I passed the rest of the hour learning physics from Manju. I stood up to leave. I
reached the living room where Ananya’s dad was making slow love to The Hindu.
Ananya had instructed me to spend as much time with her father as possible. I
waited for ten minutes until he finished his article.
‘Yes?’
‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘I finished the class.’
‘Good,’ he said and flipped another page.
‘How’s the bank, uncle?’
He glanced up from the newspaper, surprised. ‘Which bank?’
‘Your bank.’ I cleared my throat. ‘How is your job?’
‘What?’ he said, stumped by the stupidity of the question. ‘What is there in
job? Job is same.’
‘Yes, sure,’ I said.
I stood for another five minutes, not sure of what I should do. I couldn’t
compete with The Hindu, and a fresh one came every day.
‘I’ll leave now, uncle,’ I said.
‘OK,’ he said.
I had reached the door when he called out, ‘Breakfast?’
‘I’ll have it in the office.’
‘Where is your office?’
‘Anna Salai,’ I said.
‘That’s on my way. I leave at eight-thirty. I can drop you,’ he said.
I realised eight-thirty would mean I’d reach an hour later than my boss. It didn’t
work for me. But the lift also meant I could be in this house for another two hours
and be in the car alone with my father-in-law-in-courtship.
‘That’s perfect. I have to reach at the same time,’ I said.
‘Good,’ he said and went back to hhis paper again.
nora
(Nora)
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