Inaya looked like she might faint with happiness. Jai was more relieved than anything else that his Jhulan problem had been sorted for now.

Sitting beside them, Humaira, Irfan, Rajan and Arathi who had started out rather awkwardly, were all getting on quite famously now, animatedly discussing Bollywood films, Pakistani dramas, cricket and food—not necessarily in that order.

‘Okay, so it’s settled then. You give us Coke Studio, we give you Katrina Kaif,’ said Arathi.

Irfan pretended to sign an imaginary document, which he then handed to Arathi with an exaggerated flourish.

‘It’s a deal,’ he said.

‘Oh please—that sounds like a very unfair trade,’ protested Rajan. ‘Why don’t you take one of our strapping heroes instead?’

Humaira smiled, listening to their banter. ‘I’m so glad you made the time to get away from work, Irfan,’ she said.

‘Oh, is he a workaholic as well?’ asked Arathi. ‘It must be a family trait then.’

‘I’m not a workaholic,’ declared Rajan and Irfan, almost in unison, throwing up their hands.

Humaira and Arathi exchanged a look and burst out laughing.

Meanwhile, Habib and Toshi took a cab back to their hotel, exhausted but happy after their day spent together, visiting their cousins. As the taxi drew up outside the hotel, Toshi pointed to the Gateway of India framed against the inky sea and sky.

‘Do you remember we used to buy peanuts from that vendor here?’ she asked, her eyes shining as if she were ten again. ‘How much we’d laugh when he called peanuts “timepass”—we’d never heard that before.’

Habib laughed.

‘Those were good days, Toshi di. And you’re looking as happy as if you’re expecting that he will still be here.’

‘You never know—perhaps his son or daughter could be here? Now I can believe that almost anything is possible. I’ll buy us some peanuts for old time’s sake and be back in two minutes.’

‘Okay, I’ll book us a table at the restaurant in the meanwhile,’ said Habib. ‘Hopefully, their match should be done soon?’

Toshi nodded and wandered off in search of the peanut vendor. She inhaled the warm sea breeze laden with happy childhood memories. She couldn’t find the peanut vendor she was looking for, but she did get the peanuts. She tried one and shut her eyes happily as a wave of nostalgia washed over her.

Toshi looked up to the sky. There were an uncommon number of crows flying over the red domes of the hotel. Biji always said that crows brought messages from loved ones who had died. Perhaps Biji and Papaji were sending Tarlok and her a message today, she thought with a smile.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of fireworks. Toshi turned around. The sound seemed to be coming from the hotel—a wedding celebration, possibly. It was November after all, the season for weddings, and the concierge had mentioned that there was to be a ‘big fat Indian wedding’ that night.