‘Actually, Ma, what happen—’
‘I’m starving,’ Ma interrupts suddenly and stands up, as if she knew the question was coming. ‘Are you hungry? You must be, after the long day you’ve had. I think I’ll make bhaat and borta. Dherosh, would you be happy with that?’
The sudden shift in conversation disorients me, but I can’t deny the fact that rice and spicy mashed okra would hit the spot right now. ‘Sure. Thanks, Ma.’
‘It may be a while, I need to boil some rice, so why don’t you change before we eat? We don’t want Sadia’s jumper to get dirty.’
I nod and watch Ma walk into the kitchen and pull out pots and pans for our meal, the conversation about Hira Auntie and Azad Uncle over before it even began.
6
After dinner, a share bag of Haribos and watching a cheesy romantic comedy from the early noughties with Ma, I hide out in my room for the rest of the evening, my mind frazzled from my first day at work. I can see why adults always tell kids to enjoy their freedom while they have it, because I can’t imagine doing thisandlooking after a family.
I collapse onto my bed, thankful that Ma traded up my single bed for a double last year, with a mattress that doesn’t sag or have me rolling onto the floor in the middle of the night. It’s kind of a waste, though, since I’ll be off to university next year, and in the back of my mind I wonder if it was a subtle hint from her that I should be aiming at a more local university than one that would require her to get on a plane.
Ma and I have spoken about me attending the University of Edinburgh, and she’s happy for me to go there, to figure out what I want to do. But that was before her fallout with Salman’s parents. Before her social circle got much smaller. Before she had more people than me to be there for her.
I pull out my phone and attempt to take a selfie, running my hands through my curls and messing them up slightly to give them some volume. I pretend to look away from the camera and stick my tongue out to the side as I take a photo. I deem it cute enough to send to my group chat with Shirin, Lipi, Raju and Amit, which they’ve stupidly titledGC WITH POPPY. I also add a couple of other photos from my day to fill out my photodump: a picture of my meal deal, the questionnaire Sadia gave me, a picture of me pouting while pointing at the tea stain on my top and the neon sign that hangs over the reception of Eternally Yours, which readsYour forever starts now.
Within seconds I get a reply from Shirin. It’s a photo, and when I click it open, I’m filled with an immediate sense of calm. It shows an empty SWX, the independent music hall in the city centre, where she and Lipi are working this summer.
Shirin
could have been you .?.?.
if you weren’t such a lovergirl!!!
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit jealous. It would be so cool to work at a live music venue, especially one we all love so much. But I try to remind myself that choosing Eternally Yours over a summer with my friends isn’t a waste of my time or the worst mistake of my life.
GC WITH POPPY
20:11
Poppy
Excuse me!
I’m not the one who knows everything about love languages
Or attachment styles
Shirin
that is right
how ever will you survive at this job
you’re not qualified whatsoever
Poppy
Rude
You know my planning skills are
ELITE
Shirin
