Iram’s eyes widened — “You can’t be serious. For us?”
Amaal nodded. “Professionally, they are going through a tough time. I know Samar can be a selfish, smug asshole and sometimes heisthat to Atharva. The ego wars are real. But I also know that he cannot survive without Atharva.”
Still can’t.
“As I said, he has talked about getting a house here. He can’t buy because he doesn’t hold a domicile but his plans are elaborate.”
That had been a small little scary clue for her. Once he had asked her if they could have two homes. And now, he had a house here — rented, but grand. And nothing about it except its address was known to her.
“And he is discussing them with you.” Iram became the devil’s advocate for her unvoiced thoughts. “Which means he is seeing you in them. Ask him, Amaal. And then talk to him.”
“What’s the hurry?”
“Trust me, time passes in a blink. Now, when I look at the years I spent in our home in Srinagar, I feel like they were as short as a few weeks. I did not appreciate our home enough. I did not appreciate the Atharva I got in that home enough. I didn’t appreciate my home enough. Things pass, Amaal. You have seen things pass us by. Don’t wait. If he is in the right space, talk it out. Whatever the outcome may be — marry or don’t, that is your decision. And yes, I agree with you. Some behaviours are acceptable momentarily but not as a habit. But it was you who told me once that in work, like in any relationship, you have to accept the bad with the good. But until you tell him that’s your hurdle to him, you won’t know if he is ready to cross it for you.”
“Hmm…” Amaal sucked on her kulfi quietly. And Iram did not ask anything more, sensing her unease.
“Amaal?” Samar’s holler made her feet freeze. They turned. And there he was, on the kitchen door.
“Are you ready to go?”
Her stomach clenched.
“I am staying here tonight.” She answered.
He stepped through the door and was striding towards her. Her heart began to thud and everything south of her stomach froze.
“You both talk,” Iram-the-traitor chimed. “I’ll head back inside.”
Samar stepped into her place, and his shoulders covered the world for her. Amaal kept her eyes there. On the breadth of his shoulders.
“Look here.”
She did.
“You are coming home with me.”
Her breath wouldn’t come.
His answer could not be negative. If he was looking at her like that, his answer could not be negative. Amaal felt her chest fluttering, flying, too light to be held steady.
“Tell Iram that you are not staying here.”
Amaal hoped her face wasn’t too flushed, or if it was, the darkness would cover it. She hoped her voice wasn’t shaking too much as she called out — “Iram!”
She didn’t even turn.
“I am not staying here.”
Her traitor friend just stepped inside her kitchen and closed the door.
53. Samar’s car was still the same, silent…
Samar’s car was still the same, silent.
She was the noise inside it. Usually.
Tonight, she couldn’t even make a squeak.
