“Hi,” he whispered, reaching down and picking her up before she fell on his shoe. “Shhh, what are you doing here?”
She made a loud sputter.
“Hey!” He whispered. “Shhh. I am going to put you down again, quietly crawl out. Ok?”
She gurgled, smiling at him, and threw herself face-first into his chin again. Nilay pushed it up, letting her nestle in the crook of his neck — “Oh-kay,” he smiled, squeezing his arms around her. “I like you too. You are by far the cutest baby…”
“What is Megha doing in there…?”
He looked up and met Maya Kumar’s wide eyes. Gautam was quick to follow and froze behind her.
“Maya… oh, NiP came in for… uhhh…” Ritu pushed inside. “He was passing and…”
“Ok,” Nilay stepped up. “The truth.” He knew this was over. Time to come clean. These were his vendor partners. And people whose child was in his arms.
“Maya, Gautam, I…”
“I know!” Maya held a hand up.
“Maya, let me explain…”
“What the hell are you doing in my house with Ritu and my daughter?” Gautam Kumar recovered, looking just as enraged as he would have felt if roles were reversed.
“Gautam, as I was saying…”
“I know, G. I know. No foul done.”
“One second, M. Stay out of this.” Gautam crossed the room and took his daughter. Nilay felt the loss, but smiled as she snuggled up to her father. “NiP, explain.”
“He is here on my invitation!” Ritu bumped up between them. “Gautam, relax. Nothing is wrong.”
“Then why is he hiding here?”
“Because…”
“Because?”
“Because he and Maasi are secretly dating and they didn’t want to tell us because who tells the world before they are ready?!” Maya blurted what was all bullshit and all true. “Did we tell the world for the longest time?”
Gautam’s eyes, though, remained on him. Nilay nodded — “I did not intend to…”
“I will explain everything to you at home, G, come on,” Maya pulled at his arm.
Gautam kept staring at him.
“G! Come on!” Maya yelled at him. “Don’t make them more uncomfortable!”
That made MM startle. She broke into a sob. Nilay observed how Gautam’s staring match with him broke instantly. He cupped his daughter’s head and turned with her, bouncing her in his arms and striding out. Nilay caught Gautam’s words to Ritu — “I need to speak to you today.”
“Listen,” Maya muttered hurriedly to him. “I know. And don’t worry, I am with you. I will talk to G. And… nice shoes.”
He glanced down — “They are not the same ones.”
“I know,” she laughed. And was out of the door. Within seconds, he heard the click of the main door and sat down on the bed. Silence reigned where yells and cries had a second ago.
Ritu came to the door, looking red and panicked.
“You are all red, Doctor.”
