“I was thinking yearly, or once every two years.”
His throat dried.
“Exactly, she would have crossed two foyers every time you see her. She won’t even remember you.”
“There are video calls, Nilay.”
“That’s not the same. And India. It’s really the place to be in right now. Look at this,” he pulled out his mobile and pulled up his UPI app. He opened her contact number and sent her 500 bucks. The blue tick lit his screen and he tapped her — “That’s how we transact now. In America, you still tap cards!”
“We have digital wallets…”
“I know. I have three of those with money rotting there. None of them work this quickly. Ritu, India is growing. As a cardiologist with the kind of skill and focus you have, taking patients out of invasive procedures and into lifestyle and care… it’s a niche that you will rule here.”
“What is it with you and this sudden obsession?! I will give you your songs.”
“You haven’t sent me any since yesterday.”
“That’s because I am running out of monsoon songs! You just don’t like any.”
“Search, Ritu, search. You are not leaving Mumbai until you give me all 10.”
“Ramta Jogi, try that one.”
“I have heard that and there is no rain in it. Stop fooling me. I am indifferent to music, not ignorant.”
“It’s not rainy as such, but it always gave me rain feels.”
“Does it?”
She shrugged. “Maybe it’s the tune? I don’t know. The video was of a musical rehearsal but I always found it to be a passionate song of rain and fire…”
A doorbell stalled her. Nilay shot to his feet. “Is that them?”
“Can’t be,” she glanced at the clock. MM whined, then began to cry. Her eyes popped open and Nilay instantly picked her up, patting her head. “Shh, shh…” he whispered in her ear. “Quiet. Everything is fine.”
Ritu ran to the door, peeping through the hole. Then came back like the world was on fire — “It’s them!”
“Damn! You said they are coming late!” He hissed.
“They said that!”
“You are no good at this, Doctor!”
“Give her to me.”
“She has quietened.”
“Give her to me and you go hide.”
“Oh, here.” He passed MM to her, blinked playfully at her Snow White eyes gaping at him, and ran. He pushed his feet inside his shoes and skidded inside Ritu’s bedroom, then pushed the door just as he heard the main door open. It stopped halfway. He couldn’t completely snap it shut now without drawing attention. So, Nilay decided to stay away from the space near the door.
His heart was beating fast as he ventured further into the room. Dr. Kapadia would give him palpitations of her own unique kind. Nilay took a deep breath. He could hear the murmurs outside. Gautam and Maya both. He walked towards the window, confident Ritu would handle it now. He opened the sliding glass pane and stared out blankly. She was leaving. She didn’t have any plans to stay. Nothing he said was working. Not the lifestyle, neither this life, nor her family — nothing seemed to hold her back.
Was she running away from something?
If he asked, would she tell him? They were too new in this for him to try. He himself didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t have a guide for this. He didn’t have any experience in this. No rules about which stitch went after which knot to tighten it all up. All he had was instinct, and lately… impulse. Every day was borrowed time. He had three weeks still to go but…
“Googoogaagaaa…” A tiny hand banged his leg. He looked down and MM had crawled her way inside, grinning up at him.
