honestly, I don't know what to do anymore. Maybe an outside perspective is what I need."

Marge shifted nervously in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with the weight of the situation. "Well, It's... it's Apu, h-he…" she started, her voice trailing off. 

Manjula, her eyes dark with hurt, took over. "Apu, my husband, cheated on me."

The words hung in the air for a moment, heavy and painful. Leo's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn't expected that. He had talked with Apu multiple times when visiting the local store. 

"I'm... really sorry to hear that, Manjula," he told her.

"I don't know what to do," Manjula continued, her voice breaking slightly. "I-I think I might get a divorce, but... I just don't know."

Leo nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "That's a lot to take in. I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you."

Manjula sighed again, glancing down at the table. "I caught him yesterday," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "With a blonde delivery driver. That whore! I don't even know if it's been going on longer... I don't know if it's the first time or if he's been lying to me for years." She cursed softly under her breath. "How could he do this to me?"

Leo recalled a moment at Apu's store, the day after he moved in, when he saw the blonde delivery girl and how Apu seemed a bit too familiar with her. He had wondered if there had been something between them and apparently there was. He didn't know Apu had a wife back then. He mentally thanked him right now for his stupid actions.

Reaching across the table, Leo gently rested his hand on Manjula's. "That's terrible, Manjula. Cheating's a huge betrayal. I've seen people divorce for much less. Your feelings are completely valid."

Manjula nodded, though her expression was conflicted. "I know... but... but I still care about him," she admitted quietly, her voice breaking. "That's the worst part."

'This is going to be a pain,' thought Leo. He then gave her a sympathetic look. "It's completely natural to still care about someone, even after they hurt you. Emotions are complicated like that. But at the end of the day, you need to decide what's best for you."

Manjula's eyes filled with tears, and she glanced down at the table. "I just... I want him to understand how much he's hurt me. I want him to realize how lucky he is to have me in his life. I want him to never ever think of doing something like that ever again!"

Before Leo could respond, Marge chimed in. "Well, when Homer really upsets me, I make a list of everything he could do to make it up to me. Then... I shred it in front of him and put the pieces in his food."

Leo smiled slightly but knew he had to act fast. If Marge's methods took hold, Manjula might listen and forgive Apu more easily. He needed to steer this in a different direction so the Indian beauty wouldn't do that. 

Leo raised an eyebrow, faking interest but quickly interjecting. "And how long does it take before Homer messes up again after that?"

Marge frowned, slumping her shoulders. "Umm… about three days."

Leo turned back to Manjula. "Small gestures won't fix the bigger issues, Manjula. Here's what I think. If you really want Apu to understand the gravity of what he's done, it's going to take something bigger."

Manjula looked at him with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "How big?"

Leo glanced toward Marge before leaning closer to Manjula, lowering his voice so only she could hear. He whispered something in her ear, his tone firm but persuasive.

Manjula's eyes widened as she processed his words. "Are you saying...?"

Leo nodded. "Yes. You need to shake him to his core. Let him know that you're serious, that you're not someone to be taken lightly."

"But isn't that going too far?" Manjula asked.

Leo pulled back slightly, shaking his head. "No, not at all. If anything, it's barely enough. But if you think that's too much, I can come up with some smaller options... though they won't be as effective."

Manjula hesitated, her mind clearly racing. She bit her lip, glancing between Leo and Marge. "I don't know... I just want him to feel the weight of what he did."

Leo smiled gently. "That's exactly what this will do. Trust me."

Marge, who had been quietly listening, finally chimed in again. "Although I don't know what Leo told you Manjula, I think it might be worth hearing more of Leo's ideas. In the short time I've known him, he comes up with solutions that work and get results. Although I don't want to admit it, sometimes... drastic times call for drastic measures."

Manjula nodded slowly, still uncertain but more open to the idea. "Okay. I'll think about it."

Leo reached into his pocket and handed her a small piece of paper. "Here's my number. I'll come up with a plan tonight, and we can go over it tomorrow."

Manjula took the number and quietly packed up her things. "Thank you, Leo. I appreciate this." She turned to Marge and gave her a weak smile. "I'll see you later, Marge. Thanks for listening."

As Manjula left the booth, Leo's eyes followed her, appreciating the way her sari hugged her figure as she walked away. He butt would bounce softly side to side each time she took a step. He didn't want to mess this up. There was potential here—and he wanted to achieve it.

With Manjula gone, Leo turned back to Marge. "So, you and Manjula seem pretty close. Do you two talk often?"

Marge nodded. "We try to. It's hard, though, with everything going on. But we've known each other for years."

Leo leaned back in his seat. "Do you ever go to her for advice?"

Marge smiled softly. "Sometimes. But mostly I just vent. She's really understanding."

Leo smiled. "Sounds like you've got a good balance there. You've probably had a pretty heavy conversation. Want to lighten things up a bit? I'll buy you a shake or dessert, and we can talk about something less stressful."

Marge shook her head with a grin. "Oh, I'm not much into sweets, but I can stay and keep you company. I don't mind."

Leo nodded and ordered his food, settling into the booth more comfortably as they began chatting.

 "Have you been doing any gardening lately, Marge? I remember when I first went to introduce myself, your garden looked great."

Marge's face brightened, her mood visibly lifting. "Oh, yes! I forgot you were interested in gardens, too. I've been keeping up with it as much as I can. It's hard to find time, but it's one of the few things that relaxes me. The flowers are coming in beautifully this year."

Leo leaned forward. "I'm not surprised. You've got a real talent for it. I'm still thinking about starting something on that empty patch of land I have that I mentioned, but I haven't figured out what to do with it yet."

Marge tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe you could start small—plant some perennials or even a little vegetable garden. It doesn't take too much time, and you'll get something rewarding out of it."

"That sounds like a solid plan. I might just do that." Leo smiled, then added, "Maybe after the next photoshoot, you could give me some pointers if you don't mind. I could use the help of an expert."

Marge's smile widened. "I'd love to. It would be fun to help you get started."

"Great. Thanks, Marge," Leo said, feeling a spark of inspiration. "Actually, speaking of gardening, what would you think about doing a gardener-themed look for our next photoshoot?"

Marge raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A gardener look? You mean overalls and a straw hat?"

"Yeah," Leo grinned. "We could throw in some tools for props, maybe a little dirt on your hands to keep it natural. It could be something playful, but still very much you."

Marge laughed softly. "You know, that actually sounds fun. It'd be easy for me, too—gardening is second nature."

"Exactly." Leo was pleased with her reaction.

They continued talking, and after a brief pause in the conversation, Marge remembered something.

"By the way, have you heard anything about the last set of photos we took?"

"Not yet," Leo replied, taking a bite of his burger. "But it's only been a day, so that's to be expected. They've already gotten around five thousand views, though."

Marge's eyes widened, clearly taken aback. "Five thousand? That's... wow, I didn't expect that many people would be looking at me."

"Don't sell yourself short, Marge," Leo said. "You looked amazing in those photos. It's no surprise they're getting attention."

Marge blushed, her fingers twiddling. "I'm just not used to that kind of attention. It feels... different."

Leo smiled warmly, watching her reaction. "It's a good kind of attention. You deserve it."

Marge smiled back, a little bashful. "Well, I guess we'll see what happens."

The conversation shifted back to lighter topics, and as they continued talking, Leo picked up a fry and glanced at Marge. "You know," he said, holding it up, "you should really try one of these. They're surprisingly good."

Marge chuckled, shaking her head. "I usually stay away from fries. I'm more of a salad person."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Come on, just try one. I promise, you won't regret it."

Marge hesitated, then gave him a playful smile. "Alright, alright, fine. Just one."

Leo grinned, picking up a fry and holding it out to her. "Here, try it."

Marge blinked, slightly taken aback that he was feeding her, but she leaned forward, parting her lips and taking the fry from his hand. Their eyes met briefly, and Leo couldn't help but notice the way her cheeks flushed pink as she chewed. 

He thought it was cute how, even though she was a married woman with kids, she still got flustered over something as small as sharing a fry. It made her seem more vulnerable, more real. Her innocence in these little moments fascinated him and made him crave more.

"See? Not so bad, right?" Leo asked, his gaze staying on her a little longer than necessary.

Marge dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin, her blush deepening as she nodded. "Okay, okay, you were right. It is pretty good."

Leo grinned. "Told you."

There was a brief moment of silence as they both shared the subtle intimacy of the exchange. Marge's blush deepened, and Leo found himself enjoying the sight.

"So," Marge said, breaking the silence as she composed herself, "remember how I mentioned Lisa wanting you to come over for dinner?"

"Of course," Leo said, leaning forward. "Did you figure out a date?"

"Yes," Marge nodded. "This Saturday works for everyone. Lisa's really excited."

"Saturday sounds perfect," Leo replied, smiling warmly. "I'll be there."

"Great!" Marge smiled.

As they finished their meal and parted ways, Leo couldn't help but feel like things were falling into place—both with Marge and with Manjula. All he had to do now was keep the momentum going.

[A/N]: Building more character interactions. Sorry for the slower updates.