‘What is the point of me seeing these girls? What am I supposed to check out
in one hour? Her complexion? Figure – fat or slim? Is the marble in her home
real? None of this matters when you have to spend your life with the person, so
might as well save time. The parents should do the meeting. Whoever massages
your ego more, say yes.’
‘What happened to you? These multinationals are sucking your blood,’ my
mother said.
‘Can you apologize to Ananya’s parents?’ I said.
My mother didn’t respond. She stood up from the sofa and went into the
kitchen.
I followed her ‘Why can’t you do it?’ I said.
She didn’t answer me. She dabbed at dishwashing detergent with a sponge
and scrubbed the utensils. She addressed an imaginary audience:
‘First a useless husband, now a useless son. I had thought, after my son’s
marriage. I will get respect. I said yes to his choice of girl, but at least behave like
the girl’s side. Now he wants me to fall at their feet. What is so great about this
girl? Shipra is right, everyone is selfish.’
‘Stop it, mom, I am not telling you to grovel. You can apologize over the
phone.’
‘Apologize for what? Is it wrong to expect what is due to me? Didn’t I look after
your grandmother until she died?’
‘Didn’t Ananya help set Duke’s family right? Didn’t you say yes then?’
‘I was wrong. I hadn’t met her parents then. I’ve never met such a dry breed of
people. Look at how they eat dinner, like it is a punishment. Ananya’s mother –
does she ever laugh? Dark from outside, dark from inside.’
The doorbell rang. My father had come back from another of his lacklusture
business ventures. I switched off the TV and opened the door. I had told him the
partial truth about Goa. I had said there was an office conference there and that I
nora
(Nora)
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