“I don’t even know, and it’s only 7,” she sighed. “I am so bored. I think I will prepone my return to this month instead of January.”
“No way!”
“There is nothing to do, Maya.”
“There is so much to do if only you wake up late!”
Ritu broke into a laugh — “That’s the stupidest logic I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s not stupid. It’s smart. You wake up at what? 5?”
Ritu looked guilty.
“I know you do. Megha cries so loud that even the neighbours have asked us if we torture her.”
Ritu took a sip of her tea.
“See, if you wake up at 10 or 11… you won’t have to worry about what you have to do. Wake up, lie in bed for an hour with Instagram, shower for an hour, time for lunch! Then read a book or watch a movie all afternoon. Then go out to walk or shop in the evening. Dinner outside. Come back to another movie in bed… or maybe even two… and Maggi! Wow. Maasi,” she whimpered. “I want that life back! Maasi, I can’t do adulthood!”
Ritu couldn’t stop laughing.
“You’re so mean!”
Ritu finished her tea and set the cup down. “Yes, but I am still checking for an earlier date.” She picked up her mobile and found it knocked out of her hand. A pillow had tackled it to the floor.
“Maya!”
“No going back early. I have a new plan.”
“What plan, crazy?” She picked up her phone, checking if the screen was intact. It was, thank god.
“You are shifting to our old apartment. It’s just one lane away. You get to do the whole vacation-without-a-crying-baby thing every night and every morning. You come here at lunch and dinner times, or whenever you get bored. Basically, WHENEVER YOU WANT. I will come there to chill when G is home with Megha. Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! Maasi, we can both ditch adulthood together like that!”
Ritu thumped her head on the headrest.
“I am so awesome naa?”
She thumped it even harder.
“One week.”
Ritu opened her eyes.
“One week trial. If you don’t enjoy it, then…”
“I will prepone.”
“No, then we will find a new idea.”
“One week, Maya. I will play this game for one week and then I am out of here. I loved living with you guys but I genuinely don’t know what to do with my day. You guys come to New York and then we will have fun there.”
“Hey! You got the invite?”
“Don’t change the topic. What invite?”
“Dimple’s engagement party. More like a pre-wedding week lunch-cum-live band.”
“Yes.”
