“They think you, me and some boyfriend of yours are into a threesome.”
“What? Why?”
“That’s just the gossip going around.”
“Who said that to you?”
“As if I’ll tell you when you ask like that.”
“Like how?”
“Angry?”
His face relaxed. “Tell me now.”
“Ha. No.”
She began to walk and he had to match her footsteps or risk letting go of her waist.
“Ritu!”
“What does it matter? You don’t care what they think.”
“About me. Not about you. Was it Kedar, my assistant? He spent the most amount of time around you…”
“Nilay. Quiet. Relax. I don’t care. I am not going to meet any of them ever again.”
He went silent then. They reached the lift and entered in silence, his arm pulling her closer into him as a white couple boarded on the next floor. She tried to pull away but he tightened his fingers — “Stop fighting.”
“This is a village.”
“And this hotel hosts foreigners, who are openminded. Or can’t you see?” He nudged his chin to the European couple in front of them.
“We said only last night.” she whispered into his ear.
“And we agreed to keep playing in front of my staff.”
“You decreed. I did not agree.”
“You drive me nuts, Doctor,” he hissed.
“Youarenuts!”
“I’ll show you nuts…” he was cut off when the lift landed on the ground floor and the grille was pulled open. They stepped out behind the couple and Nilay’s team was already camped there, bags and equipment and luggage stacked on trolleys.
“NiP,” his assistant found him. “Your town car was punctured and the hotel cars are all occupied. Are you ok travelling on the bus with us?”
“Call another town car…”
Ritu’s phone beeped and she dipped her hand inside her bag for it.
DR. SHRAVAN (LONDON)
Hi Ritu
Boarding the early morning flight for Mumbai. I should be there
by tonight. Will come to the clinic tomorrow. Thanks for holding fort.
