Get married,’ I said abruptly, startling the two of them.
The next moment startled me.
Mom and Mr D’Souza threw mysterious glances at each other and smiled.
‘What’s the matter?’ I asked. ‘I know I have been busy but I know that you two have been fond of each other ever since we moved in here. It’s just …’
Mom interrupted, ‘Souza and I have known each other for thirty-five years, not for the three and a half months you think we have.’
WHAT? Souza? What was I missing? I only stared back at her.
‘A day before your father sent the divorce papers, I had spoken with Souza. Back in college, we called him Buddha because he had the sage’s smile. When I called him, he had lost his wife recently and was going through a lot,’ Rajni spoke, unfazed.
‘Before I could say anything to you, you came and told me that we were moving to Goa. Souza was in North Goa. Call it divine intervention, but I couldn’t contain my excitement. I feigned reluctance at your proposal for the sake of propriety,’ Mom continued.
‘Why didn’t you say anything before?’ I asked.
‘Because you never let me. You took all the decisions, just like your father did,’ Mom argued.
‘I’m sorry, Mom.’ I lowered my eyes.
‘A woman can make her own decisions. That night when you demanded to know who it was that I was talking to at such an “odd hour”, you’d merely wished to confirm your suspicion, no?’ Mom quizzed.
‘I know it was Mrs Nair and …’ I tried to apologise.
‘It was not Mrs Nair,’ Mom said, calmly.
‘What?’ I was puzzled, again.
‘Our Delhi neighbour is Mrs Iyer, not Mrs Nair,’ Mom clarified.
A frown appeared on my face and the Buddha looked at Rajni as he smiled his smile.
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