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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

Anu’s alarm jolted her out of her blast from the past. It was the ‘Pickup–Vicky’ alarm. What would she do after picking up Vicky? Stay back and make peace with Sanju? The thought of staying back revolted her. She did not belong there. She did not want to belong there. Then again, moving away from Sanju was equally depressing. Would he come back to her if she moved out? Or was that it for them? She still wondered if it was not for Sameer’s interference, would Sanju have come back to her at all. Should she take that chance now?

35

35

Images

Anu’s phone rang when she had just picked up Vicky. It turned out to be Pooja’s mother, Dharini.

‘Hi Anu, I am meeting some of my friends for lunch at the restaurant. Please join us.’

Anu hesitated. Even a shared lunch meant damage of at least two thousand. As if reading her mind, Pooja’s mother spoke quickly. ‘It will be a simple veg-and-no alcohol kind of lunch. None of us wants to spend too much.’ She gave a small awkward laugh.

Anu couldn’t do anything but agree. But she felt depleted. She knew money was not an issue for Dharini. Pooja’s track pants cost more than Anu’s best evening dress! Anu sighed as she drove. Now even nice people like Dharini had to downgrade their lifestyle to accommodate her!

Leaving Vicky with Rathnamma, Anu changed into a decent pair of jeans and a T-shirt that made her look nice to herself. Anu made up her face quickly and admired herself for a quick moment. God, was she a narcissist!

When she reached the restaurant, Dharini waved to her. Anu stood dumbfounded for a moment. The entire table, with around six women, looked the most resplendent in crisp cotton sarees and gorgeous jewellery. Anu groaned inwardly. Would she ever fit in anywhere in this darn place?

‘We are all cotton saree buffs, Anu. So when we meet, we wear only those. But don’t bother with us oldies! You look beautiful.’ Dharini was a genuinely nice person. Her friends weren’t bad either. Everyone was friendly and even asked Anu about her life—past and present. Anu began to relax. Not everyone in Verdant Green was an ogre after all.

Soon the conversation turned to the vacations they were all planning that year. One was going on the golden chariot train journey with family that costed around four-lakh rupees per person. Another was going to London to watch the India–England cricket match. The third was going to Mauritius to stay in a luxury resort and spa. Nobody was trying to be mean. They were simply sharing but Anu had nothing to add. They had no vacation planned. And the vacations they had taken were better not mentioned here—Simla, Agra, Ramoji Film City! How commonplace and mundane!