“Yes, but have you added what I recommended?”
His jaw tightened.
Instead of reading him the riot act on the demerits of nutrition loss when recovering from a heart episode, Ritu turned and put the car in drive. This simple case was turning into a complex maze. He was a standard open and shut patient — 80% there, the rest solvable if he got in for an angiography. Worst-case scenario was stenting. But he seemed so averse to it, so traumatised by the idea, that she was compelled to work on his lifestyle with him. Even that, he was being stubborn about. She would have to spell it out better for him — everything.
Was it his special dislike for her that was keeping him from accepting his lifestyle change fully or he was justthatdifficult and dense a man?
She didn’t realise when she drove through the city and was on Maya’s bungalow gate. The guard opened the gate and she drove in, parking behind Gautam’s car and getting out. The reality of Maya’s fall came rushing in and she sprinted inside the open house.
“Maya?”
“Here, here.”
Ritu heard footsteps behind her and wanted to send him away, but Maya was her priority. She ran towards the hall. Maya was on the sofa, splayed back with her feet up on the coffee table and a pillow behind her. MM was playing in the crook of her arm.
“I told you to stay put.”
She was grinning, popping her mouth at her daughter. Her happy eyes came to her, and Ritu read the panic. “G helped me up, it’s better.”
“Where is he?”
“Here,” Gautam came striding out of the kitchen, water in hand. “I didn’t give her any painkillers before you checked… NiP?”
“Oh, hey!” Maya suddenly began to sit up, then winced.
“Stay back!” Ritu sat down beside her, plucking MM and holding her under her own arm to keep her from accidentally hurting her mother.
“Hi, NiP! What a pleasant surprise. Or you couldn't get enough of my awesome party yesterday?”
“I…” he stuttered. A first.
“He drove me,” Ritu filled in for him.
“But you came from your clinic, no?” Gautam frowned.
“Yes.”
“What were you doing at Maasi’s clinic?” Maya asked him.
“I was in the building,” he lied. God knew why he was so secretive about his illness. So what? It was an illness. Humans had come to this earth with bodies and they broke down from time to time. What was to be ashamed of about that?
“She was rushing for an Uber, I saw it, found out you had an accident, and gave her a lift.”
“That’s so damn sweet,” Maya smiled her big, social grin. Even in pain, she could be the hostess that Ritu didn’t want to be on her best day.
“Alright,” Ritu announced. “Can you guys give us the room for a minute?”
“Oh, yeah,” Nilay stepped back. “Sure. I hope you are ok and feel better, Maya. See you, Gautam…”
“Where are you going, NiP? The TV room is there… G, take him,” Maya ordered.
Ritu frowned, as did Gautam.
“What? It’s Saal Mubarak today. We can’t let him leave without lunch. NiP, Saal Mubarak. I hope you are celebrating today.”
“Oh… It’s been some years since I did. Saal Mubarak. All of you. But I’ll get going. Thanks for the invitation though,” he smiled. A normal, regular smile. Why was he so chummy with Maya?
“Come on, it’s a full Gujarati meal. You are a Gujarati, how can you say no? Puri-shaak, samosa, three chutneys, Surti daal and jeera rice. There’s also basundi…”
