Anu cut him off. ‘All right, all right. That was then. Now, with a kid, I can’t make random decisions.’

‘Do what makes you happy. You will anyway, eventually!’

Anu pursed her lips. ‘I won’t miss you one bit when you are gone. Precisely for such insensitive remarks.’

Sameer smiled at her. ‘You will miss me precisely for such remarks!’

He was right. She missed him already. He told her what he felt without ever sugar-coating his words but he meant well. And, he also said a lot of good things about her. That helped blunt his blows.

‘Call me when you want to haul yourself and Vicky back to real Bangalore,’ Sameer concluded paying the bill.

The next morning Anu had a spring in her step when she went to her old apartment. She was going to visit Supriyaji and Kavitha. Yashoda aunty was visiting her children in the US. The familiar trees, pathways with the most colourful oleanders, people she knew smiling at her and enquiring about her. Anu exhaled in delight and sat on the stone platform built around an old peepal tree.

‘Anu! How are you? You forgot about us.’ That was Mrs Rao offering flowers to the tree. Usually, such remarks irked Anu but not that day. People were nice to her here!

‘Anu! Is everything all right?’ That was Murthy uncle. A nice man who had been greeting her the same way for as long as she knew him.

Anu finally got up after a good fifteen minutes to first visit Supriyaji. She was dressed in a crisp white and blue salwar kameez and had the warmest smile.

‘You have become thin, Anu,’ she said with concern.

‘That is the only positive of moving to Verdant Green, ma’am!’ Anu smiled.

‘That can’t be true,’ Supriyaji flashed and ethereal smile. ‘You have to find things that give you a positive vibe.’ Anu wanted to drop everything and move back here to take her classes and listen to her wise words.

Anu sipped the lime juice handed to her, which was just so perfect. How does Supriyaji do everything so perfectly? Her clothes, house, food, even the simple lime water spelt divine.

‘I am trying, ma’am.’ Anu spoke at last. She became very unhurried and calm after being with Supriyaji.

Carrying that sentiment, Anu went to Kavitha’s. Okay, it was the exact opposite of Supriyaji’s house. Kavitha loved gold and glitter and did not at all believe in being subtle. She had done up the house with green walls, orange vases, and golden chandeliers. Kavitha’s mother ushered Anu inside flashing a big affectionate smile.

‘Come in, come in, Anu. It has been so long since I saw you.’ Then she whispered to Anu. ‘You are the only one who can put sense into Kavitha. Every day she orders things. Look at this!’ She pointed at a large, ghastly vase that was of a shark spewing water.