The Monsoon Rain by Joya Victoria

He then proceeded to take her there. He had such a lovely smile that Miranda could not help observing how his face lit up. Was this an Indian attitude they had so little and yet they smiled? She supposed it was a somewhat fatalisticattitude that helped them carry on, despite not having much. How wonderful it was, to so easily be happy! Or was it? Was it just a façade?
    Dolly was impatiently waiting for Miranda, wanting to know what had taken place, how the morning had panned out. But one look at Miranda’s face, and she decided to hold her tongue and let the girl speak.
    “Who is Hannah?” Mira asked her aunt, helping herself to coffee. There was no beating around the bush for her. She had decided to come straight to the point.
    “Oh, Hannah?” Dolly answered, slightly taken aback at Miranda’s direct approach. “She was Derek’s girlfriend once upon a time.” She chose her words very carefully. “Why do you ask?”
    “Just out of curiosity. We met her this morning, and Derek introduced us. He was sort of rude and tried brushing her off, but she was determined to tag along with us.”
    “Hannah is history,” Dolly said very matter-of-fact. She tried to dismiss her niece’s probing questions. “She and Derek went out for some time, but as things sometime happen it all fizzled out.”
    With that she rang the little bell calling one of the servants to come and clear the table.
    Miranda got the message! there is to be no more talk on that subject! But she wanted to know. She mentioned in passing that Derek had invited her for dinner that evening.
    Dolly immediately got down to work. It was decided that Tom’s driver would take her. Tom was willing to drive her himself, but Dolly would have none of it. Miranda should go on her own. Derek had offered to pick her up initially but that invitation was declined very politely by Miranda herself!

4
    IT WAS STIFLINGLY hot; every nook and cranny was hot! Take a cool bath and in no time you were drenched in sweat all over again. However, despite the heat and the humming mosquitoes, Miranda was looking forward to her evening visit with Derek. She was getting very impatient, and it was difficult to pass the time. Every now and then her eyes wandered to the little watch she wore on her left wrist. It was more of an ornament that she rarely used, but today the little watch had been very handy. She could not settle in one room; she moved from room to room, to the garden, to the front porch, and back into the bungalow.
    Lunch came and went and then siesta time followed by tea. Finally it was nearly time to have another bath and dress and at last!
    Nothing escaped Dolly’s attention. She watched Miranda surreptitiously all day. She didn’t say anything but only watched. God, how restless she was getting! Dolly stifled her laughter during lunch. Well, let the poor girl be, she told herself, and let’s see where it all leads.
    She was hoping against hope that all this anticipation, all this preparation would come to something and she would be able to cheer Molly up with some good news. Her sister was becoming rather eager as to what was happening and was debating in her mind whether she had done the right thing by sending her only daughter overseas on a wild goose chase. Hopefully she had not made a mistake. The expense of it was another issue; Molly could ill afford such a hair-raising plan if it was not worthwhile.
    However, they were all depending on this impending dinner unbeknown to one another. Tom was dissuaded from driving Miranda for her rendezvous by his wife, so the chauffeur had to work overtime to take her and bring her back. He was none too pleased about it, either, but an order was an order and he had to comply—with a smile.
    Derek’s bungalow was set apart from the surrounding lowland area, perched on a little hillock. A few flickering lights lined the climbing road from the main road leading to his front gate. The tall Gold Mohur trees, or the flame of the