breaking into sobs. Though every person I knew, other than Ammamma, had given up on my marital prospects, I’d harboured secret hopes of getting married. The wedding I’d imagined hadn’t been anything like the rushed affair of this morning. In my dreams Ammamma and Chinni would be by my side, supporting me; they’d accompany me to my new marital home, helping to ease the transition. And here I was, in a new place, trying to start off life with a man I hadn’t known twenty-four hours ago.
It took some time before I was able to drag myself off the floor. I didn’t want Srikar to find me like this. I didn’t want him to regret marrying me. Using the edge of my sari, I wiped the dampness from my face, then went back to dusting. A few sneezes later, I could almost tell the colour of the shelves. I dug into my handbag for the idol of Lord Vinayaka that Murty garu had given me. I bowed my head, closing my eyes in prayer.
“Hello!”
I turned.
A young woman stood at the door to the flat, a friendly smile on her face. Though she wasn’t tall, she was shapely, with braided hair that came down to her waist.
I felt gawky next to her effortless grace. I forced myself to smile back.
“My name is Geeta. Are you going to be living here?”
When I nodded, the other woman clapped her hands childishly. “I’m so glad. It will be so nice to have another young woman in the building.” She leaned forward. “You are not from the city?”
I shook my head.
“From the village?”
I nodded.
Geeta frowned. “You don’t talk much, do you?”
I laughed. No one had ever said that of me. “Now that I have a new friend, I will have to, won’t I?” I felt good, positive even. The stresses of the past few days drained away. I promised myself I would make a good life here with Srikar.
“Where is your husband?” Geeta asked.
I felt warmth flood me when Geeta said husband . “He’s gone out on some work.”
Geeta leaned forward, a curious look on her face. “When did you get married?” The sacred thread around my neck, freshly coated with auspicious turmeric, gave me away. If I had been married longer, the cotton thread would have dulled in colour, or been replaced by gold if we could afford it.
“This morning.”
“ Aiyyo !” Geeta squealed. “Newlyweds! I knew it. You have to come to dinner at my house.”
“Are you sure?” I was hesitant. “You don’t even know us.”
“Oh nonsense,” Geeta said with a flick of her hand. “We’re going to be neighbours, aren’t we? Good time to come. My in-laws are away, visiting their other son.” She took my hand. “Come, I’ll show you where I live.”
We walked out into the narrow, grimy corridor overlooking the weed-choked front yard below. Our flat was one of eighteen in Madhuban Apartments – a fancy name for a building of three-room tenements. There were doors on either side of our apartment. “I live on your left,” Geeta said. “So you’ll come?”
“I will have to check with my husband,” I said, trying hard not to grin foolishly.
Chapter 16
We Make Friends
O n the way to the city, Headmaster garu had decided it would be too dangerous for Srikar to return to his old job. Before he left to go back to the village, Headmaster garu cautioned us against retaining old ties. He said to Srikar, “Stay away from your old flat. I’ll arrange for someone to pack your belongings and bring them to you.”
Someone had already packed his belongings and left them outside our door by the time Srikar returned. As Srikar carried the suitcases over the threshold of our new home, he said, “I only bought what we’ll need right away. Tomorrow we can buy the rest. Then I will have to start searching for a new job.”
“ Yemandi ?” I said hesitantly, feeling a little strange to be joining the ranks of married women, and addressing my husband thus. “Uh… I made a new friend. She has invited us to dinner.”
“It’s good you’re already making
It took some time before I was able to drag myself off the floor. I didn’t want Srikar to find me like this. I didn’t want him to regret marrying me. Using the edge of my sari, I wiped the dampness from my face, then went back to dusting. A few sneezes later, I could almost tell the colour of the shelves. I dug into my handbag for the idol of Lord Vinayaka that Murty garu had given me. I bowed my head, closing my eyes in prayer.
“Hello!”
I turned.
A young woman stood at the door to the flat, a friendly smile on her face. Though she wasn’t tall, she was shapely, with braided hair that came down to her waist.
I felt gawky next to her effortless grace. I forced myself to smile back.
“My name is Geeta. Are you going to be living here?”
When I nodded, the other woman clapped her hands childishly. “I’m so glad. It will be so nice to have another young woman in the building.” She leaned forward. “You are not from the city?”
I shook my head.
“From the village?”
I nodded.
Geeta frowned. “You don’t talk much, do you?”
I laughed. No one had ever said that of me. “Now that I have a new friend, I will have to, won’t I?” I felt good, positive even. The stresses of the past few days drained away. I promised myself I would make a good life here with Srikar.
“Where is your husband?” Geeta asked.
I felt warmth flood me when Geeta said husband . “He’s gone out on some work.”
Geeta leaned forward, a curious look on her face. “When did you get married?” The sacred thread around my neck, freshly coated with auspicious turmeric, gave me away. If I had been married longer, the cotton thread would have dulled in colour, or been replaced by gold if we could afford it.
“This morning.”
“ Aiyyo !” Geeta squealed. “Newlyweds! I knew it. You have to come to dinner at my house.”
“Are you sure?” I was hesitant. “You don’t even know us.”
“Oh nonsense,” Geeta said with a flick of her hand. “We’re going to be neighbours, aren’t we? Good time to come. My in-laws are away, visiting their other son.” She took my hand. “Come, I’ll show you where I live.”
We walked out into the narrow, grimy corridor overlooking the weed-choked front yard below. Our flat was one of eighteen in Madhuban Apartments – a fancy name for a building of three-room tenements. There were doors on either side of our apartment. “I live on your left,” Geeta said. “So you’ll come?”
“I will have to check with my husband,” I said, trying hard not to grin foolishly.
Chapter 16
We Make Friends
O n the way to the city, Headmaster garu had decided it would be too dangerous for Srikar to return to his old job. Before he left to go back to the village, Headmaster garu cautioned us against retaining old ties. He said to Srikar, “Stay away from your old flat. I’ll arrange for someone to pack your belongings and bring them to you.”
Someone had already packed his belongings and left them outside our door by the time Srikar returned. As Srikar carried the suitcases over the threshold of our new home, he said, “I only bought what we’ll need right away. Tomorrow we can buy the rest. Then I will have to start searching for a new job.”
“ Yemandi ?” I said hesitantly, feeling a little strange to be joining the ranks of married women, and addressing my husband thus. “Uh… I made a new friend. She has invited us to dinner.”
“It’s good you’re already making
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