“You came down with typhoid, and I sent the shop boys to look after you. I called the doctor every day, morning and night, to find out how you were doing. The man even teased me. ‘Are you planning to adopt this boy?’ he asked me. His fee as well as the medical expenses, I paid both out of my pocket. I never told you how much it cost, and I am not telling you even now . . . You also know that I am not like this with everyone. I did it because I care for you. All I can say is, it is not good for you to leave me feeling hurt, believing that you have deserted me after all these years of working together . . .”

Khader lowered his head again.

“Now, look! You don’t need to feel bad about anything now. I am sure that man sweet-talked you into considering his offer, and you feel tempted. That’s all there is to it. And you are not alone in thinking that elsewhere must be better than where you are right now. It’s human nature to think that way. So don’t worry if you have made me think less of you after all these years of honest work. I will consider this entire episode as a bad dream and forget about it. You know my nature. I am not the kind to keep something hidden in my mind and just act out. So go wash your face and get back to work as usual . . .”

Khader quickly walked away, opened the door, and left.

“Poor fellow,” Pillai murmured to himself. “He is a good boy. Someone’s tempted him and got him all confused. Why can’t they just let a person be committed to where he is and make something of himself?”

At nine o’clock the next morning, Pillai called the store to speak to the accountant, asking him to send someone to fetch the bundles that had arrived at the lorry office and to have Khader price the new Puliyankudi saris. But the accountant said, “Khader has not shown up for work yet.” Pillai came over immediately. As soon as he got to the store, he sent someone over to Khader’s room. The boy returned to tell him the room was locked. That same evening, Pillai learned that Khader had gone to Chennai with Gopala Iyer to buy stock for his new shop.