‘It’s not your fault. It’s just that this is the first hour in three weeks I haven’t thought about it, and I was having such a nice time, so, no, it’s fine. But if we’re going to talk about it then I need a proper drink.’

She waved at the server and he glided over. ‘I’ll have a JD with ice, please.’

Eram felt that he should say something here. They always did in the movies. ‘Are you sure? What about the, y’know, the thing?’

‘Hey, hold on. Who said I’m keeping the thing?’ Gehna said. She smiled sweetly at their server. ‘Better make that a large. I’m drinking for two.’

Eram declined the offer of a drink, but he did finish off the remains of his cold coffee in a hurry, imagining how silly it would look sitting next to Gehna’s double bourbon.

‘So. What did you want to know?’ she said after tasting the dark amber liquid in her glass.

‘It’s not important. I was just curious about how it happened.’

‘I’m glad you brought it up. I’ve been meaning to have this talk with you. See, once upon a time there was a bird and a bee. The bee flew over to the bird and stung it. The bird then had a baby pelican named Oscar and—’

‘You know what I mean. How come you let it happen? Unless it was your plan to become a mom before you’re legally allowed to even vote.’

‘Excuse you, I didn’t let anything happen. It just happened.’ Gehna played with her glass, running a fingertip around the rim. ‘Why isn’t it chiming? Some glasses do that. Anyway, I wasn’t worried or anything until I missed my period.’ She glanced up sharply at Eram. ‘It doesn’t make you uncomfortable, does it, talking about my period? Most guys get all grossed out.’

Eram wasn’t grossed out. What made him squirm was that, in talking about her period, they were also talking about Gehna’s vagina. It felt like too much too soon. ‘No, no, what makes me uncomfortable is not talking about your period. I feel like people don’t talk about their periods enough. If they ever make me President, I’ll make it a rule for everyone to discuss and compare their menstrual cycles for at least an hour every day. I’ll build a city—we can call it Periodicity—and there’ll be a theme park with rides and shit—’

‘Fine, fine,’ Gehna said, laughing. ‘I get it, wise-ass.’ She checked the time on her phone and sobered up instantly. ‘Time to enter the vixen’s lair.’

‘She can’t be that bad.’

‘Oh no, she’s not. She’s worse.’

The Rais lived on Pali Hill, where most of the neighbourhood was either in the business of making movies or acting in them. The reception area of the four-storeyed apartment building was as fancy as some hotel lobbies Eram had seen. There was piped music, and artwork on the panelled walls. A guy in a uniform manned the desk.