Page 195 of No Boss
Gauri’s younger sister, Kamla Maasi stood near the south wall, locked in an argument with a neighbour over trunk placement.
“You can’t keep it there. It blocks the kitchen.”
“The south wall belongs to the bride’s rituals. It has always been that way.”
“Not when that same wall is the only way to the bathroom.” Kamla Maasi placed both hands on her hips. “Do you expect half the guests to climb over Mithun’s trunk to use the toilet?”
One aunty burst into loud laughter. Another looked offended on behalf of the luggage. A third entered with bedsheets and joined in without knowing the issue.
Meera slipped past them toward the kitchen.
A plate appeared in front of her before she could ask. Hot puris. Sabzi. Halwa. Apple slices arranged with care that felt almost excessive.
Gauri came to her as she ate. Her hand rested against Meera’s head. “Did you sleep well?”
Meera swallowed first. “I slept.”
Technically true. Exhaustion had pulled her under after hours of emotional collapse.
Gauri accepted the answer and moved on because another crisis rose in the kitchen.
“This much saffron will ruin the kheer.”
“It is wedding kheer. It must taste rich.”
“It should not taste medicinal.”
“You fear flavour.”
“I fear bankruptcy. Have you seen saffron prices?”
The argument escalated with alarming speed.
Meera stared at her plate and almost laughed.
The afternoon passed in fragments after that.
Aunties disappeared for midday naps. Kamla Maasi left for the market with three cousins. Gauri went to her room, promising an hour of rest, which meant twenty minutes.
Meera sat on the edge of her bed, her phone in her hand. Her thumb rested over Abhinav’s name.
The ache came sharp enough to pull at her breath.
She wanted to hear him. To know if he had slept. To apologise again, though the apology felt painfully small for what she had put him through.
Her thumb moved to the keypad. Stopped. What would she even write?
I am sorry?
Pathetic.
I missed you?
After emotionally detonating the Haveli for hours?
She locked the phone and dropped it onto the mattress. Five seconds passed before she picked it up again.
Her thumb hovered over the keys. A letter appeared. Deleted. Another word. Deleted.
