But to her surprise, the older woman placed her bony hand on Anu’s shoulder. ‘Because I want to help.’

Anu looked at her in surprise. She saw a softness in her eyes that she had never seen before. Anu’s eyes welled up at that concern. It was so difficult to bottle it all up and pretend like nothing was wrong. Once she began to talk, there was no stopping her. Anu told her everything—things that had happened, what she had said, done and felt. By the end, she was crying so profusely, the park walkers kept glancing at her, concerned. Padma aunty offered her a clean white hanky to wipe her face.

‘Anu, from where I stand, you both are being very immature.’

Padma aunty was now back to her stern self. ‘You could have tried harder to stay there and make a home. Sanju, after all, did come back to you every time you both had a difference. He even moved out of our house to live with you.’

Anu got up. ‘I should have known that you wouldn’t take my side, aunty. You never did like me.’

‘Sit down, Anu.’ Padma yanked at Anu’s hand and made her sit down. ‘Sanju is being very foolish by choosing to live in that place that looks nothing like a house but like a star hotel. But how could you leave him and come back here? You should have stayed, fought, reasoned and moved back here together. Running away is not an option in life.’

Padma aunty was mouthing all the clichés in the world but she made sense. Why hadn’t Anu tried harder to make Sanju move back with her? Or better, why had she given up so quickly on Verdant Green?

‘Think about what I said, Anu. Do the right thing.’

With that, Padma aunty was gone. Anu sat there with her head absolutely devoid of any thoughts. The mosquitoes buzzing, the walkers dwindling, the lights coming on—she noticed nothing. Then she picked up the phone and dialled Sanju. Five rings, six rings, Anu knew it was hopeless. Just when she had given up, she heard Sanju’s voice. He said a simple ‘Hi!’.

Anu’s eyes welled up all over again. She so missed his voice; she so missed him.

‘Sanju,’ she managed not to break down. ‘I am coming back. Please, this is horrible. I will not embarrass you. I will not pull any more Anuisms. I will not—’

‘Hey, Anu! Are you crying?’ Sanju sounded wounded. He hated it when she cried. ‘Stop crying, Anu. Are you still at my parent’s house? Mom said you were going there to pick up Vicky.’

‘I am coming now, Sanju. I will drive to Verdant Green right away.’

‘Go home, Anu. We will talk tomorrow, okay? I am still at work.’ He sounded too eager to hang up on her.