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Back Meet Me In the Middle Save as PDF
Chapters (45)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. Acknowledgements
  44. About the Book
  45. About the Author

‘I will read a few of those. Definitely Lee Child.’

Pete picked up his bag to leave. ‘I promise to read Leanne Moriarty for you. Let us see who finishes first. Stay in touch, kid.’

32

32

Images

Anu did not want to go home yet. She strolled the busy streets, drank more coffee, then went to the Big Bull temple. The large stone bull staring down benevolently at her made it easy to submit her wishes. Once her panting from climbing the small hillock came to a halt, she prayed. At first, for money to materialize from somewhere, then for her to get out of Verdant Green, then for Vicky to be happy, then for her to drop a size and fit into her size 30 pants again. Her endless list began to exhaust her. ‘Well God, give me peace of mind. Erase the previous list and keep just this one.’ She offered a final prayer and walked to the eatery right opposite the temple that sold some great snacks. God had to work very hard to slim her down. Or, close down the eateries.

When she got back home, her mom greeted her as usual. ‘Anu, I called you ten times. Where were you?’

That was when Anu realized she hadn’t checked her phone at all for hours. ‘What was the emergency that you called ten times?’ Anu asked taking her shoes off and heading to the bathroom to wash her feet.

‘You said you would be gone for two hours. Wash your hands and feet. The streets are so dirty.’

‘Mummy! I am thirty and it is broad daylight! Also, if not to wash my hands and feet, why am I heading to the bathroom?’

‘Would it kill you to just say okay?’ Anu’s mom started serving her lunch. ‘Made your favourite Rotti and Kalu Palya. The TV remote is on the sofa.’ Anu hated sitting at the dining table to eat. She was either with a book or with the TV, but on the sofa. That, by the way, had appalled Padzilla. Sanju’s was a very let-us-sit-together-and-eat type of family.

‘For all the noise you make, you are a good mummy.’ Anu hugged her mother from behind knowing well that it irritated her. She was not the huggy-kissy type. That was her grandmother’s department.

Just when Anu finished her lunch, her father walked in with Vicky. Both of them had turned red like tomatoes after whatever activity they had done. ‘Mumma, we went to see some puppies in grandpa’s friend’s house. He said we can take one. Can we take one?’ Vicky was breathless. ‘Grandpa said we can take one if you agree. Can we go now and take one?’ He tugged at her shirt.