‘For everything. For the support. For being happy for us.’

I looked away because, along with guilt, there was something else. What did Papa mean by ‘us’? That he and Ma and this baby were a family and I wasn’t? No, I told myself immediately. That was a stupid thing to assume. Then I felt guilty again because I hadn’t been supportive or happy at first.

‘It’s nothing,’ I mumbled and looked away.

Raghu looked up from the laptop and raised his eyebrows in a silent question. I nodded, knowing I could talk to him about this. I mouthed ‘later’ at him.

I knew he was happier too, since we’d talked. I didn’t know my friendship had mattered so much to him and it felt good. Very good, actually.

‘What are we having for lunch?’ Ma asked.

‘We just had breakfast Ma,’ I said.

‘Yeah, but we’re hungry.’

‘Who’s we?’ I asked, puzzled.

‘Baby and I,’ she responded firmly.

‘At your service, Aunty. What do you want?’ Raghu asked, getting up.

‘No, no! You just made breakfast for everyone,’ Ma protested, looking guilty.

‘It’s okay. Let him get used to working his ass off,’ Aunty V said, winking at me.

19

The next morning, I woke up at my usual time. I had to do yoga and get ready for college.

There was a knock on my door. I got out of bed and opened it. Raghu was standing outside, wearing trackpants and a t-shirt.

‘Dude, come jogging with me,’ he said.

I frowned. I wasn’t comfortable exercising outside. ‘Uh . . .’

‘I know you have college but it’s still early. You Bangalore guys are so lucky with these parks you have. I can’t believe you want to sit cooped up in the house all the time,’ he said, wrinkling his nose.

‘I do not sit cooped up,’ I protested. ‘Fine. I’ll join you in five minutes.’

To my surprise, the whole family was out, waiting for me. Huh?

‘Fresh air is good for the baby and your Ma,’ Aunty V said as she tied her shoelaces.

Papa, who never did any sort of exercise, looked grumpy. Ma smiled as she sat down on the low storage bench that housed all our shoes. She was breathing heavily, though we hadn’t even begun walking.

Papa did something very sweet. He knelt down and helped Ma wear her shoes before she asked for assistance. She couldn’t bend over these days with her stomach protruding so much.

Raghu, who was at the door looking impatient, looked at me—and there it was. That strange, charged moment again. I couldn’t look away. He smiled at Ma who was coming up behind me, panting heavily.

‘I’m going to slow you all down,’ she said, shaking her head as we left the house and Papa locked up behind us.

‘No one’s in a race, Chitra,’ Aunty V admonished her.