Back when Anu and Sanju were newly engaged, Padma aunty had had a private chat with Anu. ‘Look, Sanju is a very innocent boy. I can’t believe that he is … well he is …’ She had stopped, swallowed, and completed the sentence with great difficulty. ‘Going for love marriage. With you. Who is so different from him.’

Anu’s mouth had opened in dismay. Who spoke like that other than Cinderella’s stepmother? But Padma aunty neither saw her open mouth nor her shocked silence. ‘You know that all my property is going to Sanju. Hope you are not marrying him for that. Sorry to be blunt.’

Anu’s mouth had opened wider in shock. No wonder Sanju’s mother had warned her to stay silent no matter what Padma aunty said. She mumbled something incoherently but Padma aunty had continued. ‘Look, I know you asked Sanju to marry you. That is okay. You are our caste. But I prefer girls who are not so forward-thinking. Also, I would have preferred someone more academically oriented to compliment Sanju’s brilliance.’

Now, where did all that come from? Anu was about to tell Padma aunty two things—she was abnormal and rude. And, that it was Sanju who had asked out. But then she had stopped and stayed quiet. How did it matter anyway? If she wants to think her Sanju to be an innocent boy, let her. But that was only the beginning. Padma aunty, since then, had never let go of a single chance to be a nuisance in Anu’s life.

Breaking away from her thoughts, Anu followed Geetha to the kitchen when she arrived. ‘Geetha, make four or five types of vegetables. Anything you like but without garlic.’

Geetha pursed her lips thinking. ‘I will. But—’

Anu sighed. ‘Yeah, I know. I will pay you extra for the cooking. Three guests and us.’

Geetha perked up. ‘Don’t tell my mother that you paid me extra.’

Sanju’s parents were simple folks who were easily pleased. As soon they arrived, they gushed about how beautiful the house was. Looks like the White House, said Sanju’s father, though the house was painted pale blue. But Padma aunty, who as always returned Anu’s hello with nothing, walked around hawk-eyed. ‘This furniture needs to go, Sanju. This worked for your small flat but not here.’ Stressing on your because that flat was technically Anu’s.

Sanju jumped in. ‘Yes, aunty. We will replace all this soon.’ Anu almost asked Padma aunty if she was going to sponsor the furniture, but didn’t.

‘Beautiful house, Sanju. Someone with a sense for interiors would have done wonders to the place,’ concluded Padma aunty.

‘You should stay with us and deck the place up, aunty.’ Sanju purred, making Anu seethe silently. Is he really that thick? Can’t he see she was taking a dig at me?