‘What do you know?’

‘That we will meet again,’ she said without any hesitation.

She smiled and he reciprocated.

The taxi crawled forward. He stood there experiencing her fragrance around him and in the drops of the rain. Hina’s smell was equal to the raindrops. He was going to experience the same smell after nine months, three weeks and a few days.

He would then make Hina a part of this feeling and say to her, ‘The smell of your body is like that of the raindrops.’

That day would be the last day of Hina’s and Asrar’s lives.

After half an hour, he took a bus and got down at Nagpada from where he walked on foot to meet Shanti.

She was standing at the door and talking to girls who had the same profession as her.

She wore a red blouse and a light green lehenga. Asrar recognized her. Shanti came near and looked at him closely. She was reminded of their previous meeting. Asrar had gained weight since then. Shanti looked at him and said, ‘Coming after so many days, eh?’

‘Yes, the job was new.’

‘Of course, we’re the only free ones,’ she said, making a face.

‘Honestly, there were a lot of complexities.’

‘I kept on reminiscing about the last time,’ Shanti said, moving towards the bed.

‘I thought of you too.’

‘Oh liar!’ she said and before he could defend himself, she continued, ‘Do not lie uselessly.’

‘I swear.’ Asrar shook his head to make her believe him.

‘Why are you dishonestly swearing? Bombay has changed you too.’

‘Believe it or not, I once saw you in my dream,’ Asrar said with earnestness.

‘I believe you.’ She made him sit on the bed and drew the curtains.

‘I forgot to tell you. I’m drenched in the rain,’ he said in an apologetic tone.

Shanti stood up and went away briefly while he remained seated. Before she came back, many questions and thoughts cropped up within him. The unattractive, dirty walls had made him sad. Suddenly, the appearance of Hina’s face in his imagination lightened his heart. Shanti brought him a towel and said, ‘Go wash your hands and face in the bathroom.’ He took the towel but was hesitant to go to the bathroom. He stood still when Madhuri emerged from somewhere and steadily walked towards the bathroom. Shanti took the towel from his hand and said, ‘Leave it … Come on, sit here.’