55
Chennai seemed embarrassingly familiar on my second trip. I could throw in
Tamil terms and negotiate with autos. I knew the main roads. I reached Ananya’s
office at eleven.
‘Hi, I’m Krish,’ I said to the receptionist.
‘Oh, that Krish,’ she said and called Ananya.
Ananya came out. I opened my arms to embrace her, but she shook hands.
‘I came for the day,’ I said, as we sat in the HLL cafeteria.
‘You shouldn’t have,’ she said. ‘What’s with the unshaven look? And why do
you seem so weak? Are you sick?’
‘I want to meet your parents,’ I said.
‘There is no use. No matter how charming you are, they don’t trust you
anymore,’ Ananya said.
‘Do you trust me?’
‘Irrelevant,’ she said.
‘I’ll go to your place,’ I said.
‘Don’t, Harish’s parents are in town. They will visit my parents today.’
I took a deep breath to keep my temper in control. ‘At least spend the day with
me,’ I said.
‘I can’t. I have work. Besides, it is not good for my parents’ reputation.’
Blood rushed up my face. ‘What reputation? What about Ahmedabad? What
about when you’d lie to them to meet me in Chennai? What about Ratna Stores?’
My voice was as loud as my body was tired.
She stood up. ‘Please don’t create a scene at my workplace.’