home because you had a tiff with your wife. Tomorrow she will bake cookies for you and you will be
home with her. What does that make me? Ms Standby?’
He pushed back his hair with an unsteady hand. ‘I just wanted to be out of there. Fresh air.. .I
thought I will come and check if you wanted to be with me. I am sorry if.. .’
‘It’s fine tonight. I just prefer it outside Hong Kong. Helps me keep my sanity,’ I said.
‘Are you okay, Radhika? I’ve never seen you like this,’ Neel said.
‘Let’s go to bed.’
We lay in bed. I turned off the lights. He put his arm around me. I didn’t reciprocate and lay still.
‘I know what you are thinking,’ he said.
‘What?’
‘That this is a booty call.’
‘Now that you say it, maybe yes. Maybe that’s why you are here.’
‘I just wanted to be with you. Let’s not do anything tonight. Let me just hold you,’ he said.
I looked at him. Even in the darkness I could see his eyes.
‘Really?’ I said.
‘Yeah. Why are you so surprised?’
‘You are a guy. We are having an affair. You are okay with not having sex?’
‘Of course,’ Neel said. He kissed my shoulder.
‘We can if you want to,’ I said.
‘No, not tonight. I just want to be with you,’ Neel said. ‘Goodnight. I love you.’
‘Goodnight,’ I said, in mild shock.
I stayed awake as he slept in my arms. He was two decades older, yet I felt I had a baby next
to me. He looked peaceful as his head lay on top of my hair. Maybe he did care for me. Maybe what
we were doing was wrong, but maybe something good could come out of it.
I checked. He seemed to be in deep sleep.
‘I love you, Neel Gupta,’ I whispered to his sleeping face.
‘I heard that,’ he said and turned sides.
‘You are so bad,’ I said and punched his shoulder as he grinned, eyes still closed.
‘I will let Josh do the talking. He is your supervisor. Only fair he gives you your number on bonus
day,’ Neel said.
Josh sat in Neel’s office. I took a seat with them.
‘Sure,’ I said. It was impressive how professional Neel and I were at work.
Josh gave me a summary of my performance review. My peers had rated me four-and-a-half
overall.
‘That’s a good rating,’ Neel said. I wondered what he himself had rated me.