Shwetha came by the next day. They were going to have a beer at this small garden pub outside Verdant Green, a place mostly the drivers from the community frequented. But who cared. Neither she nor Shwetha was in the mood to shell out big bucks for beer and boiled vegetables—that is all they ate when they drank midweek.

‘Anu, where is your TV? Neither in the living room nor the family room. Whatever is the difference between the two anyway?’ Shwetha sounded annoyed after walking from one room to the other.

‘Hmm …’ Anu shrugged taking away the magazines from the sofa. ‘I don’t know about the other houses but our living room had a TV and the family room Vicky’s bicycle.’

‘And now? There is only air and sunlight in your living room. I want to catch at least a bit of the Grammy rerun.’ Shwetha sat on the sofa with a thud.

Anu placed a plate of homemade biscuits one of the women who joined her for yoga had given her. ‘Sanju moved it to the basement.’

Shwetha got that can-you-get-more-weird look. So Anu further explained. ‘I asked him to move the sofa his aunty gifted us. He said if that is the case, the TV moves too. To make the basement a complete entertainment room.’ Anu grinned biting into a biscuit. ‘But the joke is on him. Since he moved it to the basement, he has almost stopped watching TV. I bet the big orange sofa scares him!’

Shwetha sighed. ‘Your lives are too complex for me to understand. Let us head out for that drink then. They might have a TV in the sitting room.’

It was only eleven but the garden bar was open. One of the neighbour’s driver nodded at Anu, looking highly embarrassed. There was also the gardener, spending the money Anu gave him the previous day. He should be treating her for the money he charged her.

‘Madam, you are in our place.’ The gardener belly laughed.

‘All because you were at mine.’ Anu mumbled and Shwetha duly broke into a giggle.

The gardener said something sheepishly and turned back to his drink.

‘So why this surprise visit in the middle of the day, Shwetha?’ Anu took large gulps of her cold beer.

Shwetha leaned closer to Anu smiling. ‘Guess what? I am getting married in a month! Then, I am moving to London with Dini.’

‘What! You can’t do that! Sameer is moving to Dubai and you to London?’ Anu almost broke into tears. Spirits made her feel too much.

‘Hey hey, at least congratulate me first! I will be there for only six months. Then Dini has agreed to move to Bangalore for good.’ Shwetha squeezed Anu’s hand. ‘What is going on with you?’