There was a wooden slab for sitting in the middle of the museum. She sat on it. Yusuf advised her to take admission in a decent college and continue her education. Talking about higher education, Yusuf mentioned that his friend Aymal was coming to Mumbai the following week and that she would be just the right person to consult about higher education. Hina was reminded of that meeting when Aymal, Burashid and Wardatul Sa’adat had come to the house. She tried recollecting Wardatul Sa’adat’s image in her mind. Yusuf told her that Wardatul Sa’adat was studying for a master’s degree in international law at a prestigious college in London. Hina was listening to him carefully. While talking about Wardatul Sa’adat, unconsciously Yusuf was reminded of the party at Khandala. That night she had presented herself as the Egyptian deity Isis and had read her dissertation on ‘Imagination of the World without Satan’ which was greatly appreciated. Yusuf looked at Hina. She looked like Isis. He smiled and said, ‘You look like Isis.’

‘Who’s that?’

‘Oh yes, she’s an Egyptian goddess. Some call her the patron of nature and others call her the goddess of magic.’

Hina laughed loudly.

Yusuf kept looking at her while she laughed.

‘Daddy, how did you change so much?’

‘So much …?’

‘So much that you are no longer what you used to be.’

‘Change is inevitable. I feel more alive now,’ Yusuf replied.

Hina did not say anything. It was already evening. They exited the museum. Right opposite the museum was a café on the ground floor of a small art gallery. They sat and had a cappuccino there. They talked more. It was already 7.30 p.m. Yusuf said to Hina, ‘Let’s go!’ and placed his cup on the table. ‘There might be traffic on the way.’

It took them half an hour to reach the JJ flyover. Had there been no traffic, this distance would have been covered in five minutes. They did not talk during the drive. When they crossed the flyover, Hina looked out of the window and felt a cold wind brush against her cheeks. She liked it. She turned and asked, ‘Are you happy?’

‘Yes. Earlier I just existed. Now, I’m happy.’

She smiled at her father’s words and repeated them, ‘What do you mean?’