‘They’ve been having—their affair has been on for a month now and you were the only one at that party who didn’t know what was happening in that bathroom, Polly,’ Comma said and looked at me sympathetically. ‘It was an open secret and then you walked in on them and she screamed and it all became too public. I think she blamed you for it.’

‘It wasn’t my fault!’ I said, stunned. ‘How could she be my friend one day and then—’

‘She’s never really been your friend, Polly,’ Comma said.

‘Ever since you were asked to do the blogger story, Ragini approached me many times. You know she wanted to do it as an investigation. She told me you weren’t—that you weren’t good enough for it. She was never happy about you doing the story and now it has got such rave reviews …’ Comma said looking uncomfortable.

‘Is that all?’ I asked, my mind in turmoil. This cannot be Ragini, it’s not the same woman I’ve known for the last six years.

‘No. When you were hired for Tabloid, you were supposed to be on the news desk. Ragini got you shifted to Features. She told Sinha and Ed—I was present in the room—that you were ‘soft stuff’ and not meant for news,’ Comma said hesitantly. ‘Are you all right Polly?’

‘Is that all?’ I asked. I’d felt something uncoil in my heart, stirring sleepily.

All this while Ragini has ridiculed me for writing feature articles, for writing frivolous stuff, for not being a serious journalist …

‘Yes,’ Comma said. ‘Polly, are you—’

‘I am sorry Leena I—I think I need to go to the toilet,’ I managed.

Comma caught my arm.

‘I don’t know everything that she said, but from what I heard, I understand you’ve refused Trishala’s interview. Don’t be hasty, think about it calmly. Ragini would have done it to you in a jiffy. She’s already done it to you, Polly. It’s high time you started thinking for yourself,’ Comma said.

I gently extricated myself, picked up my bag and left office.

And here I am, heading home in an auto and feeling the start of a massive headache. Where did the last twenty-four hours go? I hope Sid comes early and I hope he doesn’t have something strange to tell me. I’ve had enough strangeness for one day.

By the time the auto reaches the Ber Sarai-IIT red light, my head is pounding. Usually I carry Aspirin in my handbag but I can’t find any today. As usual there is a jam at the light and I groan loudly. The auto driver looks at me in his rear-view mirror.

‘All good madam?’ he asks.