‘Anu! My beautiful girl!’ Ah, that Anu liked. It was her maternal grandmother who lived with Anu’s parents. She had lost her husband ten years ago and had moved into that house soon after. Anu’s father was not too thrilled to have his mother-in-law live with them, but the good thing was that he too busy to remember that she existed.

‘Ajji! You find me beautiful in these track pants?’ Though Anu tried sounding nonchalant about the remark, she was pleased. They were no ordinary tracks, they were black Benetton ones, and they hugged her bottom better than any pair of jeans. And, she had worn her best-fitting Lee Cooper T-shirt too because she was planning to meet Sameer for a nightcap. He was just a friend, and she didn’t have to dress up for him, but Sameer was someone who noticed the finer things in life. Moreover, he styled himself like a movie star. Not in a gaudy, Ranvir Singh-way but in a very subtle and classy way. So, she had to dress up.

‘You look pretty in anything you wear.’ Her grandmother was generous with compliments. That made up for the lousy gifts she gave on all her birthdays. ‘You look eighteen. Who can say you are married with a child. Most girls become so fat after a child.’ Her grandma shuddered. She did not worry about body-shaming.

‘Stop praising her, Amma. She already spends enough time preening herself.’ That was Anu’s mother. She was lousy with compliments but highly generous with money. Anu was okay with that too.

‘I am going out with Divya after dinner. At eight. Feed me soon.’ Anu had to lie about meeting Sameer. Her mother did not endorse friendships with old admirers.

‘You never spend more than ten minutes with us, Anu. Why didn’t you come at seven, as you had said?’ Her mother’s unhappiness was nothing Anu hadn’t expected.

‘I had my yoga class.’ Anu bit into a Kobbari Mithai her grandmother handed her fresh from the stove. Happy with that thousand-calorie-a-piece sugar and coconut mixture, Anu plonked herself on the gleaming part of the counter. That was always her place when her mother or grandmother was in the kitchen. That was where all the food tasting happened.

‘Then, why did you say you were coming at seven?’ Her mother remarked, mildly angry.

‘Because I didn’t want you telling me to skip the class.’

Her mother went silent. That was how she hid her irritation.

Then Anu’s phone pinged. ‘Will pick you up at eight-thirty.’ That was Sameer.