I think of greeting Dragon but I can’t, the words get stuck in my throat. And it’s not a ‘good morning’ anyway. I ignore her and walk towards the kitchen.

‘Polly, beta, how are you feeling?’ Dragon asks.

‘I think maybe a month? Two? I have no idea about these things, I’m not sure,’ Sid says on the phone.

I nod to Dragon but keep walking towards the kitchen. I am trying to behave casually, but I’m not succeeding. I might cry again and I really don’t want to do it before either of them.

‘Can I—can I make you a cup of tea?’ Dragon asks.

‘No, thank you, just need to eat something,’ I manage to say.

‘I don’t know about appointment yet—it’s a bit … uncertain, yes,’ Sid says on the phone.

‘There are paranthas in the casserole here. Why don’t you eat some beta?’ Dragon says and scurries ahead of me into the kitchen and returns with a plate.

Dragon sets the table for me and once done, holds out the chair for me.

‘Would you like some achaar with it?’ she asks me sweetly.

I hadn’t realized that talk of divorce would make Dragon act so sweetly towards me. She must really hate Lalita if it’s making her so sweet towards me.

‘Thank you so much. Really appreciate that, especially at such short notice. Yes I understand. Money is not a problem,’ Sid says on the phone.

I sit down at the table and stare at the food. Seeing the food laid out before me reminds me of my mother. She always knew when I was ill or upset. She always made my favourite dish—daal-chawal with baingan bharta—whenever I was upset. I miss my mother.

How am I ever going to tell my parents about this? How will they tell people that their recently married daughter is now getting divorced? What is my family going to say? What will the neighbours think? And Naani? She will surely think it’s my fault that I wasn’t woman enough to hold on to my husband. My poor parents were so stressed when they couldn’t find a match for me and now this …

I can’t help it, I try very hard but a loud sob escapes me. I clamp my hand over my mouth, but I cannot stop my shoulders from shaking as I cry.

I try to get up but Dragon puts a hand on my shoulder and makes me sit again. She starts stroking my head.

‘Shh beta, a mother is always strong,’ she says gently and pushes the plate towards me.