‘The way you’re using your hand, you might need a prosthetic for it soon,’ I joke.
‘And if I slap you with it, then you will need a prosthetic face,’ he counters. He plates for Rabbani. ‘What’s keeping her?’
We both turn to see her standing a few feet away, staring down at a ripped-up package in her hands. She is now studying the passports that she has taken out.
‘Rabbani . . .’
She looks up, nostrils flaring.
‘I wanted to tell you.’
I hadn’t found the courage to tell Rabbani about the last-minute addition to the trip. There was too much planning going on, and I was in no mood to tolerate her tantrums. She has clutched the passports tightly in her hands, the nerve on her forehead is popping, and her anger is palpable. She holds Aanchal’s passport out for me to see.
‘She’s going with you?’ she thunders.
I think about being nonchalant about it but then decide to be honest.
‘We are giving our relationship another try. We need to at least try.’
She lets out a huge, frustrated breath.
‘Dude! Don’t you realize how wrong this is?’
‘It’s the most natural thing to do!’
‘She’s going to leave you again!’ Rabbani shouts, her voice trembling with frustration.
‘Rabbani, calm down,’ I say in a stern tone. ‘I know what you’re worried about. This is not going to affect us.’
‘You must be kidding me! After everything she’s done to you, you’re going back to her? How dumb do you have to be, Dada!’
‘She has done nothing to me,’ I clarify. ‘Every relationship has—’
‘And what she did to Amu Didi?’ she grumbles.
‘I did that to her.’
‘You can’t just go running after her because your vibes match!’ she protests.
‘I’m pretty sure it’s more than just vibe.’
‘I will never talk to her!’
‘Rabbani, I understand why you’re so upset, but this is something that I need to do for me.’
She’s far from calm. Her face is flushed red.
‘I’m not going to accept it, no way!’
‘No one’s asking you to accept it,’ I snap.
‘Dude! Your decisions affect everyone!’
‘Stop calling me dude,’ I snarl.
‘I will call you whatever!’
‘Look, Rabbani, I need to do this one thing for myself.Chup ho jaa.’
