‘No,’ he said.
I realised Ananya’s father answered exactly what was asked. ‘Who is he?’ I
asked slowly.
‘It’s Radha’s Carnatic music teacher who came to see her. But she is busy in
the kitchen making dinner for you. Now what to do?’
I nodded.
Ananya’s mother came in the living room. She held a tray with a glass of water
and a plate of savouries. The spiral-shaped, brown-coloured snacks resembled
fossilised snakes.
‘Hello, aunty,’ I stood up.
‘Hello, Krish,’ she said.
‘I am sorry I came at the wrong time,’ I said, looking at the teacher.
‘It’s OK. Ananya invited you. And she has a habit of not consulting me,’
Ananya’s mother said.
‘Aunty, we can all go out,’ I said.
‘It’s OK. Food is almost ready,’ she said and turned to her husband. ‘Give me
half an hour with Guruji.’ She went up to Guruji and touched his feet. The Guruji
blessed her. Ananya’s mother picked up the tambura and they left the room.
‘So, Citibank placed you in Chennai?’ uncle said, initiating conversation with
me for the first time.
‘Yes, sir’ I said. Ananya had told him the bank transferred me.
‘Why do they send North Indians here?’
‘I don’t know, sir.’
‘Useless buggers,’ he mumbled and buried himself in his newspaper again.
I cleared my throat and finally gathered the courage to ask. ‘Where’s Ananya?’
Uncle looked up in shock as if I had asked him where he kept his porn
collection. ‘She had gone for a bath. She will come after evening prayers.’
nora
(Nora)
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