How excited he was to move into this house and what a dampener she had put on his happiness. She thought of all the times when he had been supportive of her—how he had told her it was not the end of the world when she gave up on her master’s degree halfway, convinced her irate father when she did not want a wedding until she was twenty-five, consoled his parents when she wanted to leave Vicky in a daycare and not with them. Most of all how he had agreed to take up a different place and not live with his parents after the wedding. Sanju agreed with her on almost everything.

Just when she was about to get up to go inside the house, Sanju stepped out into the garden. He still looked grim and greeted her with a nod. He paced around but did not sit next to her. So he was in no mood to make up either. How was this impasse going to end?

Anu broke the silence. ‘I am going to Vijaynagar to get Vicky’s TC.’

He gave a curt nod. Oh, come on! I am making an effort to be nice here and it would be helpful if you tried too.

Just as she got up to leave, he asked her, ‘Are you coming back here tonight?’

Anu was taken aback. ‘Why wouldn’t I?’

Sanju shrugged. ‘You do vanish when you don’t like something.’ He was obviously referring to the time when they almost didn’t get married.

‘Are you spoiling for a fight, Sanju? This is not you.’ Anu felt exasperated.

‘See you at night, then.’ Sanju strode inside the house, leaving her half seething and half dejected. Till then they had never fought a real fight, never played mind-games, and never belittled each other. She hated the cold war that had started between them now.

Vicky got ready in record time when she told him he was going to Dew Drops. ‘Mumma, I want to show this butterfly to Chandan!’ He dangled the dead and stiff butterfly he had found in the garden.

‘You should!’ Anu played along. ‘You should also show that diamond stone you found.’

When Vicky had gathered all his prized possessions, Anu sat him in the car and fastened the seat-belt. She was as excited as him about the visit. Weering and cutting off through the mad traffic, Anu managed to reach Vijaynagar in an hour and fifteen minutes. Her car was too old to power the AC so by the time she got off, she felt her face was crusted with dust. There was a time when she reached the school in ten minutes looking immaculate. The moment they entered the school, Vicky ran off to meet his friends. Anu didn’t mind since she couldn’t wait to talk to Sumitra aunty either.