‘He cheated?’
‘No.’
‘He hurt you? Kaavi, I swear to God if he hurt you—’
‘Calm down Anni. He didn’t hurt me. It wasn’t anything like that. I left him.’
‘What was wrong with him?’
‘Nothing.’
Anni pulled out the bottle from her handbag and read the label. ‘There’s so little alcohol in this that it can’t be the drink, but I have no idea what you’re saying.’
Kaavi leaned forward across the table, grabbed the bottle from her and shoved it in her own handbag.
‘Listen, there was nothing wrong with him. Focus. Did you hear what I said? I am married. I am still married to him,’ she said.
‘And?’
‘He is walking towards us … with your husband.’
Anni’s head snapped around so fast that it was surprising it was still attached to her body.
‘Oh,’ she said softly.
Neel and Sam were now standing in front of them. Sam carried two Cosmopolitan cocktails, which he placed on the table. Then Neel passed him his beer, keeping another bottle for himself.
‘Hey, Kaavi. So good to see you,’ Sam said, ruffling her hair. ‘I hope you two don’t mind that my friend Neel Naran is joining us.’
Anni was shell-shocked. She just nodded.
Kaavi, a little tipsy, gave a thumbs up. Neel raised an eyebrow but slid into the booth next to her.
‘Hello,’ he said, more to Anni than to her.
Anni scooted further into the booth and Sam moved in next to her.
‘Neel, this is my wife Anni and next to you is our dear friend Kaavi.’
Neel nodded. Anni still didn’t say anything. She just took a big sip of her drink.
‘Neel and I go way back. We met a couple of times a year for interschool cricket. Those were the best days of our lives, right Neel?’
‘The best. But I always preferred it when your team came to Jo’burg than us coming to the Midlands,’ he replied.
Sam sipped his beer, nodding.
‘I still can’t believe you hated cricket,’ Neel continued.
Kaavi shifted in her seat. Neel was pretending that she was no one to him, going on about damn cricket when she was having a mini heart attack.
‘I only hated it because my best friend was on the rugby team and sucked at cricket. Hey, did you marry that girl who was always cheering for you at every game?’
Anni choked on her drink. Sam tapped her back.
Neel turned to Kaavi and winked. She reached for the wine list, thanking the universe it was laminated cardboard, and fanned herself.
‘The one with the bob haircut?’ Neel looked back at Sam.
